Final Re: Assessment and Sharing - Defend Yourself, Im-Part (4) Your Knowledge 

Give it up, time to Con-clude: Which, for me, took place about four years after the initial search, a review of all the relevant research, studies, on this particular topic -- one which had actually managed to sustain my interest and drive, at least long enough to complete this thing I had been carrying around with me (literally as we did not have USB flash drives yet). After a thorough review of the "original studies" (which meant getting hold of them, pay to get them copied, before printers were abundant), a few of which were responsible for me launching this search (and destroy mission, as in attempting to refute their findings, a strong sustaining force for many of us). Which prompted me to start on my required doctoral dissertation -- required, that is, if I did not want to become an "ABD" (a semi-official status which designates someone who went all the way through years of coursework but did not manage to complete the dissertation) 😔😔😔😞. Yes, a thorough review and analysis (ho-hum) of the research to date, as well as my "brilliantly conceived" idea, which I then presented to my self-selected "Committee" -- and which, some years later re-appeared in the body of the final write-up, which also included a thorough description of how the subjects were selected (so-called "recruited"😉), methodology (including what the subjects were subjected to), statistics, results, discussion...blah, blah, blah...so forth and so on, leading up to this pen-ultimate moment...

In-Conclusively: "So, Mr. _____, what do we take away, conclude from this major undertaking of yours, the accumulation of years of searching, researching, sleepless nights (for my family more than me), after you paid some stat experts to assist you in analyzing your findings (assisted in turn by some rudimentary software they had available at the time, but you lacked)...after all the Thank You's to all who got you to this moment...what exactly can we all learn from this...how does this study of yours actually add any knowledge to the field...just how can you justify having spent years of doctoral education, stipends...that you are now asking us as your Committee to sign off on...it's about time you gave up your findings and conclusions, once-and-for-all...(which meant my Committee plus an "Outside Examiner" who was essentially there to make sure I didn't get mis-treated by this Committee of mine)...Well, what do you have to say for yourself...😔😕😟😠...???!"

"Momentarily, Momentous-me: "Well, it's about damn time!" A justified response, I felt, as I had been waiting, building up to this moment, rehearsing for several months, having "lucid dreaming" both diurnal and nocturnal times...hoping, fantasizing that at least one member of my Committee would query me in such a way...regarding my findings and what I made of them, my conclusions and, in the concluding moments of my presentation, before they dismissed me while they made me sweat it out (not sure exactly what transpired in the room while I was pacing in the hallway, as my adviser never offered but I actually did not inquire either), what I would also recommend, now that I was the so-called expert in the room -- the one with the answers regarding both the obvious and not so...to which I simply, blithely, responded like a legion before me: "further research I suppose..."😔😉😂

"You mean to say...?!" Another question I well-anticipated, also rehearsed for...now they were playing right into my hands...(take a lesson here, madame press secretary) ..."No, we are not really that much closer to the truth, at least as far as a complete understanding of how the mind works...we're gonna' need lots more research, funding, R & D...it's a never-ending quest...the search is far from over, for US academic types, the ones whose thirst for knowledge, truth is unquenchable..."🤣

"We've heard enough" A summary statement to my summary. Followed almost immediately by "You're dismissed" (same words press secretary issued the other day but for a different cause, delay)...

Insert here...waiting period...during which time the song by "Chicago" (see end of 12/29 post, regarding "I've Been Searchin' So Long"🎜🎝) resonated with me, taking me back to a time and a place (University of Michigan, when I chose to be a "Psych. major"), when I could not have even conceived of such a momentous occasion...a reverie which lasted until...

"Congratulations Doctor!" Accompanied by an outstretched hand by my professor-cum-adviser-cum-mentor-cum lifelong friend😊...after which he led me back into the room, "Give it up for the newest Dr. in the room!"   

On to the post doc(s): as in what we all, U.S. hope for, when they are all finally found, so that the "search can now be over..." Is it ever, really?