Triathlon for Morons (an excerpt)

"You're going to be a great mother!" I heard her shout down the hall after me as I hurried away. Shut up, shut up, shut up! Why wouldn't she shut up?

I swung open the door and sat down on the polished pine bench, fighting back my tears, feeling completely defeated. Already. And I hadn't even started yet. What had I done? What was I thinking? I was too old for this.

The smell of the place combined with the nervous pit in my stomach left me wishing I'd skipped dinner. That horrible woman's comment about my supposed pregnancy had me feeling the same way, albeit for a different reason. Note to self: salads from now on. Forever.

When I called yesterday to get myself registered, I was pretty pumped up. I felt kind of invincible, ready to, like... totally crush it... or something. OK, maybe that was a stretch, but I at least felt empowered, ready for the challenge. Now, sitting here in this too-bright, stinky, stuffy, overly-mirrored room, I felt anything but.

After the "well-wishes" I'd just endured, baring myself in public was among the last things I felt like doing. Awesome. I pulled myself together, found a semi-secluded corner, and began to disrobe. I was here. There was no turning back, at least not without passing that woman again. How long was her shift, anyway?

It was time to learn how to swim. At 38.

Don't get me wrong, I don't sink or anything. The fact is, I was probably more buoyant than I would have preferred, as evidenced by the congratulations I received on my pregnancy that wasn't. I could swim underwater pretty well provided I could hold my nose. And I was a master at the triple crown: doggie paddle, treading water, and floating on my back. My greatest skill in the water, however, was my ability to be in the pool with my children for hours without getting wet above the waist. No small feat when surrounded by children ages seven and under doing cannonballs. Yay, me!

When I looked at the description of the adult swim classes, I skipped right over the beginner class, the one for those "fearful of water." I was totally comfortable in the water. I had no fear, just no skill. Other than that staying dry one. And that didn't really count. I chose the "intermediate" level, reasoning that I wasn't afraid and that I could swim the whole way across the pool without stopping. Right?

I registered and paid for my class at the YMCA over the phone, while at the beach honing my second best water-related skill, getting my toes wet in the surf and then sunning myself while reading a good book. The class was to begin the next evening and I already had butterflies in my stomach, excited for the challenge, but nervous because this was completely out of my comfort zone.

Pushing my comfort zone was kind of my theme for the year. Two months earlier, I'd completed a 10K mud run complete with military-style obstacles. In training for the run, I totally messed up my ankle and found myself in a walking cast for four weeks. I had been doing a pretty easy 3.5 mile loop before I hurt myself - sitting on my dining room chair... what? - but with the boot off just two weeks before the race, I was kind of screwed for completing my training. A 10K is 6.1 miles. I had only been running half that, always flat, no obstacles. I expected to make up the other three miles and add in some hills in the last six weeks of training. Or not. The furthest I got before race day was 4.5 miles. And it sucked.

I was on a team, and they couldn't compete if I didn't run. So, race we did. It wasn't pretty, but we completed the difficult and hilly course. Lots of laughs and a few short walk breaks actually made it enjoyable. Three cheers and and post-race beer for everyone.

On a high after the race, I went looking for my next physical challenge to push my limits. The obvious answer to me was a sprint triathlon. And, no, I don't know why that was obvious. Depending on the particulars of the race, this involves an open water swim of 1/4-1/2 mile, a bike ride of 12-15 miles, and a 5K run at the end. Since I could easily run a 5K, I figured this would be great. What the hell? Why not add the other stuff in the beginning?

Except that I couldn't swim and was afraid to ride my bike.

Oh, details, details! I had time! Nothing but time! It was only May and the tri was in mid-September. Plenty of time! Like I said, I was on a high.

My always wise and honest husband's response when I told him I'd registered for a triathlon was, "Um, Tash... You can't swim and are afraid of your bike. What are you doing?"

Hmmm... When you put it that way...


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After Twenty Years of Thinking (an excerpt)

As I found myself driving into the parking lot in my silver Dodge Grand Caravan, you know, the one with the "Stow 'n Go" seating for all kinds of flexibility, seating, and storage options, I had second thoughts. This was so not my kind of place. I am comfortable just about everywhere, but this place was a stretch. Even for me.

I shifted the car in to "P" and flipped down the visor to apply my lipgloss in the light-up mirror. Then I fluffed my hair, gave myself a winning smile, flipped the visor back up, and climbed out of the van. Never before has the "toot" caused by the remote control lock for the minivan seemed so out of place – the announcement of the arrival of a woman who clearly does not belong – as it did in that parking lot on that day.

I looked around nervously, hoping no one would see me. I couldn't have looked more suspicious. This was a pretty sketchy part of town and I didn't need anyone to see me hanging around. Most people wouldn't understand why I was here. I wasn't sure I could explain it either. My thoughts wandered to marathoners, who, when asked why they run, answer with the unsatisfying, "Because I can." 

When this got out, I was pretty sure I'd be judged, and harshly, by my peers. Your every-day, average, suburban mom didn't do this. Was I your every-day, average, suburban mom? Or was I just a little bit... hip? Oh, who was I kidding? It wasn't too late. I could just get back in the car... While I would have been less conspicuous under cover of darkness, that wasn't going to work with my schedule today. I had a small window of time to get this done. You know, seize the day and all that jazz.

Earlier, while ignoring my children at the outdoor playground/hell on earth at McDonald's, I called my husband and told him what I had planned. I'd been thinking about it for some time, 20 years in fact, and I felt I had given it ample consideration. I was finally ready to do it. What the hell? Today was as good a time as any.

"What are you going to do with the kids?" he asked. Duh. I was going to take them along with me. While he was out playing Ultimate Frisbee, we'd finished our errands, and had the rest of the day free. After all, they'd just eaten a nutritious lunch and were getting their exercise all in one conveniently germ-infested location, so clearly, it would be fine for them to come along. Which is what I told him. Duh.

"Tash! You can't take them with you! They're six and eight years old! They don't belong there!" he exclaimed.

Um, what? They don't belong there? Huh? Our kids were pretty worldly, you know, for kids that haven't actually seen much and still get really excited to take the subway into Boston, just 12 miles south of our sheltered suburban home. They were cool. They could totally hang. Right?

Yeah... no. He was so right.

They still felt the need to point out every smoker they saw loitering outside of a building, reminding me how "totally stupid" it was to smoke because they were "going to die" from it one day, or at least get "really, super sick." Note that this was especially cutting, given that  "stupid" is now considered a bad word with the elementary school set.

They liked to discuss the tattoos they saw on the guy who pumped our gas, along with just about everyone else in modern society, and reflect upon the choice that person made to have that particular design emblazoned on his or her body for eternity. "Those things are permanent, you know. Like, when you're as old as Oma and Opa, they'll still be there. Will you want that?" they'd caution me.

They'd talk at length, for weeks, about the waitress at the Mexican place on Route 1, that wore bad lip gloss, too much eyeliner, and had a stud in her cheek, tongue, eyebrow, nose, wrist, thyroid, and likely countless other places that were thankfully covered by the pesky clothing required by her day job.

Yeah, he was right. I totally couldn't take them.

Shit. I was going to have to do this alone.

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Parenting Opinion Article for Wakefield Patch

How Will Today's Generation be Remembered?

I know I’m going to sound like that old fart who walked up hill to school both ways – in the snow – but I gotta say, I think most of today’s kids are pretty coddled.

I don’t remember things being like this when I was a kid. So… pampered. In contrast, I remember not always winning games. I remember not getting trophies when I wasn’t first, second or third. I remember having to fend for myself in socially awkward situations and defending myself to my teachers. I remember getting bad grades when I’d earned them – and keeping them because it was what I deserved. I remember competing, losing, and crying. I remember staying out in the neighborhood with my friends. After dark. Without adult supervision. And living to tell about it. I remember being put in my place regularly and not feeling entitled just because. I remember earning the good things that happened to me and accepting punishment for the bad things I did. I remember, you know, being a kid.

The generation of children we’re raising today won’t – for the most part – have many of those memories. As I see it, many of them are learning to live in a bubble, where they always win, stay clean and safe and have mommies and daddies that will fix anything that goes wrong. They’re learning that they’re entitled to nearly anything they want without having to put in the time and energy to earn it. They’re learning to be scared of the world that might hurt them. They’re learning that there are few consequences and if there are, someone else will take care of them. They’re learning that “participation trophies” are just as good as first place.

On the other hand, there are a lot of fundamental things they are not learning. I don’t see them learning to be independent, to get hurt, to heal, to communicate, to win properly, to show grace, to accept rejection, to fight their own battles, to be strong, to lose. It makes me sad that they’re missing out on those important lessons.

I know why these things aren’t being taught. They’re hard. And it hurts to see your kids learn these difficult lessons. Our job as parents – our most important job, really – is to keep our children safe. We all know what it’s like to “break up” with a best friend, to fail a test, to lose a game, to be under prepared and overly embarrassed. It sucks. Truly sucks. And we don’t want that for our kids. But by protecting them – however well-intentioned – we are crippling them and setting them up for inevitable heartache as the hurts get bigger and their tool boxes are woefully empty.

I want this generation of kids to be known for overcoming their well-meaning helicopter parents and for being independent, driven, creative and successful people. I hope they transcend the suffocation of lovingly over-protective mothers and fathers and follow their dreams, whatever they may be. In fact, I don’t just hope that happens; I expect it to. I just expect that it will take them a little longer to get to them since they’ll first have to achieve all of the dreams their parents have told them to have.

This generation of children has so much to offer and so many ways to express it. I want them to be known as the generation that kicked ass as soon as their parents stopped kissing it for them.

What am I thankful for, you ask?

When asked what I was thankful for, I wrote this poem to sum it all up. Enjoy!

I won't annoy you with sappy prose
And wax on and on some more,
Let's all be thankful for rhyming couplets
And a reader I hope not to bore.

I am thankful for my children,
Sweet Addison and Reid.
Without them I wouldn't be who I am,
For better or worse, indeed

I am thankful for my husband
Who puts up with all my crap.
He really is a saint, you know.
Anyone who knows me will confirm that!

And without my supportive parents
Who on earth would I be?
Surely no one I'd recognize,
Not the strong woman you see.

Thanks for my sister, Heidi,
And her fam, Don, E, A, and M
They're close by and I'm lucky.
Don't know what I'd do without them.

Thank you to sweet Sophie
My dog of over 13 years.
I love that stinky old pup,
And her toots that bring me to tears.

And without my awesome girlfriends
I'd be an empty shell me.
Who else would run at the crack of dawn
Or keep my secrets expertly?

I'm thankful for Lake Quannapowitt
And my runs before sunrise.
I am also so thankful for FightFit
And my sensei who is so wise.

I am thankful for the right I have
To speak my mind at will
I should be thankful for a filter of those thoughts,
But alas that filter is nil.

I'm thankful for a margarita
On the rocks with salt, no doubt
I'm thankful for chips and salsa,
And salted caramel chocolates I can't live without.

On that note, let me say thank you
For my Starbucks extended family,
And for Whole Milk Lattes and Decaf Americanos,
That I drink obsessively.

I'm thankful for People StyleWatch
And a fabulous eye cream as well.
I also say thanks for jewelry and shoes
And outfits that look wicked swell.

I give thanks for good hair,
Thick and healthy, curly or straight.
Thanks to Erica at Carl Michael Salon
Who performs magic to make me look great.

I'm thankful for my freckles,
That mean I've been in the sun.
I'm thankful for my wrinkles
That mean I've smiled, I've cried, I've won.

I'm thankful for my flabby belly
That shows I'm a happy mom.
I'd rather have my children and chocolate
Than a body that's the bomb.

I'm thankful for a sense of humor
That keeps me alive and (mostly) well.
I'm thankful for a body that moves,
Hands that create, and a voice to give 'em hell.

I'm thankful for the life I've built
And all things good and bad.
I wouldn't know how happy I am
If I didn't sometimes feel sad.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Motherly Advice for Mother's Day

This was written for Wakefield Patch in answer the the question: What's the best advice your mom ever gave you?

In the spirit of a child's poem for Mother's Day, I offer you this:

Roses are red

Violets are blue

I have a way better

Mother than you!

So there. :p

I can't credit my mom - or anyone, really - with any life changing moments or deep conversations that define the way I live my life. What I can do, however, is look back and see a lifetime's worth of love, security, advice and support. I remember my mom always being there for me. Always. And still. She is my best friend. A woman I adore,  who happens to be my mom. I am very lucky.

I don't rely on sage words of advice or nuggets of wisdom she passed along to me. I don't need to. It was all there in the day-to-day way she raised me and in the way she lived her life. She modeled the behavior that I would one day aspire to demonstrate, both as a mother and a woman.

With my mom in my corner, I can do anything, try anything. If I fall, I never fall alone. And when I succeed, she's my biggest cheerleader. Sometimes she's quiet about it. Sometimes she's loud about it. But she's always there, even when I don't know it. To me, that's much better than a kitschy line of advice. That's a lifetime of unwavering support and love.

There are tons of nuggets of advice - don't lie, listen to your heart, go for it, there's always time to break up - and I live by all of them. But the best thing my mom ever told me was that she loves me.

And I hope that's what my kids learn from me too. That I love them, no matter what. Always and forever. That even when they don't see me, I'm still there.

If Only

She stole a glance
and her breath hitched
when she saw him.

Meeting his eyes
she looked away,
hiding her smile
in her shoulder.

She missed the look he returned.

He longed for her.
He did not look away.
He did not hide.
He wouldn't.
Not anymore.
He willed her to look at him
So he could tell her -
that she was beautiful
that she consumed him -
So he could tell her everything
with just the look in his eyes.

Having her there
so close
but still distant
hurt.
She was a world away.

He didn't see her look
that matched his.
He only saw her look away.

Opinion Article to Local Papers

Meet me at Town Meeting!

I have cleared my schedule and booked my babysitter. I am totally pumped for a night on the town. I will be spending the evening with forward-thinking, passionate and engaged people.

Yup! I’m going to Town Meeting!

On Monday, May 14, the citizens of Wakefield will be given a historic opportunity to vote in favor of a prosperous future for their beloved town. We can show our support for our children, our businesses and our property values by voting for the new Galvin Middle School. I urge you to join me at Town Meeting and be counted among the supporters of this necessary improvement. Without your voice, Article 5 for a new Galvin will not pass.

We’ve already cleared two major hurdles in the 4-step process to give our town’s children a new middle school. The first was to approve the $686,400 schematic design and feasibility study. The second was to have the budget and plans approved by the state to have them contribute 54.67% of eligible project costs. The third is to pass Article 5 by a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting in order to get the debt exclusion on the ballot for the June 9^th election. The fourth is to pass the debt exclusion in the town-wide ballot question.

We are half-way there. If we don’t get support at Town Meeting, all of the work and research we’ve done, all of the time and money we’ve spent, all of the excitement and awareness we’ve generated will have been for nothing. We will have to tell the children of Wakefield, the businesses, and the property owners that we did not care enough to vote for their futures.

We have an opportunity to impact this town by simply raising our hands at Town Meeting. If the vote does not pass, there will be no ballot question vote on June 9th. The school will remain in its current state and continue to deteriorate. The Town of Wakefield will lose a $34.7 million State Grant to offset the total project cost of $74.6 million. There are no alternative plans or funding available to remedy the numerous deficiencies of the current facility.   

I have two children that will attend the Galvin – new or old. I will not pretend that they are not a large part of why I support a new middle school. Obviously they are. But even if I were not a parent of children who will benefit, I would still raise my hand at Town Meeting to support Article 5. Without quality schools, property values will decrease. Without a vote for our children, families will not consider Wakefield when looking for a home. Without a community vested in its own future, businesses will reject Wakefield as a place to conduct operations. A “Yes” vote on Article 5 at Town Meeting is the right vote for everyone.

I’d like to thank you in advance for your support for a new Galvin Middle School. I am looking forward to seeing you at the upcoming Town Meeting at the Galvin Middle School Auditorium on Monday, May 14^th, 7:30 pm.

So… what are you waiting for? Call your sitter! I’ll save you a seat!

If you would like more information or would like to participate in helping to promote a new Galvin Middle School, please contact the Galvinize Wakefield Committee (http://www.galvinizewakefield.com/).

Grant Announcement for newsletter - 200 word limit

Applied Separations, in conjunction with ACS GCI, will be awarding the 2^nd Annual Supercritical Fluids Education Grant, worth over $30K, to an institute of higher learning to support an education in Supercritical Fluids and their importance to Green Chemistry at this year’s Chemistry and Engineering Conference.

By using Applied Separations' Supercritical Fluid Extraction system, the Spe-ed SFE Prime, a system designed for teaching supercritical fluids in the classroom, professors will be able to educate their students about this green technology and its applications in foods and natural products where solvents can't be used, as well as nanotechnology, materials science and so much more.

Students can be shown how to easily replace petroleum-based or halogenated solvents with supercritical carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is one of the most commonly used supercritical fluids because it is green, safe, inexpensive, readily available and an ideal substitute for many hazardous and toxic solvents. Supercritical Fluids are already being used in many industrial processes such as decaffeinating coffee, and countless ways to use apply this technology are being employed every day.

To apply for the grant or to learn more about Applied Separations and its advancements with Supercritical Fluids, go to www.AppliedSeparations.com/Grant or call us at 610.770.0900.

Real Simple Magazine Essay Contest Entry

The Meaning of Love

by Tasha Schlake Festel

She is snoring sweetly on the couch next to me, her head on my lap, finally settled after a stressful evening of trying to walk without falling, getting stuck - again - under the dining room table or slipping down the stone stairs leading to the swingset. It was a tough day, another in a string, where I responded to her cries for rescue, never knowing what she had  gotten herself into this time. I repress the guilty feeling of resentment for the demands her presence makes on my time, my body and my emotions. I am exhausted, as I am sure she is, by the emotional and physical toll this has taken, so much more than I had ever anticipated.

Despite the exhaustion and resentment, I look at her trusting face and feel her warm breath and love washes over me. I am overcome to the point of tears, realizing the full scope of my affection for her. This is not what I expected. It's complete, innocent, pure. It is the very definition of love.

It's easy to love a puppy. It's like loving pizza, chocolate, a beautiful sunset or a man that does laundry. Who could resist the nearly intolerable cuteness? The oversized feet and lack of coordination? The sweet puppy smell? The way they play hard until they pass out? They are sweetness and innocence wrapped in fluffy fur. Who could resist falling in love?

And 14 years later, I am still falling in love with Jaz. I do it every morning when I see her chest moving up and down with each breath, thankful that she made it through another night. I do it again when I gently wake her and she looks up at me, confused at first and then lovingly as her surprise turns to softness. And I do it all over again when I carry her 75-pound frail body down the stairs so she doesn’t fall, still stiff from sleeping soundly on her far-too-comfy memory-foam dog bed. I fall in love with her countless times throughout the day, as I respond to her needs the way she has always done for me.

We've been through a lot together since I picked Jaz from the wriggling mass of soft gray feet, bellies and ears in the straw at the breeder's barn. She has been there for me through happiness, dark times, sickness and stress. She has never judged. She has always been the strong and silent one whose constant presence has calmed me and allowed me to survive.

I could have grown a human in the time it took me to housebreak this dog. For nine months, Jaz would run into the living room, make eye contact with me, and then pee on the shag carpet, soaking it, endearing us to the landlord, no doubt. Oh, how she used to piss me off. It was a test of wills and she was my first real match. I’ve always easily out-stubborned anyone I’ve ever known.

Her stubborn desire to get whatever she wants is impressive. One day, Jaz sniffed out a fresh carnitas burrito, filled with rice, sour cream, pico and guac. Right there. On the coffee table. Unattended. What goal-oriented and determined girl could resist that little piece of heaven wrapped in a tortilla, wrapped in foil, tucked neatly into a white paper bag? The attainment and immediate consumption of the goal pleased her to no end, at least until the intestinal distress kicked in. But the minor discomfort was clearly worth it. Her furiously wiggling nub of a tail and the smell of cilantro on her breath spoke volumes.

Somehow we survived puppyhood, inseparably bonded, shell-shocked from the experience.  I loved her in spite of and because of her behavior. What didn’t kill us, made us stronger. She tolerated the addition of my boyfriend, who became my live-in, who became my husband. She tolerated another puppy, who turned in to an annoyance, who tuned in to a playmate. She tolerated the apartment, then the starter house, then the money-pit fixer-upper. She tolerated the addition of a daughter, then a son, then playgroups loaded with easy targets carrying snacks, conveniently at eye level. She stoically tolerated all of it. Through it, she was constant. She was solid, my rock, my dogged companion.

When she was about three years old, I decided we should start running. Together, of course. As someone who had previously only run if being chased, I was a novice. I thought I would need my hands free – no, I do not know why – so I got a leash that went conveniently around my waist. I laced up my sneakers, strapped on the leash, clipped it to Jaz, and off we went, hitting the sidewalks of our sleepy seaside town. I enjoyed the fresh salty air, and judging by the speed of her quivering nostrils, Jaz did too. We had gone about a mile at a manageable pace, when suddenly a squirrel appeared in front of us and took off up the sidewalk in a blur. I have never run so fast in my life. Jaz and I chased that squirrel for a half a block, while I pulled back on the leash, yelling, “Nooooooooooo!” I was no match for the combination of power, hunting instincts and inertia in that crazy Weimaraner. I was never so happy to see a squirrel run up a tree as I was that sunny morning.

Always by my side, never questioning and forever understanding, she has patiently waited for it to be her time again, when my life would revolve around her as it did when she was a puppy. When her needs would be paramount in my day-to-day existence. When it would be just us again.

Jaz went through a time of self-soothing, when I was too preoccupied with being the mother of two humans to also be the doting mother of a canine. She used to cuddle with her faux sheepskin gingerbread man, “Buddy,” who was approximately the size of a newborn baby. She would drag him around, tripping over his bulk, eventually settling to hold him in her paws and resting her head on him until she fell asleep. She knew I couldn’t comfort her, crazed with the responsibilities of my too-busy life. She was there for me, again, by giving me space.

We've now come full circle. What started as a naughty puppy I couldn’t help but love has turned in to a needy, elderly dog who I can only love. Gone are the days of chasing the ball, long walks and housefuls of children using her as the patient in their game of doctor. And as I did when she was a puppy, I find myself loving her in spite of and because of her behavior.

Six months ago the depth of my love for her became clear. I heard a funny noise from the playroom where I found her in the early stages of a Grand Mal seizure that would last for twelve minutes, an eternity. I didn’t know then that this event would be the first step in a steep decline. What I did know then was that I could not say goodbye to her yet. I wasn’t done. I hadn’t yet given enough back to her for the 14 years of devotion she had given me.

Now completely deaf and partially senile, she’s a ghost of who she was, but I love her more every day. I can see that trouble-making puppy in her eyes. I see the toughness that once allowed her to best a Rottweiler in the Rottie’s own yard. I can tell she’s still in there, still my rock. She is my heart and I am her center. She completes me. I don’t know who I am without her.

She is not the proud, strong, noble presence that she once was. She is frail, weak, needy. Awkward and unsettled. For her entire life, I have been the center of her world, but age and dementia have made her world smaller. Now I am its entirety. There is no happy ending. Heartbreak is on the horizon. Things will not get better.

I’ve spent the last six months taking care of her, tending to her every demanding need, trying to make up for her lifetime of devoted service to me. I’ll never be ready to let her go, but I think she finally understands what she means to me because I finally understand.

It’s been said that the only problem with kittens is that they grow up to be cats. The fact that puppies grow up to be dogs is not the problem. The problem is that they steal your heart and then die too young. The 14 years I’ve had with Jaz is about 100 years too few.

Marketing: Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

APPLIED SEPARATIONS TO AWARD $20K TO COLLEGE FOR SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS AND GREEN CHEMISTRY EDUCATION

Applied Separations, Inc. is excited to announce the winner of its 1^st Annual Supercritical Fluids Education Grant worth over $20K. Congratulations to Dr. Joyce Easter, Professor of Chemistry at Virginia Wesleyan College! The award was given at the ACS 15^th Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference in Washington, D.C.

Realizing the importance of educating students to support their development and give them the knowledge in Green Chemistry they will need in industry, Applied Separations created a grant worth over $20K for an institute of higher learning to teach Supercritical Fluids in the classroom. The grant award includes Applied Separations' newest Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) system in their series of instruments for supercritical fluid processes, the Spe-ed SFE Prime and the “Prime Package.” The system and supporting materials will provide Dr. Easter and Virginia Wesleyan with everything necessary to impart the fundamentals of the supercritical fluid extraction process on students and demonstrate the implementation of this environmentally friendly, green chemistry technique. In addition to the instrument, included in the package is a syllabus and lesson plans written by Supercritical Fluids expert and well known professor Doug Rainey; handouts; student-friendly Application Notes and Online Resources.

Virginia Wesleyan’s Dr. Easter, this year’s recipient, will be using Applied Separations’ Spe-ed SFE Prime system to integrate Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) into the sophomore–level organic chemistry laboratory, complementing Green Chemistry coverage in the lecture. The Prime will be employed in natural product and other independent research projects comparing SFE to steam distillation and liquid-liquid extraction for natural products, specifically essential oils. Very few studies have focused on the optimization of SFE conditions for essential oils from plants.  Thus, in this project, each student will use different SFE conditions (temperature, pressure, and extraction time) and, based on the class data, determine the optimal conditions for extraction of the essential oils.  Once the essential oil has been extracted, the current procedure follows with the separation of the mixtures into acidic, basic, and neutral components by liquid-liquid extraction.  However, our goal in this project is to eliminate the use of the organic solvents by manipulating the SFE conditions to achieve similar separations of the essential oil components.  Due to the lack of optimization studies in the literature, the results of these studies are expected to produce publishable results. 

In addition, several of Dr. Easter’s other projects would benefit from the use of SFE and Applied Separation’s Spe-ed SFE Prime, including the implementation of green chemistry principles into synthetic pathways for pharmaceutical feedstocks, the quantification of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables, and especially the isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds from marine invertebrates.  The use of supercritical fluids has many advantages and Dr, Easter is looking forward to making it an integral part of her chemistry curriculum as well as their natural product research. Applied Separations is excited to work with Dr. Easter and her students.

Applied Separations is firmly committed to the advancement of Green Chemistry through the use of Supercritical Fluids as a replacement for petroleum-based solvents. Consistently discovering new uses and applications for this technology is and has been the mission of Applied Separations for the last 25 years. The adoption of Supercritical Fluids in dozens of industries such as aerogels, foods, pharmaceuticals, material science, critical cleaning, multiple nanotechnology applications and more is changing the way products are made and business is done.

ABOUT APPLIED SEPARATIONS

Applied Separations started as a Ben Franklin Technology Company in 1988 and has become a pioneer and world-wide leader in Supercritical Fluids in traditional and non-traditional marketplaces. They are leading the charge in making Supercritical Fluids a growing part of the conversation on green chemistry. What used to be a technology intended for extractions of things like caffeine from coffee can now be applied in dozens of areas, including aerogels, metal injection molding, medical implant cleaning and artifact restoration.

Privately owned and self-financed, Applied Separations has won numerous honors since its inception, including multiple technical achievement awards, “Good Citizenship” recognition, American with Disabilities Employment Award, AEDC :Economic Development Achievement Award and the Ben Franklin Innovation Award. In addition, Applied Separations has received multiple competitive government grants and purchased a 5-story headquarters building for its 50 employees in a HUB Zone in Allentown, Pennsylvania. With over 4,000 SCF installations throughout the world, Applied Separations has grown tremendously since its modest beginnings, boasting consistent growth and technological advancements that belie its Small Business Designation size. 

Applied Separations has received national attention in addition to its numerous regional awards. Rolf Schlake, CEO of Applied Separations, was invited with other local political and business leaders, to have lunch with President Barack Obama, where Schlake had the opportunity to expand the President’s knowledge by educating him on Supercritical Fluids and the role they can play in the Green Economy. Applied Separations has also played host to many local and national politicians as well as multiple international scientists.  Applied Separations has also received national television coverage, including an appearance on American Environmental Review on Public Broadcasting Service.

Applied Separations is the manufacturer of a full line of supercritical systems for all markets with systems ranging in size from analytical scale to pilot plants to full scale production. To learn more about Applied Separations, Supercritical Fluids and next year’s SCF Grant, go to www.AppliedSeparations.com or call us at 610.770.0900.

Marketing: 200 Word Brief

Applied Separations, Inc. is firmly committed to the advancement of Green Chemistry through the use of Supercritical Fluids as a replacement for petroleum-based solvents. Consistently discovering new uses and applications for this technology is and has been the mission of Applied Separations for the last 25 years. The adoption of Supercritical Fluids in dozens of industries such as aerogels, foods, pharmaceuticals, MIM, critical cleaning, , multiple nanotechnology applications and more is changing the way products are made and business is done.

Applied Separations realizes the importance of educating students to support their development and give them the knowledge in Green Chemistry they will need in industry. Therefore, they have developed a grant worth over $20K for an institute of higher learning to teach Supercritical Fluids in the classroom. This year’s recipient is Dr. Joyce Easter, Professor of Chemistry at Virginia Wesleyan College. She will be using Applied Separations’ Spe-ed SFE Prime system to integrate Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) into the sophomore–level organic chemistry laboratory, comparing SFE to steam distillation and liquid-liquid extraction for natural products, specifically essential oils. Applied Separations is excited to work with Dr. Easter and her students.

To learn more about Applied Separations, Supercritical Fluids and next year’s SCF Grant, go to www.AppliedSeparations.com or call us at 610.770.0900.

Marketing: 100 Word Brief

Applied Separations, Inc. is firmly committed to the advancement of Green Chemistry through the use of Supercritical Fluids as a replacement for petroleum-based solvents. Consistently discovering new uses and applications for this technology is and has been the mission of Applied Separations for the last 25 years. The adoption of Supercritical Fluids in dozens of industries such as aerogels, foods, pharmaceuticals, MIM, critical cleaning, multiple nanotechnology applications and more is changing the way products are made and business is done. See www.AppliedSeparations.com for more information and to learn how Supercritical Fluids can be a part of your green processes.

Marketing: Company Bio

Applied Separations

930 Hamilton Street

Founded in 1988, Applied Separations moved to Center City in 1998 to occupy 2,000 square-feet of a 35,000 square-foot building. Co-founder Rolf Schlake wondered how they would ever use it all. Now he’s considering buying another building, has an international sales footprint, employs about 50 people and has been recognized by the White House for his willingness to hire and train local residents. With an unwavering dedication to the local Allentown community, Applied Separations is proud to bring high-tech and manufacturing back to downtown. 

Applied Separations is committed not only to the community but also to the environment with its focus on green chemistry. As a manufacturer of Supercritical Fluids systems and leader in innovations in this green technology, Applied Separations is helping industries change the way they work, reducing costs, solvents and pollutants in many processes, including extracting spices and medicinals from natural products, cleaning medical implants and restoring archeological artifacts. Clients include NASA, major pharmaceutical and food companies and entities involved in projects such as restoring the Hunley Civil War submarine. In addition to its booming Supercritical Fluids business, Applied Separations boasts newly constructed clean rooms where they package DNA test kits for use in forensics. The company exports to companies from all over the world, including China, Thailand, Germany, England, Australia and India.

Marketing: Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“UP ON THE ROOF,” APPLIED SEPARATIONS CELEBRATES ITS CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN DOWNTOWN ALLENTOWN WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLAR PANELS

Applied Separations, Inc, committed corporate citizen in downtown Allentown and world leader in Supercritical Fluids, has once again demonstrated its dedication to both the Lehigh Valley and the environment by installing a state-of-the-art solar panel system on the roof of their world headquarters building in downtown Allentown. The impressive display of their commitment to the green technology will be unveiled at an Open House on Tuesday, May 17 from 10-11AM with United States Representative Charlie Dent, Pennsylvania State Senator Pat Browne and Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski on hand to celebrate the achievement.

The system installed by Applied Separations is composed of 207 large solar photoelectric panels, each generating 235 Watts of power, with an estimated annual energy production of 53,300 KWh. This is the largest exhibition of commitment to renewable energy in downtown Allentown, and Applied Separations is proud to be leading by example in their dedication to the green economy. The system will generate 53 SREC (Solar Renewable Energy Credits) per year, allowing Applied Separations to sell an estimated 10,000 KWh back to the power grid. The transition to solar power is expected to save Applied Separations $33, 332 over the next 5 years in energy costs.

The roof tour will be attended by Representative Charlie Dent, State Senator Pat Browne, Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, and other prominent local business people. Tours of the roof-top system will be given, allowing the special guests to see both the technology and a unique view of downtown Allentown from the top of the 5-story building at 930 Hamilton Street.

The installation of the solar panels was made possible by a combination of funding from state grants, industrial development loans administered by LVEDC (Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation) and self-financing from Applied Separations.

ABOUT APPLIED SEPARATIONS

Applied Separations started as a Ben Franklin Technology Company in 1988 and has become a pioneer and world-wide leader in the use of DNA-free products and Supercritical Fluids in traditional and non-traditional marketplaces. They are leading the charge in making Supercritical Fluids a growing part of the conversation on green chemistry. What used to be a technology intended for extractions of things like caffeine from coffee can now be applied in dozens of areas, including aerogels, metal injection molding, medical implant cleaning and artifact restoration.

Privately owned and self-financed, Applied Separations has won numerous honors since its inception, including multiple technical achievement awards, “Good Citizenship” recognition, American with Disabilities Employment Award, AEDC :Economic Development Achievement Award and the Ben Franklin Innovation Award. In addition, Applied Separations has received multiple competitive government grants and purchased a 5-story headquarters building for its 50 employees in a HUB Zone in Allentown, Pennsylvania. With over 4,000 SCF installations throughout the world, Applied Separations has grown tremendously since its modest beginnings, boasting consistent growth and technological advancements that belie its Small Business Designation size. 

Applied Separations has received national attention in addition to its numerous regional awards. Rolf Schlake, CEO of Applied Separations, was invited to have lunch with President Barack Obama, along with the mayor of Allentown and other local business leaders, where Schlake had the opportunity to expand the President’s knowledge by educating him on Supercritical Fluids and the role they can play in the Green Economy.  They have also played host to many local and national politician as well as multiple international scientists.  Applied Separations has also received national television coverage, including an appearance on American Environmental Review on Public Broadcasting Service.

Applied Separations is the manufacturer of a full line of supercritical systems for all markets with systems ranging in size from analytical scale to pilot plants to full scale production. For more information contact us via the web or write Applied Separations, Inc, 930 Hamilton St. Allentown, PA 18101, tel: 610-770-0900, fax: 610-740-5520

Marketing: Consumer Education

The following was written to educate potential customers on the various "new" applications of a technology called Supercritical Fluids. It was inspired by Green Eggs and Ham. A video including this text can be seen on the Applied Separations website.




Green Eggs and SCF

Green-I-Am

Green-And-Clean!

Clean-And-Green!

Prof Ol’ School

Green-And-Clean?

Clean-And-Green?

I don’t know what on earth that means.

That Green-I-Am is up to trouble it seems.

Green-I-Am

Supercritical Carbon Dioxide, did you hear?

The biggest impact on your process this year!

No longer a lab curiosity for a science geek

But mainstream, cool and proven technique!

A clean Supercritical Fluid is what I’m talking about

“SCF ROCKS!” from the rooftops I could shout!

Prof Ol’ School

SCF Rocks? Excuse me? What did you say?

Carbon Dioxide? I really don’t need more of that today.

And Supercritical Fluids? I’ve never heard of that gunk.

Clearly you’re giving me a big load of bunk.

Green-I-Am

Not bunk, not at all, it’s the FOURTH state of matter!

I’m telling the truth, not giving you chatter.

They’re clean, and they’re green and they’re changing the world!

Where you’d never expect – with more uses unfurled!

Prof Ol’ School

A 4^th state of matter? That’s a whole bunch of hooey

Something inside your head’s gone kerpluey

Clearly you’ve imagined all this science-y stuff

Now please Green-I-Am, I have had quite enough.

I’m happy with the way I do business today.

I’m not going to use them. No how. No WAY!

Green-I-Am

Supercritical Fluids aren’t liquids or gasses.

Or solids but something not yet taught in science classes.

They are permeable, soluble and really quite cool

And if I have my way, they WILL be taught in school.

No solvents. Earth-friendly. And won’t mess up the dirt.

That this stuff is amazing, I will gladly assert.

No residue either, nothing to pitch

After hearing all *that* I’m sure you will switch!

Listen up, Professor Ol’ School, don’t turn an ear that’s deaf.

YOU can use them, Supercritical Fluids, SCF !

Prof Ol’ School

I doubt it. And even if what you say is true

I’m sure *I* can’t use them, nor can my crew.

Green-I-Am

Not just for decaf coffee but there’s no so much more!

Uses, upon uses, upon uses galore!

They’re really catching on, with more and more applications.

All around the world, in just about every nation!

Aerogels, Coatings, and NanoParticles for sure.

MIM, Hydrogenation, Textile Dyeing and more

Medical Implant Cleaning, Reactions, Essential Oils.

Flavors, Impregnations, test what’s in the soils.

Critical Point Drying, and dry Artifacts too.

Now do you believe that SCF is for you?

Prof Ol’ School

My coatings, my implants, my particles are just fine.

You use your process and I’ll use mine

Cleaning? Cleaning? That’s what you suggest?

SCF? Surely you jest.

So what if I have solvents and some residue too.

I will NOT try Supercritical Fluids for you!

Not for Flavors or MIM or Textile Dyeing!

Do you hear me Green-I-Am? I am not lying!

Not for Aerogels, Coatings, Flavors or Oils

Trying to convince me is a waste of your toils.

I will not try SCF here or there.

I will not use it ANYWHERE!

Green-I-Am

With all of this stuff, a whole laundry list of uses

Get your head out of your books or get handed your cabooses!

Beat your competitors in this Green Economy

Save green and go green – it’s not a dichotomy!

Safe, affordable and easy to do.

Please consider trying Supercritical CO2

Prof Ol’ School

OK, Green-I-Am, you’re making me insane!

Clearly you have SCF on the brain!

If I agree to try them, will you get on the next train??

Wow! I LOVE my new system! It does just what you said!

It’s clean, green and mean and doesn’t fill me with dread.

I can use it for aerogels, cleaning and MIM!

I can use it for particles, coatings and PIM!

I can dye, impregnate, extract and debind!

Green-I-Am, SCF is just blowing my mind!

There’s no surface tension, and nothing to clean

I’m convinced, Green-I-Am! I see what you mean!

It’s safe and it’s cool and it won’t break the bank!

It’s simple, it’s fast and accessible like French Fries and Franks!

I can use them for anything! So many uses under the sun!

I can’t wait to tell everyone SCF is “The One”

Wakefield Patch MomTalk Column: How Has Parenting Changed?

In the 7 years I have been a mom, I have seen changes in the world of mothering. I talked to my mom and mother-in-law to get some perspective on just how much mothering has changed in the last 37+ years that they have been mothers, given how much I’ve seen it change in just the last 7. I was surprised, impressed and depressed by their observations. And I agree with just about all of it.

Things are more complicated than they used to be.

Moms have more to worry about than they used to. From the pressure to be perfect moms, to the pressure to have perfect kids, to the pressure to be perfect women, to the pressure to have perfect homes, moms can’t catch a break. We also have more “threats” than our moms had to deal with. There was no Internet, FaceBook, texting/sexting. Hell, it wasn’t even dangerous to ride bikes without helmets, sleep in cribs coated in lead or take car rides in our mothers’ laps instead of safely strapped down in 5-point harnessed, memory-foam laden, indestructible car seats. While in some ways the knowledge that we have gained has clearly made life and parenting better and easier, in other ways, it’s just given us new things to be scared of.  Are there more pedophiles? Is kidnapping more common? Can you catch your death from the water in Lake Quannapowitt? I really don’t know. It sure seems like it though, doesn’t it? (Interestingly enough, stats show that crime rates in general are down, and crimes against children have declinedby about 50% since 1993.)

Kids also demand more than they used to. The amount of “stuff” in kids’ lives is overwhelming. And I don’t just mean material stuff. Moms are supposed to enroll their kids in every possible activity that will potentially enrich their children’s lives so they one day get in to Harvard – sports, cheering, karate, art, Spanish, origami, etc. They also must fight all of their kids’ battles and never allow their children to feel the pain of losing a game or ever get a bad grade that they have clearly earned. Kids can never be left alone outside, be exposed to germs, use the words “stupid” or “shut up,” think that they are better at something than their peers, or be honest with themselves that they don’t actually like everyone in their first grade class. Kids cannot experience the satisfaction of delayed gratification, be told “No” or “because I said so, that’s why.” They don’t have to “eat it because there are starving children in Africa” when they hate what is put on their dinner plates. Moms can’t let that stuff happen anymore. It just isn’t done. All of which, in my opinion, is total crap, and a huge disservice to our children.

Things are more complicated than they used to be. And some of it is our own fault.

Moms can’t be “just moms” anymore.

I thought it was just me, but I have to say, I was really happy to hear that these two wonderful and experienced mothers both saw the pressures that today’s moms are under. I don’t mean the pressures that we have created for ourselves with unfair expectations, but the pressures our culture and economy have put on all of us.  

Moms are part of the workforce – by choice and by necessity, bringing home the bacon and frying it up in the pan. Or at least they’re guiltily microwaving the pre-cooked, no-refrigeration-required-until-open kind of bacon they grabbed off the shelves at Market Basket at the end of the day after putting in 8 hours at the office, hitting the gym, attending a PTO meeting, followed by a therapist appointment and a guaranteed-to-last-10-days manicure, wishing they had stopped at Whole Foods for the soy-based organic “bacon” that they read about in some green-parenting guilt-inducing blog on their lunch hour.

Did you know that our moms didn’t do all that? Why do we?

Even moms who don’t work outside the home aren’t able to “just” be moms. They have to be PTO Presidents AND troop leaders AND bloggers AND wanna-be entrepreneurs AND marathoners AND activists AND serial volunteers AND more! Remember when our moms used to be waiting for us at the bus stop, excited to walk us home and hear about our day over fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies and a glass of cold milk? OK, I don’t remember that at all, but I’m sure somebody does!

Don’t you wish you could do that sometimes? I do.

Dads have an active role in parenting.

Think of all the things dads were missing 37 years ago. No late night feedings. No diaper changes. No cleaning up puke at 3AM. I’ll bet dads thank their lucky stars every day that they get to experience all the glamour of parenting that their fathers never did!

But seriously, it’s not just the grunt work of parenting that dads now share. They have become true partners in the parenting team. According to my mother-in-law, moms used to be the primary parent – the one who provided most of the love, discipline, teaching… everything. Dads were relegated to be bread-winners. Today, dads are equal parents. They stay home with sick kids, pack lunches, kiss boo-boos, check homework, read bedtime stories, and get showered with their kids’ adoring hugs and kisses, as only moms did in the past. Today’s moms are lucky to have the support of our husbands that our mothers did not. My father likes to brag that he never changed a diaper. My husband thinks my father missed out. Times have changed, and I’m thankful for that.

Moms have more support than ever.

With all of the added pressures, I’m pleased to say that I think moms have more support than they ever have. When Hillary said it takes a village, she knew what she was talking about. Our moms didn’t have the benefit of society embracing that proverb. Being a mom can still be isolating and lonely. But today we have cell phones, FaceBook, therapists, husbands, organized play dates, moms’ groups, parenting blogs, email, preschool and professions that our mothers didn’t have. We have the power of the Internet to research our children’s health issues and can be armed with the knowledge we need to advocate for their proper care. We have the support of our immediate and virtual community to vent to, laugh with and share our tequila. We are not “just” moms and never will be again. We are a sisterhood of mothers, raising the future generation the best way we can.

I got the feeling that neither of the moms I talked to would really want to be moms in today’s world. They said they have a lot of respect for the work that we do, the way we do it, and the children we are raising. I was touched and honored to have both my mom and mother-in-law tell me that they both thought I was a good mom.

Apparently, there is one major thing that hasn’t changed: one of the best things you can get in life is a mom’s stamp of approval. Thanks, guys. It means more than you know, from one great mom to two much better ones

Happy Mother’s Day, Wakefield moms! Keep up the great work.