The week in review

I just returned home from a 2 h walk, using my new pedometer app on the iPhone: in all 1:55 minutes with an average pace of 4.7 mph and a total of about 8.7 miles. What I forgot to do was to bring a bottle of water, and I found myself slightly dehydrated as I downed 2.5 L of water upon returning home. I did see a bright orange Baltimore Oriole, but could only manage to get a photo of this guy:

Rabbit on trail

Somewhat exhausted, I now have the prospect of spending the Memorial Day long weekend dealing with this:

work for the weekend

These happen to be initial drafts of Ph.D. dissertations from two of my senior students, who plan to graduate in July.

It’s not as if I haven’t had a week full of reading–although not every week is quite like this, I submitted 2 papers this week, one to PLoS ONE (first time, despite being an editor for the past 3 years!) and a second one to the Journal of Biological Chemistry (where I also serve as an editorial board indentured slave member. And a resubmission/revision of a review.

Indeed, it has been a busy week, including the graduation of my son from elementary school, and my daughter’s performances in “Recommended Reading for Girls” at the Omaha Community Playhouse Theater. My claim to fame is Caplan’s Cabbies, where I serve as owner, director, and #1 driver.

It was also a busy week as I have been easing back a tad on the blogs and forging ahead with major revisions on my novel suggested demanded by my editor. I am very excited at straying a little into the realm of mystery–with the death of an academic researcher in my novel. My novel also takes place in the city of Omaha, Nebraska, where I have lived these past–holy shite–10 years! I thought it might be fun to use the streets and landmarks that are familiar to me–and of course, when push comes to shove, the marketing of the book locally might be a plus. We shall see if the editor appreciates my two months of work. She also asked for a new title: so the tentative title of “Let My People Go!” has been modified to: “Let My Student Go!” Yes, it’s about a student whose mentor gives her grief about graduating. Sound familiar to anyone?

Well, as much as I’d love to blog on, there are a couple of stacks of reading material awaiting me…

 

 

About Steve Caplan

I am a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska where I mentor a group of students, postdoctoral fellows and researchers working on endocytic protein trafficking. My first lablit novel, "Matter Over Mind," is about a biomedical researcher seeking tenure and struggling to overcome the consequences of growing up with a parent suffering from bipolar disorder. Lablit novel #2, "Welcome Home, Sir," published by Anaphora Literary Press, deals with a hypochondriac principal investigator whose service in the army and post-traumatic stress disorder actually prepare him well for academic, but not personal success. Novel #3, "A Degree of Betrayal," is an academic murder mystery. "Saving One" is my most recent novel set at the National Institutes of Health. Now IN PRESS: Today's Curiosity is Tomorrow's Cure: The Case for Basic Biomedical Research (CRC PRESS, 2021). https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B006CSULBW? All views expressed are my own, of course--after all, I hate advertising.
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5 Responses to The week in review

  1. Cromercrox says:

    Note to self: must download ‘Welcome Home, Sir’

  2. Download? Pah! I have an honest-to-goodness PAPER copy! 😀

    Which arrived *after* your visit, Steve – hence the autograph only on novel #1.

    And… 4.7mph walking? That’s pretty brisk! I think 3 mph is a sort-of average walking speed, isn’t it? Well motored.

  3. Steve Caplan says:

    No problem. Invite me back! But NOT in the winter…

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