Hi Karen,
I read your job description of 8/11 and Your hopes for some means to
move into more of a real occupation in the jewelry trade, what ever
it might be. "Bottom line is that I simply love working with and
around jewelry. " I am back in the DFW Metroplex and looking for
work. My experiences are moderate. I have had some good and some not
so good experiences. I am going to seek more employment in my
neighborhood as a part time bench person and am willing to be called
in to work as needed. The jewelry market here is pulling a big vacuum
.
I need to keep in my hand as to maintain my hard won training. I
would say of everything, heat control is the hardest thing to keep
up on. I graduated from Jewelry Bootcamp at TIJT Paris Texas. I got
my JA certification and a diploma for an Associate Degree in Jewelry
Technology. I have the beginnings of a small shop started, but I am
needing to finish many small things before I can begin to be
productive. This is a constant challenge to me. I am also medically
retired and have to maintain some terms with that situation. I have a
small living income, but also feel like I have been dog whipped some
days.
I HAD A JOB OFFER at a well known production shop here which produced
high end work in 18K and Platinum. They changed their mind just
before school started this fall. I called to find when I was to
report to work and was told that they did not need me at this time.
After two interviews a bench test, and a through background check.
All successfully I might add… I will follow up on that offer, but
now it is not yet open. Business around here is so-oo bad that one
jeweler made the comment that it was " Buy one engagement ring, get
the second one free " .
I started making plans that day to return to school this fall. I
enrolled for 15 credit hrs at TIJT again and drove up without
knowing if I had room available in the classroom or in one of the
dormitories. ( It is a 120 mile drive.) Well space was available and I
was able to enroll in one class leading to certification as a
gemologist in residence ( 8 hrs/day 4 days week plus evening labs as
time permitted , time did not permit, it demanded. I still have two
days to needed to complete my colored stone identification . I will
finish this up next month. My other class was a 3 hr class 4 hrs a
week in Industrial Casting plus more homework in finishing and
carving waxes. I enjoyed carving and finishing waxes to old hippie
and / or New Age music . No TV, no Night Life
This semester I had to pay for all out of my pocket as Texas Rehab
decided that I did not need more education. Well as I am tight
fisted, ( Daddy was Cheep ) , I did not miss any class time. I also
purchased a student copy of Rhino and Flamingo at student discounts.
I paid less that 1/3 of the commercial version. I am going to teach
my self this software and learn how to design waxes for CAD - CAM
carving. This I hope will lead to casting into master models. Am I
driven, ,linear and obsessive. Yes a little. I spent a timeless
period 9 months or so learning to walk again after a bad accident.
It was like being trapped in a missing episode of " Lost in Space " .
It was spooky.
I owe a great debt to many people. Some I never saw, some I will
never see again. Well I know of several ways that I can repay a
little of that debt. All of these preclude my becoming so bound up
in myself that I can not remember to smile or leave a kind word,
remembering not to p_ss off other people’s time, and sharing
learning which was shared with me. And I still maintain an occasional
sense of Wonder and Joy.
" Be Yee as little children " is a good place to start and
remembering not to be childish is a good place to stop… Do what You
can , and have fun…
ROBB - Retired Old Baby Boomer