i mom worked at newcomb and would go there every time i needed to steal something out of her purse. why am i here today? clearly not to steal. i am here because of you, because i cannot think of a more tenacious, more courageous graduating class. look at you all wearing your robes. usually when you are wearing a robe at 10:00 in the morning, it means you have given up. [laughter] here because i love new orleans. iwas born and raised here, spent my formative years here, and like you, while i was living here, i only did laundry six times. [laughter] school, in i finished was completely lost and by school i'm in middle school, but i went ahead and finished high school anyway. i really, i had no ambition. i did not know what i wanted to do, i did everything from oysters, i was a hostess, bartender, waitress, i painted houses, i sold vacuum cleaners -- i had no idea. i thought i would settle on some job and i would make enough money to pay my rent, maybe have basic cable, maybe not. i did not really have a plan. by the time i was your age, i really thought i knew who i was. when i was yo