Acknowledgements
I am grateful to many who have given support and assistance for this endeavor. My primary advisor Dr. Stanley E. Porter has fostered in me an interest and passion for questioning and challenging that guides me both academically and personally. His striving to learn is infectious, and I will continue to benefit from it. To my secondary advisor Cindy L. Westfall, you were entirely correct that this project was too ambitious and too big a scope. I wish I had listened to you more.
Many friends humored me by feigning interest when I talked about it. I promise I will not force you to do that any longer. David I. Yoon, you offered a friendship that will not be forgotten. My journey would certainly not have been possible without the support of my family. To Rex and Ruthi, Loren and Cindy, you have helped move us around the country, been patient with me, and contributed greatly to family needs. I would not have progressed without Mimi-Papa and Nanny-Papa loving our boys. Thanks also go to Phoebe for her consistent presence late into the nights.
My deepest sense of joy and love are directed to the person who endured the most. Absolutely nothing would have begun or come to fruition if it were not for my wife, Megan. Thank you for everything. I hope someday we see it was all worth it. Either way it is over, and I will not talk to you about prepositions again. To our young boys, Phineas and Tobias, I finished because of you. I want you to learn to work hard, hunger for wisdom, and endeavor through challenges. οπου πλοιων κορος, πολυ κερδος. The best parts of the dissertation are dedicated to you two. The worst parts are entirely mine alone.