I love collecting odd ball facts. I heard one today that knocked my socks off. There is a company in Chicago called Life Gem. Anyone can send them a lock of hair or a few grains of cremated remains of a loved one (even a pet!) and in about 18 weeks, they will produce a diamond from it. Makes sense as diamonds are made from carbon, and a large portion of us is carbon. I have always been slightly creeped out by the prospect of ending up in a box six feet under or having my remains scattered about in some designated place. Now I have the chance to be a sparkling diamond!? I had to find out more.
So, I googled Life Gem, and the website,
http://www. Lifegem.com, popped right up. You can order a variety of sizes and colors, choose an inscription if you’d like, and have the stone set into a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. They even have a family plan if you’d like a set of four! And teh stones, from the photos are beautiful.
The truly touching part of the website houses the testimonials. So many people attest to the fact that having this diamond created was a way to manage the grieving process, a truly beautiful way to pay tribute to a loved one so they would never be forgotten.
And then something really remarkable hit me. Perhaps it’s because during dinner last night I was discussing marriage with a few friends of mine: what if a couple decided to have diamond rings made from each other’s locks of hair rather than trekking down to Tiffany’s or Diamond Row? If I could ever find a guy that would go for something like this, I’d know he was the right one for me!
Just goes to show you that there really is a market for just about anything these days…
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
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Christa Avampato 