reconnect with simmons

Ready to pour into the soap bar molds

2009-11-07T16:59:36Z

Mixing the soap, just before adding the coloring and fragrance

2009-11-07T16:56:53Z

Stirring the aqueous lye with the melted fat

2009-11-07T16:54:27Z

Dissolving the lye (NaOH) in water - Soap Making

2009-11-07T16:49:42Z

Soap Making

2009-11-07T16:11:14Z

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

Poll Update

2009-11-06T23:29:15Z

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.

I Believe in Frittering

2009-11-06T20:03:52Z

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

Best I can tell, frittering--the simple art of wasting time--is in peril. Do you know anyone who fritters time away? Perhaps there are "closet fritterers" like me, who enjoy simply walking around the block or meandering the aisles at Trader Joes, but so many people appear to be doing two or more things at once. They are driving while talking on the phone, texting while eating in a restaurant, sending emails in between preparing a recipe and putting it in the oven. They are so busy saving time, I fear, that they are allowing it to slip away. Which brings me back to frittering.

I believe in frittering because I believe that all us need time to re-charge our batteries. Yoga is great. So are walking and kayaking. People swear by meditation and mindfulness and Reiki and Pilates. There are oodles of ways to relax,to let out stress, but there is a purposefulness to each of them. The beauty of frittering, the power, the magic is that it is NOT purposeful. Frittering is frittering. It has no goal. It achieves nothing. And in achieving nothing, it clears our minds, rest our hearts, heals our frayed edges and reminds us that time will slip away if we try too hard to use it well.

Who's Serious About Being a Writer?

2009-11-05T00:10:18Z

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!

Go Read a Book!

2009-11-02T16:00:00Z

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.

What's the Deal With Online Writing Classes?

2009-11-02T14:18:19Z

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!

Writers' Groups

2009-11-01T15:51:31Z

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.

How to Choose a Writing Class

2009-11-01T15:11:56Z

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.

Safe Halloween 2009

2009-10-31T14:17:44Z

As a guest of Simmons Community Outreach at the Scott/Ross Center, I joyously participated in this wonderful annual event. The neighborhood children arrived around 3:30, and then went directly to Alumnae Hall, where several Simmons groups and Halls had planned Halloween activities for the children to participate in, including a mummy wrap in toilet paper and face painting. At around 4:30, the children were brought into the South Hall living room, which was decorated to the nines for Halloween, where they listened to the scary olde professer read stories. I read What Was I Scared Of? by Doctor Seuss, and the opening chapter of Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree. I can not wait until next Halloween!

Happy Birthday, John Simmons

2009-10-30T16:57:12Z

At high noon on Friday October 30, President Helen Drinan welcomed the Simmons community to the annual birthday party for the founder of the college. Happy 213th with a magnificent cake.

Celebrating Simmons Spirit

2009-10-27T02:59:49Z

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!