Avoidance

One of my biggest flaws may be that I don't discuss mine well. But I can never be one of those morose types for very long, so it's often not a priority for me. In some ways, this blog has been an escape from reality for me. It's a minor distraction, and a way to "self medicate", as I'm fond of saying. ;o)

My interaction with each of you is important to me, and it keeps me sane at times. I continue to battle the usual difficulties I've mentioned before, but when I've tried to find answers, I've met resistance from others.

For instance, my doctor said a big fat "NO" to my joining a health club. Instead, I'm to do a regimen of physical therapy twice a week. I find that discouraging, because I gained some weight due to the severe pain I was in, and the immobility I had after the surgery. Since I'm tall, it's been gradual and not obvious to everyone, but it's very obvious to me.

All of this is difficult, because I continue to feel that my life is out of control. And instead of attempting to control any part of it, I've gone into avoidance (and I'm very good at it!) Today I'm going to grit my teeth and tackle some of the problems I've been avoiding. So I may not be very available to you today, due to my responsibilities. One new choice I'm making: take the dogs on a walk every morning.

But I've still taken time to "stop and smell the roses"! My trip to St. Augustine was a welcome break, and we also took a brief trip to Sarasota this weekend. My ex-boyfriend (who remains a friend) got me the pretty baubles you see here (jewelry is a wonderful bribe. I highly recommend it).

The necklace is Baltic amber, so is the modernistic pendant and bracelet. I don't know if you can tell, but the necklace and bracelet are huge. The creamy stuff in the bracelet is amber, too. Amber comes in a variety of colors:
The only other color it comes in is blue, which is very rare (and I'm dying to get some).

Amber is really nature's plastic. It becomes charged with electricity when it is rubbed briskly with a cloth, and attracts to itself small pieces of tissue papers and straw. This was well known to Thales of miletus, a Greek scientist of the sixth century BC, and it was this that gave rise to its Greek name, electron, from which is derived the modern world "electricity."

In the Baltic region (which is the most common source) amber is mined from open pit mines. It's tossed up on the beach, too, but the most common way to acquire it is this way:

Amber's been hungered after for centuries. Ancient man thought it was medicinal and ground it up in food and drink, or wore it for it's beauty. Others burnt it for incense (although young amber, known as copal, is better for that). When burnt, amber gives off a resinous smell.

The two pendants additional pendants in the center are drusy quartz (the one on the left) and the pendant on the right is a branch of white coral surrounded by faceted garnet, blue topaz, peridot, and amethyst.

Lots of pretties, huh? But now that I work from home almost constantly... where do I wear them? ;o)