Some thoughts and some new beads
So. I'm still here. The missile attacks on Israel have been getting closer and more severe, but still, as of now, none of them have been directed at the Tel Aviv area. Maybe they never will, maybe it's just a matter of time, in any case - I'm kind of stressed out at this point, watching all the horrible destruction on the news and knowing it could happen right here at any given moment. I hate this. I really do. Everything is such a big mess right now, for all sides involved, and I can't even see how this is all going to end. I don't think anyone can. It's so scary to think about how this could just be the beginning and how things could get much worse. I really feel terrible about all the people getting hurt. Israel is such a small country, you always know someone, or know someone who knows someone, it's always like that.
To add to the stress, I'm supposed to be moving by the end of August. My lease is running out and although I really love my current apartment, I can't stay here, for various reasons. I am the world's biggest procrastinator and I haven't even begun looking yet. I hate moving - talk about stressful. So now I'm having all these surreal thoughts, like "what if missiles start falling in Tel Aviv and I can't leave the house to go look at apartments", or "what if I do find an apartment and sign a new lease but then a missile falls on the new building so I can't move there", and of course, the ever-popular "what if a missile falls on the building I'm living in right now and then some really bad stuff happens". *sigh*
I know it doesn't sound that way, but I'm trying not to be too much of a pessimist - even when it's hard not to be, watching all the horrors on TV and all. You never know, we could all wake up tomorrow morning and find out they announced a ceasefire during the night. Hey, it could happen.
Could it?
Maybe I'm just in denial.
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These past couple of days, I decided to turn the TV off for a while and be productive for a change. I've been doing a lot of experimenting with some new kinds of glass over the past few weeks, and I finally feel like I have some good results going on. Isn't glass the greatest?
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Moon River, part 1
I am quite proud of these. Did I mention a lot of experimenting? These were made with Olympia Rain, the trendy new glass from an American "Glass Boutique" called Double Helix. It took me, like, a million years to get this stuff to work - I tried literally everything and almost gave up, when I suddenly discovered the method is actually quite simple. But oh my, was it worth the effort. This glass is simply wonderful. The rods are a very pale transparent blue, but when used the right way, a whole spectrum of colors emerges and you get this cool 3-D boro-like look. I think I need to get me some more of this glass!
Part 2 will be posted tomorrow.
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Linger
Well, these aren't really the results of an experiment, just another set of my round beads that I still love making. Seriously, there is just something very calming about making this kind of bead. I should make some more tomorrow or something.
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Purple Prose
2 experiments here. This weekend, I decided to check if I had suddenly become a focal person. Results: nope, I'm still a set person. I don't know why - I know some people who feel the opposite - but making a single bead just isn't as much fun for me as making a set. So, although I like this focal very much, I just had to make some lentils to go with it.
Experiment number 2 - in all these beads I used seeded glass. Seeded glass is wonderful stuff; it is transparent glass with lots of tiny bubbles inside that grow when the rods are heated. I don't have a lot of it, and it has unfortunately been out-of-production for a while now (I think) so it is pretty hard to get. The first couple of times I used it, the colors were coming out opaque for some reason (it was very weird opening up the kiln in the morning and finding some unfamiliar beads that looked nothing like what I put in there the night before) - but now it seems to work. It's really cool - these beads sparkle beautifully in the light.
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Well folks, that's all for now. Thanks again to all the people who have sent me supportive e-mails - you guys are the best. I'll keep you updated if anything drastic happens (and I hope "drastic" will be "I just discovered the coolest glass in the world!" and not "oh damn, they're shooting at us").
G'night.
Hi Sarah
I was so relieved to read this morning that you are (sort of)OK! Thank goodness! I can only speak for myself but it is very hard to see on tv everyday what is going and try to imagine how you all cope. Normally it seems so distant but now that I know you it makes it more real. Its good to know that you are keeping busy with experimenting with new glassmaking - it must help to keep your mind focussed on something positive. I can't begin to understand the strain, I am so lucky to have never experienced anything so traumatic - we all have what we consider to be problems and difficulties but they pale into insignificance. I am thinking of you and all your loved ones, known or otherwise, and pray that you will soon have peace and stability. Take care my friend and know that you are in all of our thoughts. x
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I think of you everyday when I watch the news. I my self have been having a horrific time being creative and I have not experienced anything as awful as you so I need to stop fretting and get my but in gear. I know it will make me feel better and take my mind off the god awful neighbors we have. 5 people have been burgled and my cat was sliced(she is okay) and the stinkers caught our tree on fire 4th July. Every day I wonder what they will do next but I would not trade that with the hell you must feel Sarah. Keep creating my friend, you have inspired me to do the same for peace of mind.
Hugs
M
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Thanks my dears, your kind words really mean a lot to me.
Keep in mind that what they show on the news is just the really extreme stuff - I know they can paint an awful picture of reality sometimes. Not that the reality isn't awful - it is, but around here and throughout most of the country, moods are down but things still look pretty normal, more or less.
Ack, now I sound like I'm belittling the situation, that's not what I meant. Things are far from normal, I just meant to say that I'm not actually living in a battlefield, not yet at least.
Michelle - that sounds terrible, especially the cat part - if anyone ever harmed Moby I would slice them myself, seriously, no exaggeration - people can be such assholes sometimes. Bad neighbors suck. I hope the situation gets resolved quickly!
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