Time to write a course?

In reading all the posts responding to the amount of time Benoit needs to write/develope and online course, I get the feeling that so many of my peers are leaps and bounds ahead of me in the fact they they have already done so.  I never know if this should act as incentive to push forward, or regret because I have not gotten on board earlier.

Does anyone know what a horizontal strike through a word is meant to symbolize?

Introduction

Hello and Happy New Year
I am Mike Rybachuk, and along with my wife and 4 children, (two in University) live at the north end of Okanagan Lake in Vernon BC.
This is my 7th and 8th MET course ( currently taking ETEC 533) and I have enjoyed the entire program immensely, despite the many late nights.  I am a high school mathematics teacher, with the exception of two years in a private school in Kuwait, have spent my entire career in the North Okanagan.
I love to travel, just returning from a wonderful holiday in Mexico.  By all accounts this is a great course, and I look forward to working with you all in the coming months.