Lifestyle

Treat the Pandemic Blues with a Wrist Candy Pick-Me-Up

Published

5 years ago

February 9, 2021

The past year was a slog for all of us. Job loss or uncertainty, isolation, worry about your family and friends, or having to recover from Covid-19, political turmoil, social unrest…it was a terrible year. As the new year begins, it is time to give yourself a little reward for surviving last year. Go ahead and indulge in some gorgeous wrist candy to pick up your spirits and remind yourself you’re worth it. Reward yourself with a diamond tennis bracelet, and you are sure to feel more positive moving forward.

Stop Neglecting Yourself

Psychologists say many people are suffering from mild depression during the pandemic. It’s no surprise that not being able to get out and about can dampen your mood. An outgrowth of staying home all the time is that many people stop caring about their appearance. There’s no reason to put on makeup or get out of your pajamas if you’re not seeing anyone, right? Wrong! It’s crucial to your sense of self to continue to practice self-care, and that includes looking great so you feel great.

Your jewelry and best clothes shouldn’t be languishing in jewelry boxes, drawers, or closets just because they won’t be on display for the world. Get up in the morning, put on a beautiful outfit, slip a diamond tennis bracelet on your wrist, and you’ll immediately feel ready to conquer the world from right in your living room.

Dress the Part for Work

If you have to participate in Zoom meetings or Skype, take the time to look professional. Although most businesses have relaxed their standards for those working from home during the pandemic, that doesn’t mean they aren’t noticing who takes the time to put their best foot forward. You’ll also feel more energetic and focused on those meetings if you’re in a suit and wearing diamond earrings than if you have on fuzzy slippers and sweats.

Remember watching YouTube videos of the television host who accidentally showed the world he was wearing boxer underwear? Don’t be the person remembered for that kind of mistake! Be the one remembered for looking smashing even when working from your living room couch.

Celebrating the Big Things AND the Little Things

Diamond tennis bracelets are often given as gifts to celebrate milestones in our lives – the birth of a baby, a promotion at work, a birthday, an anniversary. During a pandemic, it’s more important than ever to mark these milestones in unforgettable ways so that we can look back and remember that even during a pandemic, there were moments of joy.

If you’ve been thinking of giving someone you love a gift of diamond jewelry, make this the year. There are endless styles of rose gold, yellow gold, and white gold tennis bracelets t choose from, and you can shop for them online, even during lockdowns and shelter-at-home. You’ll be able to customize the look and have a fabulous diamond tennis bracelet or elegant gemstone piece delivered right to your door.

Even without a significant life even on the horizon, there’s no better time to celebrate with some wrist candy. You and your partner survived living together 24/7 for months? Show your appreciation with some fine jewelry! He’s learned how to cook now that he works from home? A man’s diamond tennis bracelet will let him know you’ve noticed his new skills in the kitchen. Made it through another week teaching your kids at home? Order a gemstone or diamond tennis bracelet for being your family’s official teacher of the year!

And where is the best place to buy a diamond bracelet? SuperJeweler.com is an amazing website for diamond jewelry of all kinds!

The Best Kind of Online Shopping

We’ve all been indulging in retail therapy during the pandemic. Those late-night forays on Amazon when we can’t sleep can lead to questionable purchases. If you’ve ordered a burrito blanket or a robot dog at 1:00 am because you thought it would cheer you up, you also know what buyer’s remorse is. You get that sinking feeling when a box arrives at your door, and you know it has something in it that you’re going to want to return.

On the other hand, a diamond tennis bracelet is an investment in fine jewelry that you’ll love just as much years from now as you do today. It won’t lose its value; you can wear it with any outfit, and it will bring a smile to your face every time you slip it on your wrist. You’ll also look fantastic and elevate your style. It’s always money well spent. The anticipation of ordering jewelry online is only surmounted by the pleasure of opening the box and appreciating the sparkle as you wrap it around your wrist for the first time. Every time you wear a diamond tennis bracelet, you’ll enjoy that same feeling. It never goes out of style.

Everyday Jewelry Just for You

You don’t have to reserve fine jewelry for special occasions anymore. Diamonds in particular are an excellent choice for wearing at home. They are the hardest, most durable gemstone in the world, so you don’t have to worry about damaging them. You can wear your diamond tennis bracelet to wash dishes, do the dusting, log on to work, or play with your pet.

If you plan to spend the day lounging in your favorite slouchy sweater and yoga pants, toss on some diamonds. You’ll instantly feel special. As you move your arm, a diamond tennis bracelet will sparkle and shine, adding some glamour to your day, even if you’re just binge watching your favorite show.

Why a Tennis Bracelet?

When shopping for wrist candy, a diamond tennis bracelet is a practical and elegant choice. The style is timeless and works well with everything from casual tees to your most formal clothing, but it is also durable. Some bracelets are delicate by nature – thin strands of gold that can kink, heavy bangles that can scratch, or elaborate mountings that can catch and snag.

Diamond tennis bracelets are designed to stand up to everyday wear. The individual stones are set in gold or platinum mountings that are arranged close together, providing additional strength. You can also choose from various options such as prong settings for maximum light refraction and channel settings that more fully protect the stones and give the illusion of an unbroken line of shimmer.

Wrist Candy as a Symbol of Survival

The pandemic will pass and become a memory for many of us. Nothing lasts forever, except diamonds. Buying some wrist candy now to symbolize surviving a very touch year is a way to commemorate your resilience. Years from now, you’ll admire your diamond tennis bracelet and smile because you came through it with style and grace.

Lifestyle

Confronting Propaganda: Street Smart Documents Honest Reactions to Gaza Indoctrination Footage

Published

3 days ago

November 6, 2025

Michelle Langton

Photo Courtesy of: Street Smart

Byline: Michelle Langton

In a recent project, the Street Smart team gathered 20 strangers and presented them with propaganda footage from Gaza that has circulated widely online but remains largely unfamiliar to many audiences. The aim wasn’t to provoke outrage or test media literacy in a classroom setting. It was to capture raw, unfiltered emotional reactions to material that reveals how narratives are formed at the source. The resulting video offers a candid look at how people process shocking content and how their perceptions shift when they see what is rarely shown on mainstream platforms.

The Structure of the Experiment

The format was simple. Participants were seated and shown a series of clips from Gaza, including children’s programming and broadcasts containing intense ideological messaging. No background information was provided, and viewers were not instructed on how to interpret what they were seeing. After watching, they were asked for immediate reactions.

The footage elicited a wide range of emotions. Some viewers were stunned by the content, admitting they had never seen anything like it before. Others expressed disbelief, questioning why this kind of material isn’t more widely discussed. A few were visibly shaken, saying the experience fundamentally altered their understanding of the situation.

By presenting the footage without narration or added commentary, Street Smart allowed participants’ genuine responses to emerge. The experiment revealed how propaganda can affect an entire generation. It can shock, unsettle, and force people to reconsider their assumptions.

Why This Project Matters

Sage Fox and Dorani aligned the purpose of this experiment with Street Smart’s broader mission of challenging prevailing narratives and encouraging critical thought among younger audiences. In an environment where footage spreads rapidly across digital platforms, propaganda can shape public opinion long before context catches up.

By showing the Gaza Indoctrination footage in a controlled setting and recording uncoached responses, the team aimed to expose the emotional and cognitive impact of this type of content.

“The first reaction is often the most revealing, because it shows how powerful images can be without context.”

The Range of Reactions

While each participant brought their own perspective, several themes emerged. Some expressed sympathy with the imagery itself, saying it was emotionally powerful.

One participant said, “It makes me question what I see online every day. How much of it is shaped this way?”

Their comments highlight how propaganda resonates differently depending on prior knowledge and exposure. Many viewers have simply never encountered such footage directly.

Street Smart’s Approach

This project continues a pattern established by Sage Fox & Dorani’s earlier videos. Rather than relying on experts or lengthy analysis, Street Smart focuses on real people and their honest reactions. The approach is simple but effective. Present potent material, listen to what people say, and share those moments with a wider audience.

The Gaza Indoctrination footage experiment fits this model. It doesn’t attempt to draw final conclusions or offer political commentary. Instead, it documents how people respond when they’re exposed to narratives that are usually filtered through intermediaries.

Implications for Media Literacy

Beyond its viral potential, the video raises broader questions about how people interact with powerful imagery online. Propaganda operates on emotional reflexes. As this experiment shows, those reflexes are often unexamined until they’re brought to the surface.

Sage Fox & Dorani hope that projects like this push audiences to think more critically about what they see and share.

“The purpose is not to tell people what to believe. It is to remind them that every image comes from somewhere, and that source matters,” they said.

Next Steps for Street Smart

As Street Smart’s platform grows, Sage Fox & Dorani plan to conduct similar experiments in different contexts. They intend to use their direct, street-level approach to highlight how people react when presented with challenging material.

The Gaza footage project is one piece of a larger mission. The team uses simple methods to shed light on complex issues. By focusing on authentic reactions, they continue to build a unique space in online media that blends cultural investigation with raw human response.

A Window into Unfiltered Thought

“We showed 20 strangers real propaganda footage from Gaza — and filmed their unfiltered reactions” is not a dramatic exposé or academic study. It is a clear, unmediated record of how individuals respond when confronted with material designed to persuade. In that restraint lies its strength.

By documenting these moments, Street Smart shows how awareness can begin with a pause. A brief space between seeing and believing.