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Alas, my ring is a Walmart ring. And I still think my husband paid too much for it. I'm just that cheap.
Yep, mine is Service Merchandise, which I don't even think exists anymore. And he paid for it with his Discover card because he couldn't afford to buy it. I didn't like that he paid for it with credit, which is why I didn't want one to begin with. But after someone extends themselves like that for you what are you going to do but love it anyway?
We no longer have a Discover card....just realized that.
Alas, my ring is a Walmart ring. And I still think my husband paid too much for it. I'm just that cheap.
It's not a generational thing, though. Younger, older.. some women are just into all that crap.
My parents didn't have any money growing up in West Virginia, but my Mom was always the type who you knew had always wished she married a doctor instead of my Dad. She's big into name brand dropping when folks come over, and she HAS to tell folks what store she got what at, make sure they know it wasn't "cheap", etc etc. Drove me nuts as a kid.
I remember for her birthday once I was flipping through channels on TV and that QVC show had Joan Rivers on it with jewelry she makes. I knew my mom liked Joan Rivers, so I watched the shpeal, and ordered her this jemstone pin thingy that looked like a bee. Wasn't super cheap, either. Well, when she got it, she thanked me because she really liked the bee aspect of it.... but of course asked me where I got it. When I told her it was from QVC she goes, "Oh my, you probably wasted your money on something that's really fake since it's not from a real store". So, until then it was really cool. After she heard where it came from, according to my Sister, she put it in her jewelry box and has never worn it, because she can't brag about what jewelry store it came from. In hind site, years ago I got her a scarf from Neiman Marcus (bargain table, but she never knew that). Knowing where it came from, she wore it just about every day and told every old bitty in her retirement apartment community what store it came from. Needless to say, after the "bee incident", I only buy Mom greeting cards and lottery tickets now - no gifts.
I used to have a neighbor in some apartments where I lived who was talking to another neighbor at the pool one day. She said if she ever found out her husband bought her anything from Wal-mart she'd file for divorce the next day - and she really sounded like she meant it. Wow.
There are only a handful of diamond mines in the world. Most of the jewelry stores get their stuff from the same suppliers. I just don't get the name brand junk. Sure, some places have better PRICES than others, but it seems from these commercials that prices have nothing to do with it. They're just interested in the name. Sad.
I remember for her birthday once I was flipping through channels on TV and that QVC show had Joan Rivers on it with jewelry she makes. I knew my mom liked Joan Rivers, so I watched the shpeal, and ordered her this jemstone pin thingy that looked like a bee. Wasn't super cheap, either. Well, when she got it, she thanked me because she really liked the bee aspect of it.... but of course asked me where I got it. When I told her it was from QVC she goes, "Oh my, you probably wasted your money on something that's really fake since it's not from a real store". So, until then it was really cool. After she heard where it came from, according to my Sister, she put it in her jewelry box and has never worn it, because she can't brag about what jewelry store it came from. In hind site, years ago I got her a scarf from Neiman Marcus (bargain table, but she never knew that). Knowing where it came from, she wore it just about every day and told every old bitty in her retirement apartment community what store it came from. Needless to say, after the "bee incident", I only buy Mom greeting cards and lottery tickets now - no gifts.
Ok, I apologize but I'm deviating a bit from the topic here... but....
My Mom once wanted a webTV device to surf the web from her TV. She mentioned it over and over. I got her one and when I sent it, she said she didn't want it because she "wanted to pick her own out, and the one I got wasn't the type she wanted". They only made two at the time, but it didn't matter. She sent it back. I couldn't take it back either - it was a clearance item somewhere, so it wound up being trashed. On a more recent note, my sister just bought my Mom one of those "medic alert" systems where you wear a necklace and have a cell phone device where you can call for help if you have an emergency, plus paid for 3 YEARS of monitoring service for her ($$$). Mom accidentally pressed the button ONCE, and when the guy came over the speakerphone to check on her, it freaked her out. She then says it's not any good since it didn't come from a department store, and is making my Sister take it back.
My Dad made a very modest income, and their retirement apartment was decorated "comfortably" in terms of recliner chairs, sofa, etc. Standard furniture. When my Dad passed, Mom took a chunk of the insurance money he left to completely refurnish the place. She dumped his favorite recliner and replaced with it a paisley gold-armed "rich looking" chair, custom drapes so she could tell folks they were "made custom just for her", etc. There's no evidence Dad ever even lived there now. There are other examples of this type of behavior, but you get the point. But this isn't a sobby bad Mom story - I'm saying there's LOTS of women AND men out there who are like this - you just might (luckily) not be exposed to them much unless you have on in your family.
Sorry for the Mom stories, but this lady is 75 years old. Some folks are complaining that's it's the younger women who are so hung up on the jewelry and materialistic things, but Mom is a shining example about how some folks have been doing it since long before we were born and before there were these TV commercials. (men included). We can kinda sorta blame the commercials for adding fuel to younger girl's fires, but again, lots of people picked up this kind of mentality long before commercials like this were ever on Tv.
I agree that it's been around and it's not particularly generational.
But I had a mom who took the railroad daisies we brought her and put them in vases, wore the pasta necklaces we made her, and decorated our Xmas tree with all the handmade ornaments we made in school. I mean she STILL decorates their tree with construction paper crap ornaments we made in second grade, etc, even though they're falling apart.
And even though my dad was a dentist (recently retired) and made a comfortable living and he bought her a lot of really nice jewelry over the years....she NEVER traded in HER little half-carat cheapy diamond my dad bought her when he was in the Army.
Funny thing...a lot of that really nice jewelry my dad bought her over the years...she doesn't wear so much of it now that she's in her 60s and she's started farming it out to us kids. I end up with the earrings because if I do wear jewelry that's all I wear (besides my wedding stuff).
*hugs* to you Greg for not having a sentimental mom....everyone deserves a sappy mom!
Tomorrow I am so going to be sappy to my son until he begs me to leave him alone.....
But I had a mom who took the railroad daisies we brought her and put them in vases, wore the pasta necklaces we made her, and decorated our Xmas tree with all the handmade ornaments we made in school. I mean she STILL decorates their tree with construction paper crap ornaments we made in second grade, etc, even though they're falling apart.
There are only a handful of diamond mines in the world. Most of the jewelry stores get their stuff from the same suppliers. I just don't get the name brand junk. Sure, some places have better PRICES than others, but it seems from these commercials that prices have nothing to do with it. They're just interested in the name. Sad.
Handful that are selling, that is. Diamonds are everywhere. Truth is, diamonds aren't rare at all and there is no difference between the real stuff or the fake except for a micronumber tattooed on the real diamonds. Quite sad that people don't get this yet...
I not only got my ring @ Walmart - I got proposed to @ Walmart - True Story.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anadyr21
Alas, my ring is a Walmart ring. And I still think my husband paid too much for it. I'm just that cheap.
My husband and I separated for three full years. During that period I needed money, I thought we were done for good, so I pawned my wedding set.
When we finally reconciled I wanted to have something on my left ring finger. But I really wasn't interested in getting another diamond... when I had a diamond, it spent more time in my top drawer than on my finger. It took me a couple of weeks to convince my husband that I really did not want another diamond, a gold band wedding band would suit me just fine.
Finally he said, "Okay, let's go get you that plain gold wedding band you want - where do you want to go too get it?" I told him I'd seen gold bands in Walmart's Sunday flier, and their prices looked good. He looked at me like, "You've got to be kidding!"
I told him I really didn't wanted to spend much money on a ring and I figured Walmart was as good as any place to get what I wanted - it's not like anyone would know if it came from Walmart or one of the fancy jewelry stores. He said, "Not unless you tell them, and I know you, you will probably tell everyone I bought your ring at Walmart." I said, "NO! I won't tell anyone where we got the ring, it will be our little secret."
So we went to Walmart and I picked out a gold band which I think cost $60. While my husband paid it, I turned my back to look at other items. The next thing I knew I was hearing his voice....
I turned around, and there he was, on one knee, in the middle of Walmart's jewelry department... "Susan, will you marry me all over again?"
I didn't even know what to say. You know how it is when everything slows down while your mind is frantically searching for words?
I was thinking, "What do I say? I do? No, that's what you say at the alter. What am I suppose to say?!" Finally I found it
I blurted out - practically shouted... "YES!"
A woman, standing behind my husband, covered her mouth with her hands.... "Ohhh! Ahhhh! Ohhh!"
I thought to myself, "Let's get the hell out of here before they corner us for a cheesy Walmart commercial!" I gave my husband a quick kiss while grabbing him by the sleeve of his jacket and pulling him to his feet. The woman was still making oooh and aaaah sounds as we pushed past her.... I mumbled, "It's just a replacement ring."
We escaped.
On the drive home I said to my husband, "Okay, you got me good - I really was NOT expecting you to propose to me, LEAST of all at Walmart! Really, how many people get proposed to at WALMART?"
My husband pointed out the window, "I don't know, how many married people do you think live over there?" He was pointing at a trailer park! LOL - that's why I married the guy in the first place... he could always make me laugh!
BTW, this was the first time I'd ever been proposed to.... the first time around we were 21 and 25 years old. We simply proclaimed our love for one another, talked about getting married, went to the mall and picked out our rings, set a date, planned the wedding ceremony - and got married! [No, we didn't "have" to get married! ]
BTW, as far as I am concerned, my husband blew our pact about not telling anyone where I got my replacement ring from when he got down on one knee and proposed to me...
Seriously, what girl doesn't tell the world when the love of her life gets down on one knee and proposes marriage to her?
Footnote: people in Minnesota often ask us why we got married in March. I tell them in Atlanta, where we got married, the tulips were in bloom the day we got married. It was March 2nd - and SPRING was in the air! We got married at the Methodist Church in Candler Park, our reception and dance were held in the basement of the church. March in Minnesota? Just imagine snow blackened by car emissions melting into slush, when patches of brown grass start to appear, so do the doggy piles which were previously hidden under the snow. March in Minnesota is never a beautiful setting for a wedding.
Last edited by StPaulEastSider; 05-09-2009 at 02:27 AM..
Reason: grammar
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I not only got my ring @ Walmart - I got proposed to @ Walmart - True Story.
LOL - that's why I married the guy in the first place... he could always make me laugh!
] 
March in Minnesota? Just imagine snow blackened by car emissions melting into slush, when patches of brown grass start to appear, so do the doggy piles which were previously hidden under the snow. March in Minnesota is never a beautiful setting for a wedding.
