Tuesday

Not much in the way of painting today, Karin had to give her doctorate presentation at 11:00 up at the University. She is going for the Physical Therapy doctorate degree and yes, she was nervous. After I got back from the model session last night I was required to listen to the practice presentation on how weight lifting increases longevity and muscle strength in older people.

For me as an artist, its not the most riveting subject to listen to, certainly I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to a topic like that at any lecture series. But I submitted to my wife's, mainly she wanted to know how it flowed and if there was any glaring problems that needed to be addressed before her final performance in front of the Spanish Inquisition. I sure as hell couldn't tell the validity of whether the 85 year old's muscle density should be 7% greater in an MRI scan than the control group.

My eyes started to glaze over when she was comparing research papers by various scientists on the statistics of biopsy samples of muscle tissue taken form the elderly. Those that worked out verses those that didn't. The speech seemed just fine last night from what I could tell, so I wasn't too worried.

We were there 45 minutes early this morning. The laptop needed top be turned on. My job was after all, moral support.

Actually we did run into a slight problem when she was handed the projector that was suppose to connect up to the mac, the connection cable wasn't right, looked like some old fashion cable from a windows 95 computer. The connection end would have been like a car trying to fit into the mail box slot on the front door,.......... never in a million years.

Karin ran off to find another option. Luckily one of the committee professors showed up and had the very adapter we were looking for. She had a mac computer as well. Thank God, or else all Hell would have broken out!

Soon they all shuffled into the small room, sat down and explained to us, that she had twenty minutes to present her research, followed by a question and answer period, where they would try and punch holes in her findings. Afterwards we would have to leave the room as they talked over the fate of the poor applicant.

The speech started off a little hesitant and nervous, but soon fell into a more relaxed and confident tone. Twenty minutes later they all agreed she had presented the findings well and had indeed answered the fundamental question that the elderly should lift weights up until they die. Muscle mass increases longevity. The presentation went so well that they told us we didn't have to leave the room.

Yes.......she passed, with flying colors. Unfortunately she had to go back to work after the testing session so the champagne will have to wait until tonight.

Richard Boyer