So to mark the commitment that I've made to remain single, I made a ring for myself out of a guitar string. As logic would have it, I wear this ring on the ring finger of my left hand, where an engagement ring or wedding band is traditionally worn to those that have such commitments.

As of yet, I haven't had anyone notice my ring and ask if I was engaged or married, nor anyone that I hadn't seen for a while think I'd neglected to tell them some good news. However, rings and guitar-string-practicality-after-they're-broken do both come up in conversation a great deal in my world, and it's always fun to be able to show people this guitar-string-ring I made in about an hour. (the "ball" .. which is the piece on the end of the guitar string that is used to peg the string to the guitar at the bridge or something .. I'm not a guitarist, if you can't tell.. is in the center of this ring, where a daimond or other gem would be if this were a traditional engagement ring. Forming the ring part itself, and connecting to each side of the ball, is a normal wound guitar string. Fortuantely, I found a silver-colored one right when I was wanting to make this ring, which means I was not only able to not have a green circle around my ring finger from the oxidation of other guitar-string jewelry I've worn in the past, but also that I can wear a silver-colored ring that goes with my silver-colored thumb-watch and my silver-colored Claddagh.)

The other night, at a CD-release concert for a local pair of 17-year old twins that are just amazingly incredible musicians, I was helping the friend of mine that opened for them to tear down his drum set. (Along with his own acoustic music that he played while opening, he also served as the drummer for these twins when they switched from acoustic to full-band set.)

The twins and a few of their even-younger friends were also in the room, some tearing down the equipment and some supervising. One of the supervisors noticed a broken string on the ground, and a conversation about guitar-string uses after they're broken was started. After one of the twins mentioned how they (that is, both of the twins as well as other friends) usually make a bracelet out of a broken string, I mentioned that my ring was even cooler. ;) So one of the guys came over to look, and eventually there were four teenage boys standing on a stage looking down (I wasn't on the stage at this time, and most of them were taller than me even when we were standing on the same level) at my little ring.

One of them pointed out that it could be used as an engagement ring, noting that it was indeed on the correct finger for such usage in my case. "Yes," I said, "That's sort-of what this one is." I explained then that it was a ring to signify my commitment to remaining single.

"What if the ring breaks?"

"My commitment still stands, of course. This ring is likely to break at some point, but just like if a married couple loses one or even both of their bands, their marraige vows remain, so doth my commitment to being single." (I didn't really say doth, but it just looks so much funner in writing, doesn't it?)

The four of them continued to ask other questions about both my commitment and my ring.

Finally, ending the conversation completely, one of them asked:

"Will you still wear it when you get married?"