As I've told some of you during BARGE, my stepson graduated in May from UMass Dartmouth with a Bachelors degree in Management Information Systems and a minor in Marketing. He's got good grades and a decent resume and it didn't take long for him to get an offer from Perot Systems in Plano, Texas. They will pay part of his move to the Dallas area, but it still required a 3 day drive with a car loaded with a students household. On his way from Massachusetts he stopped at our house for a day and I accompanied for the remaining 2 days.

The trip was pretty uneventful, which of course is good. He had bought a roof top carrier and filled it with books. It was pretty stable and didn't even cause any major decline in gas mileage. His car was a 99 Chevrolet Cavalier who usually get 36+ mpg on the freeway. We left Cary, NC on Friday, 7:30 am and went I-85S to Atlanta and had to follow I-20W the rest of the way. We checked into a hotel in Meridian, MS, just past the Alabama state line.

Diner accompanied by 2 beer saw us falling asleep sometime between 9-10pm. We had gotten up early and had spent all day in the car. It was hot and very tiring. The trip continued after a light breakfast this morning again at 7:30. Another 500 miles on I-20 brought us to Dallas where we checked into another hotel.

I am glad I can help him on this trip and I am proud that he found this great job. My assumption is that a company who is hiring college graduates during these times must have something in mind for these youngsters. His Information Systems/Marketing combination is especially looked for, since most of us with the geek gene aren't born for sales. What he's been telling about his interview supports this as well.

We will be looking for an apartment for him the next couple of days and try to get him situated. I'll fly back home on Tuesday. Despite the long drive, I am glad I could join him on this trip and see him stepping into real life (tm)