So far 2010 has been a pretty good year although, at times, we thought we might freeze if we had to go outside again.  We are enjoying our new location very much and have added several new customers to our ever growing list.  We have added new friends to our friends on Facebook .  We miss Margaret very much since she decided it was time to retire.  We are also looking forward to Valentines Day and helping find that little or BIG something for that special someone.  Good health and happiness to all, and thank you for making us a part of your lives.

Welcome to 2010,  this is going to be the year that beat 2009!  Dylan Rings has been through some internal changes such as a retirment, a new location, etc.  We will be looking to invite new customers to "Experience the Difference"  at Dylan Rings.  We also want to invite old customers back to remember the difference at Dylan Rings.  Josh and Leslie  wish everyone a Happy New Year,  and hope it is one filled with blessing and happiness.

I was recently made aware of some bad photos,  on our website,  and that some items under $30, as they were being checked out,  were being charged $30 for shipping.  I have already fixed the shipping error,  and most items on our website now have free shipping via USPS.  I will work over the next couple of weeks to fix my bad photos.  I do apologize to all who have viewed these items,  I did not really realize how bad some of them were, that you could not even see through the blurry of some of these pics to view the item. 

A good friend and customer is a business professor at Auburn University @ Montgomery. He asked this past semester if I would allow him and his students to study my business and my industry to come up with a code of ethics and a mission statement for Dylan Rings.  I said sure that would be great!  It turned out to be a lot of fun, I thought, I hope the students did as well.  I had to go to the ethics class to be interviewed by the entire class,  and the class sent three groups of students to the store to interview our employees and Leslie.  As a completion of their project they gave me a framed and matted piece of art that has a code of ethics and mission statement on it,  so that I could display it in the store.  While the class was presenting me with all this and showing me their powerpoint shows ( I will try to get them uploaded later), there was a AUM school newspaper reporter there at the time gathering information for the school paper.  The Montgomery Advertiser then picked it up and ran it in Saturday's paper as well.  The links to the stories are pasted below.

http://www.aum.edu/UR_Media/NandH/091001/RitvoClass.html

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200910030400/business/910030333

There is a mine in south africa that yielded the largest rough diamond ever found.  That stone was cut into a couple different stones and several of them were placed in the crown jewels.  The second largest cut diamond the cullman I was cut from it at 500+ carats and placed in a pin that insets into the royal scepter.  Just this week they found a 507ct rough diamond from that some mine.  It looks as if it is going to be among the best qualities ever found.  And just so you can relate it to another object for comparison in size,  it is the size of and egg.  pretty large stone huh.  they still have not established its value,  but you can be sure it will be a pretty penny.

A very good customer and friend is a professor @ AUM.  This semester he is teaching a business ethics class,  and asked us if we could be his class project.  His students need to create a code of ethics and a mission statement for Dylan Rings.  Last night I went to class to be interviewed by them.  I was nervous at first,  but as it got going I realized I was having a lot of Fun!  Next there will be two groups of students that will come to the store and interview Margaret and Leslie.  When they finish I will need to go back to class to receive the code of ethics and mission statement they came up with.  I will let everyone see a picture of their finished product.  Thanks Roger Ritvo for the opportunity.

Several years ago,  my son wanted a me to make him a ring.  I had a turkey charm i had picked up somewhere,  and added a shank so he could have a turkey ring.  About 6 months later he lost it, and was very upset.  His little sister came to me about two weeks ago and wanted me to make him another turkey ring so she could give him a present from herself.  He has really gotten into fishing in the last two years so we decided a fish pendant would be better.  I cut and formed a fish out of sterling silver and hung it on a leather cord.  He loved it.  Leslie and i both thought it was so very sweet and grown up of our daughter to want to do this for her brother.  Unfortunately she wanted it to give to him before i could get a picture for this blog,  but maybe i'll add it later. Happy Birthday son.  I know it was a good one!

I remember sitting in front of the tv with a good friend who i was training to be a jeweler,  watching the horribleness of that day unfold.  we had lots of work to do, but it did not seem as important as what was unfolding infront of america on tv.  This is the day that changed the world for America,  and set the world down a new path.  We never need to forget what happened or stop fighting to bring the groups responsible to justice.  May god have mercy on thier souls.  and now this morning as it seems a coast guard ship has found a ship on fire on the presidents route to the white house.  may or may not be terrorism,  but it is still a scary reminder to be ever vigilant not to let our guard down or to think this is all in our past.  May god bless and keep america safe,  in your name we pray, Amen.