I truly love a few things in this life. Crunchy Cheez-Doodles, brownies, Nicole Miller cocktail dresses, Paige jeans, Country Music and vintage leather jackets are high on the list.
What do I love MOST?
SURPRISES.
If I were an anthropologist I'd argue that the giving of presents - not the use of tools, mating for life, or feelings of love and sadness - is what really sets us as human beings apart from all other animals. Gorillas use tools, dogs can feel love, Canada geese mate for life, and chimpanzees can feel sadness. But humans? We give each other presents. I love getting, giving or even just watching people open presents. At Christmas, I drive myself crazy trying to find presents that delight their recipients upon being opened.
But it's not the element of being happy to receive something that one wants or needs that I like. It's the surprise. I drive myself crazy at Christmas because I want to find something that the person would have NEVER picked for themselves. I think it runs in the family - my uncle Rob (the only other lefty in my family), my cousin Jake and my grandmother all are known for giving crazy gifts that one stares strangely at upon opening - but those gifts turn out to be the greatest things ever. Jake gave his sister Kate got one of those milk crates that collapses and has wheels attached for Christmas one year. While she was a little confused when opening it, that girl has used that thing more often than you'd ever think. A couple of years ago, I gave my brother Parker a most unusual gift. It was a cast iron dog - but just the rear end. Meant as a garden decoration, sit it on the floor and you've got a great piece of art and a nice doorstopper. Parker loves weird stuff, but everyone else in the family was a little ticked off - because I didn't give it to THEM. My older brother got the same thing the next Christmas.
My love of surprises extends to the fact that I detest giving gift cards or cash. I love getting them, don't get me wrong, they WORK and I have bills to pay. But like a true Southerner, I consider it tacky for me to carry around a purse at my wedding, collecting wads of money. Where I come from, you get in line at that damn gift registry kiosk at Macy's like everyone else and look for the biggest item that costs the least amount of money. I have a monopoly on giving trifle bowls at this point. And by the way, I know I owe a few wedding gifts. I'm working on it.
But alas...I'm a January birthday, I'm not even dating anyone, let alone being close to engaged, and if I show up at the Babies-R-Us registry, call the Vatican, because it'll be an immaculate conception. Well, immaculate since a little while back, at least. Unless I go pull a Carrie Bradshaw and register at Manolo Blahnik for being single (which I'm tempted to do at times), I am not getting any gifts any time soon. I can buy myself presents, but that's not a surprise. Plus I really don't have the money to buy what I REALLY want and need.
What's a girl to do?
I found it.
The Something Store.
I am not kidding, and no one's paying me to write this. The concept is simple. You give them $10, and they send you something. You don't know what it is, but what they've been sending out looks to be worth more than $10. Since they want repeat business, I'm guessing they won't send you a dirty diaper or something, but something you might find useful.
So I ordered one this morning. Free shipping and everything.
I'll let you know when it comes. If I like it, I might give people somethings for Christmas.
Why didn't I think of this idea before they did?
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
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3 comments:
I don't really like Oprah (this is my kicking puppies statement). I like a lot of the things that she does for people and I am sure that I wouldn't refuse to meet her or anything but I just think that she talks about herself to much and compares every situatio of every guest to herself...then again, I have only watch a few shows.....
I do LOVE surprises though and can't wait to find out what you get cause I want to do it :-)
Ha! I feel the same way - I feel like all her interviews are the same - the person being interviewed barely gets to speak and she rattles on about herself. Not that I don't enjoy it sometimes, but I'm scared for the example she's setting - if you watch the Tyra Banks Show, Tyra does the same thing and ends up "relating" to the guest, who's on there to talk about say, being 400 lbs, by saying something asinine like "well, I know how you feel, because back when I was a supermodel..." and all of America says "really, your days as a supermodel are a) over and b) not at all germaine to the conversation."
FINALLY someone else sees it...Oprah has guests that live in cardboard boxes or something and says something like...yeah, that reminds me of the time when I couldn't buy the 6 million dollar house and had to settle on the 1 million dollar house...HAHA She does give stuff away to deserving people but she doesn't actually buy any of it...she gets it all donated!
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