Hi Everyone,

Finding time in the early weeks in November for fun diversions is always a challenge.  Midterm exams and papers are being returned.  The end of the semester is now in sight, particularly as students anxiously wait for their spring course registration times, so that they can save their seat in a particular lab section, or ART 138 - Basic Photography, which most have to wait to take until their senior year because of it's strong popularity. Students are entrenched in what seems as though mountains of coursework and homework, while faculty know it is only a matter of time until the mountains are on their plate to grade! 

Thankfully, this past week a group of 20 excited students and faculty found time and gathered to have some fun in the chemistry lab, making bars of soap. Students gathered after "chem sem," our weekly Chemistry Seminar course to take a brief respite and cook a mixture of lard and other oils in a solution of lye on a somewhat "larger than normal scale."  Students also were able to make use of excess gycerine, a waste generated in the production of biodiesel, in the soap, which is an additive typically used as a moisturizer.  Irv Levy, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Gordon College and fellow Green Chemistry Education Network Member, who developed this specific recipe, was on hand to help us with the large scale soap production. 

Once the reactions were complete, students scented the soap with natural plant extracts and added raw uncooked oatmeal to serve as exfoliants as desired, and poured the mixtures into the bar molds. In roughly one month, the bars of soap will have cured and solidified and will be ready to use.

If you would like a recipe to make your own bars of soap safely at home in your kitchen there is a host of information you can find on the web.  Check out the pictures posted soon.

Until next time, Take care,
Rich  

You remember the poll I mentioned in my previous blog? The one that asked the question: "Are the people who often say, 'I've always wanted to write' serious about becoming writers?"

Well, for a while there, it looked as if no one really believed these folks. 75% of respondents said they were "just dreamers." Pretty bad, huh?

But as more people responded to the poll, the numbers actually got better. So far, 28 people have voted. Here's how the answers look now.

Question
"Are the people who often say, 'I've always wanted to write' serious about becoming writers?"

Answer
Yes  7%
No  25%
They'll gt around to it eventually  32%
They're just dreamers  35%

I was interested to see that some voters left thoughtful comments, and doubted the legitimacy of the question itself. They wondered if the opinions would offer me any useful information. (Since I know that some aspiring writers responded, I think the poll does give me useful info--both about the writers themselves and other people's perceptions of their stated desire.)

One man pointed out that writers have to write. Others just mean that they want to make money writing.

Another wondered what I meant by "serious."

The most exciting comment was from a woman who said she used to be someone who "always wanted to write." She is now a person who can say, "I am a writer." Nice news.

Check back here in a few days to see the final verdict.

If you'd like to cast your vote, just click on http://polls.linkedin.com/p/64368/qlhro.

No, that wasn't a typo--I'm not thinking about Twittering. In fact, I'm thinking about the opposite of twittering: frittering.  

I'd love to get your take on the seriousness of aspiring writers. Please respond to  this short poll, and I'll share the results here.

http://polls.linkedin.com/p/64368/qlhro

Thanks!

As a the owner of a bookstore, I read - a lot. The surface of my bedside table is obscured by a teetering mountain of books and more are stacked throughout every room of my house. They overflow from cartons in front of already full bookshelves, are tucked into the seatback pockets of my car, and stashed in purses and totebags everywhere. I had a dinner party the other night and wouldn't let my guests leave unless they took a book with them.

That said, I don't read as much as I'd like. In a good week, when life is nicely balanced and the choices are compelling, I may finish two books. Other weeks, I find myself bogged down with one and starting multiple others, a habit that smacks of literary promiscuity, even if it is a necessary evil of the job. But now lurking in my brain as a symbol of virtuosity, if not plain luxury, is a woman by the name of Nina Sankovitch.

Sankovitch, a former environmental lawyer from Westport, CT, began a quest last October to read one book a day for an entire year. A 30-second snippet of an radio interview containing that nugget was enough to make me go digging for more online, something I rarely do. What I learned about her, mainly from a New York Times piece to which my Twitter tweeps promptly referred me, such as the fact that she, in part, turned to reading in order to channel her grief over her oldest sister's death, got me thinking. Why do I read? Are my two books a week enough? And most importantly, how much do other people read?

According to a 2007 AP/Ipsos poll, one quarter of all Americans didn't finish a single book in 2006 and the median yearly consumption was just 4! Excluding the 25% of non-readers bumps the median total to 7, a figure that still doesn't begin to touch the Australian tally of 52 (you know how much they like a party!). So, right there, I have reason to feel pretty good about my hundred-books-a-year habit! As someone who is expected, it seems some days, to have read every book in my shop, it is, I'm afraid, not nearly enough. But Sankovitch admits to having given up, "the garden, The New Yorker, wasting time online, ambitious cooking, clothes shopping, [and] coffee with friends," to achieve her goal; I'm not that virtuous.

Answering why I read is easy, and is what I share most closely with Nina Sankovitch, who posted in her blog on September 20, 2009, "It is that hook -- this is a good book! -- that is the addiction to reading... the deep, deep satisfaction of knowing that I am in for a good read, full of solid atmosphere and interesting thoughts and beguiling characters and challenges." I simply love to immerse myself in a world which is not my own; whether it is a novelist's creation, a memoirist's reflections on his or her own life, or an essayist's eloquent musings, the act of reading, of imagining people, places and emotions, neither me nor mine, transports me. Fifteen minutes with a book distracts my mind from worry, satisfies my inner voyeur, stimulates my emotions as well as my intellect, and entertains me. I agree with Nina Sankovitch that, "Books are a reason to live, a cause worth getting up for in the morning and all the reason I need to climb into bed at night, books on the table beside me, waiting to be read."

So, for goodness sake, turn off the TV, exit your browser, and pick up a book. If you need a recommendation, I suggest you start with Nina Sankovitch's amazing blog. 

I'm a fan of online writing classes--mostly.

Nothing beats their convenience. No commuting to class in the dark after work, no searching for parking; no sleepy ride home late at night. Just you, snuggly at home, or out in the open air, learning in comfort, any time you choose.

Another advantage is that you have access to any instructor you want. Proximity is no issue. You can take a class in Boston from someone living in the Midwest--or as far away as Burkina Faso.

But learning online does take a bit of getting used to.

Tone of voice, facial expressions, and individual animation are all lost. You communicate with your instructor and classmates via email, and by and large, they are only names to you. Of course, you can see your instructor's writing, and maybe a photo, on her web site. And after a while, you do associate your classmates' names with a certain kind of writing. But that's about it.

Unless . . .  you take a class with an instructor who places more emphasis on interaction between the two of you and less on your interactions with your classmates. Andrea Collier, who teaches personal essay writing a couple of times a year, is one one such teacher. Take a look at the profile I wrote about her at Andrea Collier.

You can find out more about choosing an online writing class at How-to-choose-an-online-writing-class.

If you've got questions about creative writing that you'd like me to address, just leave a comment!

It can be difficult to find a writing group. But, one of the best benefits of taking an in-person (as opposed to online) writing class is that some or all of your classmates might become writing group partners, after the course is over. That way, you'll have ongoing (and free) writing instruction, feedback, encouragement, and community.



You also get to set your own rules. Maybe your group meets monthly, rather than weekly, as you would in a class. This will give you more time to work on your writing between group meetings, and it will also make it easier to critique group members' work.

You can even decide that rather than each person's reading everyone else's work, each group member swaps work for critiquing with only one other member.

And, if my writing group experience is anything to go by, you'll meet in the comfort of one another's homes and enjoy fabulous food. Either the host prepares all of it, or members bring something tasty to each meeting.

One thing to watch out for, however, is a situation in which someone (or several people) in the group does not do any writing, but turns up at meetings mostly to eat and critique others' work. That uneven participation eventually leads to resentment in those who are actually writing.

Writers have to exercise and expand their writing skills all the time. It's an ongoing requirement. One of the best ways to do this is by taking a writing class.

Some of the advantages of participating in a writing class are that you:

• become part of a community of writers
• learn new techniques
• get help solving writing challenges you're facing
• get encouragement in your efforts, and
  
• get feedback on your work
• write on a schedule
  

But there are drawbacks, as well, to taking a writing class.

The instructor might not be versed in the genre you're interested in. (Google the instructor to find out his or her writing credits.)

The instructor might not be very good at instructing. (Ask your writer friends or call the administration of the school and ask about the instructor's previous valuations.)

Your classmates might not be on your level. (The course description usually specifies the writing experience expected of students. But if it doesn't, ask the school's administration.)

You might underestimate the time required for you to produce weekly writing assignments. (See www.examiner.com/How-to-choose-an-online-writing-class.) And related to this: you probably will have to read your classmates' work.

That can be a good thing. Reading others' work shows you how they handle various writing challenges--for example, choice or words, use of scenes and images, truth telling in non-fiction.

However--and the "however" is a big one--you'll have to spend precious writing time not writing, but critiquing a dozen other people's work. That's why, in the classes I teach, I do not have my students read their classmates' work. If you have very few hours each week to dedicate to your creative writing, it's a real hardship to use some of those hours on someone else's work.

October is college fair time in the Pacific Northwest.  Selling Simmons is not a difficult activity.  Many colleges and universities across the U.S. are represented -- even other wonen's colleges.  Simmons usually is the only one in Boston 

I completed a tour of four fairs this past Thursday, all 731 miles.  My husband provided

the necessary company.  These fairs are usually scheduled on successive days. The PSAT was given one day, so there was a welcome travel day.  The ice in centrral Oregon slowed travel, but nothing else hampered driving.

It is exhilirating to share Simmons information with high school students.  In this area, the trend is to attend Oregon schools.  The girls have no idea that a Simmons education might cost less than the local offerings.

As the economy has tightened here, the number of high school guidance counselors has decreased.  Those who would be the first to go to college from their families 

do not have the support and tools to address college admissions.  It is a challenge talking to the students who have no idea of the process nor the benefits of small colleges.  Simmons offers smaller class sizes than many experience in high school.

I encourage all of you to consider volunteering for a fair or to take admissions information to your local high schools.  Many years ago before I stopped working, I helped on a smaller scale in Michigan.  

If that doesn't interest you, there is an easier way to make Simmons known.  Wear a S.C. shirt or cap, put a decal in a car or house window, use Simmons pens or pencils,

carry a Simmons tote, or many other such activities.  I wore a Simmons shirt to a picnic one time.  Someone remarked that their housemate was a S. C. graduate.  We live 20 miles apart.  She was re-connected to Simmons.  At a U. of OR track meet I met a M.I.T. student whose mother was a Simmons grad.  This spring I sat with a Tufts employee at a sporting event who noticed my shirt and told of her connection to Simmons.

I am excited about the progress I've witnessed on campus.  The students are not bound by restrictions I felt fifty years ago.  The dorm rules were necessarily strict then.  Students did not have the freedom in coursework present now.  I continue to be amazed by the variety of majors, minors, and combinations of them that a single student might consider.  The balancing of academics, volunteering, sports, foreign travel, and other activities is mind-boggling.  Our graduates are succeeding in so many areas.  The days of "women's work" are gone.  

Go Sharks!

Ever since a student in one of my creative writing courses interrupted my opening spiel with, "Excuse me. Could you tell us what your qualifications are?," I begin my Tools & Tactics for Creative Writers lecture by stating my experience.

Undergraduate English degree. Graduate degree in communications management. Published author of articles and essays. Awards. So, that's how I began the Lexington adult ed lecture.

Then I asked what the participants' writing goals were. As mentioned in my previous post, they were clear about what they wanted to do and what they needed from my lecture.

I let them in on a dismal secret, meant not to distress them, but to spur them on.

• Book publishers receive many millions of manuscripts a year.
• Only 1% of all manuscript submissions are published.
• 93% of books sell less than 1,000 copies.
• The majority of books sell only 99 copies.

And twelve--that's right, 12--authors make 85% of all the money made by book authors!
And most authors only get 10% of the cover price.

Besides talent and persistence, writers need good resources, plain and simple. We need tools to beat the odds against getting our work published.

I offered tips to help them become bona fide writers. Begin identifying as a writer. Read books, such as If You Want to Write, by Brenda Ueland, designed to inspire writers. Join a community of writers, either live or online. Get a job as a writer--although commercial writing will affect your creative writing. We'll discuss that later.

Take writing classes. Some of the best and most numerous are offered through Harvard University Extension School, in Cambridge, Mass. The Cambridge Center for Adult Education is another place with writing courses in many genres, and instructors with loyal followings.

Blog postings are supposed to be about 275 words long, and I'm over that limit. So, I'll go over the pros and cons of both online and in-person writing classes and writing groups, and tell you where to find some of the best in my next posting.

No sooner did I post my blog entry about Egg Donation then the Boston Sunday Globe weighed in on the topic. The Globe's lead editorial on Sunday, October 11 dealt with anonymity in egg and sperm donation.  Inspired, I guess, by the widely reported story of the woman seeking child support and more from an anonymous sperm donor, the Globe declared that donors are and should remain anonymous. While I agree that an egg or sperm donor, has neither parental rights nor financial responsibilities, the Globe goes way too far when it endorses anonymity.

"President Obama told a story on the campaign trail about a young volunteer named Ashley who, when her and her mom were on food stamps, would eat ketchup and mustard sandwiches and convince her mom that they were her favorite thing to eat. I'm a hunger advocate because I don't want any kid to ever have to eat ketchup and mustard sandwiches, and I don't want any parent to ever have to experience the heartbreak of not being able to afford nutritious food for their children." ~ From an advocate

My cousin Lindsey (who is basically my sister), works in DC for Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity whose mission is to feed America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and to engage the country in the fight to end hunger. While she works on issues of hunger and poverty in the U.S., I watch from the sidelines at the amazing work her and her organization are working on. For example, did you know 13.3 million or approximately 18% of children in the U.S. live in poverty--the rate of poverty for children under 18 remains higher than those aged 18 - 64 and for those aged 65 and over. It is these startling facts and figures that prompted me to write this particular post.

Today, on the front page of the New York Times was an article about a woman who used to run a homeless shelter and is now homeless. The economic climate has been tough for everyone but for those who were already struggling, it is even worse. I know I am fortunate to not have to worry about where my next meal will come from or how I am going to feed a family, but there are many out there who think about these issues on a daily basis. As the weather has begun to shift, so have people begun talking of the upcoming holiday season. While the thought of hearing jingle bells in November is already haunting me so is the thought of not having enough food in our nation's food banks to really help those in need this holiday season.

Although I have decided to study and follow issues relating to international affairs, I am reminded by my cousin that many of the important issues that I look at through the international lense are in fact right here in our own backyards. As we begin to think about 2010 and the holiday season, think about how fortunate you are and do what you can to make a difference for others. As Sheri West, the woman in the New York Times said today, "No one could have told me in a million  years: I'd wake up in a homeless shelter. I had a house for homeless people. Now I'm homeless." Take this time to think about how fortunate you are and what you can do to make a difference for others.

Until next time I ask all of you--who inspires you to make a difference?? What are the causes that matter most to you and to your communities?

  This photo is of First Lady Michelle Obama, Jill Biden, and other congressional spouses at a Feeding America event at the Capitol Area Food Bank in Washington, DC.

* Note: For more information, to donate or to get more facts and figures you can go online to Feeding America

Wednesday night (October 14), I held my first Tools & Tactics for Creative Writers lecture, a condensed version of my six-week course.

As I'd mentioned in an earlier posting, I'd been apprehensive about the lecture because I couldn't fathom what the participants' level of creative writing would be.

I spent the morning nipping and tucking my presentation, which refused to print in "Notes" view. So I had to copy all the notes for the slides into a Word document, and hope for the best.

Afterwards, I went over to Waltham to teach my 2:00 class there, and hoped my lecture audience would be half as engaged as my Waltham students.

Back home, I collated everything and put the handouts into nicely colored, plastic pocket folders. My business cards arrived 30 minutes before I left home, so I slipped them into the folders, too.

At Minuteman High School, where I was to present, no one met me in the gigantic cafeteria area as planned. But someone with a walkie talkie managed to locate the adult education coordinator, who took me to the room where my class was to take place. The laptop worked, but the projector didn't--until the program director frowned over it and fiddled with it. Then suddenly, voila.

An even bigger voila: My husband Joe was standing in the door. He had just registered for the course moments earlier and showed up to offer me support. The man is truly my treasure.

The students arrived. I started my presentation. I didn't need my notes after all. (The group I forgot to mention--Chicks Who Write--my husband reminded me of.)

Two class members had already written novels (impressive). One wanted to write articles and essays (my specialty). One wanted to write a nonfiction book about science (my hobby is reading science books and articles). What could have been better? We had a blast.

I've seen one of the evaluations. It's glowing. I'm thrilled.

In my next post, I'll tell you what I covered in the presentation. I hope it will help you.