I have been incredibly busy, but what else is new? We went on vacation to Florida a few weeks ago. It was very fun. We met with my mom and went to disney world. We've already decided that we're going back next year. We extended our tickets so we're all ready to go.
I sent Sarah her Christmas Package today. It cost $60 to send. Can you believe that? it was probably $40 worth of stuff, weighed about 15 lbs. The post man guy said it will probably get there in time for christmas. the deadline for guaranteed delivery was 2 days ago, but that's ok. It will be there by 2 days after christmas, and probably in time for christmas anyway.
We wrapped all our presents the other day. I'm so excited! This is the first year that I have no idea what I'm getting from anyone... except mom... and they all have no idea what they're getting from me (except how you can feel that a package is a DVD or whatever). I never understood the purpose of wishlist type stuff. I much rather think of something to get a person on my own, because if you get them something just by looking on their wishlist, it might as well just be cash, which is very impersonal. Besides, the best part about getting a gift is the surprise (in my opinion), and when you give a gift, the look on the person's face when they see the gift, and it's not like, "oh, i was wondering who bought me that off of my amazon wish list".
The only time those kinds of lists are practical is when you get married, because then you're getting your entire house full of stuff, and it's all for one couple. Even then, though, It's still not as exciting as giving something more thoughtful.
That's about how my life has been. I have finals next week, and then I'm off for a couple weeks. Merry Christmas, everybody!
About time, Shorty!
ReplyDeleteI agree w/ the whole list thing. If you don't know what to get someone while shopping for them then it's kind of says, "You don't know them that well." Also when I shop, I see something I want and think someone will want that too.
ReplyDeleteAND YOU ARE ON MY MUD LIST FOR THE LATE BLOG ENTRY. TELL YOUR HUBBY THE SAME THING!
Wishlists are for things you want but you know you'll never ever get yourself. Also, SHOCKINGLY! people don't spend that much time getting to know each other, it's usually dumb witless small talk about what's going on in their lives.
ReplyDeleteAnd last but not least-- People change.
A wishlist, at least in my case, contains the fringe items of my interests, that if you are paying attention will show you the way to getting me what I really want. Now, if you are one of those people who doesn't know me well enough to put two and two together or doesn't want to take the time, and get me what I really want, guess what? You didn't buy me socks or some other bull crap, you got me something that at least falls into my general interests without being so far out there as to not be appreciated. Or you could make the classic free spirit mistake and think that your "I think I know you better than you know yourself, artsy fartsy, I made it myself or got you something that exresses my supreme knowledge of your inner beauty, because you didn't know you really wanted it" gift is appreciated, but you'd be wrong, your gift will get the same treatment that even the most supremely perfect gift would warrant in the moment of reciept, and then forever after a world of scorn for your being so wrapped up in yourself and how awesome you are at knowing what someone else wants, that you couldn't spend five seconds to look at a quantified list of what I want but didn't say in words.
ReplyDeleteToo late to make it short and sweet, the point is that in giving, you can be selfish and get something akin to that grandma sweater (The one she really thinks you'll love but secretly you loath), or you can get the one you love something that they'll really love just by knowing a little about them and whole lot about what exactly they want, it's the same stuff they've raved about all year in neat organized list form.
what I like to do, is actually listen to the dumb witless small talk, and think of something that person has said they wanted. Then when I get it for them, its something they want, and it is a surprise.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I can understand that wishlists are where you list all the stuff you're never going to spend the money on (or at least not until you're rich and famous). I have a DVD wishlist on deep discount dvd (the best place to by dvds, in my opinion) because I know I'm not ready to spend hundreds of dollars on them, but I'd like to have them some day.
Another thing... if I'm going to buy something off of someone's wishlist, I want it to be something that I would get for that person. For example, Meryl has a lot of anime on her list, and I don't have anything against anime, but without the list, i wouldn't no what anime was good anime and what sucked... they all look the same to me. So when I'm shopping for her, I don't want to get her anime, i want to get her something i'd really get her. Some wishlists don't have anything I'd get for that person.
And, because people change, I'd rather get them a gift card to a store i know they like than something off of a wish list, because those things can be updated somewhat less that frequently, and what you wanted in highschool may not be what you want anymore.
and some of us didnt know they had wish lists this year anyway, so we resort to gifts that probably wont please anybody.
ReplyDeleteBut I gave it some thought
now who made the anonymous comment?
ReplyDeleteI just don't buy anyone anything. Except my son. So maybe when my son starts finding his way around a computer and could make wishlists, then I might think about this.
ReplyDeleteMeryl: Don't underestimate dumb witless small talk about what's going on in people's lives. The most important part of friendship isn't knowledge, it's trust. Besides, most gifts are symbolic of the tie between two people- the giving means more than the gift.
ReplyDeleteDarthyoshi: Are you really so wrapped around the axle over what people give you? Damn, I don't think I've ever put so much thought into what people should give me. I also don't think I've ever loathed a gift or thought someone was full of themselves for not getting me what I hoped for. Giving is seldom a selfish act.
Well said, Berserk.
ReplyDeleteMom
It didn't look to me like Berserk put his foot in his mouth. And he wasn't putting Meryl down, he simply quoted her and then expressed his thoughts about the worth the small talk she apparently finds dumb and witless.
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand what made Berserk's comments "snarky" and yours respectable.
In my opinion, the more text you need to stand up for your opinions, the less valid they are.
Mom
No, man. No rebuttal on my part (rebut is one word, by the way). I said my peace, and gave you enough rope to make an even bigger ass of yourself. I don't really want to sink to your level.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it's true that using more text makes your argument less valid, but it does make it so no one will actually read the it, therefore making it completely invalid.
ReplyDeleteI've decided not to comment here, as it seems long comments are unreadable. I have posted on my blog, Which i am sure is of no interest. You can follow the link on the main page to get to my blog.
ReplyDeleteOh my holy shit ppl!
ReplyDeleteOkay. . . let me tell you what I see.
Carebear was simply stating that she doesn't like to use wishlist for folks and somehow Meryl you took the offense.
I guess we should of stepped backed and said, "Well that's how Carebear likes to handle the situation." And not overreacted. .
Tis the Season for Family Drama!
P.S. Oh, I know I'm fully of shit. . .
Sukie, you crack me up.
ReplyDeleteMom
just because something isn't read doesn't make it invalid. ignorance is not a valid defence even if it is a popular practice around these parts
ReplyDeleteI don't know which comments are being read here, but let me hit on a few interesting points aside from the whole wish list thing which I think it is safe to say can be put to bed.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I don't see the validity of anonymous/mom said when she said "he simply quoted her and then expressed his thoughts about the worth the small talk she apparently finds dumb and witless" he didn't in fact quote her and then he preceded to attack points that she didn't even approach. She simply was saying that small talk is not an accurate measure for gift buying.
Second, I never said my comments were respectable, and I do wish that you would stop reading more into my comments than the face value. Berserks comments are snarky because, and this is by definition, his remark was snappish, it was curt and irritable, it seemed to have been constructed on what he read into the remarks and not the actual remarks themselves.
Third, since when does being verbose make you less valid, I suppose that the Constitution is made less valid because it has that huge verbose preamble? Bull crap.
Fourth, it is rather bad form in debate to attack the delivery of a message rather than the message itself, it was midnight on a day that I had been up since 4 in the morning, one typo hardly is uncommon for the amount of what I had to say.
Lastly, Berserk, don't tell me that in the same paragraph that you resort to name calling you are going to play the bigger man card? I mean really, you call me an ass, none to eloquently, (rarely does one make an ass of oneself from an excess of rope, typically you would hang yourself) and then you claim to not want to sink to my level. I have been perfectly respectful, albeit passionate, about expressing my point of view. If you have a counter point, make it and keep it relevant. Also the fact that you implied that my remarks had made me out to be an ass is a rebut in and of itself so please do try to refrain from saying one thing and doing another.
I think there is an elephant in this room, and no one is willing to acknowledge it. If some feelings hadnt been hurt back in august of 2005 maybe there would be more tolerance. This should maybe be discussed in private between two couples and a mom.
ReplyDeleteYah, i agree. if there is something that needs to be brought up, by all means, bring it up. There's no reason to slander every person who makes a comment on this blog to get the one you are really upset with.
ReplyDeleteWell said Erik, I would like to say that I saw the anonymous post that has been removed and I know the persons identity, it was actually a remark from an objective third party whom I asked to review the comments to see if they thought that I was being as beastly as I am being made out to be. This person thought that the whole conversation was silly and offered a summation from their POV with a comedic spin. (I will protect the identity of this anonymous poster as it was their wish to remain anonymous, which I may not agree with, but it was their choice. So don't bother asking.)
ReplyDeleteOn a different note, but in regard to what you had to say, I don't believe that it is a flaw to be passionate, and I certainly don't think that I have been irrational in my statements here.
As far as the remark to the end of Berserks comment not being malicious, it would not have been had it been a general remark, but the fact that it is directed to Meryl and doesn't address any points that she made is what makes it malicious. Combined with all the additional context that Berserk had given my comments, it overall comes over as pure trolling with intent to start a flame war. I also do not agree with your assesment that he knows when to drop something, it is pure cowardice when confronted with an opposing POV to resort to name calling and run away.
Other than that, it is a rather fair assesment of the conversation.
"Your comments are probably the best ones here. "
ReplyDeleteI totally agree!!! You are not getting a piece of coal from me sir!
All this drama has been a real eye opener.
Frik: Yeah, I was pretty incendiary.
ReplyDeleteDarth: Did you just call me a coward from the safety of a keyboard 500 miles away?
What do you want out of this, anyway? Are you hoping to convert me to your view? Are you hoping to impress Meryl? If you really must have this argument out, then maybe we should take it to a more appropriate forum. Talk to my sister, she can give you my e-mail address. Speak your mind without wrecking the peace of my sister's blog.
Or maybe we could just drop it. There's really nothing to be gained in this angry back-and-forth, is there?
Yes, I would appreciate it if this was dropped, at least on this site. But feel free to take this outside, if you desire.
ReplyDeleteWow, oil and water may not mix normally, but Frik, you are the egg that brings everyone together into a creamy delicious mayonaise.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, outside in an appropriate forum.
ReplyDeleteew mayonnaise...
ReplyDelete