The reason I haven''t posted much here lately, or how ring shopping can be hazardous to your health.

[Snickerdoodle]

BF won''t get a ring until I figure out what I want. Therefore, I had been spending every spare minute online looking at settings and stones. At work, at home, it didn''t matter, I was pointing and clicking up a storm on all the vendor websites. I think I looked at every setting out there at least twice. I set PS as my homepage and I can''t even begin to guess how many times I went through the SMTR forum perusing all the beauties there. It was an obsession to view every stone that within the budget perimeters--I left no virtual stone unturned.

And what do I have to show for it? A Repetive Stress Injury (RSI), that''s what!

It was extremely painful to use a mouse with my right arm, so I taught myself to be ambidextrous and use the mouse with my left arm. I''d go home at night after work to ice my shoulder and pop ibuprofin like it was candy.

So, I''ve limited myself to (mostly) work-related mouse operation and I started going to a massage therapist for treatment. Hopefully I will be able to point and click to my heart''s content again one day.

Has this happened to anybody else out there, or is this just something dumb that only I could manage to do?

 

[jcarlylew]

oh my goodness! that must have been some massive clicking!! when i used to work at a catering company, becuase we were CONSTANTLY looking up addresses (aparently drivers dont know the city like they said...grr) my coworker and i would get a stress pain every once in awhile.

just remember
alt+tab allows you to shift through your different programs without using the mouse

 

[Smurfysmiles]

I feel your pain
I edit videos at work and so I am click click clicking ALL the time, not to mention checking PS inbetween all that clicking haha. As a result I am stuck with carpal tunnel but I''ve learned to deal with it.

 

[vita*dolce]

oh my gosh!! i can''t believe you have a virtual-engagement-ring-shopping-induced injury!! maybe this is a sign that you should abandon e-shopping and start looking in person!

either way, good luck with your search!! i hope you find your perfect ring soon!!

 

[debzy103]

Oh no! Did you at least find something you liked?

I really recommend looking in person - and more importantly - actually trying rings on! I looked online and thought I knew exactly what I wanted. Then when my bf and I began looking at settings on my finger, we decided on exactly the opposite of what I *thought* I wanted.

Go give your left finger some exercise - in the jewelry store!

 

[Pandora II]

LOL!

Just wanted to say - if it doesn''t clear up fast you might want to try accupuncture. I got RSI in my shoulder when I was at Art College and months of ibuprofen (and stronger) and icepacks later it wasn''t better. Two sessions of accupunture and it was gone.

 

[Snickerdoodle]

Thanks for everyone''s advice! I''m now telling people that RSI is an actual medical condition that stands for Ring Shopping Injury.

JCarly: Alt+tab has definately become my friend.
Smurfy: I hope I''m not looking at CTS! Oh, and I saw a sample of your work on another thread--WOW! Talented!
Vita: I think the quest for my perfect ring is almost complete--scroll down for pics.
Debzy: Love your zebra! Continue reading to find out about my habit of exercising my right to change my mind.
Pandora: I hadn''t thought about acupunture. I have a client that practices it--I may have to give him a call.

We did go ring shopping, but that only added to the indecisiveness. I''d try on something that I hadn''t thought about before, I''d like it, and then go home and research it to death. I''ve changed my mind on stones several times--princess, round, princess again, radiant, and now finally oval. Oval has stuck for a few weeks now, and I''ve found a setting that I love, so I think my decision is almost finalized. Now to find the perfect oval stone.

 

[vita*dolce]

snickerdoodle that ring is SOO pretty!! is she the one??

 

[debzy103]

That ring is gorgeous!

Hope your arm/hand/fingers are feeling better!

 

[Snickerdoodle]

Thanks all!

Yes, I think she''s the one. I love her! Of course my stone won''t be quite that large. I believe that one is somewhere around 2ct, mine will be half that, but she''ll still be beautiful.

I''m taking frequent stretching breaks so things seem to be staying a little looser and not hurting as much. My non-work related computer use and decreased drastically!