Portraits in Posing and Poising: Coronations, Convocations, Commencements...Conventions

"What's all this noise?!"  All this hooting and hollering...it's as if they think they've already arrived, accomplished a great feat. Or, a study of contrasts, even in the midst of being feted ("she was an instant celebrity, feted by the media"), we see a few nobles, or at least notable individuals, speaking to U.S. with a morsel of humility..."I am humbled...". A whole continuum of people, who readily "strike a pose" to those who seem a bit "camera shy" and only do so as a matter of..."formality" (kind of a fun exercise to pick out whose who in the recent Royal Portraits, which have been now covered in full and thus, I choose not to adorn this page with any), whether the most officious or those that are brought to your news-feed by those pesty paparazzi, who have once again been castigated by the other press, for literally, chasing "them". Yes, a whole...

Caste of Characters: "It's (not) in your deoxyribonucleic acid...your DNA" -- for better or worse, depending on where and who you were "born into", which has not only been a way to categorize whether you are so-called "high-bred" (or, sadly, a "lowly individual"...or, at least, feeling so) -- but grew in such popularity as an ad campaign for..."beer!" (i.e. "born on ___") This was before so-called "crafty" ones arrived, to dethrone the mass produced...speaking of...

Restricted Audiences: While such grand occasions as coronations are usually restricted for those actually, literally "born into aristocracy" we, U.S., around here, have created a whole new set of conventions to both celebrate, honor, lift our spirits, especially at various times of the (academic) year. These range from "graduating!!!" from pre-school 😀😔😕 to some more honor-ific offerings -- "honorary degrees" -- which are not actually earned by "matriculating" but "bestowed" (aka "conferred") by those who have earned the esteem and official title themselves, that enable them to do so...almost always offered, perhaps in addition to a monetary "honorarium" to a "commencement speaker" -- whose speeches are infrequently recalled by those in attendance -- the latter, based on a sweep of the audience, seem in deep 'repose' (more likely either "bored to tears", "sleeping it off" or prepping, poising for a "party!"). In any case, the titles and degrees granted used to be reserved for those of us who actually worked assiduously over a sustained period, fighting what came to be known as "senioritis" (no, not arthritis, silly), all the way through "finals" -- the latter of which are quietly going the way of other academic conventions..."finals have been cancelled"😎😂😕!!! Given that they have been deemed, "no longer relevant". But, be careful for what you wish for, you so-called aspiring academicians, because in their place, there has been a rise in so-called "projects" -- some of which require "group work", a HUGE fad in so-called "public education" which has perhaps "over-sold" the public on "You know, your child HAS to learn to co-operate, work in tandem..." From my vantage point, as a clinical and educational psychologist, the rise and fall of educational fads are not directly correlated with what scientists and those in "Purchasing" (i.e., "tax-payers") are increasingly calling for: "evidenced based research" --much of which is done by individuals who have "fastidiously...been burning the midnight oil...toiling away..." You know, those "young-uns" who you have been losing sleep over, worrying about, from the time they were so-called "invited" to what used to be called "Kindergarten Round-up"...to the time they were deemed worthy of a certificate of achievement in "graduating" from "grade school"...on through the "cap and gown" days which, of course, have been replaced by what's more like "dressing down" for the occasion (e.g., "cap, gown, black tie, tuxedo, business attire no longer required...") -- the numbers and noise about which have probably contributed to a bit of tone deafness, tuning out, watering down, diluting of what this is all about...the answer to the ever-lasting question...

"Have we arrived yet?" 

"Not quite" (the commencement speakers usually remind us), but finally, as in the final destination for this mini-series, on the Royals, which commenced with "Bee on the look-out for Royal pains in the..." which will culminate with "The Battle of Teniola Bisselliella!" - a "Battle Royale" not to be missed, whether you refer to your-Self as a "gamer", "royal watcher" or so-called "aspiring academic"...

"History in the making" Coming soon...hang in there..."you'll just have to hold it 'til then..."