"It all started with a central idea for a speech I had to give," says Mary Evelyn Collins, Ph. D. about her newest ongoing research project. "I used the theme of 'solid as a rock' as a guiding motif in a speech in 2001 and from that I decided that I would pursue the project of the 'rhetoric of the Texas Rock House.'" Not all of Professor Collins ideas have come as easily, but most have given her years of research activity. She still keeps up with Texas/Western folk dialects and humor, for which she has been recognized since she and the late Lawrence Clayton began working on the first Southwest Popular Culture Conference paper. However, it was her initial interest in women ministers that led her to develop a list of women speakers that she has essayed using the rhetorical depiction theory of Michael Osborn that has produced the other collection that she is hoping to publish. However, the reason Dr. ME gets up in the morning is the true joy she gets from teaching. As the rhetoric and public address specialist says "The greatest thrill I get is seeing my students succeed. I consider it evidence that I not only chose the right field, but that all my own hard work is worth it."