Is your workspace littered with earring parts? My collection of “possibilities” was getting impossibly large as it outgrew snack, sandwich, quart, and gallon baggies.

Finding the pairs among all the parts was soothing. But the steps after that became less and less interesting. Finding findings. Finding reading glasses and pliers. Assembling. Are we done yet?

Punching cards and mounting, labeling, pricing.  My back hurts. This is tedious.

My hat is off to all who repeatedly grind through these chores, particularly at this time of year. Keep it up! I’ll cheer you on from the sidelines. A blog, a newsletter, and a few bowls a year are all I can manage.

I’m just showing off while I can. I feel your pain.

Remind me again why we do this. Oh yeah, colors, patterns, shapes. That part never loses its appeal.

I laugh when I watch jewelry appear with a finger snap on TikTok. Mountains of packages disappear under a shower of digital glitter. In your dreams.