provisional patent for my invention: done!

My invention is officially protected by the USPTO!
Their Filing Receipt has assigned my application the number 62/547,390.
The "62" denotes that it is a Provisional Patent, which means that they are awaiting the Utility Patent to be filed by August 18, 2018, i.e., within a year of this filing date.
I had truly hoped to have the Provisional Patent application filed by my birthday, which was May 29.
That did not occur.
However, because of one delay or another, I did have time to make an addendum to my Periodic Table for the Visually Impaired.
The original invention did not include the Transitional Elements, nor the Lanthanides and Actinides.
As of a few months ago, the Transitional Elements are reunited with the Representative Elements!
I am so happy for them... and for the future students, both blind and sighted, who will be using this educational tool.
Of course, I can include another addendum for those f-block elements, usually shown in two rows below all of the others.
Those will be useful for studying radioactive elements, for those chemistry courses which include that topic.
However, they are not even necessary then, as there are plenty of Representative Elements, including Carbon-13 and Iodine-131, for the discussion of different types of nuclear emissions.
I am so excited for future students - and the teachers, too!

faustina of tripadvisor

According to tripadvisor.com, I'm in the upper 4% of their contributors and have more than 20,000 travelers who have read my reviews.
That's amazing to me.
I've only been contributing since 2013.
So why am I writing all of that in this blog space?
This site documents the use of my time and resources to help others...
whether on the road or elsewhere.
So, just what do these badges tell you about me?
The Passport is a mark that I have been to at least twenty-five different cities. In truth, I am listed as having been to fifty-eight, but the total is actually much larger, thanks to eight years in the US Navy.
The Expert Photographer was awarded to me for having contributed fifty pictures to accompany my reviews. Honestly, the total is seventy-five at this time.
The Top Contributor was awarded upon my fiftieth review. I currently have fifty-two available on the site.
As pleased as I am to have been named a Top Contributor, I am most proud of the Helpful Reviewer Badge.
Why?
That award comes from the readers of my entries, not from the website.
Those fellow travelers who deemed my words worthy of a "thumbs up" are the ones who granted that one to me.
To this date, I have received thirty "thumbs up" notices.
Those really brighten my day!
Receiving an incredible five helpful votes was my review of The Great Magic Hall. I'll be in Kissimmee next week and look forward to going there again.
The review of my trip to the Dry Falls in NC two years ago has received four helpful votes - nice!
Another review written from that trip, of the Highland Biological Station, Nature Center, and Botanical Gardens received a "thumbs up", too!
That accounts for a whopping third of my "deemed helpful" reviews!
The trip to Las Vegas in 2013 garnered another eight for helpfulness. I have three for Gregory Popovich's Comedy Pet Theater; two each for Sin City Comedy and for "Evil Dead: The Musical"; and one for "MJ Live".
The Field of Dreams Movie Site review took home another three from travelers to the baseball diamond in the cornfield. That was one of my first reviews for tripadvisor. I do hope those folks walked the bases and stood in the corn - just like I did.
(smile)

arts at the beach

I am officially a member of the Tybee Post Theater...
again.
I had first joined them last year.
Mostly that action was predicated by two upcoming events at that venue: the Elvis tribute concert and the silent film escapade.
Membership would grant me a discount, you see.
After attending those two events, plus several this year, I recognize the value of the venue to the beach community.
We forget sometimes that tourist draws have residents year-round.
We forget sometimes that tourists bring children who need access to age-appropriate entertainment.
We forget sometimes that local artists and musicians need a place to share their craft.
We forget.
In honor of the Family Friendly Movies...
as well as the many Summer Kid Film Festival screenings...
and the participation in the 2017 Gray's Reef Film Festival...
plus the Tybee Family Feyoud...
and so many diverse musical events...
I have renewed my membership.

Want to know more?
Just click here.
Thanks!

planetariums and more!

Yesterday, I again joined the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach.
That's my my home away from home, you know.

The photo above is of the Great Blue Heron sculpture in the Sensory Garden, part of the Tuscawilla Preserve. Fashioned of driftwood, the sculpture's lovely angles allow quiet contemplation as I sit on one of the wooden benches near it.
The Planetarium is one of my favorite places. So many shows offered during the day! And guess what? They're all free with membership, so they can be enjoyed over and over, from "The Sky Tonight" to the many laser-light music shows.
I also enjoy going to the Children's Museum, with all of its hands-on science activities! That reminds me of the Savannah Science Museum, now long-gone, at which I volunteered during my senior year of high school. Such fond memories! MOAS offers special weekly programs so local and visiting youth will have plenty of fond memories of their own.
This latest visit was my first to the Root Family Museum. Why has it taken me so long to explore that part? Well, I generally try to go to the traveling exhibits, to be sure I don't miss those. The RFM is static, so... I could visit it any time... which, of course, meant I could put it off... which I did. Trust me, save a couple of hours to thoroughly enjoy the many different facets it contains, from racecars and trains to glass bottles and bears to soda fountains and quilts!

Sound like something you and your family would enjoy?
It can all be yours!
Just click here.
Your kids and parents will thank you!
(smile!)

one billion dollars around the world!

Faustina, you made #1BillionInChange!

Yesterday, Kiva crossed $1 billion in loans to students, farmers, women, refugees and so many more entrepreneurs around the world.

This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without our passionate community of lenders, volunteers, partners, staff and supporters like you. Your dedication to creating a better world and your willingness to share Kiva’s mission powered this movement from day 1 to make this moment a reality.

Here's how you helped make $1 billion in change!

9 : Loans supported

$225.00 : In impact

6 : Countries

We’re looking forward to the next billion in loans, and we’re so thankful to have you by our side on this journey.

Best wishes,
The Kiva team

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

What a fabulous email to start my day!
Woohoo!

i thank You, God, that i was able to be helpful to nine others with my small investments!

d subsection for my invention!

Late last night (or early this morning), I finally made an addendum for my invention, the Periodic Table for the Visually Impaired. Honestly, I had meant to do so weeks ago, but... well, let's just say I've been enjoying the time off since the spring semester ended.
(smile)
As timing seems to work for me, the readying of my invention for the Industrial Patent application fell just before I went on Barbara's mountain vacation. By the time the kinks were worked out a week ago Friday, Bob Montgomery of MIPA went on his vacation.
I hadn't known that part.
So, I returned last Tuesday thinking that things were rolling along.
But they were, instead, at a standstill.
That was really to my benefit.
Without those extra few days, I would not have had a more complete product to be patented.
i thank You, God.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****
So, here is what I emailed (at 1:18 AM today) to Stephanie, my caseworker at MIPA.

"Stephanie,

I am again bringing up what I had written before,

'On page 2, line 26, it is specified - correctly - that "The device 10 provides a type of periodic table of elements (minus the Transitional elements) having features particularly suited for a visually impaired user."
Perhaps a line could be added that "The Transitional Elements can be added to 10 in the future, as a temporary attachment at fold line 50b. The attachment would be composed of the same materials as on 10. The Lanthanides and Actinides can be added to 10 in the future, as well, as a temporary attachment under fold line 50c."
I think that would add further protection, as it would extend the Patent to include an entire representation of the known Periodic Table.
Thoughts on that?'

This week, I have created the addendum with the Transitional Elements, for the "d" energy sublevel. It consists of four rows and ten columns, as well as a deliberately blank space on the left. (Please refer to Figure1-TransE.)

I designed the addendum to be able to be folded for storage within the hanging folder embodiment, as shown in Figure2-TransE and Figure3-TransE.

The fold line is located between the fourth and fifth column of the addendum. (The blank space on the left is not counted as a column.)

Rather than have it attach to the Periodic Table, the addendum can be simply inserted. The addendum has a deliberately blank space which is four inches in width along its left side. When the left edge of the addendum is against fold line 50a (of the Figure MIPA already created), and the lower edge of the addendum is aligned with the bottom of the Periodic Table, then the addendum is in perfect position and will extend over the right side of the Periodic Table. (See Figure4-TransE.)

The Periodic Table can then be folded along fold line 50b (of the Figure MIPA already created), such that the atomic numbers then run in the proper sequence. (See Figure5-TransE.)

Figure6-TransE shows the entire combination of the Periodic Table, with fold lines 50b and 50a in folded positions, and the ten columns of the addendum. Please note that the atomic numbers in place are all correct . (I have not included the Lanthanides and Actinides, which account for the jump in numbers seen in the lower two rows of the addendum. Again, the numbers I have in place are all correct.)

So... I am hoping this can be included in the Patent Application.
Please do call if there are any questions."

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Mr. Montgomery will return to the office tomorrow.
I'll be hoping he likes my idea and can quickly draw it up for inclusion with the Patent application.
I'll be hoping...

nerdfighter of kiva, for education!

Education truly is the key to ending poverty.
A degree in higher education leads to making better choices, which is always beneficial.
Kiva is having a push toward a goal of one billion dollars loaned since its inception in 2005.
I became a Nerdfighter for Kiva in July of 2012 and have now made nine loans, including the two today.
One was made to Yaleska, a young woman in Nicaragua, striving to complete her degree in accounting and finance.
The other was to Maycol, a young man in Nicarauga, who will become an anesthesia technologist.
I suggest you check out their causes, or perhaps find others close to your heart, and give a mere $25.
I assure you: every dollar helps.
(smile)