elainedispo

Posts Tagged ‘Doctorate’

Working Woman’s Wednesday: Doc Decompression

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Health, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 12/30/2015 at 12:25

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

Snow Day

#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:

Beauty Tuesday: These Boots Were Made for … 

In Beauty Tuesday, Community, Higher Ed, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Yours Truly on 12/29/2015 at 04:44

4:44 ~ make a New Year’s wish!!!

Study Saturday: The Show Must Go On…

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Study Saturday, Technology, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 12/26/2015 at 15:00

Happy One-Week Anniversary of my Doc Grad!

This is where I reminisce about GOD’s plan.

When I thought that things were going wrong just because they didn’t go my way, it turned out that everything fell into place perfectly:

My Intent What Went Wrong GOD’s Perfect Plan
To wear my medal at my public dissertation defense and graduation I couldn’t find it where I thought that I stored it … or anywhere else Bishop Mike blessed me before my dissertation defense and gave me the Pope Francis rosary
To have my professors sign my dissertation with our dissertation signature pen I misplaced it from the special spot where I set it aside for the past few years Brought the “I Thank GOD for You” pen that Sister Jyothi gave us Religious Education teachers
To film my public dissertation defense with the tripod from Bestie Evie Despite deleting Fast and Furious from my 128GB iPhone 6 plus, I still ran out of storage space as I presented results for my 15th out of 17 null hypothesis Lessons learned: don’t consume too much memory on my devices or include so many variables in my research – but at least I recorded the majority
To walk across the stage without falling flat on my face – while wearing my cowboy boots instead of stilettos (like my high heels at my previous graduations) I faced my school President while my dissertation chair hooded me instead of the crowd like the rest of the doctoral candidates Bestie Evie pointed out that she noticed how I did the sign of the cross before I walked across the stage – which showed  that I put GOD first
To reserve the restaurant for my luncheon 3h after my graduation start time Car accident on the major incident delayed our graduation procession, and major traffic jam getting out of parking lot delayed my reception Time to catch up with my dad’s fellow Filipino Catholic USAF buddy with whom he was stationed in Germany and his wife (so we didn’t join impatient drivers and passengers) – shared stories
PhD OLLU 2015

Thanks: GOD, my parents, my bestie Evie & her family, Drs. D & C-B, my colleagues + Team Dr. D for sticking w/me through my PhD journey! Scored this goal, now onto my next role #TitaElaine #MiniCOOLEYonTheWay #AnydayThisHOLYday #DISPObustAFlow #DrDISPObustAFlow #DISPO #TeamDrDISPO #TeamDrD #DrD #PhD #DoctorOfPhilosophy #3rdDegree (3 stripes) #OurLadyOfTheLakeUniversity #OurLadyOfTheLake #TheLake #OLLUSaints #Saints #WingsUp #PTL #PraiseTheLORD #PreciousTreasureLady #PrettyToughLady #WhatAWayToWrapUp2015 #YearOfFinishing #appreciate #graduate #celebrate #cheers #salud #GODblessUsEveryone ☝🏽️✌🏽🙏🏽👐🏽💒🏤⛲️🎓🎤🏅🏆🏈🏀⚾️🎾⚽️⛳️✨💫🌠🎇🎆🍾🍹🍷🍸🍻🍝🍨🍮

¡Gracias a Díos!

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

In ♥ & Soul, Beauty Tuesday, Community, Health, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 11/17/2015 at 11:00

Double D is for …

Dissertation DefenseDr. Dispo * BiG DayDecember 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:

Manicure

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

and polished my finger nails with my own lacquers:

'Tis the Season for Red & Plaid

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

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

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

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Health, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Sports, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Workout Wednesday, Yours Truly on 11/11/2015 at 22:35

Veterans * Victory * Virtue

Please join yours truly as I salute and pay tribute to

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:

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 thighswaistline)

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 Monday: Non-Trick Treats

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Health, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Motivational Monday, Movie Monday, Musical Monday, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Technology, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 11/02/2015 at 15:33

We can’t go wrong with positive reinforcement …

Childhood Examples

Lately, rewarding myself helps ease the toughness of a rigorous project!

Adult Examples

Great timing since I just progressed onto my next series!

IMG_6792

3:33 ~ make a wish!!! ✌

Go, *Dez Bryant* ~  in his return to the field for NFL ☼Sunday☼ yesterday!

Working Woman’s Wednesday: Dissertation Declutter

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Health, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Study Saturday, Technology, Travel, Weekly Wonders, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 10/14/2015 at 19:00

Happy National Dessert Day!

Carrot Cake topped w/Cream Cheese & Pecans

C is for … Carrot Cake * Cream Cheese * Chopped Pecans

My peers who’ve preceded me in finishing their doctor of philosophy degrees can agree:

Cleaner and clearer are better.

That means: clean desks and clear minds

Plus clean PowerPoints to clear our minds!

Two of my esteemed classmates who graduated a few years ago and whose guidance I sought for my paper and slideshow both explicitly pointed out that I most certainly must cut back

Down to 120-140 slides, no more than 150!

As the ☼summer☼ drew to a close ~ during my most recent hurdle (that lasted four months as we entered fall term), my statistics ~ I already reached 300+ slides and reached 300+ pages of my dissertation

Yet that’s way too many to fit into a two-hour presentation (including professors‘ Q&A) ~ so I’ve reduced down to almost ½ so far!

Declutter Dissertation

This slide: an indicator that I measured a TON of stats! I ended up taking out 50+ slides last night … Shooting to eliminate more. Next issue: making sure that the fewer slides that I look less cluttered!

Just as I’ve had to minimize my clutter-bug and shutter-bug ways, I’m also de-clutteringcleaning and clearing up my PowerPoint

That way, I can advance into the next round!

Motivational Manic Monday: Series I, Round I

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Manic Monday, Motivational Monday, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Sports, Study Saturday, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 10/12/2015 at 20:00
Grad Cat

♫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

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:

  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

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Study Saturday, Technology, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 10/03/2015 at 08:00

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

Home Reno

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 friendturned 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 

Non-Manic Motivational Monday: Labor of Love

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Manic Monday, Motivational Monday, Pro-DiSPO, Relationships, Study Saturday, Weekly Wonders, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 09/07/2015 at 16:10
Motivator Cat

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

Happy Labor Day!

Bday Blessings

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!

Stats Blessings

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!

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