I'm here today because it all started with a childhood obsession for gemstones, rocks, minerals, and what could be done with them. as a young kid, I would save my spare change and hope that I would have enough to get something to add to my collection the next time I went to a lapidary/jewelry show, or found my way to a rock shop. As time went on, my time ended up going to "more important" things and I lost touch with all of the interesting things I used to enjoy as a child. However, recently I went on a trip with my girlfriend to meet some of her family down south, and we spent a day at a gemstone mine in north carolina because her aunt suggested it. We had a great day, and I once again started wanting to know what I could get, and waht I could do with it. I put together a small lapidary shop in my basement and have been working on cutting gemstones and trying to upgrade my equipment since so I can possibly start making some money doing something I like to do. Every day I learn more, and get better at what I am doing. Eventually I'd like to learn a lot more than I know now and get into setting stones and making jewelry as well as actually cutting the stones. For now, I'm here to learn what there is to offer, and to offer what little I do know to anyone who needs it.