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?

Why use a basic phone?

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Basic cell phones were all the rage in the 2000s, as we all know. Back in 2002, who didn’t have a black Nokia 5180 (also known as the “Nokia brick”)? Even those folks who did not have one were familiar with the then-ubiquitous “Nokia tune.”

In the middle part of that decade, the basic phone known as the flip phone became popular. People had something more compact that fit nicely in their pockets and purses. The screens had bright, beautiful colors instead of the creamed-spinach-like monochrome. Their ringtones sounded much nicer, too—no more annoying musical beeps when the phone signaled an incoming call.

Then the iPhone exploded onto the telecommunications scene in 2007, followed by Android smartphones. People could text easily with a virtual keyboard, go on the internet (lowercased “i” according to CMOS 18), read their email, and download apps and music. Whee! As I recall, by 2011, the vast majority of Americans had some kind of smartphone.

Do you ever see anybody with a basic phone anymore?

I do…every once in a blue moon.

I believe the last time I saw somebody with a basic phone was in the waiting room of the ER where my father was hospitalized with pneumonia last February. The person with the basic phone was an older man, probably in his 60s or maybe even his 70s.

“Why would anyone still want a basic phone?” you might ask.

There are reasons, believe it or not.

First, smartphones are too complicated for some people, particularly the elderly. (I’m not putting down the elderly; this is just something I have observed.) Smartphones take a lot of getting used to, and some folks get discouraged, irritated, or overwhelmed with them.

Second—and this is probably more important—basic phones are hacker-proof. Fans of the TV drama NCIS may remember the episode where the phones of all the good guys got hacked, except for that of Gibbs, who had a basic phone. “Hacker-proof!” he shouted gleefully at his team. (I never got into that show, so I am recounting based on what a friend told me.)

Do you have a basic phone? What do you love about it?

Who’s “DAT”?

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Running an editing business requires paperwork. (I use the term “paperwork” loosely, because much of it is filled out online.) I live in Maryland, and besides start-up forms when you first launch your business and tax forms to the IRS and the state, you must fill out and submit DAT forms every year by April 15.

“What are DAT forms?” you ask.

DAT stands for Department of Assessments and Taxation. It wants to know how much money your business made each calendar year. It also wants to know about the personal property your business has and how much it is all worth.

For Fiedler Editorial LLC, I used to have to fill out two forms. One is the Annual Report, which I still complete, and the other is the Personal Property Report, from which I am now exempt. Since I am a single-member entity, the Annual Report is pretty painless. All I have to do is list my department number (you find this out the very first time you fill out such a form), answer several questions about my business by checking boxes, and list my gross earnings for the year. The questions are fairly straightforward, and if you do not understand something, there is a phone number for DAT on its website. The only caveat is that you have to remember to list your gross earnings for the year, not your net profit. Thankfully, I read instructions well, so I have never made this mistake.

The first few times I filled out DAT forms, I had to complete the Personal Property Report, which was an absolute pain. I basically went about giving the required information by listing every single item of property my business owned on a piece of scrap paper (this included the carpeting and window blinds in my home office). Then next to each item, I wrote how much I paid for it and calculated its final value using a given depreciation formula. Finally, I placed each value into a column based on categories (one column for computer hardware, one for furniture, et cetera) and added up each column. It is recommended to make multiple copies of the Personal Property Report and do at least one rough draft.

Thankfully, after a few years, the rule became that a Personal Property Report was required only if the value of the business property was a certain amount of money or greater. The value of my business property was lower than this amount, so I did not have to bother with that form any longer.

What required forms in your state are a headache for you?

Paul Roland Amyot – 1931-2025

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Editor’s note: My father, Paul Roland Amyot, passed away on March 12, 2025 and this is why I have not posted in a long time. I wish to thank you all, dear readers, for your patience with me during this difficult time. I am ready to resume posting weekly and would like to start with the eulogy that I read at my father’s funeral. Perhaps this is not the most professional post in the world, but my father was very dear to me.

I would like to start by saying “thank you” to you all for coming to honor my dad today. It means a lot to my family and I know it would mean a great deal to him.

Paul Roland Amyot was born a New Englander and, although he lived in many locations throughout his 94 years on Earth, was a true example of the saying, “You can take the New Englander out of New England, but you can’t take New England out of the New Englander.” He loved his Red Sox and seafood, and being of Canadian descent, loved vacationing in Quebecois places like the Laurentians and the Eastern Townships. I have fond memories of spending summers in those regions with him and my mother.

But more importantly, my dad was a wonderful, honorable man who could best be described in three words: Dedicated, Hardworking, and Generous.

My dad was dedicated to the people he loved. He served as Godfather to several younger family members and role model to his younger siblings. He loved his family. When he was 19 and his father suddenly passed on, he became part of the glue that held his family together emotionally and spiritually.

He was dedicated to my mother. She was the love of his life, and from the beginning of their relationship, he did his best to bring her joy and happiness. He was dedicated to me, his only child. He and my mother fought for my rights and wellbeing when I was a special needs child—and it takes special parents to raise one! He and my mother attended my wedding in Jamaica even though the hot Caribbean wasn’t their first choice for a vacation, and made sure that my wedding reception in Maryland was perfect.

My dad was a hardworking man. He worked as a program analyst for the federal government for several decades, and volunteered in many capacities at his various parishes. But most importantly, he worked hard as a husband and father, helping around the house, fixing things when they broke, taking care of my mother when she was ill in her later years, and taking time out to play with me when I was a child and help me balance my checkbook when I became a young adult.

My dad was a generous man. He was frugal, but was always ready to help out those in need. He was also generous with his time. He always made time to visit and talk on the phone with his brothers and sisters. He cared genuinely about people, and supported several charitable causes.

Papa, you were so dedicated, hardworking, generous, and so many more great adjectives that I cannot list them all. We all miss you very much and will always miss you. We all love you very much.