Thursday, May 2, 2013

   The Dunes




Last Friday was the day I have been preparing for. . .it was the day assigned to me to present my doctoral dissertation before the appointed Board of Examiners, in this case four professors from the Department of Psychology and a doctor from the College of Medicine, and anyone else who was interested to come.

It is also referred to as "defending one's thesis" although there was no one 'attacking'. . In fact the cordial conversation
after my presentation was a very pleasant discussion "among one's peers" about the positions I had presented about the strong and yet subtle role of environmental influence in the formation of one's self-esteem and its place in personality formation and life choices.

Well, I was 'accepted' and passed and, in early June, a the 
graduations of the various Colleges of the University I shall be awared a Doctorate in Psychology summa cum laude.

After the customary formalities there were refreshments served in The Calefactory down the Hall . . . a mitigated form of high tea without the customary cucumber sandwiches.

Underclassmen...er..ahem. . Underpersons. . .lol. . are in prep for final exams.  My own classes and the two sections I teach ended earlier last week.  I'd love to be Home on The Dunes breathing in the invigorating salt air and listening to the undulant waves of the ocean on the "outerbanks".  I shall be heading home for the weekend to do just that. . . .  My parents and Mme Bouvier are beaming at the hoped for (and
expected) news and I am very happy to share this with you.

Justin K. O'Shea, D. Psych 









17 comments:

Gary Kelly said...

Well, I have to say that I like cucumber sandwiches.

Furthermore, JustinO K. O'Shea, D. Psych I like and admire people who work hard to achieve their goals, which is what you have done... admirably. "Discussion amongst one's peers" huh? How flash is that? So now it's official. The kid on the veranda with the trike is a dinky di Dr, which means I can now claim to have improved my social status.

Well-deserved congratulations, my dear boy. And don't forget to tell people I'm a personal friend of yours. :)

jimm said...

Hats off and 3 cheers for Justin!!!

The topic sounds interesting.

Now that the easy part is over.... just kidding, just kidding.

I am very proud of you and your lofty accomplishments!

JustinO'Shea said...

Many thanks, Gary. . and be assured, I always tell of my friends from the Land DownUnder. .the People of OZ. ..I think that always improves my status "Knowing 'The Swells' of OZ". . I am privileged. ;-)

ANd, among one's peers there is no minor or lesser. . ;-)

GreginAdelaide said...

Now, THAT was a smile I really enjoyed Justin.

One of the reasons I keep coming back to your blog because it (you) often make me smile, perhaps it is the most compelling reason.

Congratulations, and remember, as you go through life, make sure you ALWAYS keep making people smile.

radicaljoe7@gmail.com said...

This is the News we all have been waiting for. I and many others have watched and waited throughout
your Journey. Thanks for sharing
all yourself to your friends, please don't ever change your good
and kind being that you have shown to all of us. Being a Doctor, is the best thing in all your life, and your Mom and Dad, and Gramms must really be beaming with all their Love. You also have Peter for a whole lifetime to look forward and enjoy. I am Happy for
both of you. Blessed Be God.

radicaljoe7@gmail.com said...

This is the News we all have been waiting for. I and many others have watched and waited throughout
your Journey. Thanks for sharing
all yourself to your friends, please don't ever change your good
and kind being that you have shown to all of us. Being a Doctor, is the best thing in all your life, and your Mom and Dad, and Gramms must really be beaming with all their Love. You also have Peter for a whole lifetime to look forward and enjoy. I am Happy for
both of you. Blessed Be God.

JustinO'Shea said...

Greg. . I shall try to remember that. . .smile ;-)

JustinO'Shea said...

'Uncle Joe". . thank you very much. ;-)

J said...

My very best congratulations, Justin. Now you will have the consummate pleasure of donning your doctoral robes. Some are basic black with the school colors in the hassock; others (such as Harvard's)are pure Elizabethan and scarlet. I hope your's are as arresting as a peacock's.
Now, what do you plan to do with this education?

JustinO'Shea said...

Thanks, J. . .Oh like the rest of humankind I plan on working. Yes, I have a job. . really in my mind I have a "position": I hope to share what has been given to me to try to better the lives of those whom I am called to serve. ;-)

********************

And JIMM. . your entry seems to want to play hide and seek. . while I can still see you.. THANK YOU for your 'hats off and 3 cheers'. . I like a little 'show' now and then. . and I return the gesture. ;-)) Thanks.

Richard said...

Dr. O'Shea,

What wonderful news to wake up to on this Friday morning! May the members of your community benefit from this event.

Richard

Alastair said...

Congratulations Dr Justin - a major achievement.

Richard said...

I must remember calefactory the next time I play Scrabble. Great word.

JustinO'Shea said...

I think also, Richard, that calefactory is a fancy word for 'boiler room'. . . LOL

J said...

That's a laudable goal--serving humanity--in a world obsessed with serving itself. Hard times have institutionalized selfishness in this country. We're like rats in a giant bell jar vacuum. As the air is sucked out we scurry around eating each other up trying to avoid our inevitable explosion.

JustinO'Shea said...

When I read the description of our society, the egomaniacal drives, aims, goals too often seen thru the vaneers. . .especially in my field of human relationships I wonder how this all happened and what can be done about it.

I have an intelligence and and intuitive ability which helps see thru this in counselling. . .I call it a gift given to give away. . I see my work as being a presence in their pain often pointing to something better, more healthy. . I have worked and studied and hopefully learned some tools to assist, to teach others what might be called basic survival skills. . . .I am going to continue this, J, in a blogpost since there is an area i want to bring up and ask about. Thanks for the 'spark'. . ;-)

Robert said...

Hey J - Contrats dude, looking forward to the day we call you Doctor. Best wishes with the work load. Hoping to see you out n about in PTown paradise this summer. Regards, RO'C