Harvey Almorn Updyke Jr. is SUCH a Jerk!

I don't know the guy, but I know ABOUT him ... he's the fool that decided it would be a good idea to deliberately poison the 130-year-old oak trees at Toomer's Corner! I have seen a lot of photos of him, but I won't post any ... the man seriously creeps me out, and I just don't want to look at him again.



Toomer's Corner at Auburn University

 You see, it turns out that he didn't like it when the University of Alabama lost the 'Iron Bowl' to Auburn last November. Updyke called a syndicated radio show at the end of January and said he had poured Spike 80DF herbicide on the historic trees at Toomer's Corner, where fans have long celebrated big wins and hundreds gathered after the Tigers won the football national championship on Jan.10th.

Auburn took soil samples and found that not only did he use a lethal dose, but that this particular herbicide is extremely active and persistent - It's very likely to be in the soil for 3 to 5 years. Updyke was charged with one count of first-degree criminal mischief and, if convicted, could face one to 10 years in prison. Personally, I'm betting he gets Community Service and a fine of about fifty bucks.



"It's not looking good, but we're doing what we can to give the trees a fighting chance."



 I'm not to  thrilled with Auburn U either. They haven't exactly done right by their supposed 'iconic' oak trees! 

The trees are fragile to begin with and being party magnets doesn't help. According to al.com, they are well north of their usual range, they're on a busy street corner, and they're regularly covered in toilet paper (after the game against Georgia, someone set fire to the TP). "We stress them even more when we light them on fire and vehicles run into them," Keever said. "We use fire hoses to blow the toilet paper off them and that blows off a lot of buds."

Some way to treat an ICON!



After this year's game against Georgia, someone set fire to the TP!!!


I happen to be a big fan of trees. I think it was about the time I ran across the poem by Joyce Kilmer in English class that I began to appeciate how special they are.  They may be inanimate objects, but they are living breathing objects. Yes . . .  breathing for us!  Ever heard of Photosynthesis?

I felt disheartened when I heard the news story about those huge old trees at Auburn. I had no idea that you could literally 'murder' a tree, but there is something disturbing about that. Trees seem sort of spiritual to me. Ever reaching toward the heavens and growing so old and wise. They have witnessed so much of human history in this world! Sadly, this incident was not one of our shining moments ...



One of my all-time favorite poems ...





SPRING GEMSTONE PREVIEW at jQ jewelry designs



Room With a View ... The Shades of Spring!



jQ jewelry designs Spring 2011

Every Spring I have the most wonderful view out the window in front of my work desk.  Last Spring I snapped the above photo and posted it on facebook. I'm hoping for an early Spring, so I'll once again get inspiration from all the glorious shades of Spring!

I adore Springtime and have several favorite photography prints to remind me of it year round ...





drops

rainy day

yellow sneakers on a spring day

planting hands



One of my goals for 2011 was to use my present stash of beads instead of buying more! When is enough enough?  When did I become a bead collector?



So in an effort to keep my New Year's Resolution and resist the temptation of an upcoming Gem & Bead Show, I dug out some of my very favorite gemstones that I resolve to use at jQ jewelry designs this coming Spring and Summer.

RAW AQUAMARINE Nuggets  ~  Unique and Gorgeous!



My Personal Favortite  ~  Very High Quality RAINBOW MOONSTONE



Super Lustrous  KEISHI PEARLS



Natural Pinks & Peaches  ~  Freshwater  BIWA PEARLS

Amazing Strand of Natural Pink KUNZITE Nuggets



CHALCEDONY  ~  I don't usually use dyed gemstones, but these are glorious & incredibley glossy!

Delicious Berry Hues of Meticulously Faceted SPINEL



Completely Amazing Strand of OREGON SUNSTONE



COMPUTER VISION SYNDROME and HEADACHES ...



How often are you on the computer?


Have you heard of CVS - Computer Vision Syndrome?

Basically, it's nothing more than eye strain or eye fatigue, but it has been causing a whole lot of

symptoms, I have a lot of problems with persistent headaches and migraines.

Symptoms of CVS:

1.  Eye fatigue or eye strain

2.  Mental fatigue

3.  Irritation or itching eyes with burning sensation

4.  Double vision or blurred vision due to lack of focusing

5.  Pain around shoulders, neck and arms

6.  Constant muscle spasms

7.  Persistent headaches

While many of us that spend time online have a number of these symptoms, I find myself having a whole lot of problems with headaches, ranging from minor annoyances  to full-blown migraines associated with my time online.  And it's starting to become an every day thing!



How often do get a headache or migraine?

Besides myself, I'm a member of the Promotional Frenzy Team on Etsy.com where many of

the members seem to be having an over abundance of headaches and migraines ...

What is alarming to me is that these headaches can crop up if you only spend 2 hours every

day in front of a computer. Even using the computer for that minimal amount of time increases your odds of getting CVS to 90%, and I am online a whole lot more than that every day working in my Etsy jewelry shop. And I'm betting so are most of my Team members!

The easiest to remember advise that my Opthamologist has given me is the "20-20-20" Rule.

Give your eyes a break  -  every 20 minutes focus on an object 20 feet away for a period of 20 seconds. That's all there is to it, and it really helps!



                                               Computer Ergonomics



Follow These Important Steps to Get Relief from CVS:

1.  Set your monitor just six to eight inch below your eye level.

2.  Experts recommend that 20 to 25 inches will be the ideal for comfortable viewing.

3.  Avoid your seat near to an air vent as this will dry your eyes out.

4.  Avoid having your computer monitor under bright overhead lighting.

5.  Don't place your desk in front of a window allowing bright sunlight to come in.

6.  Position your monitor just in front of your chest level but definitely not at your eye level.

7.  The brightness of your monitor should be adjusted to match your work environment.

8.  Take a regular break and use the "20 20 20 Rule".

According to the Census Report , over 250 million US citizens spend their quality time in front of the computer every day. This includes 60 million children in schools, and early 88 per cent of all computer users will develop CVS at some times in their lives!



???





PROMOTIONAL FRENZY TEAM ~ 100 MEMBERS!!!



                    

                  

                    GO TEAM!!!

It's kind of hard to believe that it's been less than a week since we were but a humble thread found on the Etsy Forums.

And now we've become a Team of 100 members!

I thought it might be interesting to see all the new 'faces' that have joined us in forming the Promotional Frenzy Team . . .



The New Promotional Frenzy Team ~ Estab 01/30/2011







NICE TO MEET YOU . . . Sweet and Sassy Cards!

Who is Becky Roedl from Buffalo, New York? Why she's the sole proprietor and creative force behind Sweet and Sassy Cards ... that's who!!!









Becky is a married mother of two.  Her earliest crafting memories are from the days spent with her grandmother wrapping yarn around spools with nails in the top and weaving the resulting strand into pot holders.  Her family is full of "crafty" people who have instilled the love of all things "handmade" in her. 

When her children grew up and left the nest, she found herself having too much time on her hands as well as the need to be creative.   Becky says the one good thing coming from the little birdies leaving the nest was a new workroom for her!  She's rather word didn't get out, but apparently she started painting and putting the room together the day he moved out. So keep that under your hat, okay?  Now she has all the space she needs to work and play at her craft.  Lucky Lady . . . how many of us can say THAT?



Becky's workroom in Buffalo, NY



Sweet and Sassy Cards is a great shop on Etsy where Becky shows off her skills at creating handmade greeting cards, all sorts of interesting tags, place cards, as well as products for other Etsy Shops. She also welcomes Custom Orders.  And it's also the place where she shows off, what I feel fairly safe calling ... her somewhat sassy sense of humor!




Now how 'Sassy' is this?  I LOVE it!!!



 Becky can also walk on the 'Sweet' side ...





Here are a few more of my personal favorites available from Sweet and Sassy Cards





Mini thank you cards handmade by Sweet and Sassy Cards on Etsy



Unique Wedding place cards are in the form of a book



You can Custom order your thoughts and words on your own personal card!



Wedding Favor Tag amuses with a play on words ... 



You can find Sweet and Sassy here: