Good morning, Don. Sorry to hear about
your broken pipes! And the dry wall, that is a big problem. I remember it
happening to us – I think waiting for it to dry is the best idea. We didn't
wait long enough and taking the dry wall out became a massive exercise in
futility. And the irony of the cabinets isn't lost on me either. Look at it
this way – you'd have a whooping water bill and more than just some dry wall to
take out had you stayed in the warm south. Good luck with all of this!
My part of the tree is quivering right
now with the last of the grading for the quarter. I finally got caught up
yesterday, so I can catch my breath. I have 15 research papers coming in
Tuesday with final grades due by Friday. It will be tight, but I'll get it
done. I'll have a couple of days off, but the administration feels that my time
can be better spent in workshops than in catching my breath and getting ready
for the next quarter. Those who don't teach seem to think it is easier than
what they do. 
I'm finishing up the edits and
formatting for Transport 30. Amazing! We have released 30 Transports, Don. I
haven't stopped to figure out how many stories that is – but it is 8 individual books and 2 anthologies. I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again: I
am honored to work with some of the best prolific writers! I'm looking forward
to our Riddle piece in May!
Back in the real world, I'm working with
the web site developers to redo the web site. Our plan is to have it completed
by August. I'm hoping that is realistic. I've cut back on the number of stories
per month in the Transports so the guys can start on the changes. I talked toJim Bessey this morning from sowrite.us.com about marketing and some of the
changes we could make on the web site. I have a lot to do over the next few
months, but I think it is all do-able. One step at a time and patience are
called for at this time.
The most important thing I've done this
week has been to grade papers. And, I was fortunate enough to have a student
write about suntan lotion. As summer is coming, this topic is important to all of us. I mentioned suntan lotion in my book about Estrogen andMenopause. Suntan lotion is good, and bad. Find suntan lotion that does not
have oxybenzone and or retinyl palmitate in it.
Recent research indicates that suntan
lotion with oxybenzone is it is not all that good for you. It is an estrogen
like product that is absorbed through the skin and finds its way into the blood
stream and may cause hormonal imbalances. Men, it does the same thing for
you...
Another chemical that suntan lotion may
have in it is retinyl palmitate. It is a form of Vitamin A. Research indicates that this chemical may be the cause of the increase in skin
cancer. When retinyl palmitate is applied to the skin that is exposed to sunlight, it may cause skin tumors and lesions. This applies to everyone.
Both of these chemicals can be read
about on the internet. Read about it! Make your own decisions. Suntan lotion is
important! Use it! But be aware of what is in it.
The other paper that has influenced my
life was about hula hoops. Yes, that old fashioned hula hoop that goes around
and around the waist if you can keep the hips and legs moving. Apparently a
hula hoop is good for core strength and development. So I made a bee line out to our shed,
retrieved our very old blue patchy glittered hula hoop and started. I used to
be able to hoop for many minutes. Now, I'm up to 40 times around before the
hoop drops to the ground leaving me breathless and giggling – 40 times around
is about 20 seconds of time – maybe 30 seconds...
Anyway, hula hoops are good for core
strength, leg strength, balance, coordination and giggles. When I take the dog
out, I do the hoop. Thankfully, it is just me and the dog. He watched the first
couple of times, shook his head and wandered off. Maybe by next week I'll be up
to 50 times around! Wonder how long it will take me get to a minute? How many
times around will it go in a minute? As 13 minutes of exercise seems to be the
magic number for getting the most out of basic exercise, I imagine I'll be awhile
working on this. I've started distance walking again, but I have to admit, it
just isn't as much fun as hooping. I'd look really silly hooping and walking.
Time to get back to tinkering with class
assignments for next quarter. And the dog wants out - hoop is by the back door, just waiting.
Have a great week, everyone!
Carolyn
Don! Riddles – we only have a month to
put it together!
All
images downloaded from Google images
Fig
1 – RF Wind Strom, clipart retrieved from www.clipartof.com
Fig
2 – Edit retrieved from google images
Fig
3 – Transport 29 Cover designed by L. Varvel
Fig
4 – Cruise Ship Coloring pages retrieved from www.yescoloring.com
Fig
5 – Sunburn retrieved from google images
Fig
6 – Cartoon girl with hula hoop retrieved from www.dreamstime.com
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