The Earring Movie

Mom was watching Sleepless in Seattle while making dinner tonight--the movie forever known in our family as "The Earring Movie." Why, you ask? It's a long story, but I'll try to keep it short. When I saw this movie in the theater (1993, was it?), I was taken by the earrings Meg Ryan is wearing in the car, when she's listening to Tom Hanks' character on the radio. They're nice and simple--a yellow gem at the ear, with a pearl drop below it. (They even show the earrings on the 10th anniversary DVD). I was entranced. My birthstone is topaz/citrine, and I just loved these. And I talked about them. A lot.

That year, Mom and Dad went on a cruise somewhere that had wholesale gems, and they brought me home a matched pair of 5-carat, emerald-cut citrines and the news that they would get me my earrings for my birthday. I was so excited! I took the citrines to a jewelry store recommended by a friend, and, when my birthday rolled around, had a lovely pair of earrings. Except.

Well, they were kind of uncomfortable to wear. (Five carats is huge!) And, to balance the size of the gems, the pearl drops were fake. And all in all, they weren't really "me." The following year, I decided I was going to try again. I took the existing earrings to a different jewelry store (recommended by a different friend) and explained that I wanted the exact same thing, only somewhat smaller. And in the meantime, could he do something so I could wear the existing citrines?

So, he adapted the existing earrings--removing the fake pearls and turning the citrines themselves into drops below a simple ear wire. But the other, new earrings? Not even remotely close to what I wanted (and this, with an example right in front of him!) He gave me earrings that had both the citrines and the pearls dangling below an ear-wire, the citrines were pale and barely yellow, the pearls were irregular fresh-water pearls . . . And I won't go into the customer service nightmares that ensued. But I was disgusted by the whole project.

Still . . . I loved those earrings! Just after Christmas, Mom and I ended up at a jewelry "club"--a single storefront filled with lots of individual sellers which therefore keeps rents and prices down--and while she dealt with some sort of Christmas exchange, I wandered around, looking at all the sparkly stuff. And . . . not citrines, but one vendor had exactly the earrings I wanted. So . . . I commissioned a pair, with citrines (for half the price, incidentally, of the trashy pair jeweler #2 tried to sell me), put down a deposit and went happily on my way. A week later, went to pick them up . . . the color of the stone wasn't right, but . . . he tried to tell me he'd been in business for forty years and never seen citrines as dark as I said I wanted, but I knew that I had, and . . . long story finally coming to an end. . .

A few days later, I had these. Exactly what I wanted. Classy. Comfortable to wear. My birthstone. And, finally, I'd be able to watch "Sleepless in Seattle" without moaning over how gorgeous those earrings were . . .

Funny thing. These days, whenever I admire jewelry in a movie, it makes my family nervous. Isn't that strange??

You might be wondering why I told you this story now. Well, the movie was on, so it came to mind, but also, I don't have a whole lot else to tell you today. I haven't done much this weekend--my sinuses have been making me miserable. I swear, I go through this every year, not being able to tell a cold from allergies. I'm thinking this is allergies . . . but am not 100% sure. It's either non-contagious allergies or it's a cold I'm successfully fighting off since the symptoms are so relatively mild. But my sinuses are making me kind of cranky.

Chappy's been glum all day--an unusual mood for him. I can't decide if this is because I have to go back to work tomorrow, when we've been able to spend so much time together this week, or if he's disappointed he didn't get out for a walk today (we decided my sinuses--no matter which cause--could use the day off), or if he's worrying about my health. I had something remarkably close to bronchitis last December (I remember it well, it was the week I got my Kiwi and I was too sick to try it out, poor thing). There was one night when I was coughing and wheezing and otherwise sounding pretty horrible, that he paced. The entire night. Up on the bed to make sure I was breathing. Over to the door, presumably hoping Grandma or Grandpa would come to help. He was really frantic the entire time, but the minute I got up in the morning and he saw me on my own feet? He was fine. The white night might never have happened. (Of course, I would have liked some sleep myself that night, but that's another story!) Anyway, I think he's been concerned today--he keeps coming over and giving my mouth and nose a sniff and then turning his head away, disgusted. I've brushed my teeth, so it can't be my breath...

I haven't been completely lazy this weekend, though. Except for sewing a couple dozen ends, I finished knitting my gloves forNona's Peaceful Palms knit-along. This was Meg Swanson's I-cord pattern, from her Handknitting book, and knitted with green yarn spun by yours truly. I really enjoyed working with it, too, although, now that I'm done, I was thinking that what I really should have done was knit these larger and then felted them, so they'd be extra warm, but . . . too late now!

I also did a lot of reading. (Something that's pretty effortless for me, even when I'm feeling less than wonderful.) I finished reading the Initiate Brother series by Sean Russell. I cannot recommend these two books (or the author) enough. Technically, they're fantasy books since they take place in an imaginary world, but this is not a Dungeons & Dragons, Sword & Sorcery kind of place. It's a world a lot like China (or so I imagine), and follows a young monk of Botahara as he serves the Shonto family in a war against invading barbarians and intrigues coming from the Emperor. It's complex and beautifully written, not a fast-moving story, but not one that gets too bogged down in the philosophy of the characters, either. It's just . . . lovely. I'm not usually a fan of oriental stories, but these are just great.

That, I followed up with one of the Liaden books by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. I love this sci-fi world they've created--practically perfect "space opera" stories. Highly enjoyable stories about trading and other things between Terrans and Liadens, a highly formal race just a little different from us. Love them, and am looking forward, as always, to the next new one.

And then, I started on the Mallorean series by David Eddings. He (and his wife) wrote two, separate series using the same characters--Garion, Silk, Belgarath, Polgara, and so on. This is the second one, and I like to pull them off the shelves from time to time. I started Guardians of the West last night, finished it and have so far read King of the Murgos, Demon Lord of Kalandra and have just started Sorceress of Darshiva. (My copies of the book are from when they were first published, and so I have all five books in separate volumes. The publisher has since decided to publish them together.)

So, you know, just a little reading . . . I can't believe I have to go back to work tomorrow . . . Tonight, my Dad will be watching the World Series, even though the Yankees (his favorite team) aren't in it . . . funny, though. An old friend who lives near Chicago sent Dad a sympathy card the other day. We couldn't figure out why--it's been months since my uncle passed away--and then, inside, Mel's sympathy for the Yankees not making it while the White Sox did! Dear Mel--always good for a laugh!

Comments

[marichan]

I'm so glad the earring story ended well. I was born in November too, and I could never find topazs that suit me. The color doesn't match my skin at all. Your earrings are very pretty!

I've been re-reading the Liaden books the past few weeks (you reminded me how good they are!) and I'm looking forward to the holidays when I can sit down and read lots of books. I'll try to read some new ones and we can compare notes!

[Christina]

I can't believe all those ends! Yikes! Anyway, I wanted to drop a line and let you know that a young lady on the livejournal.org knitting community mentioned that she washes her wool in cold in her machine so they lightly felt. The claim is that the knits still fit, but full slightly on the outside, making them waterproof. I can testiment that I've done this- accidentally- once to a pair of DK weight socks and they did indeed still fit, but were really warmer.

[Katy]

Great story about the earrings. There are times when I have been similarly obsessed, which also makes family folk uneasy. Go figure. ;)
Sorry you aren't well. But the gloves look great! Be careful with the "wash in cold" idea, b/c if they are a wool that felts easily, the agitation will felt them just fine (i.e. too much!) w/o warm or hot water. Maybe you could try it with a swatch?

[minnie]

oh goody, something to move on to when i finish the belgariad! thanks!

sorry you're feeling crappy, that sucks.

oh hell, ijust dumped pins all over the floor (making halloween costumes, sigh)

catch ya later