Aftermarket upgrades

[Charles E. Hardwidge]

Okay, so these earring things are settling in and I'm beginning to get
the hang of them of them. I needed a different colour pair to the ones
I'm wearing which also got me checking sizes etc to plug some gaps.
Oh,whoops. This is all getting rather expensive...

One curious thing is the different style of earring backs and how they
relate to the size of earring. I wondered why some came with small
butterfly backs, others with bullet backs, and others with large flat
plastic backs. It's taken a while for the penny to drop but large backs
are more supportive. I figured I could do with spares so checked them
out. The standard flatsize seems to be 11mm which I just fit. (I'm
slightly kicking myself I didn't get the holes done another mm higher
but this is what happens when you do things in a rush and get in a funk.)

Checking out the prices most UK retail suppliers sell them for between
£5 to £12 for anywhere between 3-5 pairs. I just bought apparently
identical 11mm backs off EBay direct from a supplier in Shenzin, China
for £2 for 50 (or 25 pairs). I actually bought two lots of 50: gold and
silver posts on plastic backs.

Apparently, the inside of the posts contains rubber which acts as a grip
but will eventually wear out. I figure 2x50 should be enough for a while
plus plenty for spares.

For anyone who wants to know the, admittedly a lot better, upmarket
equivalents retail at £80 a pair.

[Brian Gaff]

Watch this, you are acting like an addict.
I was listening to people who are addicted to piercing and tattoos on a
programme the other night. They are more than just interested, they get
obsessed by the next one or the design of things to put into their new
holes.

I don't think its actually healthy.
Brian
--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active

Okay, so these earring things are settling in and I'm beginning to get the
hang of them of them. I needed a different colour pair to the ones I'm
wearing which also got me checking sizes etc to plug some gaps. Oh,whoops.
This is all getting rather expensive...
One curious thing is the different style of earring backs and how they
relate to the size of earring. I wondered why some came with small
butterfly backs, others with bullet backs, and others with large flat
plastic backs. It's taken a while for the penny to drop but large backs
are more supportive. I figured I could do with spares so checked them out.
The standard flatsize seems to be 11mm which I just fit. (I'm slightly
kicking myself I didn't get the holes done another mm higher but this is
what happens when you do things in a rush and get in a funk.)
Checking out the prices most UK retail suppliers sell them for between £5
to £12 for anywhere between 3-5 pairs. I just bought apparently identical
11mm backs off EBay direct from a supplier in Shenzin, China for £2 for 50
(or 25 pairs). I actually bought two lots of 50: gold and silver posts on
plastic backs.
Apparently, the inside of the posts contains rubber which acts as a grip
but will eventually wear out. I figure 2x50 should be enough for a while
plus plenty for spares.
For anyone who wants to know the, admittedly a lot better, upmarket
equivalents retail at £80 a pair.
--
Charles E. Hardwidge

[Charles E. Hardwidge]

Post by Brian Gaff
Watch this, you are acting like an addict.
I was listening to people who are addicted to piercing and tattoos on a
programme the other night. They are more than just interested, they get
obsessed by the next one or the design of things to put into their new
holes.
I don't think its actually healthy.

Er. I was just discussing design and style and utility. I'm perfectly
happy with one pair of pierced ears. Apart from being a fraction of a
millimetre off for my liking this is me done.

I haven't bought them yet but I'm after a specific pair which triggered
this topic. It's because I need a certain colour so things don't clash
and to complete a look. This is a technical issue about range. Then
there's dressing up and down, and special events. Or maybe there's some
trash which works with everything. So I wouldn't call this addiction, at
least not the wrong side of obsessing, more freedom expressing myself
within design possibilities i.e. I'm playing, making mistakes, learning
as I go along, discovering what I like or don't like, and discovering
the hows and whys and market reaction etc.

So nothing to worry about.

Right!! Let's discuss accessories... :-D

[DaveG]

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
So I wouldn't call this addiction,

That sounds like you are in denial. After all, who but an addict would
need to buy 25 pairs of stud backs FFS! ;-)

[Charles E. Hardwidge]

Post by DaveG

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
So I wouldn't call this addiction,

That sounds like you are in denial. After all, who but an addict would
need to buy 25 pairs of stud backs FFS! ;-)

It's worse. I bought 25 silver and 25 gold pairs of earring backs...

Most of the backs will just replace what was supplied. Some will be
spares to carry around and/or leave at work etc. Friends may need a help
if they lose theirs. (They do fall off you know.) The rest are stored
for a rainy day. Overkill perhaps but the price differential for buying
so many was less than what one pack of five pairs from a UK retail
outlet would have cost.

[Brian Gaff]

Ah, this sounds like another addiction. I've seen people go into shops and
buy things they do not need simply due to them being on offer and they will
come in useful one day.
Brian
--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge

Post by DaveG

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
So I wouldn't call this addiction,

That sounds like you are in denial. After all, who but an addict would
need to buy 25 pairs of stud backs FFS! ;-)

It's worse. I bought 25 silver and 25 gold pairs of earring backs...
Most of the backs will just replace what was supplied. Some will be spares
to carry around and/or leave at work etc. Friends may need a help if they
lose theirs. (They do fall off you know.) The rest are stored for a rainy
day. Overkill perhaps but the price differential for buying so many was
less than what one pack of five pairs from a UK retail outlet would have
cost.
--
Charles E. Hardwidge

[DaveG]

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
Most of the backs will just replace what was supplied. Some will be
spares to carry around and/or leave at work etc. Friends may need a help
if they lose theirs. (They do fall off you know.) The rest are stored
for a rainy day. Overkill perhaps but the price differential for buying
so many was less than what one pack of five pairs from a UK retail
outlet would have cost.

According to my wife, you never need to buy spares so long as you have
two backs, no matter how many studs you have. It doesn't matter what
colour or type they are or even if they don't match because no one can
see them. :-)

[Charles E. Hardwidge]

Post by DaveG

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
Most of the backs will just replace what was supplied. Some will be
spares to carry around and/or leave at work etc. Friends may need a help
if they lose theirs. (They do fall off you know.) The rest are stored
for a rainy day. Overkill perhaps but the price differential for buying
so many was less than what one pack of five pairs from a UK retail
outlet would have cost.

According to my wife, you never need to buy spares so long as you have
two backs, no matter how many studs you have. It doesn't matter what
colour or type they are or even if they don't match because no one can
see them. :-)

Sure, this works. But she's not the one having OCD style panic attacks.

[Grymma]

Post by DaveG

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
So I wouldn't call this addiction,

That sounds like you are in denial. After all, who but an addict would
need to buy 25 pairs of stud backs FFS! ;-)

I have been wearing the same pair of titanium earrings for about 10 yrs
now. Handy in an MRI scanner, you don't need to take them out!

I do own some others, but I'm guessing my girls will inherit without
ever seeing me wear them, just not into accessories at all. Good gold
ones my dad bought me in Saudi, still in their boxes.

Make up, there's another one. Mine's so old the lipstick has gone 'off'
and I've had some of my eyeshadow since I was at school over 30 yrs ago.
Rarely worn indeed.

Perfume. Does Lynx Africa count?!?

Handbags. I own two. And I only renewed last year after over 20 yrs when
my old bag finally fell to bits. One black one, every day use, one blue
one, bought to attend a wedding last summer.

Shoes. One pair. Black Mary Jane type with a 1.5" heel, all occasions.
Otherwise, one pair hiking boots and two pairs of trainers. Currently
wearing one hiking boot with my plastercast companion!

I'm /really/ rubbish at this girly lark!

--
Grymma AFPOh Goddess Of Hangovers; DAcFD, BF (UU)
My final decision is: Maybe.

[Charles E. Hardwidge]

Post by Grymma

Post by DaveG

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
So I wouldn't call this addiction,

That sounds like you are in denial. After all, who but an addict would
need to buy 25 pairs of stud backs FFS! ;-)

I have been wearing the same pair of titanium earrings for about 10 yrs
now. Handy in an MRI scanner, you don't need to take them out!
I do own some others, but I'm guessing my girls will inherit without
ever seeing me wear them, just not into accessories at all. Good gold
ones my dad bought me in Saudi, still in their boxes.
Make up, there's another one. Mine's so old the lipstick has gone 'off'
and I've had some of my eyeshadow since I was at school over 30 yrs ago.
Rarely worn indeed.
Perfume. Does Lynx Africa count?!?
Handbags. I own two. And I only renewed last year after over 20 yrs when
my old bag finally fell to bits. One black one, every day use, one blue
one, bought to attend a wedding last summer.
Shoes. One pair. Black Mary Jane type with a 1.5" heel, all occasions.
Otherwise, one pair hiking boots and two pairs of trainers. Currently
wearing one hiking boot with my plastercast companion!
I'm /really/ rubbish at this girly lark!

I tried telling some so-called gender experts this kind of thing but
they're so far up their own formulaic stereotyping backsides they won't
listen. I have, I kid you not, heard one of these experts call their
system, quote, "perfect". imho, these experts wouldn't pass their own test.

I'm fairly sure my sisters would have failed their tests. Actually, I
tried telling them Real World (TM) things like you said and they
bulldozed me. I guess, because it ruins their "perfect" formula.

It's a very odd thing having a so-called NHS gender expert A.K.A. a
white 50+ establishment man pontificate on in front of you saying things
which would A.) Get them a hard slap in a nightclub and B.) An
employment discrimination lawsuit and C.) A jail sentence for fraud.
Yet, they manage to get away with not because of what they say but who
they are.

I've read some comment from NHS sex therapists. Oh... my... Gooooood.
You would have to look hard to find people so ignorant putting on such a
big display of expertise of topics they plainly know nothing about
beyond a crappy out of date in-house training book. Yet, these idiots
are called on by the BBC etc to pass comment on issues of important
public policy development.

Well, you obviously need to be packed off to girly training camp. LOL.

[Brian Gaff]

How much notice dolour really think others pay to others dress etc, aside
from soup stains or tatty clothing, as long as you are clean, don't smell
and look like your peers within reason, next to none in my experience. Thus
it boils down to your image of what is you. As I've not seen me for some
years now, I probably resemble Worzel Gummage with less straw.. :-)
Brian
--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge

Post by Brian Gaff
Watch this, you are acting like an addict.
I was listening to people who are addicted to piercing and tattoos on a
programme the other night. They are more than just interested, they get
obsessed by the next one or the design of things to put into their new
holes.
I don't think its actually healthy.

Er. I was just discussing design and style and utility. I'm perfectly
happy with one pair of pierced ears. Apart from being a fraction of a
millimetre off for my liking this is me done.
I haven't bought them yet but I'm after a specific pair which triggered
this topic. It's because I need a certain colour so things don't clash and
to complete a look. This is a technical issue about range. Then there's
dressing up and down, and special events. Or maybe there's some trash
which works with everything. So I wouldn't call this addiction, at least
not the wrong side of obsessing, more freedom expressing myself within
design possibilities i.e. I'm playing, making mistakes, learning as I go
along, discovering what I like or don't like, and discovering the hows and
whys and market reaction etc.
So nothing to worry about.
Right!! Let's discuss accessories... :-D
--
Charles E. Hardwidge

[Charles E. Hardwidge]

Post by Brian Gaff
How much notice dolour really think others pay to others dress etc, aside
from soup stains or tatty clothing, as long as you are clean, don't smell
and look like your peers within reason, next to none in my experience. Thus
it boils down to your image of what is you. As I've not seen me for some
years now, I probably resemble Worzel Gummage with less straw.. :-)

This is a hideously complex subject. The simple answer as far as I'm
aware is it depends.

There's a stack of neurological, and psychological and social stuff, and
a whole bunch of perception and other tertiary stuff. To get a grip on
this you need to be familiar with the whole system. In simple terms
generally no people don't pay much attention and the mind plays tricks
in any case. Mostly, people tend to spot what's wrong not what's right.
This itself is hugely affected by the fact male and female reasoning
processing hence perceptions are actually different.

Things may also be, as you suggest, relative.

imho, the whole thing can be somewhat of a rabbit hole.

[DaveG]

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
Okay, so these earring things are settling in and I'm beginning to get
the hang of them of them.

<non-PC>
Are you going Irish at'all at'all?
</non-PC>

[Oliver]

Post by DaveG

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
Okay, so these earring things are settling in and I'm beginning to get
the hang of them of them.

<non-PC>
Are you going Irish at'all at'all?
</non-PC>

Ah, sure I tink dos earring tings come in pairs so they do.

[DaveG]

Post by Oliver

Post by DaveG

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
Okay, so these earring things are settling in and I'm beginning to get
the hang of them of them.

<non-PC>
Are you going Irish at'all at'all?
</non-PC>

Ah, sure I tink dos earring tings come in pairs so they do.

Sure they're not in trees!

[Brian Gaff]

Actually I read a story on line a few years ago about a female art student
who took this body modification to such a degree she ended up trapping
herself in her latest creation and had to try to attract someone attention
to get out, However this being an internet story, I somehow involved a lot
of sex and violence.
However the underlying idea kind of made me think about the limits of body
modification and art and vanity etc.

Brian
--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active

Post by DaveG

Post by Oliver

Post by DaveG

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
Okay, so these earring things are settling in and I'm beginning to get
the hang of them of them.

<non-PC>
Are you going Irish at'all at'all?
</non-PC>

Ah, sure I tink dos earring tings come in pairs so they do.

Sure they're not in trees!
--
GCHQ - The only part of the government that actually listens to you.

[Charles E. Hardwidge]

Post by Brian Gaff
Actually I read a story on line a few years ago about a female art student
who took this body modification to such a degree she ended up trapping
herself in her latest creation and had to try to attract someone attention
to get out, However this being an internet story, I somehow involved a lot
of sex and violence.
However the underlying idea kind of made me think about the limits of body
modification and art and vanity etc.

I am aware of one female artist who takes the view her body is her art.
She's conventionally attractive - some would say alluringly sexy.
Talented, I guess, by the norms and standards of the genre she pursues
her art within. There are pseudo-academic experts and critics who would
burst a blood vessel if she repeated her position within their ivory
tower stereotyping and formulaic domain. Needless to say she is more
well known for her art than they are for their charm.

I think I'll just say this was not her starting point.

[Brian Gaff]

I think he is turning into Zaphod from the Hitch Hikers guide. a second head
cannot be far away.
Brian
--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active

Post by DaveG

Post by Charles E. Hardwidge
Okay, so these earring things are settling in and I'm beginning to get
the hang of them of them.

<non-PC>
Are you going Irish at'all at'all?
</non-PC>
--
GCHQ - The only part of the government that actually listens to you.