The R&T Extra!   August 2007

Frankenstone: Revisit a Classic & Play Our New Web Game!

You've probably seen at least one film version of Frankenstein, but did you know that August 30 is "Frankenstein Day"? The date is the birthday of Mary Shelley, the English woman who wrote the original novel between 1816 - 1818. In celebration of Frankenstein Day, we're unveiling a new game on our Web site!

Shelley started writing Frankenstein because of a challenge she and three companions made to each write a ghost story. She had trouble coming up with an idea at first, perhaps because she took the challenge so seriously. In her own words, she wanted to write "a story to rival those which had excited us to this task. One which would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature ..." ("Introduction," Frankenstein, University of Virginia's Electronic Text Center).

That she certainly did, for her story reflects issues that remain relevant today, including questions about how far science should go to sustain (or create) life. The specific scientific and medical methods in question have certainly changed since the early 1800s! Then, surgery was still a somewhat new and feared practice, and electricity was a newly discovered force of nature. But today, stem cell research and cloning are just two of many issues that raise some of the same questions. Of course, the novel isn't just a springboard for philosophical issues; it's also a suspenseful narrative and a work of art!

While Shelley's novel brings up serious issues, our new Frankenstone game will transport you to the lighthearted side of things! Take a quick break from the business of making jewelry to create your own "gem" of a cartoon monster based on our gemstone offerings.

You will need Adobe's Shockwave Flash Player in order to enjoy the game — download Adobe Shockwave Flash for free here. (If you use the internet with a dial-up connection, the game may download and function slowly for you.)

Interested in the kind of jewelry that was popular during Mary Shelley's lifetime? Check out J'antiques & Collectibles' "Georgian Era (1714-1836)" and The Georgian Index's "Georgian Jewelry". And, have a great Frankenstein Day!

Celebrate the Celestial: Out-of-this-World Sights & Components

Just as jewelry has been with mankind since before history began, so have celestial sights. But developments over the last 150 years have drastically changed the way we relate to the night skies! The Industrial Revolution brought a shift from agricultural to urban and suburban lifestyles, plus it eventually brought electric lights into daily use. The combination of these changes means that most of us today don't get a regular view of the stars. Nevertheless, it's good to be reminded that things exist beyond our daily concerns, and catching a glimpse of the mystery and beauty of outer space can provide just that! If you live in a city or town, take a night off this month to drive past the light pollution and check out some stellar views. Even if you're not in a region that can view the events listed below, you can still get a great look at the stars!

Main astronomical events in August 2007 include:

• The Perseid Meteor Shower should be visible in 2007 between August 9-14 (2 am till dawn provides the best viewing from North America). It's predicted to be one of the best meteor showers of the year because August 12 brings a new (dark) moon. Get more information from NASA.
• The Aurigid Outburst will take place on September 1, at approximately 4:36 am Pacific Daylight Savings Time, and will be visible to people in California, Oregon and the Eastern Pacific. This shower is the result of Earth traveling through the dust trail of comet C/1911 N1 (Kiess) (source: NASA).
• A total lunar eclipse will take place on August 27th this year. Unfortunately for those of us in the Western Hemisphere, the eclipse will take place during daylight hours and won't be visible.

After taking some time for star gazing, another way to celebrate the celestial is to include it in your jewelry designs! Not literally, of course — although Rings & Things has, in the past, carried "cash & carry" moldavite beads at BeadTour shows. (Moldavite is the only known gem-quality stone of extra terrestrial origin, formed when a meteor collided with Earth millions of years ago). Amid our permanent offerings are a wide variety of fun celestial beads, charms and findings that will help you make "out of this world" designs. You can also find several new celestial-themed projects when you search our online Design Gallery for "2007 summer supplement."

For a glimpse of all 2007 astronomic events, check out Tangents' Astronomic Events Calendar. To find out more about light pollution and what you can do to decrease it (while still providing a safe environment), visit the International Dark Sky Association (IDA).

Paddling for Beads (and the Local Parks System)

The "Paddle for Parks" Dragon Boat Race is a recent addition to Spokane, Washington's summer activities, and this year Rings & Things entered a team in the friendly competition for the first time. Our "Will Paddle For Beads" team looked festive in their matching tie-dye t-shirts! Although we finished 21st out of 24, we had a lot of fun. Best yet, "Will Paddle for Beads" helped raise money for the Spokane Parks Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps local public parks thrive above and beyond what can be done with tax dollars alone.

Today, dragon boat racing is done worldwide, both as a competitive sport and as a festival activity. But, the tradition began over 2500 years ago in China. These festivals are believed to have originated from rituals honoring Dragon Deities, thought to rule over all forms of water. The main legend surrounding traditional dragon boat races is that of an ancient government minister and poet named Qu Yuan who drowned himself in the Miluo River by weighting himself down with stones. His suicide was in protest against what he saw as the degradation of his times. Legend has it that when nearby villagers heard what he'd done they flocked into dragon boats to try to save him, and protect his body from being eaten by fish. Both the Tuen Ng Festival in Hong Kong and the Duan Wu festival in south central mainland China are held annually in honor of Qu Yuan.

The July 21st race in Spokane used boats that were 46-feet long, including the ornamental dragon's head and tail. Each team consisted of 22 people; two rows of ten paddlers worked the boat to the finish line, with the help of a steerer at the rear and a drummer at the front (the drum beat helps keep paddlers in time with each other for efficiency). The course was 250 meters (approximately 820 feet) and the teams competed in three separate heats. Considering this was our team's first year participating (not to mention the fact they had a mere two practices), we're proud of them!

R&T's String of Events: August 2007 Calendar

Between road shows, classes, purchasing trips and more, there's typically a lot going on at Rings & Things! Here's what's happening this month:

• Saturday, August 11: Join us at our warehouse in Spokane, WA for our 35th Anniversary Event: special sales, make-it-and-take-it projects, warehouse tours and more! Directions to our warehouse
• Monday, August 13: Watch the night skies; tonight marks the predicted peak of the 2007 Perseid meteor showers; a new moon will help make viewing easier
• Friday, August 31: If you live in the Western US or Eastern Pacific (and can stay up late), watch out for the Aurigid Meteor Outburst; it's predicted to give a bright display right before dawn (Pacific Time) on September 1, 2007
• Throughout the month, we'll be gearing up for September's BeadTour road shows and the start of fall classes

• Monday, September 3: Rings & Things is closed for Labor Day
• Sunday, September 9: BeadTour show in Minneapolis, MN
• Tuesday, September 11: BeadTour show in Green Bay, WI
• Wednesday, September 12: BeadTour show in Milwaukee, WI
• Thursday, September 13: BeadTour show in Chicago, IL
• Saturday, September 15: Working with 650 Overlay Paste Class in our Spokane, WA warehouse
• Saturday, September 15: BeadTour show in Grand Rapids, MI
• Sunday, September 16: BeadTour show in Detroit, MI
• Tuesday, September 18: BeadTour show in Cleveland, OH
• Thursday, September 20: BeadTour show in Rochester, NY
• Saturday, September 22: BeadTour show in Boston, MA
• Sunday, September 23: BeadTour show in North Haven, CT
• Monday, September 24: BeadTour show in East Hanover, NJ
• Tuesday, September 25: BeadTour show in Philadelphia, PA
• Thursday, September 27: BeadTour show in Pittsburgh, PA
• Friday, September 28: BeadTour show in Columbus, OH
• Saturday, September 29: BeadTour show in Cincinnati, OH
• Sunday, September 30: BeadTour show in Indianapolis, IN
• Throughout the month, we'll be gearing up for October classes

Thanks!

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