If a germicidal uv-c bulb is working, there should be a purple light visible. However, you should never look directly at the light or expose skin directly. I usuall put a piece of paper in front when checking. All germicidal uv-c lamps lose their effectiveness over time, even if they are still lit, which is why most uv device manufacturers recommend annual replacement. Something else worth noting, is that some uv device manufacturers install a micro switch as a safety precaution. Here is a link that might be useful: 9 watt uv bulb

Auntjen, thanks for the feedback. I do love having things in my home that remind me of my family. I'm not clear, tho, on your recommendation for waxing the lamp. Do you mean the greenery makes it look like it needs a good wax job and without the greenery it's fine? Or are you recommending that I wax the lamp regardless of whether or not I put the greenery alongside it? I haven't any idea of what I'd look for if I were to wax the lamp. Any help?

Well, I haven't been following the rest of this, but I think this shade looks great on your lamp. ~Becky

Hey you all--thanks for your sympathetic thoughts :) We have been over putting in unpaid time at a catsitting "client" of DD's, a beautiful tortie girl who is living in a really SAD situation and we're trying to give her as much love as we can while she's in DD's charge...long story but I'm CHILLED now and trying to warm up with some chai while I type to you :) Anyway, you're all confirming what I was pretty much thinking, both ways...that round cylinder or drum shades are probably how they were intended, and you know what, I think I'll be going with the cylinder anyway because I like the way the main lines of the linen are oriented -- horizontally -- on the cylinder as opposed to vertically on the oval. Now if I could find an oval with horizontal lines on the shade, I'd have a problem :) but so far no go. So it will be matching round (11") horizontally-oriented linen. The fabric made the decision! And amy, I've been thinking that I really should take pics of the paint job now that it's pretty much done -- but I realized that I didn't take any before pics -- there may be some hanging around, but they may have people in them and I'm not sure I want to post those -- WHY didn't I take before pics??! Because the change is really just huge, from the first-generation Devine drab depressing look to the beautiful but not overexcited overlapping flow of BM Brandon Beige, Pleasant Valley, and Richmond Gray (including one wall of Great Northwest Gray, as I call my personal mix of BB and RG :) -- it really does work, it's not completely muddy, although that would certainly fit the name :)) to a peek of Titanium in the hallway to the Master suite. We have flow and atmosphere now, vs. stop-dead Dried Blood and Dead Skin up on the walls. The matte I'm now completely o.k. with, too -- it really does minimize the horrible sprayed crud they put on the walls out here. But you all can't appreciate it for the change, and maybe it wouldn't come across as wonderful as it does to us...and we're SO not done yet, have to finish stripping the stair rail and waxing/repainting it, finish doing the popcorn and repaint the ceilings...so much...and um, amy, I would actually think that maybe *you* might be close to a photo-share, yourself...?