i'm getting too old for this shit

A couple of weeks ago I lost an earring, one of the silver hoops I wear in my right ear. This piercing has been giving me trouble lately. During the winter, that hole got infected, and a lot of tea tree oil and Neosporin did the trick and cleaned me up. So maybe there's an underlying message I'm missing.

Fast forward to New York City, and apparently I lost the earring while putting on or taking off my hat. Fast forward a little more, and I keep forgetting to buy a new earring. Until I get to Decatur, that is.

I find the only tattoo and piercing place in town, thinking I can find an earring there. In the shop, when asked what I want, I say an earring for my ear. The response is "What gauge?" Turns out they only have jewelry for body piercings. Their selection is limited to a bunch of silver hoops of various gauges, but they're all the same style, with the ball covering the connector. It's not what I'm looking for so I'm steered to a place called The Shop, which turns out to be a head shop.

Back in my day, men used to buy their earrings at these fine establishments. I drag my sister there, ask for a hoop for my ear and the owner replies, "What gauge?" It's the same deal -- they have stuff for piercings anything *but* your ear! This woman then steers me to the mall.

Even at the mall, my choices were limited to "fine" jewelry stores, a small number of tiny, crappy hoops, or stuff for your nose, navel or nethers. Like I said earlier, I don't think I've got it in me to do anything extreme; I think it's a bit beyond me at this point in time.