Tom,

I was trying to calculate how long it took just last night.  Because of the
quake and it being August, my teaching schedule is slimer than usual.  (I
had already been keeping it pretty slim [15-20 hours per week, including
preparation time].)  So I only had to work in the mornings this week.  On
Tuesday, I spent the afternoon on a first draft, probably 5 or so hours
total.  I wasn't that happy with it, as I spent too much of it synthisizing
what I had been reading about the big picture (after all, this was for a
newspaper).  That night I meet with Ismail (who, by the way, is a
journalist) and he encouraged me to write it more like I had been writing
the other things I've written since I've been here.  He was right, though I
already knew it.  (Your commments also brought this point home.)  I went
home that night and worked it over some more, until 3:00 or so in the
morning, then again the next day in the afternoon.  What does that add up
to?  The writing, maybe 12 or so hours, with some thinking and dsicussion in
between.

Hope Dad and Sue get a chance to follow this all in Alaska. There are
probably Interent Cafes there. Mom, I guess, can read it in Sunday's
paper(!).

By the way, how is mom?  With dad doing all the writing from home I don't
get a strong imression about how she is. (I had asked earlier if everything
was all right, but got no reponse to that question.)  Is everyting all
right?

More later, as I want to get this off in case you're still there (though
Ihipe you've gone home for some shut eye).  I have to sign off in about 20
minutes and get ready for my class.

Your little brother



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