This is for Eddie and everyone else, I finally cut my long hair,
mostly because I was tired of being treated like a Neanderthal.
Seems many people can’t see hair AND a beard without getting worried.
For the most part a ponytail kept things in hand as far as fly-aways
went. But that beard…I can’t help it, my wild man inner child has
hair all over his face so I reflect that fact externally as well.
Several times now I’ve had facial events that caused concern. My
most recent involved a hand drill that was being used in a very tight
spot. I had to be right up on my work ( thankfully not jewerly at
the time). Well, one thing led to another and I was suddenly sporting
a beard-dangle that looked strangely like a 3/8" reversible, variable
speed Makita. Fortunately, little more than my pride was hurt and my
lovely wife managed to stop her hysterical giggling long enough to
help me remove my new fashion piece. She even applied the scissors
in a judicious fashion and neatly trimmed the chin feathers to a
somewhat safer length. Darned near lost my freak-flag. It was scary.
So a lesson to one and all…wear those safety goggles and keep
that hair tied back tight. Making jewelry may be about fashion but
it’s not the jewelers chance to make a personal fashion statement.
Keep it safe first and look pretty once the shop’s shut down for the
day. Peace be to you, one and all, Mike
My son called me recently. He is a resident in an eye surgery
program at a university hospital. The first thing he said is "Dad I
hope you wear your safety goggles every time you use your tools."
Then he told me of removing a part of an abrasive disc from a young
jewelers eye. When it disintegrated a wedge-like piece penetrated
into and became enbedded in the lens. He truly will never see the
same again. Last night he removed a chip from a punch from another
eye. He then told me that these are the saddest of eye conditions to
treat because they are the ones that can be prevented. Cary