Social Isolation

In the September/October 2012 issue of Psychology Today, there is a quote on page 61 that says, "low levels of social interaction have the same effects as smoking 15 cigarettes a day--and worse effects than being obese or not exercising." This is important so I'm going to talk about it again. Young people don't talk anymore. They text. They e-mail. They twitter. Does social interaction mean talking face to face? Does texting and e-mail count as social interaction? I don't find it enough. I think there needs to be more face to face contact.

In the time of Facebook and texting, conversation is rare but so desperately needed. There needs to be more opportunities for social interaction where there is conversation, debate, socializing, talking, etc. There needs to be gathering centers in every neighborhood. There isn't a Senior Center in Northgate. There needs to be one. Most gyms don't have smoothie bars with lots of tables that encourage people to gather and talk. There needs to be opportunities to mingle to get to know your neighbors and learn about them and talk within a safe area.

As babyboomers grow older, this will be even more important to have ways to connect and gather.

I've been very deliberate in my attempt to find what I want in Seattle. I go out almost every day to do something. I try to exercise every day at the gym. Sometimes I go mall walking. I enjoy walking around Green Lake but don't do it as often as I should. I enjoy Hydrofit at the Helen Madison pool. I love to play mah jongg but often find a conflict with the times for mah jongg and my first priority that is exercise/health. I want to learn bridge but haven't found a beginning bridge group to play with. I read lots of books. Sometimes I go to a movie. I guess I am kind of boring but I have a good time.

Do I have close friends yet? No, but I figure that if I keep doing what I am doing, I am going to find good friends.

My Notebook

I created a notebook when I moved to Seattle of all the things I wanted to find here and learn about. I have tabs for Seattle Art Museum, Pacific Science Center, Woodland Park Zoo, Aquarium, mah jongg, roller skating, quilting, Toastmasters, the Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Broadway plays, knitting, bridge, tennis, 24 Hour Fitness, Hydrofit, Seattle Metro bus system, Weight Watchers, dancing, New Horizons Band. I stuffed the pages with information I found on Google. I couldn't find a New Horizons Band close so that has to be forgotten. I have everything I could want here.

The best part is that when I have been a resident for a year, I can go to the University of Washington and take classes for only $5. I can take two classes a term. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow and I'm looking forward to winter term. I can also take classes at North Seattle Community College--two classes a term. Such a deal. I wish all who wanted to attend could take classes at this price.

I am grateful to live in Seattle. It is the gathering place of the most intelligent people in the United States. They do everything well and I have a lot to learn from the people here. I am excited to be here. I'm grateful. I look forward to living here. Seattle has lots of festivals. Next year I want to watch the pirate ship and the pirates land on Alki Beach. I didn't find out in time which bus would take me there. Parking is at a premium in Seattle so it is much better to go places on the bus. There is also a yearly Norwegian Festival in Ballard. There is so many great events. I'm lucky and blessed to live here.

Social Isolation

I got my copy of Psychology Today in the mail. There is an interesting cover article, "Life Lessons: 5 Truths People Learn Too late." What really caught my eye was the quote on page 61 from the research from Utah. "Low levels of social interaction have the same effects as smoking 15 cigarettes a day--and worse effects than being obese or not exercising." I thought it interesting that two universities from Utah [University of Utah and Brigham Young University] were sited in this article about the dangers of social isolation since the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are big ones for shunning. The psychological damage and abuse of shunning is tremendous. Many churches use shunning as a way of getting their members into line. The Amish are another religion that does this. If I were in the Senate, I'd write a bill to prevent churches from allowing such a practice that is such a danger to public health. It is cruel. It is interesting that Christian churches often use shunning because Jesus said to love all your neighbors as yourself. This doesn't mean that you judge. This means that you love even those people who are hard to love. God judges.

When I was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1995 to 2001 or 2002, my husband and I were shunned. It wasn't any fun and I couldn't understand why. We were serving as church service missionaries at the time to help people find employment in an 8 stake area. I quit after 6 months after the shunning. I objected to many things about this church which you don't learn until you get deeper into it. My husband and I wrote letters to Salt Lake City objecting to things that shouldn't happen. My husband told me that in Elders Quorum, there were times when an order to shun an individual was announced.

It has been coming out in the newspapers in Oregon and Washington how the Boy Scouts of America has been protecting child abusers who have served as leaders. The general public doesn't realize how linked Boy Scouts is with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A leader in Boy Scouts is a calling in the church. Boy Scouts is basically a Mormon organization!

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you can't have a different opinion and you can't challenge a leader or question them. You must always fall into line. After my letter to Salt Lake City, Bishop Haslam told my husband to shut me up and control me. Not long after he was promoted to Stake President. No matter what a leader does, it is right in this church. Members can become gods. I think this is what attracted my husband. And it is funny but even if the leader is wrong, it is still the will of God because it was meant to happen. Will I vote for Romney? Not in a million years!!!!!

So what did I object to in this church that brought the big sanction?  I disagree with polygamy. This church keeps printing quads that says it is God's will. One of my letters was about this. I disagree with protecting child abusers and not reporting crimes to the police. When you go to the temple, you have to promise not to laugh loud. I knew this wasn't going to work out when I heard this. Happiness is bad. One doctor bragged to my husband that Utah was an enlightened state because it uses the most psychotropic drugs. That's necessary to keep their members following the leaders and not objecting to anything they do. You can't have a temple recommend, if you disagree with the leadership of the church. Bah humbug. In other words, you can't have an opinion that is different. I was told I couldn't read National Geographic and should only read church literature. This was from a visit from my visiting teachers from the Relief Society when I lived in Alsea.
There is more that I object to.  What did I enjoy about the church? I loved singing in the Stake choir. I loved writing plays and planning for Primary as Primary President. I loved visiting sisters. I loved having parties in my home in Salem at the 4 Corners Ward in East Salem when I lived on Burlwood Loop. I miss this. Do I have friends now? No. Were these people my friends? No. They weren't there when I needed someone when my husband died and when I needed help.

Seattle Weather

I love Seattle. I haven't enjoyed the hot weather but I haven't anything to complain about because it isn't going to last long. The weather forecast for today is a high of 72 with a low of 54. It would be great if the weather dial would stay between 45 and 68 but living in Seattle is about as good as it gets and I'm lucky to live where there is mild, temperate weather. I don't mind the rain at all. It's refreshing and clears the air. I enjoy the wind because it clears out any polluted air from the freeway. I stay out of the hot sun. I know I need a daily dose of Vitamin D but I figure short walks gets it in. You will never see me sitting out in the hot sun with the intention of getting a tan.

Hood to Coast

My daughter, Gretchen Bennett and her husband, Chris and my son, Benjamin Haber and his wife, Amanda ran Hood to Coast in Oregon this weekend. Their team name is Running in Harmony. It would be great if my sons, Joe and Daniel were also running next year with their wives.

Big Brother

I am a big fan of Big Brother. I love this show. I'm a closet anthropologist and I think that this is a great study of human behavior. I'm sad that Mike Boogie got voted off. He's a good person and the best player in Big Brother history plus he's fun and livens things up. I really like Frank too. Frank is now my favorite. You know how he feels. He's honest, trustworthy, and a good person. Why he is unemployed, I have no idea because anyone would be lucky to have him be part of their corporate team. He's smart, athletic, quick, honest, and has integrity. I would apply for Big Brother, if I was younger and thinner.

It was so funny on Big Brother when Brittany commented about Frank winning all the competitions. She said, "Who is he competing with? People in hospice?" It's true. Frank's very competitive and athletic. He's really great at everything. He's alone and has to win everything in order to stay in the house because everyone wants him out. He deserves to win it all. He's smart enough and athletic enough to win all the competitions and deserves to win the $500,000 at the end.

Exercise

This is the exercise that I have done for the week.

August 8 on Wednesday

• 45 minute training session with trainer

August 9 on Thursday

• 30 minutes elliptical
• 50 minutes body pump
• 60 minutes hydrofit

August 10 on Friday

• 60 minutes elliptical--level 10, resistance 10
• 55 minutes hydrofit

August 11 on Saturday

• 50 minutes body pump

August 12 on Sunday

• 55 min. elliptical--level 10, resistance 10

August 13 on Monday

• 45 minute training session with trainer

I bought three training sessions with a trainer because the manager was nice to video tape me so I could send it in to Biggest Loser. I figured that at age 64, unless I could prove I could move, I wouldn't have a chance. Everyone at Weight Watchers dreams of having a trainer. I can't afford a trainer and to be honest, I would rather have fun taking Zumba and body pump classes. I get more out of it and it is free with my gym membership.

Gyms for Seniors

There needs to be gyms for senior or gyms need to do a better job of providing more exercise choices for members. Most of the time when you walk into a gym, it is one program for everyone, no matter what the demographics. Usually all you get is a sitting in a chair exercise program for old folks. I think there should be a wide variety of choices. You can't train everyone the same.

If I had a gym or managed a gym, it would have to be a spacious gym with lots of choices. There would need to be three huge exercise classrooms the size of a basket ball court with no pillars in the center of the room to obscure vision. There should be classes running from early morning until evening in each classroom running every hour with lots of variety and choices. There should be Tai Chi, Chi Gong, Zumba, Zumba Gold, Zumba Toning, pilates, yoga, hatha yoga, standing abs, body pump, body pump for seniors, line dancing, ballroom dancing, and on and on. One of these classrooms would allow roller skating at different times of the day, every day. The more choices the better.

If I have to sit in a chair and exercise just because I am 64, I might as well give it up. I refuse! I have a lot more active years ahead of me. I feel like I have just begun living and I am determined to run and dance and play well into my 90's!

Since I don't have health care, I try to exercise more and longer at a slower rate. Often trainers tell you to go faster to bring up your heart rate and then injury often occurs with older people. I think it is important to listen to your body and exercise slower and exercise longer. I think you have to build up endurance and strength but you must do it safely.

Health Care

I keep hearing from different people about how awful the health care in Canada is. "#%^&@," I say. The people in Canada receive health care and they don't have to pay. Maybe sometimes they have to wait in lines but at least they get care. I haven't had a complete physical in years and years. I don't remember when the last time was because if I do see a doctor and pay through the nose, it is for a specific symptom. Last time was to clean the wax out of my ears. Yes, for the most part I am very healthy. That's because I am putting my money into a gym membership and healthy eating. I won't receive care until 2014 when President Obama's health care kicks in. Then I still won't get the care that I would get in Sweden or in countries where prevention comes first. Prevention doesn't come first in this country. There has to be a major overhaul in the health care system.

In the United States, there is a different kind of health care when you are rich and have lots of medical insurance compared to the health care you get when you don't have insurance or lots of money. I know because I saw what happened to my husband in Oregon. Let me give you just one example. He was being seen by an oncologist at OHSU, the best care in Oregon. She said he needed a blood transfusion so I said why can't he have it right now. She said he has to come back for an outpatient treatment. That meant that I had to drive him back to Alsea, three hours away and then come back two days later, three hours back. It was hard for him to sit in the car because he had a feeding tube and he was in pain. I brought him back to get the blood transfusion and he ended up in the ER and admitted to the hospital. Am I impressed with health care in this country. NO!

To even think that Romney could get elected makes me shudder because he wants to take everything back to the Bush disaster where this country was verging on a major depression. Romney doesn't think the rich should have to pay 60% in taxes. He doesn't think many programs that help people should continue.

I hope and pray that President Obama gets reelected and that the Democrats work together for better health care.

Senator Bernie Sanders from Vermont should run for President after President Obama has finished his last 4 years, then maybe health care would really get good and people would be valued in this country.

Ann Rule and Leslie Rule

I had the best time today at 1 p.m. Ann Rule and her daughter, Leslie Rule came to Barnes and Noble at the Northgate Mall in Seattle to sign books. It was an honor to meet them both. Ann Rule lives in the Seattle area and Leslie Rule lives in Seattle. The ladies ahead of me had several books to have signed and had read every one of Ann Rules books so I was blessed with the opportunity to listen. They are both so nice.

Ann Rule was a former Seattle police officer and has written 31 New York Times best selling true crime novels. She's a great writer and brings true crime to life on the pages of each of her books. She graduated from the University of Washington and has a Ph.D. from Willamette University. She is "a certified instructor for police training seminars and lectures to law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and forensic organizations, including the FBI and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences." She is so nice to talk to. It would be wonderful if I could listen to her more about her writing, the process of her writing, investigating, etc. She wrote about the Green River killer in GREEN RIVER, RUNNING RED. She wrote about Diane Downs, a case familiar to anyone who lives in Oregon in SMALL SACRIFICES. Her latest book is IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT: The Strange Death of Ronda Reynolds and her mother's unceasing quest for the truth.  If you aren't already a fan, you will be when you start reading her books. www.annrules.com

Leslie Rule is the daughter of Ann Rule. It was a pleasure to meet her. She is every bit as nice as her mother. Her book, WHERE ANGELS TREAD: Real Stories of Miracles and Angelic Intervention is one of five books on the paranormal that she has published. I look forward to reading it. At the back of her book, it says that she grew up in a haunted house so that sounds intriguing and makes me want to read all her books. Her other books are COAST TO COAST GHOSTS: True Stories of Hauntings Across America; GHOSTS AMONG US: True Stories of Spirit Encounters; WHEN THE GHOST SCREAMS: True Stories of Victims Who Haunt; and GHOST IN THE MIRROR: Real Cases of Spirit Encounters. Leslie is a professional photographer and author of seven books.

Seattle

I am so impressed with how everything is run in Seattle. In the last few days the Seattle Times reported a garbage strike by the Teamsters. I was bracing myself for garbage not being picked up for weeks, maybe months. I have no knowledge of how everything was handled or what happened except for one article talking about fines but I haven't had any interruption in garbage service. Everything is proceeding without any problems. What is so amazing to me is that it isn't that problems don't come up or that it is easy to manage Seattle. What is amazing is how well the problems are handled and managed as they do come up. I think this says a great deal about Mayor McGinn of Seattle. He handles difficult problems as they come up quickly and with great success. Seattle is a great place to live and work and thrive. I am grateful to be living in Seattle and in King County. Everything is here that anyone could want and I feel safe here.

Best Buy

At the first of the week, I decided to learn about making DVD's so I went across the street to Best Buy to ask questions. I bought some DVD's and cases. I asked about video editing software. My problem with the video on my camera is that it was shot [in Microsoft Word lingo--portrait instead of landscape] at a different angle and I needed to turn it. Everyone was so nice and I'm grateful for the help. I went back and there was a customer in the store who overheard my conversation about needing to turn the video. I had brought my camera into the store thinking it was an easy fix. He told me about Windows Live Movie Maker which is a free download and can do these kinds of edits. He was wonderful! I had the best experience at Best Buy. The girl waiting on me was obviously a techie and great at her job too. Best Buy is a great place. It is the go-to place for answers and technology. Nerds gather at Best Buy. I love it! I'm going to go there more for answers and to buy my stuff.

zumbamarco on YouTube

Marco is my favorite Zumba instructor at 24 Hour Fitness Northgate in Seattle. He's a gifted dancer and his classes are always crowded. I can hardly wait to buy a DVD. There are six videos posted so far. All are outstanding. Marco is the reason I love Zumba. He makes it fun so you want to keep coming back. I wish he taught classes every day.

Brooks Running Shoes

I went to Finish Line in the Northgate Mall in Seattle and purchased a pair of Brooks running shoes--red and black adrenaline GTS. I will never buy another brand of running or cross fit shoes. These shoes fit my foot as if they were made specially for my feet. I have a hard time finding shoes and I don't want my feet to hurt so I'm picky about my shoes. I want a well made shoe with support. I want my feet to be cushioned. These shoes are perfect. My ankles don't slip. It is a perfect fit for my feet. Everything about this shoe is perfect. I'm so glad I walked in the door and asked for Brooks. And the Brooks socks that I got are specially designed not to slip down in your shoe when you are walking. A perfect pair of shoes and a perfect pair of socks. I'm spoiled. In a perfect world I would be healthy and fit, live a long time, run a couple of marathons every year, and be sponsored by Brooks.

Biggest Loser

I submitted my application and videos to Biggest Loser Season 14 today. I'm really excited and hope I get picked. It is an amazing opportunity to learn how to get healthy and lose weight. I've been staying the same weight for years now, in spite of eating healthy and exercising. I need help. I want to live a healthy, long life. Kayleen, the manager of 24 Hour Fitness Northgate got permission from media to video 4 minutes of me doing a Body Pump weights class and 4 minutes of Zumba. It was so kind and nice of her to help me. I'm very grateful for her help. I hope that I get picked. A couple of years ago I waited for 11 hours in line to audition for Biggest Loser. I didn't get picked but it was fun to see what it was like to go through the process with everyone else standing in line who were hopeful. Since I am 64, I figured it was important to submit videos showing that I can move and that I will try hard, if selected. It would be a dream come true and it would save my life.

The Submission

The Seattle Public Library Northgate branch book club met last night to discuss THE SUBMISSION by Amy Waldman. It is an intelligent book that skillfully deals with timeless issues of prejudice, conforming to pressures of a group, and the right of an individual to take credit for the intellectual property or design he creates. From the first few pages, I saw that this book deals with the gifted and talented individual who is asked to conform, compromise, to blend in, rather than to be himself. It reminded me of THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand and I am now in the middle of rereading this book by Ayn Rand. Both are about architects who are asked to conform, blend in. They are both asked to modify their brilliant designs. Khan in Waldman's book was asked to let someone else take the credit for his design or to withdraw. Howard Roark in Rand's book was asked to add classical design ideas to his modernistic design so as not to threaten the architectural community. Only recently did the U.S. Supreme Court rule that the inventor has the right to profit from his invention. Before this time when an individual at a university or research facility invented something original, the intellectual property rights belonged to the institution for whom he worked. Khan in Amy Waldman's book felt he was being erased when he was asked to allow someone else to take credit for his submission or withdraw. This is a powerful book that should be read along side THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand.

Priorities

My first priority right now is my health, which means to exercise every day, eat healthy, and to study fitness and health. This is the most important thing since I don't have a safety net. I don't have health insurance. I've been encouraged to volunteer right now but I've done enough volunteer work to last a couple of lifetimes and it was never appreciated. I must think about myself right now. No one else is going to help. I lived for six months without plumbing in my house in Alsea. I tried so hard to get someone to help and no one cared. Every fix seemed to make it worse but people were sure there to take money. Enough of Alsea. I don't care if I ever see Oregon again. There were no opportunities for me there and I'm not seeking them now. I'm starting over and I'm happy in Seattle. I love it here. I love the weather. I love living where lots of people from all over the world live in peace. I love living close to everything. I love living across from shopping. I love being able to go to the zoo and the art museum and the science center. I love it that I got to go to the symphony on an afternoon. I am healing. I am figuring out what comes next. I don't have close friends but right now I am very busy. I'm grateful to live where it is safe. It is really odd that I live in a major city and I feel safer than when I lived in Alsea or Gates or Salem, Oregon. Seattle feels safer than Corvallis. Seattle does a great job of taking care of whatever happens. I'm grateful to be here. I applaud all that goes on to keep everyone safe behind the scenes. I'm happy and I have the freedom to make choices of how to spend my time. I have been reading a lot of books the last week. I can learn from Writers Digest Tutorials. When I have been here a year, I can go to the University of Washington and take two classes a quarter free! How amazing is that! I can play mah jongg, learn about bridge, or go have coffee at Starbucks. Seattle is a great city. I love it here and I'm grateful to be starting over here. My second priority is to work on my writing every day and to read every day. I need to get projects edited and submitted. I've published lots of articles. I completed National Novel Writing Month twice and Script Frenzy once. I have finished four novel length manuscripts and two screenplays but they need more work. Maybe I should just start new. I wish I had an editor to work with but it must be perfect before you submit. A manuscript must be perfect before you submit to an agent too. I've been writing mysteries and mainstream fiction. Maybe someday I will try my hand at romance and women's fiction. I haven't been always writing every day. Last night I wrote a poem. Anyway........I need to get myself organized and schedule writing every day. I know I want to participate in National Novel Writing Month again and Script Frenzy. It's inspiring to be part of the process and fun to see what develops in your writing. I'm grateful that I have the choices to be able to do this. [There are no paragraphs and line breaks because I can't figure out how to do it with this new format.] I guess short, one subject paragraphs are best.

Sweden

I'm half Swedish. I would love to visit Sweden. I frequently write to four cousins in Sweden. One lives in Stockholm and teaches English at a university. I am proud of being Swedish. I love everything about Sweden. I think it is wonderful that Sweden gets along in the world. They have health care for everyone and they have a high standard of living. In the book, THRIVE: FINDING HAPPINESS THE BLUE ZONES WAY, by Dan Buettner, Sweden is listed as one of the top ten happiest places in the world to live. All Scandinavian countries are listed in the top ten along with Canada. I won't have health care until 2014 in the U.S., if I moved to Sweden or Canada, I'd immediately have health care because people are valued. The last three years of my husband's life, he started making plans to move to Germany since he was a duel citizen. He wanted to move because of health care. If he had lived, I might be living in Germany right now, which isn't that far from Sweden.

Olympic Athletic Club

I'm a member of Olympic Athletic Club in Ballard, the Scandinavian area of Seattle. I'm half Swedish and I love Ballard. I would like to live there but I can't afford it. I joined OAC at the end of December when I moved here. It's a Fit Life Gym, which means that when you travel throughout Oregon and Washington, you can go to the other Fit Life Gyms free. I haven't been to the OAC since January because I go to 24 Hour Fitness Northgate almost every day and it seems far to go to Ballard. I was told to park at the far parking lot near the water near an abandoned restaurant. OAC is crowded and they are building a new part. I got to thinking that if I were making the decisions, I would build a whole new four story two block long athletic club next to the water. The space is just sitting there doing nothing. My gym would have glass walls next to the water so you can see out on all four floors. On the first floor would be an Olympic size swimming pool. Four laps would be saved for hydrofit and deep water running classes at all times, 8 to 12 lanes for lap swimming. On the side saved for hydrofit and deep water running, I would put a giant flat screen television for those who get bored running in the water. There would be also music piped in at other times when classes aren't in session. There would be four to six large classrooms and there would be classes running every hour in each classroom with Zumba, Body Pump, standing abs, Tai Chi, and lots of other choices. There would be tennis and racketball. There would be a large basketball size court for indoor roller skating. I would go to skates.com and buy the quad skates I've been looking at with the purple wheels. It would be a gorgeous facility and people would come from all over to exercise there. The top floor would be the poof floor for spa treatments, hot tubs, steam rooms, and saunas overlooking the water. There would also be a restaurant, juice bar, and a salad bar. It would be beautiful. I called and asked for a refund since I'm not using my membership. I think I paid $680 for a year. Next year I would only have to pay $40 a month. I was told there is a no refund policy, which I don't think is nice so I am giving my membership to my son, Ben.

Body Pump

I went to body pump this morning at 24 Hour Fitness Northgate. Shannon was the instructor. She's great! She's been off for awhile having a baby. I haven't had her before so she's new to me. She's nice, high energy, enthusiastic, fun, and great at getting everyone in the room to reach higher. I'm going to enjoy taking her classes. She should teach more classes. As I look at the schedule, I see there is only 1 body pump class on Saturday, none on Friday and Sunday, and only 1 on Wednesday so there is lots of room for more classes in the schedule and more instructors. If I could decide, I would take over the floor above and build large classrooms. I would run at least three classrooms with classes from morning to night, one right after another. There would be several body pump classes every day, every two hours, and several zumba classes a day, every two hours. There should be Zumba Gold classes, aqua Zumba, and Zumba Sculpt. Zumba and Body Pump classes are bringing people in to 24 Hour Fitness. There should be more and the rooms should be much bigger. It is so crowded in body pump that people have to set up in every corner of the room, even next to the equipment. While we are at it, let's build a large olympic size pool with a large deep end. 24 Hour Fitness is a proud sponsor of the Olympics so we need a huge pool too for hydrofit and deep water running. As we dream on, let's add racketball, tennis, handball. Let's also add another basketball court, only use it for indoor roller skating. Then I will go to skates.com and buy my quad skates with purple wheels! Oh, the fun we could have..............There should also be Tai Chi and an hour long standing abs class. Years ago, I think 1999 or 1998 when I was a member of 24 Hour Fitness in Salem, Oregon, there was a great standing abs class. It was great and everyone loved it. I think there should be a standing abs class in every gym. Not everyone likes to get on the floor and twist all up and not everything thinks it's fun to do sit ups. There would a lot of people that would vote for standing abs for an hour class, at least 30 minutes.