Dear Marion,

Thank you for all your efforts to forward a text about
the self-replication of genes. That text hasn't been
transmitted. My respectful suggestions: a) that you send
the text in a letter separate from and without illustrations;
and b) if the text is, for example from Wikipedia, and is
displayed by your browser, that you "select" or "select all"
the text, the use the "copy" facility to store the text in
memory, and the "paste" facility to incorporate it into an
e-mail message. That technique works very well for me.

To my thinking there is no "quandary" about what you should
write to me. You should write whatever gives you pleasure,
whatever is meaningful, whatever you enjoy writing. Write
as if your intended reader were only yourself. Such is my
strategy. It makes writing a joyful exercise and arguably
enhances its value.

I'm apologetic that I haven't succeeded in clarifying the
nature of my interest in science in general and in molecular
biochemistry in particular. You misunderstand when you infer
from my inspection of the floor boards that I don't also
enjoy and value the ballet. My problem, - pursuing your
metaphor - is that I'm too old to be a ballet dancer, and 
surely too old to become proficient in a new profession, -
molecular biochemistry. Specifically, if I saw an opportunity
to be creative in the field, I would adopt its logical
conventions, I would accommodate myself to its modus operandi.

Absent all opportunities for research, all that is left to me
is the challenge of trying to understand the processes of
knowledge themselves. That's what tearing up the floor boards
is all about. To my mind, with sufficient tenacity, it's a
challenge that might prove extraordinarily rewarding.

==================

I just checked my e-mail again, and your text about gene
self-replication has finally arrived. Thank you very,
very much. After today's ordeal of purchasing the new car, -
it's finally standing in the driveway - I'm too tired tonight
to read and to think. That will be my project for tomorrow
morning. Thank you again, very much, and good night.

Jochen