“What have you done lately?”

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Freelancers are often asked that. Our family and friends know that our workflow is not steady (and neither is our income), and so they want to know what kind of work we have done recently.

I actually accomplished a few big things this past spring. More happy clients, more satisfaction on my part, more money. You can’t argue with that. So what exactly did I accomplish?

First and foremost, I completed a project for a new client who was recommended to me by a good friend. This friend knew well about my skill and excellence as a copyeditor. The new client owned a small business and had a website. He was an ESL (English as a Second Language) client, and so the English on his site needed some assistance. I not only fixed the grammar and capitalization on the site, but improved the wording and flow of the language. Once the changes were made on the website, it read much better. The client told me that on a scale of one to ten, my editing was an eleven. Editors don’t get that kind of compliment every day.

I also worked with my longtime client, my friend’s company, which had recently revamped the product description pages on its website. It turned out that on some of the pages, certain links were not displayed properly and were confusing to customers who needed to click on them. It was my job to find which pages had erroneous links and record them on a Word document. This meant that I had to go over some 1,700 product pages. Thankfully, I only had to spend roughly 30 to 60 seconds on each page. I did this for a reduced rate, since it didn’t directly involve editing.

Finally, I edited marketing emails for the same company, most of which did not need any changes. I always enjoy these at least somewhat, because they have gorgeous photos on them.

Here’s to more projects coming my way. What did you accomplish this spring?

Scam-A-Rama: Beware!

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As long as there are evil people in this world, there will be scams aimed at stealing the sensitive information of others. I have learned this the hard way and I am much more vigilant as a result.

Today I will discuss two types of common scams which easily trick innocent people: text scams and email scams.

Text scams involve text messages on one’s phone (usually a smartphone, although I can imagine that those with a basic phone might be prey to them as well). The victim receives a text that spoofs a phone number or email address and pretends to be (usually) from a financial institution or government entity (such as the IRS or the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration [MVA]). The text will “inform” the victim of something alarming, such as a large sum of money having been withdrawn from their bank account or that the MVA is penalizing them and they had better pay up or else.

The truth is that a bank will never text a customer—banks usually communicate by way of email or postal mail. Nor do government entities like the MVA or the IRS communicate by text. Scam texts also often have a strange-looking email address or unknown phone number associated with them. The best thing to do if you suspect a text is a scam is to delete it. Do not touch any links or call any phone numbers that the text gives you.

Then there are email scams. In this type of scam, the victim receives an email that looks like a legitimate billing statement, often with a genuine-looking logo of a company like PayPal, Amazon, or McAfee. The statement says that the victim owes a large sum of money for a product or service that they never purchased, and provides a phone number for the victim to call if they did not authorize the sale (and they never did). Often, the “billing statement” contains grammatical mistakes or typos (this is the first thing for which I look when I receive one of these).

One word: DELETE. Calling the phone number on the fake billing statement will connect you to a scammer who will pretend to want to help you, but who will trick you into giving them control of your computer (something you should never do) and steal your personal information and/or your identity.

What kinds of scam bait have you been subjected to? (I have gotten several of both of the above.)

The ugliness of beauty

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Let’s talk about beauty magazines for a minute.

I read them when I was a young teenage girl. Specifically, I read Seventeen. (I have heard it said that 14-year-old girls read Seventeen, while 17-year-old girls read Cosmopolitan.) And I learned a lot from reading it.

I learned that you need to use a base coat when you paint your nails. (“Don’t just slick color on bare nails.” Perish the thought.)

I learned that when you get up in the morning, you should do some exercises to “get the juices flowing.” (Sorry. Not before breakfast.)

I learned how difficult it is to start a modeling career.

And I learned what sexual dreams can really mean.

In retrospect, I never liked how reading beauty magazines made me feel when I was a young teen. I felt “less than” because I did not follow the “proper” procedure for doing my nails. I felt inadequate because I had terrible acne that nothing, it seemed, would help. I felt downright ugly because I could not do anything with my hair.

Although I was never unfortunate enough to develop an eating disorder, I could see how such magazines can contribute to that or trigger it. The models on the covers, in the pictures inside, and in the advertisements were so slim, thin, and beautiful, and their bodies were hair-free—waxed to perfection. (The issue of body hair on women is a whole other one that I will not get into right now.)

Suffice it to say that I felt unattractive while reading beauty magazines. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why I read them for several years. Reading them was a mistake; I should have spent the time reading juicy science fiction novels.

If you are the mother of a teen daughter who is drawn to beauty magazines, please sit down with her at some point and tell her she is beautiful, and nothing will change that. Tell her she is just as beautiful to you as the models in her magazines. Then love her like the beautiful person she is.

Putting on my ten-second literary critic hat, part 2

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Today, I would like to talk about a different kind of cookbook: Robin Cook books. *rim shot*

Seriously, though, Robin Cook is one of my favorite novelists. He is a physician, and his brand of medical science fiction is right up my alley, given that I am a scientist who has worked in biochemistry and molecular biology. I may not be a medical doctor, but I definitely enjoy the science in his novels. I also love imagining the characters in my head (what reader doesn’t?).

So, today I am going to write about three of Dr. Cook’s novels which I thoroughly enjoyed.

First, there is Toxin. This book centers on a deadly strain of E.coli bacteria which gets into the food chain and kills the main protagonist’s daughter. Given that the scenario is very realistic and could happen anywhere, this novel is frightening in a non-supernatural kind of way. The main protagonist, Dr. Kim Reggis, is a believable character (my mind casts Goran Visnjic as him, without the accent) and one secondary character, Roger the fast-food manager, really stood out for me for some reason (perhaps because Dr. Reggis belts him one). There is also a scary scene near the end.

Then there is Shock, most of which I read while on vacation years ago in Wildwood, New Jersey. The main story, about women who donate their eggs to a scientific company, is definitely compelling, and I kept turning the pages, wanting to find out what was going to happen next. However, although the two main protagonists, Deborah and Joanna, are well developed in terms of their intelligence and curiosity, they were rather disappointing to me in terms of how they relate to each other. They are supposed to be close friends, but they never cry in each other’s arms, for example. Nor do they stay up late venting to each other about their past boyfriends.

Finally, let’s talk about Vector. I loved this story, which is about bioterrorism. Of course, I read this book before 9/11, so perhaps if I had read it afterwards, I would have been frightened rather than fascinated. It has very interesting characters, especially Yuri, the Russian cab driver, and the two ex-soldiers who are his cohorts. And given the US’s current relations with Russia and the very real threat of bioterrorism, it will probably come off today as scary.

If you have read any of Dr. Cook’s novels, which ones have you read? What did you think of them?

Putting on my ten-second literary critic hat, Part 1

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Let me talk about Michael Crichton for a minute, if I may.

In the 1990s and 2000s, I very much enjoyed the work of this prolific bestselling novelist. So did many other people, and several of his novels were made into movies starring A-list actors. In 1994, he became the co-creator and co-executive producer of the hit TV drama ER, a show to which I was addicted for years. Crichton passed away in 2008, but several of his works will remain etched in my memory forever.

My favorite novel by Crichton is Prey, which was never made into a movie and I’m glad about that, given that I like to use my imagination. The characters are well thought-out and have vivid personalities, especially Jack, who narrates the story. And the story will at least make you curious about nanotechnology if you haven’t already heard of it. It may even scare you if you think about technology revolting against its creator.

I also enjoyed Jurassic Park, although I must confess that I saw the original 1993 film before I read the book, so I was stuck with images of the cast in my head. At the risk of sounding like a complete snob, I have to say that the book was superior to the movie (what book is not?). The novel contained much more detail in terms of the description of the dinosaurs, human characters, and scenery. I especially appreciated the introduction, where Crichton discusses how science today is done “in secret, and for profit” rather than for all the world to discover.

I really liked Sphere, which I remember reading in a laundromat while waiting for my thick bedspread to be washed and dried in the heavy-duty machines. The outer-space concept was fascinating. I never saw its movie adaptation and I’m glad I did not, given (among other things) that Sharon Stone had been cast as Beth, while in my mind, Beth looked like one of my college biology professors.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention Airframe. I absolutely loved this book and its surprise ending. The novel taught me a lot about commercial aircraft and pilots, and made me wonder if I should ever fly again.

If you loved a Michael Crichton novel that I did not mention here, which one was it? If you loved one that I mentioned here, what did you love about it?

Beach booking

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A little over a week ago, I returned from a vacation in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. For those of you who are unfamiliar with that area, it consists of several beautiful beaches.

I am a beach person. I absolutely love to spread out a blanket and towel, slather myself with sunblock, set up a beach chair, and…READ.

I love to read on the beach, especially a good novel. Granted, I rarely, if ever, read an entire book while on a vacation. However, I cannot be on the beach without a good book. While in the Outer Banks, I read Freeing Yourself from Emotional Dependency by Sara Leone. This is a self-help book, not a novel; however, I find it to be an excellent read.

Some books which I have devoured on the beach include Carrie and Christine, both by Stephen King, High Five by Janet Evanovich, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling, and The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins.

The beach, although wonderfully calming and peaceful, can become somewhat boring without a good book. Sure, I like to listen to the sound of the waves and lie down and fall asleep on the beach, but sooner or later, all of that gets old. When I read a book on the beach, it feels as if the characters are joining me on the beach while having their escapades. There goes Stephanie Plum, chasing her latest criminal while the seagulls fly and shriek overhead. There’s Christine, the Plymouth Fury, speeding through the streets of Ocean City, Maryland. There’s Gryffindor Tower standing in the sand next to my hotel.

When not too crowded, the beach provides just the right about of sound for recreational reading.* The sound of the waves provides a soothing background. When a reading environment is starkly quiet, things can become creepy.

*I mean recreational reading only. Academic or critical reading should be done in a completely quiet surrounding area.

If you are a “beach bum” like me, do you read on the beach? If so, what kind of material?

Addendum

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Hello, dear readers. In eight days, my husband and I will embark on our first vacation in three years.

It is sorely needed and we will need to get ready for it before we leave and recover from the drive the weekend after we return. Therefore, I will be away from the blog until June 8.

Until then, happy trails!

Paper on parade

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I, like most other folks, have a smartphone—specifically, an iPhone 13 mini.

I can use a virtual calendar on it to write tasks and reminders. The phone can remind me of when my cousin Bob’s birthday is, what I need to do this Tuesday, and at what time my doctor’s appointment Monday is.

I have noticed that many people also use calendars in their email systems, such as Google or Outlook.

Me? I don’t use any of those features—either on my phone or my computer.

I use a paper planner.  It is spiral bound and has a faux-leather black cover on which the year is stenciled in silver. It is a weekly planner, with each day of each week having its own space with lines on which to write. This is where I write each work-related task that I plan to do on which day. I also keep track of appointments and social events in it.

“Good grief, Suzelle! You are such a luddite!” you say?

Maybe, in this way, I am. However, I am not the only person I know who uses a paper planner for a calendar while using a computer or phone for everything else. For example, some 25 years ago when everybody started getting PDAs (Blackberry and such), my boyfriend at the time used a paper planner. Every time he made an appointment, he would take it out and jokingly say, “Let me check my Palm Pilot.”

(These days, the names Blackberry and Palm Pilot are a blast from the past.)

I use a paper planner because there is just something special about putting pen to paper, at least when writing out my plans for the week or month. I think those of us who love to write enjoy doing that. I also love holding something tangible. I know that phones and computers are tangible items, too, but a paper planner feels even more tangible for some reason.

Do you prefer paper or computerized calendars and planners?

Decor that reflects you

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If you have your own office at work, or even just your own cubicle, chances are it is decorated.

Why not? Unless doing so is against office policy (and I would hate to work in an office that has that policy), decorating your office space is a way of expressing yourself at work. This applies even if you work at home, like I do.

About 25 years ago, I visited a friend who worked for what was then a well-known internet service provider. My friend took me into the cubicle farm where she worked and showed me her workspace. It was covered in decorations. From her space, I could see the cubicles of some of her coworkers, and some of them were even more wildly decorated. Although that day was a Saturday and no one was at work, I could tell that this was a happy workplace.

My home office consists of a large corner of our spare bedroom, and I have decorated it to suit my own personality. At first glance, you can tell that I am a Garfield fanatic. I have two stuffed Garfields, two small Garfield models, and a COVID-era Garfield mask on display. I also have three beautiful Garfield cards, which were made by a good friend, tucked away between two of my reference books on my bookcase; I want to pin them to the wall but I don’t want to make excess holes in the wall, so I am torn.

There are also a 1998 Beanie Baby lion and a 2000 Maryland quarter bear on the shelf, as well as a 2014 Kool-Aid Days mug from my visit to Hastings, Nebraska to see my cousin and his family. (If you are from Hastings, you know what Kool-Aid Days are.) On the bulletin board above my desk are several Scripture verses I wrote out and cute postcards sent to me by friends; these make their home among the editing certificates and reference lists I have there.

In April 2025, six friends from a church ladies’ group I’m in made a generous donation to the Dementia Society of America in my father’s honor; he had passed away the previous month. I learned of this from a letter sent to me by the DSA’s vice president. That letter is also affixed to my bulletin board, so that I never forget how special these ladies are to me.

What decorates your office, if anything?

Unbelievable.

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Okay. This is some scary stuff.

A news article which appeared in the May 1, 2025 issue of Nature and which was written by Dan Garisto says that the National Science Foundation (NSF) was told on April 30 to stop awarding all funding “until further notice.” This command was sent to NSF staff members in an email.

The email did not provide a reason for stopping the funding.

The NSF is one of the world’s largest supporters of basic science research. It now cannot award new research grants or supply funds for existing grants.

For years I worked in academic research labs. Grant funding is their livelihood. These labs are not businesses; they do not exist to make money. They do not sell anything. If there are no grants, they cannot buy supplies or pay their staff.

In 2007, I was laid off from a research assistant position in a lab in which I had worked for four years because my principal investigator’s grant funding ended. Thankfully, I knew months ahead of time that this was going to happen, so I was able to start looking for a new job months before my last day. Alas, I could not secure a position before my last day, and so I was unemployed for a month before I found one.

This is going to affect the lives of tons of scientists, lab technicians, animal caretakers, and other support staff. Whole scientific departments at universities may have to shut down. Science just isn’t going to get done except for profit.

This sickens me to no end. We are talking about scientists who won’t be able to feed their families, who no longer have health insurance and cannot afford to get sick, who may not have “transferable skills” required to go into another field, who may face age discrimination in the worst way.

Does this administration care?