R. S. Martin Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 I survived my oral examination! I just got home from defending my thesis. I'll never be an orator. Didn't get the greatest grade (B+) but the paper has been accepted. All I have to do is correct a few typos and a few other errors--it won't take more than an hour or two. When I submit those changes my supervisor will sign a paper and I will have completed my degree requirements. HORRAYYY!!!! It just hit me on the way in from the bus (on my way home) what I've actually done. I bucked tradition and culture where the absolute highest education permitted is Grade 8 and got TWO UNIVERSITY DEGREES. But this is far more than formal education. This is metamorphosis. Okay, that is just a fancy word for transforming myself from one thing into another. Morph--is that the "street" jargon? Professional counseling never did much for me but ten years of formal education: 1. gave me a voice; helped me find words and language to express myself 2. helped me figure out who I am and what happened to me and why it happened. I am who I am. There are things I will never be able to do. But education has helped me find some things that I can do very well. It has also been the ticket out of hell into an accepting community where I am loved for who I am and what I can do. I'm so not a party person so I won't be going to my convocation and there won't be any graduation party. But I'm celebrating here. I want all my friends here to know that this great milestone of life has been reached. For interested parties, the name of this degree is: Master of Theological Studies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Freepagan Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Congratulations Ruby! You are living life as it is meant to be lived--fearlessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Hurray! mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Captain Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 You are one amazing lady! From where you started to where you are now, simply incredible. I'm not much of one to through a self-congratulatory party either, I'd rather forgo the extra attention. But for all that you really deserve some recognition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Well, done rube... Knew you'd do it... and a pox on those who tried to hold you back. May their cattle dry and their seed dwindle... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deva Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 That's really an impressive accomplishment Ruby. Congratulations. Way to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jeff Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Congratulations, Sister Ruby! That's awesome! Hall-lay-LOOH-Yah!! Glory! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Good job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Congratulations! Even though you're not a party person, you should treat yourself to something fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Congrats Ruby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Way to go Ruby! Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted April 14, 2008 Super Moderator Share Posted April 14, 2008 Congratulations on your accomplishment. You are a great asset to everyone whose life you touch. You are an encouragement to anyone struggling to be free and improve their lot. Well done, Sister! - Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Hurray! mwc Completly off topic... hehehe bum crack... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Completly off topic... hehehe bum crack... Heh. Leave it to you to even notice. Oh well...it is a theology party after all. I believe that means no pants by definition. mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahgrace Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Oh well done!! Very well done indeed! Congratulations. I hope you have a great time celebrating in your own way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 Wow. Thanks everybody. I'm feeling almost overwhelmed. I never knew people cared this much. Too many people have hated me for "bragging" about my high-falutin status of rubbing shoulders with professors. That was other forums but the stigma is hard to wash off. Thanks for all your support through all of this. Don't know how I could have ever done these past two years (since Sept. 2006) without the support of exC. I absolutely had to get this degree yet my enthusiasm just drained out of me when I concluded that god does not exist. That happened about July 2006. I thought the cooler weather and new classes of fall would rejuvenate my enthusiasm. Didn't work that way. My old classmates had moved on. The new set was so laid back. My prof didn't like me--and I didn't like his boring class. It was NT and he hated my questions. My family found in in Sept. that I had deconverted and got on my back. Haven't let up since. Then mom passed away in March 2007 which was very traumatic cause sibs and their church practiced excommunication on me. UGH! Well, my health suffered in the meantime. I've been slow to acknowledge it but I might as well. What I can't quite get my head around is that I've actually completed the degree requirements. That's right! Since posting this thread I fixed up the stuff on the paper they said to fix up. All I have to do is print it off and hand it in. I'm hating the stuff so much chances are I will do it first thing tomorrow just to have it off my plate. That will mean The End of being nice and playing politics with Christians. I'll still be living in a Christian town with a Christian landlady but we don't talk religion. She was one of my well-wishers and when I told her my grade she rejoiced and said she had prayed for me and for her daughter who was also doing an exam. I thanked her. I figure good wishes can go by any label. Hey! this is celebrating. Love you guys. Love your trampoline, mwc. Yup, this is theology bare-naked. I think I'd feel a lot more vulnerable to xians if I didn't have this education. I do NOT regret it one little bit. I think it's something I had to do for myself, no matter how difficult it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eponymic Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 For interested parties, the name of this degree is: Master of Theological Studies. Well done my dear, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Congrats Ruby! That's a damn fine accomplishment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted April 15, 2008 Author Share Posted April 15, 2008 Thanks! I printed it off and handed it in. I keep having these premonitions that even yet I will get an email from Bob saying, Ruby, I looked over it and I see you missed a while batch of typos. Can't give you the degree until you find and fix them. I'm quite sure that won't happen. He's too busy for that kind of silly game. I had crazy premonitions before we ever got to this stage about catastropic stuff he might decide to pull on me and it didn't happen. I think he wants me to be done and out of the way--make room for the new crop that's coming in. That's my head speaking. My silly heart keeps getting fearful anxious vibes--this is simply too good to be true. This kind of thing just doesn't happen--not to ME. Maybe that's what's at bottom. Come to think of it--I met another student today when I was on campus to print it off. I asked her what year she was in. She said she was graduating with her BA, but she did not sound optimistic, either. Just like I'm feeling--too much can still go wrong. I asked when she would finish. She said by Monday. I guess she still has major papers to finish. Maybe it's normal to feel anxious until we hold the actual paper in our hands, esp. for those of us who struggle with learning disabilities as she and I do. Like me, she is also a mature student who has come out of an abusive situation. I don't know the details but she's worked HARD to get to where she is. (I know I've made progress in my own healing if I can empathize like this with another person. That's something I couldn't do when I started studying.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skiergirl24 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4truth Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Congratulations, Ruby! That's an awesome accomplishment, especially with all of the obstacles you had in your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astreja Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Congratulations, Ruby! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telesmith Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Well done Ruby. Try and brush of those anxious thoughts. You'll be holding that paper in your hand in no time. You're an asset to this site! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outback Jack Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Congratulations, Ruby. We're all very proud of you! As for me personally, I'll be telling everyone who matters that I know a Master of Theological Studies who doesn't believe a word of the Bullshit! :notworthy: :notworthy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahjong Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 RubySera-What an accomplishment! So glad you let us know!!! MJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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