Trust me: I'm a doctor

Trust me: I’m a doctor

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26th
February 2013

The postman knocked on the door this morning. He said he didn’t want to risk bending the envelope he was holding, upon which was printed, “Please do not bend”. I appreciated this a great deal: I remember winning an old-fashioned vinyl LP, back in the days when they weren’t so old-fashioned, and the postman folded it in half, despite the “do not bend” notice, before shoving it through the letterbox. I still can’t believe he did that.

I knew what would be in the envelope today. It was this:

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics was conferred on Catherine Taylor on 13/02/13.

my PhD certificate

You may now call me Doctor Caity

Doctoral ambitions

I’ve wanted a PhD for such a long time that I can’t even remember why now. The first memory I have of wanting one is when I was about 10 or 11. I remember being in the classroom at junior school, wanting one. The memory is lit with a golden glow, so it must be good.

I didn’t know what subject I would do it in for a long time. My first degree is in chemistry; this would be a bad choice because I wasn’t that good at it. Likewise with my second degree, which is in scientific computing. My third degree is in English language and linguistics; my dissertation supervisor seemed to think I could do a PhD in linguistics, and I was interested enough to do one (then). I was glad to have finally found a subject, even if it take take what seems like a million years to complete.

The formalities

I will pick up my personal purple-bound copy of my thesis from the Albert Sloman Library in March. Of course, I will never open it again for fear of finding typos.

In July, I will wear a flouncy gown, a long droopy hood and a floppy hat.

Goodbye, academia

After graduation, I will be hanging up my academic hat, as I think four degrees is more than enough for anyone. Instead, I will continue to grow things and make things, and, hopefully, sell things (see pandammonium.com, a site still in its infancy, for more details).

categories: Academia
tags: chemistry, computing, growing things, language, linguistics, making things, PhD, selling things
last modified: 17th May 2013

36 responses to "Trust me: I’m a doctor"

Congratulations!
And thanks for your comment on my blog I am sure that Lyra will love all the space she’ll have in our new boat!

1 said Amy (27th February 2013 at 12.13 pm BST) Reply

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well done you i knew you would get there in the end x x x

2 said Sally Kelly (26th February 2013 at 5.12 pm BST) Reply
Congrats and well done.

3 said Simon Watson (26th February 2013 at 5.16 pm BST) Reply
Hey Doc Cuz – mega-congratulations ……… You are my 2nd Doctor Cuz ………. what a brainy family LOL
Love n’ Hugs xxx

4 said Ian Hayley (26th February 2013 at 7.14 pm BST) Reply
Can’t see your Certificate at the moment, Pandammonium is down for maintenance

5 said Ian Hayley (26th February 2013 at 7.32 pm BST) Reply
Yeah, sorry about that…it’ll be back soon :/

6 said Caity Ross (26th February 2013 at 7.45 pm BST) Reply
There you go, Ian; all fixed

7 said Caity Ross (26th February 2013 at 7.50 pm BST) Reply
Dr Catherine Ross and the THREE Degrees ……….. Bl**dy well done Cuz XXX

8 said Ian Hayley (26th February 2013 at 8.44 pm BST) Reply
Congratulations!!! I am very happy for you!!!

9 said Naoko Fukushima Caffrey (27th February 2013 at 1.22 am BST) Reply
Congratulations Dr Ross (or is it Dr Taylor?). Welcome to the club.

10 said Stuart Fuller (27th February 2013 at 8.33 am BST) Reply
It’s Dr Taylor — there’re plenty of Dr Rosses as it is.

11 said Caity Ross (27th February 2013 at 11.56 am BST) Reply
Wow my dear, super excited for you, Dr Taylor!!! xxx

12 said Tai-Yun Lucia Cheng (27th February 2013 at 12.53 pm BST) Reply
Your Dad would have been so proud of you Dr Cuz xxx

13 said Ian Hayley (27th February 2013 at 1.50 pm BST) Reply
Thanks, Ian

14 said Caity Ross (27th February 2013 at 4.03 pm BST) Reply
And Hey, I’m proud of you too xx

15 said Ian Hayley (27th February 2013 at 4.12 pm BST) Reply
I only managed an HND in Mech Engineering when I was at our Poly but ………. as I helped Katy with her Art degree, Lucy and a friend with their Nursing degrees, I consider my self as having an HND AND three degrees LOL
XXX

16 said Ian Hayley (27th February 2013 at 4.22 pm BST) Reply
Hehe – that’s where I get it from!

17 said Caity Ross (27th February 2013 at 4.26 pm BST) Reply
The Taylor genes LOL
(No offence Kath he-he-he)
XXX

18 said Ian Hayley (27th February 2013 at 4.28 pm BST) Reply
Hehehe. I won’t tell Mam what you said, although she does have a degree of her own now

19 said Caity Ross (27th February 2013 at 4.29 pm BST) Reply
Congratulations Caity. Are you the first doctor in the family?

20 said Helen Nicholson (27th February 2013 at 7.59 pm BST) Reply
Congratulations!!!!!!! Amazing achievement!!!! xxx

21 said Christine Bowens (27th February 2013 at 8.01 pm BST) Reply
Yes she does DR Cuz, cos she’s a Taylor xxx

22 said Ian Hayley (27th February 2013 at 9.02 pm BST) Reply
Helen: Leo is a doctor as well.

23 said Caity Ross (27th February 2013 at 10.45 pm BST) Reply
Congratulations Well Done

24 said Dorothy Charlton (27th February 2013 at 10.46 pm BST) Reply
Thanks everyone for your kind words and your “like”s . I’ll be sure to post pictures of me in July wearing my fancy robes

25 said Caity Ross (27th February 2013 at 10.49 pm BST) Reply
First female Dr in the family!

26 said Helen Nicholson (27th February 2013 at 10.51 pm BST) Reply