There are no mistakes. No accidents. Only happenings, which can lead to happiness. Happiness is not guaranteed with happenings. Happiness is where you find it.

A little profound thinking.

This statement came to me, this morning. "If I don't believe in myself, who will." I did a quick online search, to see if I had read it somewhere else. Although there were some similar quotes, and with the thinking that others will see you as you see yourself, none seemed to be exactly the same. The closest, and expanded version was one I liked. "I read and walked for miles at night along the beach, writing bad blank verse and searching endlessly for someone wonderful who would step out of the darkness and change my life. It never crossed my mind that that person could be me." Anna Quindlen Journalist, Novelist As we go through our day to day lives, we must present ourselves to the world. If our presentation is that of walking with our chin down, looking at the ground, then others will see us as shy, and not worth noticing. If walking with the head held high, eyes level with the world, with confidence, then we will be seen as confident and able. The trick, now, is to tell yourself that you are capable, and able to figure things out. Believe in yourself.

Bead Shopping, Tempe Style

Being the beader that I am, and meeting with my nephew in Tempe, AZ, I searched the Internet to see if I could combine the need to bead with the reunion. After meeting with my nephew and his wife, having a great lunch at a wonderful bar full of Vikings fans (he is a Packer Backer), and great conversation, we eventually went our separate ways. I went to one of the bead stores I had located. I have seen advertising in the bead magazines. I thought I could get beads for a new project of delica beading. Purchasing online is my other option, but the color on the computer screen sometimes is incorrect. Just the nature of online shopping. To be able to see the colors side by side would make the selection easier. Delica beads come from Miyuki in Japan. These Japanese cylinder beads are wonderful for making beaded projects, especially the peyote stitch. The cylinders are uniform and fit together very well. Since I design in the peyote stitch, I nearly always bead in delicas. Bead Galore has a handbag policy. This is common in a lot of bead stores. Due to the nature of the store, there is a lot of shoplifting. I understand. I object to being classified as a potential shoplifter. But I digress. The store has a series of lockers with keys. You lock up your own purse. Fine. I like this method better than other methods such as locking your purse in your car, which means others have seen you place your valuables in your trunk and while inside, your car may be broken into and you purse stolen; or the other alternative is to hand your purse over to some random counter personnel. After locking up my purse, I shopped. I went up one aisle after another. No delicas. I went to a clerk and asked if they carried delicas. She had no idea what I was talking about. What? An employee in a bead store not knowing about a popular type of bead? Oh, just another job. I had a piece of jewelry I had beaded out of delicas. She seemed unimpressed. She called back to the back of the store asking the question about delicas. They did not carry delicas. Fine. I continued shopping and made a few selections. Common practice is to use a store provided basket, with zip lock baggies, a marker and as selections are made, the items are placed in a baggie and marked on the outside with quantity and price. This is a time saver at check out. The shopper is on their honor. I had made up one baggie for one selection which did not have a price. I made a selection of Silamide, a type of beading thread, and I failed to make a baggie, and I should have. Sorry. I also had two hanks of seed beads, and those were clearly marked. I retrieved my purse at the front of the store, and went back to the back of the store. The clerk read me the riot act about the lack of baggies used. I mean she really read me the riot act. I informed her that I would not be making another trip to that store because they did not carry delicas. She told me they did carry delicas, in black only. Really? Black only? A line of beads which consist of nearly one thousand colors, and they only carry black. She then took her time to make the REQUIRED baggies. I am thinking inventory. She tells me it is so they know how much to give back if I come back to refund or exchange. I tell here again, I am not coming back. She then used a calculator and a hand written receipt, to make the sale. Inventory was clearly not the issue. As I said. I will not go to Bead Galore in Tempe, AZ. They have a lot of seed beads, wooden beads, gem beads, findings, charms, art wire, pliers, other tools, etc. But no delicas, and poor customer service.

Danger in the dusk

I am sitting enjoying the evening air. I had removed some hay form the floor of the barn. Too old, too moldy to feed to the horses. In the twilight, I see that two rabbits have staked their claim on one of the piles. They are unaware that in the brush is danger. Danger in the dusk. A bobcat, nearly perfect blending of color matching the brush. He is slowly moving at the edge of the growth. Then he slowly turns his head. He sees me sitting in my chair. He actually does not look shocked or surprised. He considers me for a moment, then very coolly steps backward out of my vision. He apparently turns. I just see a portion of his right ear. Then, gone. The rabbits are unaware. I just saved their lives. I hope they are hoppy. But then again, the evening before, I spied a small snake right where the rabbits were now dining. At first glance, I thought it was a diamondback rattler. No rattles, narrow head. Interesting pattern on his back. I even reached down and touched his body. He did not coil, but just lifted his head, using his tongue as a nose. A king snake. I left him to do what he does best. King snakes kill rattlesnakes. All hunters and hunted lived on. Peace.

Reflection

We need rememberance, But we also need to keep on living.

Toddler Property Laws

1. If I like it, it's mine.
2. If it's in my hand, it's mine.
3. If I can take it away from you, it's mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it looks just like mine, it's mine.
8. If I saw it first, it's mine.
9. If you are playing with something and you put it down, it automatically becomes mine.
10. If it's broken, it's yours, but the pieces are still all mine.

Autumn

Autumn is the pause from the speed and heat of summer to the full stop of winter.

New Venue

I have been on Etsy for a number of years. I have had minor sales, I cannot quit my day job. Due to changes on Etsy which is preventing my being able to increase my potential sales, I have decided to move my shop to another venue. For the time being, I will maintain my shop at: www.beadcactus.etsy.com

This venue is Zibbet. Zibbet is a company from Australia for Handmade, Vintage or Supplies. I opened my shop on July 15th, and I had a sale within 11 days. I am excited about the possibilities. I didn't even have all my items posted in my new shop. With Etsy, my first sale did not come to fruition until my shop was open for 18 months.

Zibbet seems to be very up front and family friendly. Wish me luck.

I can be found at: www.zibbet.com/beadcactus

A little tongue in cheek....

Beads Seized

Beads Seized by FDA at Import Docks Declared Illegal -

Contain Addictive Properties

Dateline Washington DC

In a renewed effort on the War on Drugs and Other Things that Might Be Addictive, the FDA recently seized an import of Japanese beads ranging from Delicas and 11/0s to triangles, 6/0s hex beads and more, claiming that the favorite among bead designers contained chemicals with possible addictive properties.

Spokesman Haam Struhng of the FDA stated “these beads contain something that we have determined to be addictive. Just look at them – once you start with a single color, you instantly feel the need to own them all. Some beaders get so far gone that they must not only have the colors in one bead style, but in ALL bead types!

This is a serious problem and is ruining budgets all over the US, including your town! Last November, the FDA began sending out operatives to various “bead shops” to investigate and to attempt to put a stop to this Menace. However, much of this campaign backfired. Says one former agent who preferred to remain anonymous “come on – if Marcus Amerman, Don Pierce and David Chatt can get so much attention by doing this then why shouldn’t I?”

Many of the female agents sent into the alleged “bead houses” never returned. It also seemed the larger the store, the worse the attrition. One female agent went to investigate a huge store in the San Diego area and was not seen again for three days. When she was finally tracked down she was found in a motel room on the outskirts of Yuma, holding 4 suitcases full of beads. The apparently half-mad woman evaded capture , mocking the Agents by shouting “I’m heading to Tucson with my expense account credit card” After backing up and pointing her vehicle towards the freeway, she rolled down her window and laughed, saying “Calgon’s got nothing on this bead stuff!” as she spun out in her “Liza Lou” Limited Edition Humvee. ”

The seats feel a bit uncomfortable the woman shouted over the roaring engine, “but so what – it’s beads” as she went skidding out of the parking lot, swinging a long hank of 11/0s over her head in a move reminiscent of that by Gina Davis’ character in the hit movie Thelma and Louise”.

This reporter got a glimpse of her bumper sticker “Bring Back Beadwork’s Bead Bash” it read and another said “Give me Embellishment or Give Me Beads”. A third, somewhat more aggressive logo stood out stating “Shut up and Bead”. Clearly, this woman is exhibiting a cry for help.

Several “recovery homes” have been established in some of the more dangerous states – those with a large bead store presence, but have discovered the level of security will need to be high “the beads are tiny” said one veteran Matron “these women think nothing of hiding their contraband beads in skin folds or taping them inside their clothes” she said with a sigh. Tensing up, she stated “visiting day is worst of all – they see these family members come dressed in jewelry and just go nuts.

One whole wing was torn up and someone showed the inmates how to make beads out of coffee grounds. It’s the worst duty I’ve pulled in 25 years in the Federal Prison System”.

Currently, the White House is lobbying to eliminate beads on the Internet, citing them a “a menace to otherwise productive men and women”. and stating “these Internet related peddlers of addictive substances must be stopped at all costs”.

Can spring be far behind?

Yesterday, January 19, 2010 was the Full Wolf Moon. Very brilliant. I know, because I have difficulty sleeping during the full moon.

If I can't sleep, I should get up and get some housework completed, but I don't. I lie there, tossing and turning.

Yesterday was also another wildlife spotting. I had stepped out of the office and heard a strange noise. It took me a while, but then I spotted it. A flock of geese, making their trek northward.

Which brings up my question. Can spring be far behind?