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The Heart Beat: What Does it Mean to Ditch Your Wedding Ring?
MSN.com ^ | April 3, 2012 | Tue 6:20 PM | By Kristin Wong

Posted on 04/04/2012 11:36:32 PM PDT by thecodont

While most of the women I know wouldn’t stand for it, there’s been a lot of buzz around husbands opting not to wear their wedding bands.

According to some experts, people just don’t value the symbolism in a ring like they used to.

“I know I’m married, everybody else knows I’m married. I just don’t have no desire to wear it, at all.”

Richard Rhodes has been happily married for 15 years and says he hasn’t worn his ring since he tied the knot.

“I took it off right after the reception and I ain’t seen it since,” said Rhodes.

But the wedding ring is not just a symbol of love for married couples; it’s also an “off-limits” sign for singles.

Psychiatrist Gary Malone says that when a man decides not to wear his ring, it’s usually because he wants to “present himself as not married.” We didn’t need a psychiatrist to tell us that, but it helps.

“He gets all the payoff of presenting himself as single, while he actually gets the other payoff of having a wife at home,” Malone says.

(Excerpt) Read more at living.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Society
KEYWORDS: customs; marriage; weddingring; weddingrings; weddings
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To: Brad's Gramma
And YOU are a jerk.

I agree with you. I only take mine off to shower or when I work around HV.

My apologies to a certain Sheraton in Mexico City. The bathroom sink trap just did not go back together well when I retrieved my ring. Really. I am sorry about that.
21 posted on 04/05/2012 12:53:59 AM PDT by PA Engineer (Time to beat the swords of government tyranny into the plowshares of freedom.)
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To: Windflier

My parents have been married for over 30 years and dont have rings. And no she doesnt use a madian name.

Rings are symbols, they are not the marriage themselves. Just ask some Hollywood couple that stayed married for less than a year after buying 20k worth of rings.


22 posted on 04/05/2012 12:57:53 AM PDT by VanDeKoik (If case you are wondering, I'm supporting Newt.)
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To: thecodont
Never wore my wedding ring, Oilfield electronic technician by trade.
Electrons are real fond of metal.
Also never wore a watch, electrons like them even better.
Do all my own mechanic work, cars, truck, tractor and lawn mowers, not good places for watches or rings.
Have a $10,000 Rolex given to me by my company as a 20 year award, wore it once, stays in gun safe. Carry a $50 pocket watch, plenty good enough.
Some guys are just not into any type of jewelry, period.
Feel the same way about suits and especially ties (most ridiculous piece of clothing I can think of).

Work shirt, blue jeans, cowboy boots and Stetson......Ready to go.

23 posted on 04/05/2012 1:02:05 AM PDT by The Cajun (Palin, Free Republic, Mark Levin, Newt......Nuff said.)
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To: onona

Dittoes, bro. No jewelry anywhere on my bod......super-active life precludes it...PLUS, a ring gives my finger a headache.....and totally unthinkingly I pull it off at every convenience not even knowing I’m doing it....lost several thousand $$$ of rings given to me before I gave up......

When women hit on me thinking I am single (not infrequent), I quickly let them know how much I love my wife of 39 years, show them her beautiful pic on my iPhone wallpaper, and tell them about our great 8 kids.....shuts them down 10x faster than seeing a ring since the ring means so little to so many men today.......


24 posted on 04/05/2012 1:05:49 AM PDT by Arlis (.)
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To: thecodont
I was in the electronics biz 23 years ago when I got married, and figured I would rarely wear a ring, so never got one. Got my wife to be a ring, and we had a 1 ring ceremony. So here I am 23 years later, never messed around on my wife, and still ringless.

I have never had a problem or approached more by women by not having a ring. One guy I worked with before I was married was telling me to get a ring, that I would get more women that way. I would be more "dangerous" and "forbidden fruit" to women. I could see his point. For married women wanting a fling, I could see a married man being more desirable.

So with all that said, I found this whole post interesting, because I just have ordered a ring. My employer offers a whole bunch of different gifts for a 15 year anniversary. I decided to get a wedding band looking ring. I am still in the electronics biz, and I'm guessing I won't wear it much. But I figured I'd give it a whirl. I'll find out now if I get hit on a lot with the ring.

25 posted on 04/05/2012 1:08:13 AM PDT by Pappy Smear (Support the presidency, end the policies.)
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To: MtBaldy

Since hubby runs dangerous equipment all day long *and* is a welder who commonly works with ‘hot’ electrical components and wiring, wearing his ring could mean the loss of a finger, hand or worse.

I lost weight after I got married and mine just falls off unless I keep my hand elevated at all times.

Are we spoiling to cheat?

[and unlike most women, I hate wearing jewelry, especially if I’m using woodworking equipment or up to my elbows in paint or ink]

My ex -never- took his off and he nearly killed me.

Shrinks tend to project their own madness upon others.


26 posted on 04/05/2012 1:13:06 AM PDT by Salamander (You don't know what's going on inside of me. You don't wanna know what's running through my mind.)
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To: thecodont
When I was young, most of the men didn't have rings when they were married. When I was married I had no ring, so therefore I didn't wear one. Most of the men I knew had a ceremony in which the husband didn't receive a ring. I noticed men wearing rings starting around the 1980s.

I do believe if a man receives a ring during the wedding he should keep it on except if he is working construction or in a manufacturing shop. Rings are dangerous things to have on in an industrial setting.

After work, however, he should put it back on.

27 posted on 04/05/2012 1:15:25 AM PDT by calex59
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To: thecodont

Some women concern themselves with the silliest sh**.

I wore my wedding ring for less than a year before I got tired of it and took it off for good. It started choking my finger, cutting off the circulation. That was over 25 years ago. Anyway, look what happened to Neil Armstrong.


28 posted on 04/05/2012 1:16:49 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Windflier

I hyphenated my maiden because it’s what I’ve created art under for 40-some years.

Nobody knows my work under his name.

I couldn’t possibly be more “retro”, otherwise.


29 posted on 04/05/2012 1:17:58 AM PDT by Salamander (You don't know what's going on inside of me. You don't wanna know what's running through my mind.)
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To: octex

My dad hack-sawed my old birthstone ring off me when I was teenager.

Sure wouldn’t want to repeat that again.


30 posted on 04/05/2012 1:20:32 AM PDT by Salamander (You don't know what's going on inside of me. You don't wanna know what's running through my mind.)
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To: Salamander
Thank you lady with some common sense about work dangers!

My wife and I have been married for 40 years, don't think a little piece of thin, round metal had a lot to do with that accomplishment.

31 posted on 04/05/2012 1:20:41 AM PDT by The Cajun (Palin, Free Republic, Mark Levin, Newt......Nuff said.)
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To: The Cajun

Congratulations!

Hubby and I have been married for 10 years but together for 19.

We’re more mated like wolves than “married”, if that makes sense.

If an “outsider” approaches either one of us, they get a mauling from both of us.

[we’ve been hanging around with dogs too long, I think]

LOL

It probably helps some that most of our social contacts are fellow bikers and hitting on somebody’s other is simply not done...well, more than once, anyway....;]

I hate to admit this but my long hair once got caught in a drill [bad] and the top of my finger went through a table saw when a piece I was working on kicked back.
[very, -very- bad]

I -overcompensate- for safety, now.


32 posted on 04/05/2012 1:32:12 AM PDT by Salamander (You don't know what's going on inside of me. You don't wanna know what's running through my mind.)
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To: svcw

Exactly. 35 years and three great kids but I rarely wear my wedding ring. At first I did but after a couple of close call when it caught in machinery I stopped wearing it.


33 posted on 04/05/2012 1:43:09 AM PDT by prisoner6 (Right Wing Nuts bolt the Constitution together as the loose screws of the Left fall out!)
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To: Salamander
My hobby is working with iron, building stuff, welding, torch etc.
Was cutting some square tubing with a 4 1/2" grinder with a cutoff wheel when it kicked back on me.
Cut shirt, undershirt and stopped right at my chest.
You never forget those little learning experiences :^)
Went out the next day and bought a *for real* DeWalt chop saw.
34 posted on 04/05/2012 1:44:14 AM PDT by The Cajun (Palin, Free Republic, Mark Levin, Newt......Nuff said.)
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To: MtBaldy

You are a sweet baby. She must deserve you.

I guess it depends on what the man does for a living. When my Husband worked in the missle tubes on the boat, he wore his ring on a chain.

Truth is though, that he loves me and I hear it every single day, so him wearing it or not wearing his ring has always been up to him.


35 posted on 04/05/2012 2:28:25 AM PDT by submarinerswife (Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results~Einstein)
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To: crazyhorse691
Somehow, women have always seemed to know that I was married

You must look like you are well fed. That's a sign.

36 posted on 04/05/2012 2:30:30 AM PDT by submarinerswife (Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results~Einstein)
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To: Smokin' Joe

As far as safety, Has anyone seen pictures of a degloved finger before? It is normal training in the Navy safety briefs and it is UGLY!


37 posted on 04/05/2012 2:33:49 AM PDT by submarinerswife (Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, while expecting different results~Einstein)
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To: thecodont; MtBaldy

I will have been married 20 years this August, and I COMPLETELY disagree with the psychologist.

My husband hasn’t worn his wedding band since the day we got married (although it’s not like he doesn’t know where it is). The reason he NEVER wears his wedding ring has absolutely NOTHING to do with him wanting to “appear single” and EVERYTHING to do with the fact that if he forgot to take it off before work one day he might come home missing a finger or worse... BLUE-COLLAR WORKING men CAN’T be *wearing jewelry* all the time otherwise they wouldn’t be RESPONSIBLE providers - what with risking permanent inability to do their job and winding up on disability and all... IMHO this psychologist is one of those people who sits in their ivory tower proscribing judgement on issues he knows absolutely nothing about...

Doesn’t bother me a bit, and never has that he doesn’t wear his/our ring - maybe I’m just a VERY lucky woman that can actually trust her husband??? [I’m guessing this man thinks there are NO men in the world who AREN’T always thinking with their privates...]


38 posted on 04/05/2012 3:01:48 AM PDT by LibertyRocks
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To: svcw

Oh good... I was worried that folks would think I was naive or somethin’ from my last post! My husband is a machinist and NEVER wears his ring - EVER. They’ve all seen what happens when that ring gets stuck in a machine and tears off someone’s finger - I could describe it, but I don’t want to make anyone sick.


39 posted on 04/05/2012 3:05:03 AM PDT by LibertyRocks
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To: LibertyRocks

My dad and mom were faithfully married for almost 50 years - my mom died in ’96 and my dad followed her in ’97. My dad never had and never wore a wedding ring. My dad never owned a single piece of any type of jewelry for that matter, only wore a shirt and tie for funerals, weddings, etc. My dad worked construction so I think safety was one reason. And back when he and my mom were married, they probably couldn’t afford much other than her ring and that was just a simple gold band, no engagement band, no diamonds.


40 posted on 04/05/2012 3:18:15 AM PDT by MD Expat in PA
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