vickyc

[vickyc]

[vickyc]

©Nannimensch/Jurljin

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“It’s so nice when toxic people stop talking to you. It’s like the trash took itself out.”

— Unknown

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Martha Gellhorn, from a letter to David Gurewitsch featured in The Selected Letters of Martha Gellhorn

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[vickyc]

Public Service Announcement: Epoxy Resins

Epoxy resin, widely used in crafts, is typically a two-part thermosetting polymer made from:

1. Epoxy (Part A) – usually bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) or similar variants. This is the resin base.

2. Hardener (Part B) – commonly a polyamine or anhydride curing agent.

Chemical Breakdown:

• DGEBA (resin): Full name: Bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether. Formula: C₂₁H₂₄O₄. It’s a viscous liquid containing epoxide functional groups that react with the hardener.

• Polyamine (hardener): These are compounds with multiple amine groups (–NH₂), such as triethylenetetramine (TETA). They initiate the crosslinking reaction by opening the epoxide rings in DGEBA, forming a solid 3D network.

The Curing Reaction: is an exothermic reaction (releases heat) that leads to a hardened, durable plastic-like material. Once cured, epoxy resin is chemically resistant, clear (or tinted), and very strong—ideal for jewelry, river tables, coating art, etc.

Is Epoxy Resin Sustainable or Biodegradable?

No, traditional epoxy resin is not biodegradable, and it’s not considered sustainable.

Why not?

• Epoxy resins, especially those made from bisphenol-A (BPA), are petrochemical-based.

• After curing, the material forms a highly crosslinked polymer network, which is extremely durable and resistant to natural degradation.

• Microorganisms can’t break it down like they can with natural polymers (e.g. cellulose or starch).

How Long Does It Last?

• In the environment, epoxy resin could persist for hundreds of years, depending on conditions.

• It does not degrade under normal composting or landfill conditions.

How you can help:

Do not buy products (art, craft) made of Epoxy Resins.

If you have that kind of influence, call for a total ban on non-essential Epoxy Resin based products.

Spread the word!! Often, artists jump on a trend to make quick money or copy someone else if they’ve created something pretty without thinking about the sustainability aspect.

Ask agencies like Fridays for Future and Greenpeace to support such grassroots initiatives too.

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[vickyc]

What are these Blazes and Badges?? Where did the old Tumblr go? I want that back. Simple. Engaging. No nonsense (except all the adult content of course - not missing that!).

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-Anaïs Nin, 1939

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In my experience, some teachers don’t even teach, trainers don’t train, mentors don’t mentor. Find your own path.

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Society cockroach.

There was a popular Hindi-language movie that released in the 90s in India which introduced the concept of ‘gutter cockroaches’ and ‘society cockroaches’. The protagonist is drunk and expresses his frustration with his bosses and their corruption. Gutter cockroaches, says he, die when you spray a pesticide on them. Society cockroaches, on the other hand, seemingly cannot be killed. They come back over and over again, infecting larger and larger parts of civilized society and making society cockroaches of them as well. He is of course, drawing an analogy to two types of human beings.

We have a few of those society cockroaches in the condo where I live: people who look through our windows when they walk by looking for the smallest of cracks in the curtain to peep through, people who stand outside our bedroom windows and have long-winded, loud conversations with their ‘society friends’, people who refuse to respect the night-time silence rules even at 2:00 am, people who think the appearance of wealth is more crucial than having real wealth, people who look down on others because those ‘others’ don’t own an expensive car, people who have a maid to help clean their houses, a cook, a driver and an assorted selection of handymen on speed-dial but still can only get their slow-walking-while-running-their-mouth exercise past 22:00 at night, people who think brown skin is something to be ashamed of -yes, those types too!- even if they themselves seem to be only a pinprick away from bursting and scattering their last 54 meals on the walkways for the pigeons to pick at.

[vickyc]

I’m back to inhabiting this weird corner of the internet.