good news, right?

Marisa,

If you're going to sell your work, I recommend that you only buy findings that are sterling silver or gold filled. If it doesn't state unequivocally that that's what they're made of, don't buy them. If you are unsure of the material, don't use them on items you sell. Period.

Tina

I agree. Searching for sources of earring hooks now.

Any suggestions?

thanks!

marisa2

unequivocally

Seconded. You can buy SS and GF findings from Rio Grande, or from many other places -- Rings 'n Things and You And Me come immediately to mind. They cost a bit more than the cheap plated stuff, but not *that* much more if you buy in reasonable bulk. Consider it an investment in both quality and professionalism.

Celine

Yes, it makes sense, Marisa. Your probably feeling a little stressed and unsure. Just take one thing at a time (and on schedule) day by day, and it will end up OK. Cheers, Connie R.

You know, after lots more bad news on top of the already wierd atmosphere at work (I work at Lucent Technologies and if you are in the right field my saying that alone should give you a picture... if not, then never mind :), short-short version of it is that we went from 130,000 people to 35,000 people in the last 2 years, and now jobs are being outsourced to people in China and India).

So, I just finally got myself together, wrote a resume, and signed up on HotJobs.com, Monster.com, and CarreerBuilder.com. So far so good. Then I did job searches. Didn't like any too much, though one on HotJobs sounded ok (it's main good feature being that it is in a nearby suburb. Some other features I would've used to like but now scare me, such as the fast-paced work environment and desire for a new employee to be self-motivated and jump right in). Applied to 3.

Now... I'm not feeling neutral, which would be ok, or excited-nervous (I guess you'd feel more that way if you actually got an interview). I'm just feeling extreemly guilty.

Is something wrong with me?

*sighs*

marisa2

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "marisa2" :

]Any suggestions?

Nicole!

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

Bill of Rights - Void where prohibited by Law.Regime Change in 2004 - The life you save may be your own.

Doing production work (making things for shows, galleries, etc.) can be one of the most energy sapping things in my opinion. I hate doing it. I would rather make beads and jewelry on my own whim than have a deadline and have to be organized about it. So I don't blame you at all for feeling like that Marisa. It's wonderful that you have the opportunity, though. To me, it's a necessary evil of being in the jewelry art business. You have to make money and this is a good way to do it. Pace yourself and try not to treat yourself like a machine. Take breaks and rest and ground yourself. It's really hard to be inspired and creative when you're doing production work, so treat yourself well. :) Good luck!!

On Sat, 2 Aug 2003 22:58:47 -0400, marisa2 wrote (in message ):

I used to be in the right field to understand, and know many people in your same situation. One couple I know has it especially tough: they both worked for Lucent, both got canned within weeks of one another, have four kids and a huge mortgage. eep.

I think everyone in the field is feeling the same way. You can only handle the stress for so long before it gets to you. When I worked for DuPont, I started feeling envious of the people who got canned. At least for them, the feeling of impending doom was over. They could take their package and go on with life. The ones left behind had to do double or triple the work, and would still face the axe at the end.

Because you're considering leaving before you aren't given a choice? Marisa, getting out before the next wave of layoffs floods the job-seekers market is the right thing to do. Staying till the bitter end isn't going to do you any favors. It's certainly not like Lucent is going to appreciate you for staying.

If it makes you feel better, consider that every person that leaves voluntarily allows another person to keep their job. In helping yourself, you're doing a service for your Lucent cow orkers.

Not at all. The whole industry is rotten to the core, and it's the workers who are taking the brunt. I handled it by considering myself my own corporation, and did whatever I thought was best for KathCorp. Heaven knows that businesses have broken the contract that said "If you work hard and do well, we'll give you a paycheck every week and a job to go to every day."

Now it's every person for herself. I always looked at it as "I get great money while I'm working, and the tradeoff is that there is no job security whatsoever."

I was always waiting for the next layoff, and kept money in the bank so that KathCorp could handle its responsibilities until the next assignment came along. I also looked at my cow orkers as potential contacts for future jobs, with me passing along leads to them, and vice versa. (After a while, you do meet the same people over and over)

Marisa, your main goal is to take care of Marisa, Inc., and the associated responsibilities. Right this second, Lucent is your client, and you want to do a good job for them. However, like all clients, Lucent can evaporate in a second and you want Marisa, Inc. to survive. You don't owe them anything besides your day's work. Once you've fulfilled your end of the deal, you are absolutely free to persue other jobs that will add to Marisa's bottom line.

Kathy N-V

half of the little under-counter jewlery display case to my work<

Congratulations, Marisa!! I get my sterling silver ear wires from 550 Silver:

. They are super people to deal with.

Carol in SLC My new stuff:

Sounds familiar. I think the work world is just as systemically dysfunctional as the rest of our daily lives. Finding ways to fit in really seems to me like trying to find ways to like being punched and smooshed on a regular basis.

Personally, I think we need to form alliances to re-invent "Work" into something that actually works. But I see only tiny pockets of places where that happens. And lots of places that set out to do something like that, but then the participants get sucked into old programming and end up reproducing what they want to replace.

)Too many generalization in that statement, I know, but not enough time to get deeper into it at the moment.)

Deirdre

Thanks!

marisa2

Carol >

and then there were more lines posted then quoted ]

A reasonable approach, IMO.

Deirdre

The gold covering on GF findings is *much* thicker than that on GP. GF is not likely to wear down under normal usage; GP will, very quickly.

Celine

Marisa: I LOVE the third graders, I just can't take them on a daily basis for years and years...I need the intellectual stimulation that I get (sometimes) from adults. And when you are in your classroom, you have none of that, and the

20 minute lunchbreak doesn't give you that, and meetings don't give you that...and so on.

I actually enjoy sitting on the floor with them, conducting experiments, discussing life, but teaching children just, for me, is not IT.

I have an old degree in Secondary Ed, so I was able to use that to get into a classroom. I do long term, and will be a perm this year for a teacher who is taking a sabbatical.

I think only you will and can know if teaching is right for you...I had always wondered if I could, and although I can, and get rave reviews from both students and parents, it's not a long-term career for me.

AND, the God's honest truth is...corporate work was *never* this hard!!!

Lisa

It makes a lot of sence to me. (Well, sounds accurate, anyhow. When things happen the way you are alluding to, it NEVER makes common sence to anyone but upper management.)

marisa2

[ that was the end of what I had to say but this needs more lines to post ]

see, now i just want to say that i think that is a travesty. we have created a system that actually keeps people who's true dream it is to teach OUT of that proffession, while allowing for anyone with a knack for busy work (the last thing you need to really help children) easy access into it. AND we have made a salary for those who do care to push through the BS and do it despite the paperwork that is JUST NOT WORTH IT!!!

i feel like Archibald Tuttle from Brazil

alia