anygunanywhere wrote:I'm still married to my first wife.
As I have aged I also have examined my life with Mrs. Anygun. I love her more now than I ever have. She is everything to me.
One of the realizations that I have made through my examinations is that when I sacrifice everything for her and do not expect anything in return, our marriage is joyful. When I am selfish and focus on me, times get rough.
When you marry her, you both are one. Give her everything. Hold nothing back.
Anygunanywhere
He says this because she is a member also and will read his post, prob needs the browny points.
My wife is a jeweler - so buying any jewelry for her is a challenge.
When it came time to pick out her ring, luck had it that a good (F) friend of mine back home in Tennessee was who also close to engagement. I asked her (and her boyfriend) to come visit us in Houston for a weekend, and the girls 'just happened to go ring shopping' while the BF and I went elsewhere to do 'guy things'.
My friend came back with very exacting specs for me (ring size, shape, cut of the stone, etc...), and I was able to surprise my wife-to-be by picking the exact ring she wanted (without over-spending on things she didn't really want).
One last thing (this is not an advertisement for my wife's store or services), you might find that you can get a custom-built ring from a local jeweler, rather than shopping one of the major jewelry stores - and you might be able to do it for a fraction of the cost. Your bride will love that she has a one-of-a-kind ring, rather than one you picked off the assembly-line showroom.
Your best option for personal security is a lifelong commitment to avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.
When those fail, aim for center mass.
my engagement ring is a simple single diamond ring on a band, our rings are James Avery crosses, fairly simple, not terribly expensive by current standards, but 25 years ago two college grads...wow...they seemed outrageous....for our 25th he bought me a James Avery band with 5 diamonds that I wear with them, it's a lovely set and very meaningful.
Something you may want to think of is will she wear the ring at work? I know she can't wear it during surgery, but will she wear it in the office? If not, maybe simple is more reasonable? You should know her style by now, and if you're not sure, then propose without the ring and ask her to go with you to pick out a ring, absolutely nothing wrong with that.
~Tracy
Gun control is what you talk about when you don't want to talk about the truth ~ Colion Noir
SewTexas wrote:my engagement ring is a simple single diamond ring on a band, our rings are James Avery crosses, fairly simple, not terribly expensive by current standards, but 25 years ago two college grads...wow...they seemed outrageous....for our 25th he bought me a James Avery band with 5 diamonds that I wear with them, it's a lovely set and very meaningful.
Something you may want to think of is will she wear the ring at work? I know she can't wear it during surgery, but will she wear it in the office? If not, maybe simple is more reasonable? You should know her style by now, and if you're not sure, then propose without the ring and ask her to go with you to pick out a ring, absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Most surgeons I hear pull a Frodo Baggins and wear it on a chain, Yo'.
Vol Texan wrote:My wife is a jeweler - so buying any jewelry for her is a challenge.
When it came time to pick out her ring, luck had it that a good (F) friend of mine back home in Tennessee was who also close to engagement. I asked her (and her boyfriend) to come visit us in Houston for a weekend, and the girls 'just happened to go ring shopping' while the BF and I went elsewhere to do 'guy things'.
My friend came back with very exacting specs for me (ring size, shape, cut of the stone, etc...), and I was able to surprise my wife-to-be by picking the exact ring she wanted (without over-spending on things she didn't really want).
One last thing (this is not an advertisement for my wife's store or services), you might find that you can get a custom-built ring from a local jeweler, rather than shopping one of the major jewelry stores - and you might be able to do it for a fraction of the cost. Your bride will love that she has a one-of-a-kind ring, rather than one you picked off the assembly-line showroom.
Buy the ring online if you want to save a load of cash. I bought my fiancé's ring at Bluenile.com. It worked out well and was super easy. No sales pressure to deal with either.
TheCytochromeC wrote:My girlfriend and I have been dating for four years in Feb. I'm thinking about asking her to marry me at/after dinner on our anniversary. I think it's certainly time to do so. I'm starting to look at engagement rings. All I can say is it hurts me, deep inside, to spend that much money without any NFA stamps to show for it.
Any advice fellas, or ladies?
If you're going to begrudge her the cost of the ring....this might not be the time.
TheCytochromeC wrote:My girlfriend and I have been dating for four years in Feb. I'm thinking about asking her to marry me at/after dinner on our anniversary. I think it's certainly time to do so. I'm starting to look at engagement rings. All I can say is it hurts me, deep inside, to spend that much money without any NFA stamps to show for it.
Any advice fellas, or ladies?
My advice is don't get engaged, much less married, until you're sure you want to spend the rest of your life with your girlfriend. Getting engaged because of "time served" is common but a big mistake from what I see around me.
Vol Texan wrote:My wife is a jeweler - so buying any jewelry for her is a challenge.
When it came time to pick out her ring, luck had it that a good (F) friend of mine back home in Tennessee was who also close to engagement. I asked her (and her boyfriend) to come visit us in Houston for a weekend, and the girls 'just happened to go ring shopping' while the BF and I went elsewhere to do 'guy things'.
My friend came back with very exacting specs for me (ring size, shape, cut of the stone, etc...), and I was able to surprise my wife-to-be by picking the exact ring she wanted (without over-spending on things she didn't really want).
One last thing (this is not an advertisement for my wife's store or services), you might find that you can get a custom-built ring from a local jeweler, rather than shopping one of the major jewelry stores - and you might be able to do it for a fraction of the cost. Your bride will love that she has a one-of-a-kind ring, rather than one you picked off the assembly-line showroom.
When my wife and I were married, second marriage each, I suggested we go shop for rings. We could afford anything we wanted, no problem. She didn't want to spend money on jewelry, and we have no rings even now, 25 years later. I had a very expensive Rolex watch, and offered to buy a matching one for her; she refused. The Casio solar powered one she had was more than good enough.
Some years ago, we were somewhere, I don't now recall. We saw an enormous "diamond" in a ring, Zirconium I think they are called, for $25. I did talk her into that, and all the ladies at the Yacht Club were bowled over with envy. Silly, silly, silly! Some women have the sense to prefer an account with good stocks to rings and a diamond.
Frankly it is unwise to go into debt for expensive rings, fancy weddings and elaborate honeymoons, after which you are a slave to your credit cards for a long time, and God help you if some unforeseen situation arises to knock you off schedule.
I've learned that if the relationship is right, rings add nothing, and if it isn't, rings won't save it.
Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me.
SewTexas wrote:You should know her style by now, and if you're not sure, then propose without the ring and ask her to go with you to pick out a ring, absolutely nothing wrong with that.
This is what my wife and I did when we got engaged. She picked a very pretty, but understated, engagement band, and specifically requested plain wedding bands for her and me. My father-in-law commented later that every couple he knew with simple, plain rings seemed to last, and every couple that had mortgage payments on jewelry got divorced in 2 to 5 years.
Of course, the folks I work with were horrified that I hadn't spent $10k plus on a ring. I was horrified that apparently, some of them HAD. But then, many of them are divorced, too, some multiple times.
"Frankly it is unwise to go into debt for expensive rings, fancy weddings and elaborate honeymoons, after which you are a slave to your credit cards for a long time, and God help you if some unforeseen situation arises to knock you off schedule."
JALLEN is right on the money with this bit of wisdom!
...and I'll add, if you do decide to marry, please don't presume upon your friends by telling them where you're REGISTERED. This bit of ugliness has become de rigueur by some of the more greedy types...
I spent all the money I had for Mrs. DocV's engagement ring. Yup. A grand total of $160 bucks that I was paid for my month at ROTC summer camp went to the jewelry counter at the AAFES. Mrs DocV still wears the engagement ring, although the 1/4 carat diamond has been 'upgraded' a couple of times during the last 43 years.
Be different, be a trend setter. Forget about an engagement ring and buy her an engagement ccw instead. Play it safe though, don't give it to her loaded.
01/19/2013 CHL Class - 03/25/2013 CHL Arrived
NRA Life Member
NRA Basic Pistol Instructor
