Wrestling with stones

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I came home this afternoon.... stressed from a testy day at school. Today I apologized to two different people for my attitude. Not often I have to do that.

We're doing NOCTI testing, and the state's rules make it an organizational nightmare. I've about had my fill, and so have the people stuck running it in the school. Their patience is God-like. Mine is not.

I came home seeking to relax, and turned to the grindstones and jewelers bench. I thought losing myself in a rock might 'enhance my calm'. Another brilliant idea.

I'm working with a highly figured slab, which is primarily Amethyst. In cutting it on the diamond wheel to the shape I wanted for a pendant, in only a moment I found I was making two pendants instead on one. The stone fractured along a fault; It happens.

The pieces left were not the figure design I wanted.... but still nice looking stones. I mounted them on dowels with dop wax and began the polishing work. Part way through the first stone.... I realized I just could not get the rhythm going which ends in a nice job.

Time to call it a night before any more beautiful stones have to suffer. Next thing I'll be apologizing to the blasted rock.

I'm shooting for an amethyst teardrop shaped pendant in a silver three prong mounting. I'll probably end up with sling shot ammunition (g).