I’m very happy to report that I received an award tonight for the best dissertation in Oxford’s Master of Studies in Jewish Studies. My dissertation (thesis, really) was entitled “Anti-Anthropomorphism and the Vorlage of LXX Exodus.”
As part of the award I received a copy of A Historical Atlas of the Jewish People with the following affixed inside:
Please excuse my narcissism as I pat myself on the back.
PS – Can you guess where my middle name comes from without googling it? Only one person has ever guessed correctly.
ANSWER: My middle name was taken from the character Orrin Sackett, who appears in a number of Louis L’Amour books from his series on the Sackett family.
Daniel O. McClellan 
June 24th, 2010 at 12:59 am
I’m proud of you and glad you’ve shared your happy news.
June 24th, 2010 at 1:06 am
Thanks Jim. That’s nice to hear.
June 24th, 2010 at 1:32 am
Congratulations!
June 24th, 2010 at 4:12 am
!! מזל טוב
many congratulations!
June 24th, 2010 at 8:38 am
Thank you Bob. Congratulations on your marriage, by the way. I’ve been keeping my head down for the last few months because of school, but I did notice that.
June 24th, 2010 at 4:24 am
Congratulations! Looking forward to reading this when it is published. BYU… Orrin Hatch… too easy, must be something else or someone would’ve already guessed it more than once. If i could be so bold, would you mind posting something about what it means when God speaks… to tide me over until publication? Again, big congratz!
June 24th, 2010 at 8:43 am
Thanks Mark. It would be really nice to see it published, but I am happy to send a PDF to anyone who would like to read (and comment on) the full version of the paper. I’m always looking for ways to make it better.
And no, I’m not named after Orrin Hatch. That’s everyone’s first guess, but I didn’t have anything to do with Utah or Mormonism until 20 years after I was given that name.
June 24th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Sweet! Congrats, man! Sounds like a good topic.
Btw, I couldn’t figure out what the reference was to Orrin even with googling.
June 24th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Congrats! Send me a copy?
Thanks
June 24th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Sure thing. And thanks!
June 25th, 2010 at 12:33 am
Congrats. Didn’t know I followed your blog, did you? Where to now?
I couldn’t stop myself, and read the Wikipedia entry on Orin. I am guessing it is not from the Hebrew for “pine tree”.
June 25th, 2010 at 8:59 am
No, Lara, I didn’t know you followed my blog! Good to hear from you!
No, Orrin is not from the Hebrew for “pine tree.”
June 25th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
Well done, Dan. You have every right to be proud.
Basking in your glory,
Stu
June 25th, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Bravo!
June 25th, 2010 at 11:45 pm
Way to go Daniel! I’d love a PDF of your thesis.
June 26th, 2010 at 3:35 am
Congrats!!!!
June 26th, 2010 at 7:59 am
See my latest post for my congratulations.
July 7th, 2010 at 7:42 pm
Hi Dan. Congrats. Long-time lurker to your blog. Is the offer of a PDF of your dissertation still available to those who ask?
If so, my email address is irishlds87ATgmailDOTcom
Hope you enjoyed your time in the UK. Not as good as Ireland, but it is still a nice place . . .
July 29th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
May I have a pdf of your dissertation? Thanks.
August 7th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
Dan, you are the freakin man. Good luck at TWU. Talk to you soon….most likely at SBL.
Later