I often think about my Dad and miss the close connection we had. I am fortunate to be surrounded by his artwork. He was creative, first in the world of music, as a composer and arranger, then later in life, in the world of art, as a painter and sculptor. His paintings are composed of intricate layers - pattern upon pattern - reflecting the mathematical complexity of music and life. The outcome is intriguing. He would want me to share these with you.

Life as we know it is being changed by yet another new technology, 3D printing. Last year, a Makerbot store opened on the main street of our small town. In a personal demonstration, my grandchildren sat in a round room as cameras scanned 360-degree specifications, to create solid images of them. We watched as the printer built three-dimensional likenesses from the digital file in the filament colors they chose: one red, one glow-in-the-dark green. And during a recent trip to London, we chanced on a jeweler who printed this 3D necklace to my specifications as we watched. These are simple examples of printed objects. There are more meaningful ways in which 3D technology offers new possibilities. Here are a few of the applications and implications I find especially intriguing.

When people discover that I write a blog, they’re curious about why.  I don't have a good answer. The author, Sylvia Plath, does. She says, "I write only because there is a voice in me that will not be still." I can't claim that level of passion. I know that as each title travels to you through electronic space, a new topic captures my attention and begs to be explored. I'm grateful that you are kind enough to read these living insights, and each week I look forward to your comments.

For the past 74 days I’ve been working towards eliminating sugar from my diet. We're all influenced by news alerts about how sugar and its substitutes neutralize our immune system. How is something that tastes so good, so bad for us? And why are sweets so difficult to resist? Here’s the story…