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7/6/05 05:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
minervasoloIs exactly one month til my birthday.
::goes into denial::
Nineteen is actually looking less scary recently, but that's because of House looming much closer. Oh the joys of paranoia. I don't care which room I get, as long as I can keep it locked most of the time and learn how to bite like a rabid dog if people come in when I'm not in the right mood. I just can't get the foaming right.
I would just like to say the following (and the above) is in no way a hint or manipulation. I'm not asking people to get me stuff for my birthday. I was just thinking back on a discussion with Toast. I don't know if I'm an easy person to buy presents for, though I know I always find it hard myself. I've been stung in the past when I got something I thought would be a good surprise and show I knew the person, but was upstaged. Admittedly, I was upstaged by Tiny Cake, and it's very hard to be upset at Tiny Cake (Tiny Cake!), so I wasn't,, but it's made me careful about giving gifts.
What's the ideal gift? I'm curious to hear other people's opinions on this. Personally, I think it's something that shows you know the person, but also something they wouldn't/couldn't just get for themself. Either they hadn't thought of it, or didn't know it existed, or simply had other things they needed more. Presents, I believe, should definitely be 'wants' rather than 'needs'. I don't believe a present has to be bought by any means - a home made cake, for example, has got to be one of the best gifts a person can get. I don't believe a present has to be large, or expensive, or, I suppose, even that meaningful. That sounds a bit like I'm contradicting myself, but I'm not so sure. Giving someone a CD of music that they like shows you know them, but isn't necessarily a testament to the depth of friendship you share. But if they want that music, and they hadn't intended to buy it for themselves, it's a good gift.
This was the point where I thought I might possibly post a list of suggestions, since I know some people are going to ask me what I want, and it would be nice if I had actually arranged my thoughts beforehand so I had some idea of what I want. I kinda feel like I've talked myself out of that, since hte minute I write something down I'm going to be very tempted to go and get it myself. I have a very bad habit of 'buying myself birthday presents'. Many many birthday presents. Often in the form of Thornton's chocolate and comics I'd probably have bought anyway. But hmm. The best thing I always used to get was good luck. I was always better at rounders on my birthday, and I did better on tests.
These are a few very random thoughts on what I might like. It's not going to be a long list, though I'm making an effort not to be vague.
This Lore Brand Strip on a mug. Though not if all the shipping and exchanges get too high.
A Scary Go Round T-shirt. Though preferably not the first four or last two.
Umm... I'm now staring at my Amazon list, not wanting anything from it (though tempted to buy it all once the money I put in the bank today clears). A quick skim f the rest of the site suggests (since I'm forcing myself to nme names and so on, not just make sweeping statements in the general direction of huge mediums) the anime 'Dragon Half', the graphic novel 'Fables' Vol #3 and later (Amazon is very unhelpful at suggesting which volume is which, but they're available at most book shops) and any book by David Almond except 'The Fire Eaters' since I've got that one.
And that would be the end of my not-vague ideas for what I want. Cool photographs, fairy art and shiny things are favourites too. Small things will always attract my attention in a good way (Tiny Cake!), as will incongruously fluffy, squidgy or sparkly things. I had a squidgy version of 'The Hobbit' once. I don't know why it was squidgy, but I was kept so amused by it. So amused I lost it on a bus :(
That was not a very imformative list, I suspect. Oh well. At least I have some idea now. All that remains is not buying everything I thought of between now and then.
What else have I done today? Deposited £150 at the bank, which was nice except I may have filled in the wrong slip... Got food. Ate too much for lunch and felt ill before and after seminar, though not mostly during, thankfully. I really ought to fill in AG1 form and read 'A Hero of out Time' (or whatever that books is called), but I'm predominantly tempted to just put another layer of paint on the dollshouse. And then wish PVA glue into existence so I can stick bricks in. Or possibly just wallpaper the inside with the paper and wallpaper glue I did remember to buy.
I also suggest people try this. And read Scary Go Round (which is currently doing guest strips right now, and does not always look like this).
::goes into denial::
Nineteen is actually looking less scary recently, but that's because of House looming much closer. Oh the joys of paranoia. I don't care which room I get, as long as I can keep it locked most of the time and learn how to bite like a rabid dog if people come in when I'm not in the right mood. I just can't get the foaming right.
I would just like to say the following (and the above) is in no way a hint or manipulation. I'm not asking people to get me stuff for my birthday. I was just thinking back on a discussion with Toast. I don't know if I'm an easy person to buy presents for, though I know I always find it hard myself. I've been stung in the past when I got something I thought would be a good surprise and show I knew the person, but was upstaged. Admittedly, I was upstaged by Tiny Cake, and it's very hard to be upset at Tiny Cake (Tiny Cake!), so I wasn't,, but it's made me careful about giving gifts.
What's the ideal gift? I'm curious to hear other people's opinions on this. Personally, I think it's something that shows you know the person, but also something they wouldn't/couldn't just get for themself. Either they hadn't thought of it, or didn't know it existed, or simply had other things they needed more. Presents, I believe, should definitely be 'wants' rather than 'needs'. I don't believe a present has to be bought by any means - a home made cake, for example, has got to be one of the best gifts a person can get. I don't believe a present has to be large, or expensive, or, I suppose, even that meaningful. That sounds a bit like I'm contradicting myself, but I'm not so sure. Giving someone a CD of music that they like shows you know them, but isn't necessarily a testament to the depth of friendship you share. But if they want that music, and they hadn't intended to buy it for themselves, it's a good gift.
This was the point where I thought I might possibly post a list of suggestions, since I know some people are going to ask me what I want, and it would be nice if I had actually arranged my thoughts beforehand so I had some idea of what I want. I kinda feel like I've talked myself out of that, since hte minute I write something down I'm going to be very tempted to go and get it myself. I have a very bad habit of 'buying myself birthday presents'. Many many birthday presents. Often in the form of Thornton's chocolate and comics I'd probably have bought anyway. But hmm. The best thing I always used to get was good luck. I was always better at rounders on my birthday, and I did better on tests.
These are a few very random thoughts on what I might like. It's not going to be a long list, though I'm making an effort not to be vague.
This Lore Brand Strip on a mug. Though not if all the shipping and exchanges get too high.
A Scary Go Round T-shirt. Though preferably not the first four or last two.
Umm... I'm now staring at my Amazon list, not wanting anything from it (though tempted to buy it all once the money I put in the bank today clears). A quick skim f the rest of the site suggests (since I'm forcing myself to nme names and so on, not just make sweeping statements in the general direction of huge mediums) the anime 'Dragon Half', the graphic novel 'Fables' Vol #3 and later (Amazon is very unhelpful at suggesting which volume is which, but they're available at most book shops) and any book by David Almond except 'The Fire Eaters' since I've got that one.
And that would be the end of my not-vague ideas for what I want. Cool photographs, fairy art and shiny things are favourites too. Small things will always attract my attention in a good way (Tiny Cake!), as will incongruously fluffy, squidgy or sparkly things. I had a squidgy version of 'The Hobbit' once. I don't know why it was squidgy, but I was kept so amused by it. So amused I lost it on a bus :(
That was not a very imformative list, I suspect. Oh well. At least I have some idea now. All that remains is not buying everything I thought of between now and then.
What else have I done today? Deposited £150 at the bank, which was nice except I may have filled in the wrong slip... Got food. Ate too much for lunch and felt ill before and after seminar, though not mostly during, thankfully. I really ought to fill in AG1 form and read 'A Hero of out Time' (or whatever that books is called), but I'm predominantly tempted to just put another layer of paint on the dollshouse. And then wish PVA glue into existence so I can stick bricks in. Or possibly just wallpaper the inside with the paper and wallpaper glue I did remember to buy.
I also suggest people try this. And read Scary Go Round (which is currently doing guest strips right now, and does not always look like this).
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no subject
Date: 7/6/05 05:22 pm (UTC)Sorry at 22 this sept I am the youngest of my RL friends, which puts me in the curious possition of being the baby, to the point that I'm called "mini maria" by some, when you're bieng compared with verne troyer in a frankly sinister way, you may well have...
I've got no idea what you might well have done.
But I am good on presents. I tend to go for something to fir the personality and try to remember off hand comments on likes and dislikes. Which is why one friend was delighted to receive a pair of "stripper knickers" with pick hearts all over and ribbon ties.
Knickers, you've reminded me that I have other LJ buddies with birthdays soon. Yikes!
no subject
Date: 7/6/05 05:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 7/6/05 05:57 pm (UTC)Mind, one of my friends later said the immortal "when I met you, I thought you were one of those child progidies..."
I look about 14-16, something I keep on being told is a blessing.
no subject
Date: 7/6/05 05:55 pm (UTC)It feels great, though, you know? You're halfway to dead, so it doesn't matter what you do. XD
no subject
Date: 7/6/05 05:58 pm (UTC)Oh, any thoughts on what time you're coming this weekend? And how long you want to stay? It was Friday to Monday, right?
no subject
Date: 8/6/05 11:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 8/6/05 11:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 8/6/05 12:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 8/6/05 01:09 pm (UTC)