Basking in It Some More
2006-08-17, 4:36 p.m.

Day 725a Basking in It Some More

Got a some really great, to the point comments about the ring thing. Thought I�d throw a quickie up here to maybe hit on a few salient points (oohh � big word there . . .)

Number A � I don�t think I mentioned that several (hundred) times, Cindy asked me if I was ok with her making the switch. I responded with slightly varying degrees of affirmatives every time. Like Liz mentioned, it IS her hand, she should be able to wear what she wants. I really do not need to like it, I guess.

Number 2 � She at least did finally get the idea out of her head that she could somehow combine the 3 rings into one gross monstrosity. Even the saleswoman (NMK is all I know her by) agreed that it would be pretty bad. Plus it would have been $210 just to remount the one big diamond. Ouch!

And a 3 � I�m upset with myself for letting this all go on when she really wasn�t fit for public consumption. True � that�s her problem, but it does reflect on the rest of her family too.

We�re up to D � It�s not just the swapping of the ring, the drunk in public or the smart ass remark about not having made a salad (when she had 2 more hours home than I did, but I get shit for not making a salad), it�s the accumulation of those 3 plus a bunch of other things all running in the undercurrents. I�m scrambling hard to be a happy guy, but the undertow is threatening to suck me down. Time to swim parallel to shore for a while.

Finally the 5th � In spite of me giving a grudging thumbs up to the swap, it stings a bit (ok � a lot) to have something that I picked out, that, to me, represents 25 years of trying to forge a partnership, get traded in on something that I just don�t think much of. Personally, I think it looks like crap. Nothing is the same scale, the mount prongs of the larger diamond hang over the smaller diamonds in the wrap-around ring and it all just looks messy. I saw the wrap rings when I was in the store the first time and specifically avoided them. There is nothing aesthetically pleasing about it at all. There is also nothing there that represents 25 years of marriage to me. I might be an insensitive lout and an geek engineer, but I do know when a piece of art is right. This thing ain�t right.

I have a picture of the original ring from Tuesday night. I�ll make sure to save that, and get a picture of the new combo deal ring when we pick it up next Friday. That�ll be 2000 words worth of photo�s. I�ll let them speak.

Cindy keeps pestering me to put my wedding band back on, especially now that I�ve dropped so much weight. I had removed it because of work. First I worked with lots of 240V, high current wiring, stuffed deep inside film processors and the like. You just don�t go shoving your hand into areas like that with chunks of very good electrical conductors stuck on your fingers. Good way to lose them. Now, I work with lasers a lot. Jewelry of all kinds is a bad idea in our labs. The lasers we have are powerful enough to poke your eye out (burn a hole in your retina) if you get a stray reflections. Heck, I don�t even wear a watch for fear of reflections. My wedding band might actually fit, but because of work, I really shouldn�t wear it. Maybe I can strike a compromise and wear it weekends or something, but I ain�t feeling to compromising of late. Is that being passive aggressive? Probably, huh?

To everybody that sent comments � thanks bunches. I will be mulling this over for a few days (weeks, months) yet, and will certainly consider everything y�all have said. This will eventually pass and seem like an insignificant little bump in the road, but right now, I just wanna soak in it and learn what I can from it.

Besides, a little pissed offedness might come in handy during that race Saturday morning. Might have to save it up for Sports post holes too. Speakin of Sport � do remember to send in your $0.02 on the issue. I�m interested in hearing your opinion too.

I gotta go mull or something.

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