What Two Parts of Your Body Could You NOT Live Without?

Think about it, what two parts of your body could you NOT live without? I'm talking about basic survival, such as the ability to be self-sufficient and be able to take care of most of your own needs with minimal assistance.

The two that I couldn't live without are my eyes and my hands. If I lost the use of my legs, I would most likely be confined to a wheel chair. But my hands would be able to maneuver the wheel chair around, and my eyes would enable me to see my world and know where I was going. My eyes would also alert me to obstacles or dangers. If I lost my hearing, I would still be able to communicate using my eyes and hands, mainly by typing or writing notes. This would also serve my needs if I lost the ability to speak.

It's something to think about. You never know what can happen in life. I was in a restaurant the other night and there was a young man (maybe 30's), who couldn't use his legs or arms. He was in a wheel chair that he was able to maneuver through the use of a blow tube. He needed someone to feed him and hold his drink to his mouth, but other than that was very average in appearance, no outward physical signs of any injury other than a bandage around one of his hands. I don't know the history of why he was in the wheel chair, but it made me think about what functions I would need to feel independent. I would hate to be dependent on someone to function from day to day.

It is difficult enough to watch a grandmother, grandfather, parent, or other beloved person in our lives lose their abilities to function because of age or illness, but to see someone in the prime of their life having such dependencies on others is almost too much to bear.

I couldn't imagine not being able to drive, cook, type, or make my jewelry. I remember how I felt after having open heart surgery 5 years ago. When I was finally able to go home, I wasn't supposed to do anything. NOTHING! I couldn't even make my own cup of tea because I wasn't supposed to be doing anything that would cause stress to my chest area where the incision was. Thankfully this only had to be for the first week. Once the numbness started going away I could feel tension and exertion and knew when to stop what I was doing. But the first week, even just raising my arms above my head to get a cup from the cabinet was risky. I didn't have stitches or staples, I was taped. They did this to minimize whatever scar I might get, and it worked!

Anyway, I was thinking about this on my way to work this morning and had to write about it. I think a lot of people have sympathy for those who are dependent for care, but don't fully stop to consider how they would feel if it was them. I know when I had to have someone do for me what I was used to doing for myself, it made me feel like an invalid. Like I was incapable or inept and I did start to resent it at times. It got annoying that everytime I would get up from a chair to go in the kitchen or bathroom, I was asked by everyone there where I was going, what was I doing and did I need help. I know they were just looking out for me, but sometimes it's just downright embarassing for an adult to have to explain that they are getting a drink of water or have to use the facilities. I have learned from that experience that if someone with a disability, or someone who is "challenged", needs assistance, they will ask for it. I stand by to help if I am asked to, and I make it known that I will.

A Very Accomplished Feeling!

Well this has been a very productive weekend for me. I got some new jewelry pieces made for my shop and just finished listing them. There are seven new listings as of today; five bracelets, one pair of earrings (that would go nicely with one of the bracelets that were just listed), and one bracelet/earring set.

This bracelet/earring set was created with beautiful sterling wrapped lampwork beads in a very warm and seductive amber glow. The druk beads are tortoise and complement the lampwork beads very nicely.

The earrings are on surgical steel earwires with silverplate accents, and dangle 2-1/4" from the top of the wire.

The bracelet is linked and closes with a silverplate toggle clasp. It fits to an 8" wrist.

This bracelet was created by linking art glass rectangles in red and blue with glass squares that are a deep rich red tone. The bracelet fastens with a silverplate toggle clasp, and fits to an 8" wrist.

The red squares, on first sight, reminded me of the anise hard candies that my grandfather always had on hand.

This bracelet is a bit chunky but sure to get attention!





The earrings that I just listed were created with fancy jasper and agate semi-precious beads. They are featured on silverplate hoops which are on surgical steel earwires with silverplate details. They dangle 1-1/2" from the top of the earwire.

They also include clear plastic earwire stops that help prevent the earwire from slipping out of the ear and getting lost.





This is a bracelet that is on silverplate memory wire and includes fancy jasper and fancy agate semi-precious beads, in round, faceted square, and disks.
This bracelet is one size fits all and would go with anything. Beautiful earthy tones in the beads, ranging from green to black to amethyst shades.
It would go wonderfully with the earrings above.




I have many other items that were just listed today, and they can all be seen in my shop, at Designs By RuKar

Please visit my Etsy shop, I'm sure you will find something that you just can't resist. If you see something you like and would like a different size, color, or other change, please let me know either by convo on Etsy or email me at rukar@karuss.com. We can work something out for a custom order. And don't forget - FREE SHIPPING on all items to U.S. addresses!! This is for regular First Class mail, but if you prefer Priority Mail, I can do that for an additional charge. Just contact me before sending payment.

Keeping A Healthy Level of Insanity

To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity:

1. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice
   
2. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.
   
3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.
   
4. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks . Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.
   
5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write ' For Marijuana'
   
6. Skip down the hall Rather Than Walk and see how many looks you get.
   
7. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
   
8. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go'.
   
9. Sing Along At The Opera.
   
10. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.
    
11. When The Money Comes Out of The ATM, Scream 'I Won! I Won!'
    
12. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling 'Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!'
    
13. Tell Your Children Over Dinner, 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.'
    
    And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity:
    
14. PICK UP A BOX OF CONDOMS AT THE PHARMACY, GO TO THE COUNTER AND ASK WHERE THE FITTING ROOM IS.

PHTD - or - Post Holiday Tree Disorder

Yes, that's what I have. Post Holiday Tree Disorder.

The tree is still up, but hasn't been lit since the day after New Years. The only thing stopping me from taking it down is the lack of storage boxes. They're still in the shed. And I'm not about to go out there after seeing the possum hanging around the shed a few weeks ago.

But not sure if PHTD carries over into other things, such as making new jewelry to put in my shop. Or taking pictures of the jewelry that I already made and getting it listed. The cold has done a number on my arthritis and my hands are so stiff I can hardly hold my pliers long enough to open a jump ring let alone create loops at the end of headpins or do wire wrapping. IB helps but also makes me tired so I don't feel like doing anything! I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

I need sun, warm weather, and a good old fashioned thunderstorm! Well, maybe not in that order, and not on the same day. But you get my drift.

I have so many beads and charms and other materials to create with, but no ambition or ideas, although I do have a potential order for two bracelets, and as soon as I get my bead order I will get to work on them. But I am trying to find my niche. Something that is me, not a clone of other things that are out there. It's easy to put a few beads on a wire or pin and attached a clasp or earwire. I want to really get original, but I don't know how or what.

I know what I have to do. I have to psyche myself into thinking that Saturday is Sunday. Because on Sundays, usually later in the day, I sit down and finally get to creating. Once I start I can't stop, but the problem I have is I have to get up for work the next day. If I make myself think that Saturday is Sunday, and get ideas and start creating late in the day on Saturday, I can keep going til the sun comes up because I can SLEEP ALL DAY the next day! Yea, yea, that's what I'll do. I could call it turning my mental clock ahead one day, but only until Sunday night. Otherwise I would go to work the next day thinking it was Tuesday, and be very disappointed when the payroll doesn't get here.

Oh, by the way, the picture...it's not me. That's my husband Russ, the "Ru" in "RuKar", after dinner on Christmas Day at my brother's house. The dog is my brother's white shepherd, Daisy Mae. But this picture pretty much sums up my level of energy the last 2 weeks.