Sapphire Blue

All I Have Is Me is a fictional novel that tells the story of how the Logan family grieves and suffers after their lives are broken and shattered by the loss of their teenaged daughter in an automobile accident. The parents blame the death on their younger daughter, Theresa, who is driving the car. The story is told from Theresa’s viewpoint. Life as Theresa has known it changes forever in a matter of seconds. With the death of her older sister, there is no longer any warmth, happiness, or love in the family’s life. Theresa is heavily burdened watching her parents’ endless grief. She becomes tired of being the recipient of the accusatory looks of disappointment and hurt from her parents. She feels that no one cares if she lives or dies. After a failed suicide attempt, Theresa decides to do her best to stay out of her parents’ way and bide her time until she can graduate from high school and leave home. Upon high school graduation, she joins the army because she has nowhere else to go. The army provides all her basic needs for survival. The army becomes her life for twenty years. Theresa learns to exist and function without allowing herself to get emotionally involved in life. After retirement from the military, Theresa feels a need to put down roots. She stumbles upon an old dilapidated farm cottage in a small community. She feels a connection to the empty cottage that no one cares for or loves. Theresa finds that as she repairs the flaws and cracks in the old cottage and brings it back to life, she is also repairing the flaws and cracks in her own life. She renews her faith in God. By accepting love from others, the story tells how Theresa is able to find joy and beauty in living as she allows herself to love, forgive herself, and learn to live again.

In 100 Days to Better Health, Good Sex & Long Life, Eric Yudelove provided the foundation course in Taoist practice. Now he takes you to the next level, referred to as "Beginning Internal Alchemy." Gather the energies from the five major internal organs, harmonize them, and change them from negative to positive. It's a process of refining yourself so you can absorb energy from nature and the cosmos, thus becoming a universe in miniature.

This edition has been completely revised to cover the latest methods of gem enhancement and identification, as well as the most up-to-date test instruments and laboratory techniques.

Gemmology is a text for students preparing for the Gemmological Association's Preliminary and Diploma examinations. The book is more expansive and up-to-date than the author's earlier book, Beginner's Guide to Gemmology. The book deals with the practical and theoretical sides of gemmology. Tracing the background and science of gemmology, the book covers the gem material, geological formation, and occurrence of gemstones on the earth. The composition of gemstones from the atoms, elements, molecules, and compounds comprising them is analyzed, and the relationship between chemical composition and durability of the stone is explained. The basics of crystallography is mentioned as a tool toward understanding gemmology after which cleavage, parting, and fracture are done. A gemstone's durability and hardness and how the latter influences engineering tests and the mining techniques are compared. An important test technique to identify unmounted stones is the measure of specific gravity using displacement measurement methods and hydrostatic methods. After more descriptive details are given in identification of gemstones, whether these are synthetic or simulants, through a comprehensive explanation of the materials found in these other gemstones, the fashioning, through shaping or polishing, of gemstones is explained. Emphasis is given on the critical angle in which light rays pass in different rock densities, and then the cutting styles, gemstone polishing, and grading are discussed. Students studying for the Gemmological Association's Preliminary and Diploma examinations, jewelers, lapidarists, and diamond cutters, as well as those engaged in the hobby of gemmology, will find this book helpful and full of information toward their endeavors and hobbies.

Understanding Physical Chemistry is a gentle introduction to the principles and applications of physical chemistry. The book aims to introduce the concepts and theories in a structured manner through a wide range of carefully chosen examples and case studies drawn from everyday life. These real-life examples and applications are presented first, with any necessary chemical and mathematical theory discussed afterwards. This makes the book extremely accessible and directly relevant to the reader. Aimed at undergraduate students taking a first course in physical chemistry, this book offers an accessible applications/examples led approach to enhance understanding and encourage and inspire the reader to learn more about the subject. A comprehensive introduction to physical chemistry starting from first principles. Carefully structured into short, self-contained chapters. Introduces examples and applications first, followed by the necessary chemical theory.