I remember, in the dark ages, when I would get so excited with the thought of back to school – with it’s required shopping, including clothes and school supplies. How many of you remember the smell of new books when you cracked them open, and pencils freshly sharpened, and the crisp pages of a new notebook.

Well that is over now for my two High School boys. First, there is the anxiety surrounding AP and Honors classes that ruined the excitement of a new year starting, anxiety that would have seemed as foreign to me as a child, as the “Tablet PC’s” that they were issued somewhere around the second week of school. My sons announced to me that they no longer need their notebooks and looseleaf paper, because the school had issued computers to all Juniors and Seniors, and they would take notes and write assignments on these wonders of technology.

Of course, like all wonders of technology, including the computer on which you are reading this blog, there are still a few “bugs in the system” as they say. I don’t know what genius thought that you could give 100 teenaged boys (and girls for that matter) a bunch of computers and think that simply putting cyber-”locks” on them would keep them from modifying (or “modding” as I believe it is called) these innocent machines.

Within one week, my 15 year old managed to download a virus, after completely over-riding all of the protective software that had been installed, and after changing the orientation, background and anything else he could change without “getting into trouble” (he did stop short of hacking into the Administration area). The computer rewarded him with the “blue screen of death”, taking with it two weeks of physics notes, all of AP English and US History and all of his math homework with it, into the blue oblivion. I did ask the obvious question “didn’t you back it up” to be met with howls of anguish and “I didn’t have time” (?????)

My 17 year old had his computer for one day when it (no fault of his own) decided to shut down after he had written an entire English assignment, making me long for the day when “my dog chewed it up” passed for a reason that homework was missing. Luckily it just as mysteriously rebooted and the English homework reappeared. And this is just the first month of school!

My 15 year did take his dead computer to the High School IT person who looked at him and said “I have 200 computers here that are malfunctioning, I’ll get to it when I get to it”, so he is back to doing homework the old fashioned way (on his own Mac). This is progress?

I hope your Back to School transition is going more smoothly. If it isn’t, perhaps you need a good luck amulet to help you – I have just the thing. I now have in stock the new “Evil Eye” pendants from Michal Golan, the New York based Israeli designer whose enamel and crystal encrusted designs recall Byzantine or other ornate styles. I loved them so much I ordered almost the entire line. Here are two to give you a taste:

Michal Golan Gold & Crystal Evil Eye Necklace

Michal Golan Silver and Turquoise Evil Eye Necklace

For those who have asked – just click on the picture and it will take you to my site where you may purchase these items or see more pictures and styles.

And please, I would love to hear your back to school stories, it’s lonely here in cyberspace without comments or feedback

If you don’t live in the Northeast, you might not know that it has now rained for forty days and forty nights (well at least it seems that way). Seriously, we have not seen the sun since May, and my lawn has turned into a field of mushrooms. I am sure there is some meteorologic reason for this, but right now I could use some cheering up! It’s hard to believe that summer starts tomorrow when it feels like endless April.

As a physician, I know that this lack of sun creates Vitamin D deficiency, which causes depression and general grumpiness, so if you are reading this in the Northeast, talk to your doc about taking more Vitamin D right now.

As a website owner, I know that a nice piece of jewelry can certainly add some sun to an otherwise down day. I have just listed some lovely pieces by Michal Golan, a New York based, Israeli artist, whose studies of Byzantine and Middle Eastern art inform her intricate designs in enamel and beading. I have several Hamsa (the traditional Hand of G-d or Fatima, said to protect the wearer from evil and attract fortune) and several small crosses, as well as one piece from her general line.

That way everyone can pray for sun (ha ha). As always I welcome your thoughts and comments (I hope they are sunny ones)……

Michal Golan African Turquoise Hamsa

Michal Golan Pink & Green Cross