this is something i'm quite interested in and passionate about: diamonds and how silly they are.
one story sticks with me and i never explained it to my then, very new friend, roz savage, what exactly was on my finger.
we were partnered up for some ab work at boot camp and while i was pulling myself up doing sit-ups roz remarked on my ring. something like, wow, that's a ring, or the like. well, not even diamond talk can stop me while i'm working out. so i never got the opportunity to tell her it wasn't what she thought. i haven't worn a diamond ring for years. i wear a huge sparkling cubic zirconia, a CZ, a big fake one on a lovely platinum band. my ring does have a few little real diamond rocks in it, albeit tiny, laid into the band. it's a lovely design. my husband might cringe at this admittance because men need to provide and so on, blah, blah blah…i like sparkling things. i don't like sparkling things that are marketed to me and pushed on me since i was a child. "a diamond is forever" and such. the big guys want us to believe a diamond is rare making sure only so many get into the US so the price stays up. they hurt people to this end, end of story. many people have blogged about this much more eloquently then me. if you'd like to know more these are great articles by anil dash and he links to other useful information on this subject:
http://www.dashes.com/anil/2006/12/blood-diamonds.html
http://www.dashes.com/anil/2003/01/diamonds-are-fo.html
and yes my husband could buy me a big old diamond if i wanted one, but i don't and i can't imagine i ever ever will!
Heartshapedsky 
Amen! I read somewhere that diamonds are actually quite common. I think Rubies are the most rare. I could be wrong though, it has been a long time since I researched the subject of gems and different types of rocks. When I was a kid, I wanted two things so badly, not barbies or a pony, but a rock tumbler and a metal detector. My geeky streak runs deep. Haha!
I'd like to point out I had nothing to do with her decision to go CZ, but I wholeheartedly agree with it. It's an evil industry.
roz wrote this earlier but i was half asleep and pushed 'delete' instead of 'reply'. those butons are right next to each other! Aha! Your secret is out! I like your thinking – Aldous Huxley thought that advertizers (and, I think, lawyers!) were the lowest form of life, for trying to create dissatisfaction and consumer demand where there was none. I am inclined to agree… so no diamonds on my rowboat either!
I have collected rocks and minerals since I was 5. Diamonds are not as rare as some other minerals, yet they still cause so much pain and anguish in the world. I have always stood by my stance that Diamonds are the World's worst friend. Always nice to see someone else who gets it.
i'm so happy to have the no diamond support! thanks g!
Yes, yes, yes. Good for you for saying so, it is so true. Who cares about the whole diamond thing at all? And then when you pair that up with the destruction and violence that it is so often related to, it is a no brainer to cross diamonds off of the wish list. If you really must have something shiny on your finger or your ears, cz looks perfectly fantastic to me. I heard that http://www.rebekahgreen.com is coming out with a really nice line of earrings that is green as well, or at least as "green" as any of this can be. I look forward to seeing what they will offer.