Retirement?..:>(

Hi everyone!

Only a decade ago, I stopped getting outside diamond setting, as an Independent sub-contractor. I’m literally up to my ears writing blog-preambles & editing and along with umpteen photos during my intricate setting steps. To say that my ‘mind & brain’ are working full tilt is an understatement of the century. I’m now 75 yrs 'young’ (plus a few months),

I still look at my setting with using gravers; as this is a real ‘gift’ that I learned about 55 years ago! I start my blog/demo-setting sometimes at 7:00 A.M. (or even earlier)…:>)

I met a fellow last weekend whose father is now 77 yrs. OLD and has early stages of Alzheimer’s, why so young? He quit working at 65 and all he did was watch television each and every darned day! This fellow said to me that I am an inspiration to him and his father…***get out and stretch your mind to do different things or just keep working. ***

Five years ago (May 30, 2013), I was awarded a Guinness World Record, also not bad for a fellow who is also (a happy) Dyslexic.

Moral of this topic, “***never put your tools down and go to sleep!***” Your body needs to be exercising literally non-stop, so does your brain & mind.

I’m now even preparing 15 new essays, 24 hours a day is still not enough hours. But I do stop working on our Saturday, ‘Day of Rest’.

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Keep it up, Gerry! You are an inspiration to us all. I’ve just turned 65 and will never stop doing my stuff. Retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
I’m so grateful for the work you are generously sharing. Keeps me learning.

Happy Chanukah, my friend.

Denny

den

Same here. I’m 70and doing all the fun stuff I couldn’t afford to do before I “retired."

Tony Konrath

tonykonrath@mac.com

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Everything about Alzheimer’s is hypothesis, but it appears to develop decades before diagnosis. Brain and body stimulation improve life, but have not been proven to delay Alzheimer’s.

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Gerry,
Retirement is nothing more than doing what you choose to do at your own pace. I have retired twice and have now found my passion: metalsmithing. You have helped me immensely in learning how to not only hold a graver, form and sharpen them, but to create pretty things with them. I don’t set stones like you do as I do more fabrication.

I do thank you for all the time you have spent with my brain and hands teaching them.

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Happy almost Chanukah Gerry. I’m still making my jewels and I’ve got a few years on you. It keeps the osteoarthritis at bay. Wishing you another years of light for this festival of lights.

Shabbat Shalom to you and a Hag Somayach to all of my great friends. So wonderful to be a part of this great worldwide jewellery community…:>)

gerrysdiamondsettingessays.blogspot.ca

***Gerry Lewy ***

Toronto.

Thank you for your incredible gifts you have given us as well as your inspirational words to live by.

A 58 year old self-taught beginner at with 20 years Metalsmith experience - I’m just scratching the surface. Learning from books, Facebook groups, fellow makers, and here. Am also in college getting my degree, too. Never stop learning!

Nancy

Hi Nancy

My gift to you and Orchid is being given with no money involved. Why not? There is no price on what I’m writing & my giving is a continuation of the many generations of setting of stones.

I want to give, as it is known in Hebrew “tzedakah”. A “gift”, with no knowledge of the new owner! If I can help one person in learning this difficult process of “Bright-Cutting” then I’ve been paid!

Now in these days of CAD, so many basic skills in setting are being literally forgotten, so sad!

My next essay will cover what one setter who assisted me and gave me his setting results!

Thankfully, I took some photo’s of his “questionable” skills!

Nancy, hopefully you will learn from this fellows setting errors!

Regards to you!

Please go to:

gerrysdiamondsettingessays.blogspot.ca

Gerry, On my iPhone!

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Hi Gerry,

Thank you for your gift. I really appreciate all the knowledge you have shared and have definitely learnt a lot from it.

I’m glad that your eyes are better. Congratulations.

Regards

Orla Levy