elainedispo

Posts Tagged ‘grad school’

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

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Spirit Sunday, Sports, Sports Sunday, Travel, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 12/06/2015 at 12:50

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

Announcement Maze with CardsIMG_8296Announcement with Photo Credits

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!

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My next anticipated title this AdventTita 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. ✌

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!

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 

Study Saturday: Conscientiousness

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 09/26/2015 at 08:00

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

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 programconscientiousness* 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!

Grey's Cat

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 andDeadly

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/OCEANhttp://ipip.ori.org/ and http://oaks.nvg.org/big-five.html
  2. Myers-Briggshttp://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!

Study Saturday: ♣Spring♣ Cleaning

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Study Saturday, Technology, Travel, Weekly Wonders, Workin' Woman, Workout Wednesday, Yours Truly on 02/07/2015 at 16:00

The clearing of clutter continues …

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Just a few books in my library

Since a book rep visited my campus, I took full advantage by bringing my slew of books from which I studied in college and grad school or taught in undergrad courses.

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More books from my garage

Study Saturday: Strong Work Ethic

In ♥ & Soul, Community, Health, Higher Ed, Home Sweet Home, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Relationships, Study Saturday, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman, Yours Truly on 01/17/2015 at 08:00

Lately, I’ve been in conference calls with doctoral graduates for tips on getting on the grind and finishing our respective terminal degrees. Here are some of the paraphrased pieces of profound advice that they imparted to this candidate, yours truly, as I push through my dissertation:

Dr. Alex

  • You’ll graduate in †GOD†‘s time.
  • If †GOD† led you this far, He won’t leave you at this point.

Dr. Díaz*

  • It takes ♥love♥ and commitment because it is a labor of ♥love♥.
  • Treat your dissertation as your job by putting in your hours and ♥love♥ what you do.

*Also, my aforementioned colleague — with whom I used to teach in South Texas who always has been a brilliant mastermind and now has his book on the way (about the border, around the corner) — who is a fellow, active Catholic, who pointed out that we all have our †cross† to bear, established this group for St. Joseph the Worker

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… to whom he would pray everyday before writing his dissertation.

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Dr. Toya

  • Treat your dissertation as your final project: the last assignment that you need to graduate.

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  • Write an affirmation

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… and place it on your bathroom mirror…

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… or refrigerator.

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I also posted it on my desk!

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I’m lovin’ it!

Nameplate

Constant reminders may be just the key to my Ph.D. to become Dr. D (as I pop these choco Coffeebeats that may not be the best bet for my teeth)!

Study Saturday: Learning from My Students

In Higher Ed, Pro-DiSPO, Public Interest, Study Saturday, Weekly Wonders, What's Hot, Workin' Woman on 01/03/2015 at 09:00

This RGV press release 📰 about my summer🌅 speech class in South Texas🌴 reminds me of the skills that my students practiced that still are required to succeed in my own PhD📜!

As another year approaches, I can’t just sit back, wait and wonder: will this be my year? First of all, I have faith🙏 that GOD☝️ determines the fate. I can do what is within my control, and like my students, I can strive to produce high-quality work! Struggle and sacrifice will be worth the price!

Almost exactly two years ago when I attended 🎆New Year’s🎇 Mass💒, our Deacon spoke🎤 of the difference between wishful💭 and resolved👊 thinking. While I can wish all I want to graduate🎓, I must move forward once I resolve to take whatever steps👣 necessary to make progress!