Working Woman’s Wednesday: Doc Decompression

Leave it to my Bestie Evie to always know what’s best for me!

• First, she strongly suggested that I take one day out of the month for myself
• Then, she and Mama Maggie highly recommended that I take a whole week off!

#ImDreamingOfAWhiteCHRISTmas #LetItSnowLetItSnowLetItSnow #BabyItsColdOutside #iLoveTheWinterWeather #IveGotMyLoveToKeepMeWarm #WhenAllYouCatsAreSleepinWarmAsToast #WhiteCHRISTmas #LetItSnow #WinterWeather #CoolYule #CatsAreSleepinWarmAsToast #DoubleATeam #PURRfectMoment2PAWS #CATchOfTheDay #SnowDay #SnowAngels #WokeUpToThis #MerryTexasCHRISTmasYouAll #MerryTexasCHRISTmasYall #MerryTEXmas #WestTexas #WTX #winter #blizzard #BlanketOfWhite #snow #comfy #cozy #CuddleBuddies #SnuggleBunnies ❄️☃⛄️🎅🏽🎄🎁💝😍😻🏡

When they mentioned my need for “me” time at my graduation luncheon, I doubted that I could pull it off. However, I indeed observed how refreshed some of my fellow doc candidates-turned graduates seemed following their dissertation defenses ~ a break to decompress helped them relieve stress!

#DrDISPObustAFlow

To the tune of the wayback/throwback two-decade-old track by Montell Jordan:

♪This Is How I Did It♫

• 3½ ☼days☼ last week between Graduation and CHRISTmas
• +3½ ☼days☼ this week between CHRISTmas and mid-week
• = 7  ☼days☼ total (not consecutive ~ but I’ve made it count)

My favorite activities during this Dr. D time:

• concocting recipes
• QT with my Cuties

Sports Spirit Sunday: Score Goal, New Roles, More Soul

Two-Day Game Warning: Almost the End of Regulation!

As I approach my Big Day (Public Dissertation Defense) to complete my Doctor of Philosophy, my journey toward this ultimate goal may be drawing to a close while my next one toward my career advancement will begin.

However, my Ph.D. pursuit has helped me grow, not just professionally, but also personally, and most of all: spiritually. Furthermore, this undertaking couldn’t have been accomplished single-handedly: GOD’s grace provided, JESUS’ example was all-sided, and the HOLY SPIRIT’s light guided, in addition to Team Dr. D, who had my back. I forever will be grateful to the †Heavenly HOLY TRINITY† and my positive supporters here on Earth, who’ve rooted me on all the way, leading up to this Tuesday, December 8 ~ save-the-date!

My next anticipated title this Advent: Tita Elaine.

We expect my future niece or nephew to arrive around CHRISTmas time ~ the very 1st grandchild of my parents, who recently celebrated their ♥wedding♥ anniversary.  Yes, my family is very blessed. Regardless of these joyous times, I pray that we’ll always turn to the LORD, as we lead our lives here while preparing our eternal home in Heaven.

Sending peace and goodwill to San Bernadino, CA, in the wake of this terrorist tragedy. ✌

Sports Spirit Sunday: DC is for …

Dallas Cowboys * Dissertation Completion –> Championship!

Those are my goals for today:

• hopeful ‘BOYS victory with Tony Romo back as quarterback ~ countdown to end of regulation (game on)
• imperative submission of my final draft for review ~ countdown to my dissertation defense (16 more days!)

Grad Cat / Asia Felina Catalina & Stats Cat / Sweet Annie have been by my side all the way …

Mini Milestones: Feline Friday & Study Saturday

• Thursday marked exactly one month until my well-anticipated graduation with my Doctor of Philosophy!
• The other day, I had my cat in my left hand, and my mouse in my right hand as I worked on my dissertation!
• Yesterday marked my ½way point between starting my faculty defense and my public final reveal (12/8)!

Happy ♥ANNIE-versary♥ to her & yours truly 1 week ago!

Beauty Tuesday: Double-D Recovery to be Double-D Ready

Double D is for …

Dissertation Defense * Dr. Dispo * BiG Day: December 8 ~ Save the Date!

After I passed my presentation with full faculty on Veterans’ Day, I followed my Bestie Evie‘s advice:

Take a Me QT Day.

While I still worked on revising my paper, I also set aside Spa Time this past weekend!

Facial Mask

Based on Fleur De Force‘s The Glam Guide, I used these ingredients for *acne  and **dark spots:

• Banana*
• Honey*
• Lemon***

Manicure

Then I treated myself to an at-home mani with the following gift sets:

• Mary Kay Satin Hands from María Elena
• four-step nail block from my R.E. student
• buffer and shine sticks from my Tita Susan

and polished my finger nails with my own lacquers:

• starting with Sally Hansen 18K Gold Hardener
• painting red for the season and plaid accents
• finishing off with Sally Hansen Miracle Gel

O•P•I Got the Blues for Red & Sally Hansen 18K Gold Hardener + Revlon Orchid & Silver Screen + Sally Hansen i ♥ Nail Art Striper in black

My top tip to achieving a lasting nail paint job:

Run freshly coated nails in cold water and dodge hot water!

• Cold water seals in moisture, while hot water repels and drys it out
• If I hand wash dishes, I wear special gloves
• I also wear gloves during hands-on activity

Massage

My good †Christian† friend and fellow prayer warrior, Lisa, came through again, introducing me

• previously to the rolling pin technique
• plus post-massage detox mocktails
• and this time to Biblical oils!

Thank GOD for these special gifts of blessings and wonderful company!

Workout & Working Woman’s Wednesday: V is for …

* Veterans * Victory * Virtue

Please join yours truly as I salute and pay tribute to

• my hardworking heroic father from the *United States Air Force* while approaching the retirement of his post-military career in aviation
• my Great-Uncle Terry from the *U.S. Navy* before he reaches nine decades of life
• my *Airman* cousin Jeryl who’s safely and soundly back Stateside from his deployment
• my Bro Ryan from the *United States Marine Corps* who now is expecting my first niece/nephew with my sis and attending MBA school
• my *Airman* brother-in-law Eric in his second tour in the ROK
• my many friends who’ve served the great *US of A*

This also is a special Veterans’ Day as I passed my full faculty defense according to GOD’s perfect plan!

While our military heroes engage in rigorous physical training, with PT tests that time:

• 1½-mi. runs
• ### push-ups
• ### sit-ups

I did my share of high impact activity to prepare my energy for this AM’s event …

Just like I’ve connected almonds with energy for my full marathon as an analogy for my multiple regression statistical analyses, I’ve tied in what worked for me on the days I passed my previous rounds:

• I hit the track after my Holy Hour at our ♥Adoration♥ †Chapel† right before my committee conference call
• I’ve done more HIITs and toning up to ease my test anxiety up until today’s full faculty meeting

Here’s my training session from yesterday to work both the lower and upper bod:

2 for Tuesday: Double Whammy beyond the Moons on my Hammy

Simultaneous Moves for 20 reps/set with body weight or light resistance (ankle or wrist wraps, dumb bells or bands)

• Squats (legs) & Shoulder Raises (delts and traps)
• T-Bird Dead Lifts (booty) & Rows (back)
• Extensions 2 Ways ~ Standing (quads) & Overhead (tris)
• Curls 2 Ways ~ Standing (hams) & Upward (bis)
• Trunk Twist (core) Curtsy Lunges (legs)
• Ab-duction (inner thighs & waistline)

CHEERS to ALL of our service men and women in uniform who’ve

• fought for our freedom, both in the States and overseas
• bled for our country, earning themselves the Purple Heart
• died for those freedoms, earning themselves the Flag

 as well as ALL of our military families who experience the sacrifice.

Thank you, GOD, the Saints and the Angels for watching over us!!!

Motivational Manic Monday: Series I, Round I

♫Columbus sailed the ocean blue♪ … which are as deep & true as my Grad Cat‘s baby blues! Here, I’m bringing out those blues with my *NEW* Adam Lippes for Target sweater dress vest ~ my gray go-to playful plaid layering piece this fall!

Happy Columbus Day!

Stats Cat‘s got my back on Columbus Day & always as I rock out my Anchor & Sailor Wheel earrings!

As I prepare for my committee defense, I’m connecting and comparing my upcoming dissertation presentations to playoffs for post-season sports:

• After advancing from my Concept Proposal (Fall 2013) * Proposal Defense (♣Spring♣ 2014) * IRB Approval (Fall 2014) * Research Methods (Fall 2014-☼Summer☼ 2015) * Running Statistics (☼Summer☼ 2015) * Run-Throughs (Fall 2015) …

1. First Series: Committee Defense (for my team of 3 professors) — 2 Rounds anticipated
2. Second Series: Faculty Defense (for my entire conference of professors) — 2-3+ Rounds anticipated
3. Third and Final Championship Series: Public Dissertation Defense to become Doctor (for anybody and everybody) — last Round, a.k.a. the Final Reveal before my well-anticipated graduation

So, who is my competition, you ask?

I could say my faculty of professors, but they’re on my side to succeed, so I’ll have to go with myself on my level of resilience to determine whether I stay and sustain through the game: Yours Truly vs. Yours Truly

I got this! Bring on the determination and confidence!! No thanks to the fear and discouragement!!!

Also, my good family friend, fellow devout Catholic, my ♥Tita Lydia♥ pointed out to me this:

My Doctoral Degree is my Vocation

Study Saturday: Prime Time Wisdom

Advice / Anecdotes (like the Alliteration?) from Fall TV

Grey’s Anatomy revolves around Dr. Meredith Grey (center), here with her ½-sister from her late mom, Dr. Ellis Grey’s side, Dr. Margaret Pierce, a.k.a. “Maggie” (to her right/viewer’s left) & sister-in-law from her late husband, Dr. Derek Shepherd, a.k.a. “McDreamy‘s” side, Dr. Amelia Shepherd (to her left/viewer’s right) after they demolished a wall ~ as my doc friend–turned published author says, we “build out of bricks,” so here these 3 are, starting over from scratch. #HomeReno #DISPObustAFlow Rando Info: Doesn’t the actress who plays Maggie look like the Special K commercial chick in lumberjack (red and black) plaid on a bus? | Courtesy ABC

Grey’s Anatomy on Leadership

Be worthy of being believed in, of being looked up to.

~ Dr. Edwards to “the other” Dr. Shepherd* (Feb. 26, 2015)

You have to lead.

~ Dr. Harmon to “the other” Dr. Shepherd* (Feb. 26, 2015)

Being a leader isn’t about whether they’ll listen to you, it’s whether they believe in you.

~ former Chief Dr. Richard Webber to new Chief Dr. Miranda Bailey (Oct. 1, 2015)

I call this GA 360 because this is relevant to followers and leaders alike:

• Mentors, in the resident’s case of following the attendings
• Speakers, in my college public speaking students‘ case
• Leaders, as I’ve studied for my Doctor of Philosophy

Confidence

“There’s a scientific study that shows that if you stand in superhero pose for just five minutes before a job interview or a big presentation or a really hard task, you will not only feel confident, but you will perform measurably better.

~ *Dr. Amelia Shepherd to Dr. Edwards on Grey’s (March 5, 2015)

From Big Bang Theory {next three examples}

Dr. Leonard: “I’m a little nervous” (about approaching George Lucas at Skywalker Ranch).

Dr. Sheldon Cooper: “Get over it. Confidence is key in these situations.”

Empathy

It’s an evolutionary advantage to be included in things.” [as I teach about affection being a basic interpersonal/social need]

~ Dr. Amy [played by real-life Ph.D. and the Blossom star from 2½ decades ago] about feeling left out to empathize with bf Sheldon

Alliteration and Assonance

You are the King Kong of Ping Pong. You are the Menace of Table Tennis … You said you played Badminton? More like Sadminton!

~ Dr. Howard to Dr. Raj

Progress

You know why you’re acting this way? You’re so close! I’ve been there … When you’re about to make a breakthrough. Keep going. Don’t stop.

~ Dr. Derek Shepherd to Dr. Caliet (wannabe mistress) on GA (March 26, 2015)

^– I most certainly must heed this as I approach my finish line! –^ 

Side chart note: Without McDreamy and McSteamy in the mix at Seattle Grace (now Grey-Sloan ~ bad-to-the-bone), it’s “Attending Poser” / *NEW* *HOT* Intern who I’ll chase [not really — just making time to rhyme as always all days]! #DISPObustAFlow 

Study Saturday: Conscientiousness

During this week’s conference call with my dissertation chair, she called me

conscientious.

I not only accepted this ~ to ♥heart♥ and absolutely at face value ~ as the best compliment from her (when we were discussing the running and re-running of my statistics for my research results) but also am ensuring that I live up to this standard.

St. Joseph the Worker †prayer† that contains the word conscientiously from my Doctor of Philosophy friend who I idolize

When my cohort members and I were admitted into our doctoral program, conscientiousness* happened to be one of the personality traits for which we tested and that we studied in our leadership theories literature. It comes from the (1b) Big Five psychometric assessment that uses the “OCEAN” acronym:

• Openness (or Originality)
• *Conscientiousness (or Consolidation)
• Extroverion ~ I’ve also consistently tested high for this in the (2) Myers-Briggs (as an ENFJ for Extraversion • Intuition • Feeling • Judging) both when I took it as a psych minor for my undergrad and again in doc school
• Agreeableness (or Accommodation)
• Neuroticism (or Emotional Instability) ~ the reverse of this attribute as leaders and doc students is ideal to deal

According to the (1a) instrument provided by my doctoral degree program, someone who is conscientious is “achievement”-oriented and “self-disciplined” ~ so this implies that conscientiousness involves intentions (definitely something for which I strive).

Currently, my conscientiousness has stuck with me through school ~ as both a scholar and an educator!

Throwback: Some timing that Grey’s Anatomy premiered its 12th season this week ~ I actually reported on it during my 1st year of doc coursework (my Grad Cat is the #PhotoBomb #BombDotCom shortly before baby sis Stat Cat‘s birth Annie-versary) ~ this is an example of a presentation aid that I just covered with my speech students

This past week, I taught my students about literary terms, so I tied them into ♪music♫ and pop culture:

Asyndeton in ♫George Strait‘s ♪The Chair♪

Irony in ♫Alanis Morissette‘s ♪Ironic♪

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication in Jeremy Lin‘s How to Fit in the NBA

Personification plus Alliteration and Assonance in Funny Face that featured Audrey Hepburn!

If it (Quality magazine) won’t speak to me, it won’t speak to them.

~ Ms. Prescott, Editor-in-Chief

D for

• Down * Dreary * Dull * Depressing * Dismal and * Deadly

Banish the Black * Burn the Blue * Bury the Beige

• Think pink * Red is dead * Blue is through * Green‘s obscene * Brown’s too boo

Now I know that my advisor wasn’t trying to flatter me, but her acknowledgment meant encouragement … of the ♥heart.

I challenge you fellow servants and leaders to consider which personality traits that you have in order to enhance your strengths and improve from your weaknesses!

Site Sources

1. Big Five/OCEAN: http://ipip.ori.org/ and http://oaks.nvg.org/big-five.html
2. Myers-Briggs: http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/

Another Reference (when I minored in psychology)

Oldham, J. M., & Morris, L. B. (1995). The new personality self-portrait: Why you think, work, love, and act the way you do. New York, NY: Bantam Books.

Addendum

After I helped lead my †Church† in prayer at Vigil Mass, Fr. Bob, our Pastor, greeted me as “Soon-to-be Dr. Dispo” ~ to which I replied, “GOD-willing,” and “to glorify GOD.”

Happy Belated Birthday to our Fr. Kumar, our Parochial Vicar!

Non-Manic Motivational Monday: Labor of Love

Soon-to-be Bday Grrrl Sweet Annie to me: ♫Baby, I’ma be your Motivation♫ (Kelly Rowland’s ♪song)

Happy Labor Day!

Bestie Evie‘s bday advice: Start & end everyday by remembering 10 blessings!

I devoted all weekend long (including today ~ and still going) on my dissertation: my Labor of ♥Love♥ … My goal is to finish writing my draft today and prepare my defense!

I luckily found a blank page in my stats book to jot down these blessings ~ I’m guaranteed to glance at them every single day since I study it anyway!

Thank GOD I have Grad Cat & Stats Cat to keep me company as moral support!

Purrfect Moment to Paws: Stats Cat‘s where it’s at! #QTwithMyQT #PawsitiveCatitude

Here’s more stats comic relief… As I analyzed more results on the relationships between my research variables, I thought about the series of three numbers that I report in terms of body measurements.

Exhibit A

Floral Friday: Hilltop Home & Garden

During my bday vacay last week, I visited a home that is among my fondest memories:

my beloved soon-to-be (in 2½ weeks) Birthday Girl aunt’s estate!

Not only am I a fan, but apparently and rightfully so, her community also is as well because both

• Her award-winning garden was featured

• Her interior received generous press

in ☼The Baltimore Sun☼ 

The highlight of my stay was when I sat in my Tita Fe‘s gourmet kitchen with Mami Aya, her siblings and their spouses ~ during which my MD aunts and uncles, who included

• Tita Fe & Tito Rudy (my mom’s oldest sister and her husband)
• Tito Robert & Tita Yollie (my mom’s youngest brother & his wife)

each endorsed me for my PhD ~ providing their sound advice that I’ll take with me as I progress toward my doctoral dissertation defense.

 4:44 ~ make a Bday/BTS wish!!! ✌