I have taken a momentary side track from editing "A Guide to Organic Chemistry Mechanisms". I have created a presentation in which I have written out my thoughts on how atomic structure exists and reactions work. My next objective is to find an audience for it. It would be useful to have someone who is both critical and yet open-minded. I am interested in receiving criticism, especially where I may not have thought of something but it would be also useful for the critic to understand my arguments. After all, it is easy to criticize someone or something for being new or different. I have met those people. While they too can be useful, they are less useful to me at this point. I do not look forward to arguing one point endlessly because I am unable to convince someone that a new idea might have merit. Especially since part of my objective is to learn where my arguments might be weak and how or where to improve them.

So far, I am reasonably satisfied with the overall arguments and I hope to see how they may be received. I believe it fits most reactions and principles that I can think of. I can see how the ideas may be tested mathematically, though probably not by me, although I could change my mind. Several points could be fleshed out in greater detail, but I sense this presentation is already lengthy and adding more slides would only try anyone's patience.

Turning back to editing A Guide to Organic Chemistry Mechanisms reveals the negative effect of taking the detour. "Now, where was I?" I have a list of changes that I wanted to make. It is easy enough to find them and to make them. What is problematic is where to make them. Where have I made them already and where do I need to make them? It is time to become more scientific about this and to record what I have done in my notebook. I need to divide this project up into "to do" list items. Which part was I working on, what changes have I made, what ad hoc changes am I making and where have I made them?

Some changes that I have made or planned, may be abandoned. I have a trial version of InDesign, but I think there is only one more week that it will be working. It is not backwardly compatible. The next version of InDesign, Photoshop, Acrobat, etc., has not been released. I have seen Adobe is rumored to be preparing to release their Universal versions of the software that can be used on the Intel Macs. I also see Apple is getting ready to release OS X 10.5 (Leopard). I had hoped to upgrade to these at roughly the same time. I don't know that I can wait that long as these products still are not in the immediate future.