Put a ring on it (I hate that song)

There are two reasons I am typing this post.  The first is to provide an illustration of the power of perception and the 2nd is to try to show everyone that I do other things besides work or sit on my computer/blog (those activities only consume 95% of my time).

The other night, I was out with a friend (call him Friend A) and we were meeting another friend (Friend B) at a birthday party.  Friend A and I didn't know anyone else at the party.  As soon as we got there, we walked up to Friend B and started talking.  A girl came up to all three of us and said to Friend A "oh my god, are you Friend A?  It's so great to meet you.  I've heard so much about you."  My immediate thought, being the selfish person that I am, was, "WTF Friend B, why haven't you been complimenting me to girls when I'm not around" (of course, Friend B and I are not as close as Friend A and Friend B are, so it's completely understandable, but this is besides the point).

So, 5 minutes later, I was talking with some person I don't know, and Friend A came up to me and said something like:  "Friend B finally introduces me to a girl and she has a ring on her finger.  A HUGE diamond ring".  I looked over at her hand to see it.  Instantly, thoughts flashed through my head (kind of like the Intersect on the tv show CHUCK) and my entire perception of her (whatever that may have been) changed.    All of this from hearing about and seeing a piece of metal on her finger.