Cathryn,

I was trying to give you some credit for your achievements in life. I'm sorry, I guess it came across wrong.

I think you said something in one of these strings that predicting earthquakes is difficult. I'm not so sure that it is difficult, but it is harder to deal with either being right or wrong. In my case if I am right then I have to be the psychic housewife to get the credit, but I'm wrong, then the negative side really weighs in heavily.

Anyway, I joined another group tonight that has a scientist in residence that believes in ear tones, so I won't be saying anything about them here anymore. They are very upbeat and all anxious to work together to solve the problem, not standing in the way of progress. It's not open to everyone and I was invited so I accepted the invitation. It isn't on the Internet either, so only the members of the group talk to each other.

In time Roger and I will work out something that is amiable in regard to evaluating the work of the ear tone group. We have some obstacles to overcome before we get started. I have about 1000 reports and with matched tone to quakes which have to be accounted for in some kind of format that works for me and for him and I don't know where I'm going to find the hours it's going to take to do this. I never expected it so I had no way of knowing I should prepare for it or how to prepare for it. And there have been so many changes in three years and I don't know how to account for that either. It seems almost overwhelming; but no one cares about that anyway. It seems they think I can perform some kind of magic and instantly the information is up and ready for review. So something has to go in order to do this. I can't predict earthquakes and do a review at the same time. I only have a few hours in the evenings after work and as I am still recovering this would be a daunting task. If I had to chose tonight what to do I would just walk away from it, close the door and throw up my hands and say forget it. But I'm sure in a few days I probably would change my mind.

But I won't ever forget that to wish to be beneficial in the world in regard to earthquake safety or prediction it comes with a price that is way to high. I've given thousands of hours in devotion to this work and no one will ever appreciate the personal sacrifices I've made along the way. I'm thought of like a machine that puts out numbers and I am expected to just keep going like the energizer bunny and never have a life of my own.

Well, the call to life has arrived and it won't be like this anymore. I am going to get out and enjoy life, do all the things I haven't been able to do in six years. I want to dance, go to parties and not worry about what someone said when it wasn't their turn. Life is for the living and to keep those who are might die in an earthquake alive. There is only one answer to earthquake prediction and this is it: If you love people, you won't let them die. Love is the answer. But if you have thousands of people who have no face to see and you don't see the suffering of parents who lose their children and you can't feel what that feels like, then you can let them die. The solution comes from people who care enough to roll up their sleeves and work for the common good of mankind and nothing less.

And where are they? They are over there. I'll be with them too.

Petra