My mom's ring cost $16 in 1968. It used to have a pattern on its surface, but that's pretty much worn off.

OTOH, my grandmother went through 5 or so wedding or engagement rings. First pair was from the first marriage. When that ended, she kept the rings. New pair for marriage to my grandpa. They wore through after about 10 years (she cleaned for a doctor and blamed it on scrubbing the floors.) Then there was a ring that replaced that for a while, and then for one of their anniversaries, my grandfather took all the stones from the previous rings (including the first marriage!) and a necklace her father had given her when she was 16 and had them set in platinum. It was fawncy (not to my taste at all.) Just before she died, she gave it to the neighbor who'd been pretty much a surrogate daughter. That last act means more to me than the ring ever would.

I never got an engagement ring, though I'd love one. Many small sparkly stones would make me much happier than one big one--though I wouldn't turn down a 1-carat sapphire or something, just so we're clear.

My wedding ring was bought at a yard sale by me when I was in high school, and we needed a ring and didn't want to pony up the cash. So I dug through my jewelry box and said, "This is pretty." It's still on my hand, with another ring on my middle finger that matches the one Hubby wears now.

A knee to the groin is better than a kick. You have better balance. I've heard.

Depends on circumstance. You can kick someone in the groin and be outside their arm range. If you're going to knee them, unless you're performing a flying knee you're within arm range--you want those neutralised or mitigated, because it's really easy from that position to end up on the ground, and on the bottom to boot.

You have to be close to punch someone in the nuts, but your feet can be dedicated to moving you in and out quickly, whereas with a knee you have to get there, make sure you're in a good stance for power (which isn't always the first stance you end up in, deliver the blow, recover your stance, and get out.

This conversation makes me think about my own engagement ring, which was my grandmother's, so it's an old, mine cut diamond. It's small and pretty and I love it because it made my mother happy to give it to me.

I never really had a thing about diamonds either for or against. I like other precious gems just as much as diamonds, but I like diamonds too. But I definitely prefer older settings.

True. I'm thinking if I'm kicking or punching, I'm already in his clutches and trying to get free.

I love my great-grandmother's ring. It's a european cut diamond in a platinum art deco setting with hearts and four leaf clovers.

Fucking gorgeous colour.

I'm thinking if I'm kicking or punching, I'm already in his clutches and trying to get free.

It's hard to kick someone who already has you in their clutches, though. Unless they're a lot taller than you. A lot. And/or you're flexible.

The sapphire is beautiful.

I avoid diamonds b/c I don't want to support DeBeers, not to mention the blood diamond trade, but I have no idea if other gem industries are similarly affected. Anyone know? Or even better, have sources?

There are some things you just learn from the culture around you, you know? Like, I know the difference between a morning coat and a tuxedo jacket

Now I would have said that the difference between morning coat and tuxedo jacket is much more esoteric knowledge than the difference between wedding and engagement rings. That said, I am hard put to come up with a male gendered equivalent. Maybe the difference between a washer and a gasket?

Maybe the difference between a washer and a gasket?

Many of the things under the hood of a car or that happen on a football field.

Though I'd think knowing engagement and weddings were different might be a big tipoff...