You people must have ID10T errors running through your think skulls. Stop watching the news, stop listening to the radio, dont register for anything and don't give anyone your name. Cut up your IDs and your credit cards, and oh yeah, they're monitoring your cellphone.
After you do the above, go outside and get some fresh air. The world is not as bad as your gullable little minds have started to believe. The NetSpend company has sent you the equivalent of 2oz of plastic. The card has no value until money is loaded on it. It has no information about you other than your name and address, and... OMG!! you better tell your utility companies to stop mailing you bills every month because... THEY ALSO HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS!! I am so going to file and FTC complaint about these utility companies. How DARE they send me a piece of paper that has so much personal information on it through a barbaric medium such as the postal service?!
Get over it people. It's called marketing. You put YOUR name somewhere and registered for something. Your information got sold as a "sales lead" to the netspend company. They then printed a card with your name on it and mailed it to you with a letter that basically says "hey if you dont want to use a card thats tied to your actual bank account that could land you in the poor house if someone got ahold of the number, put some money on our card and use it. we charge a small fee so we can stay in business, but your identity...and bank accounts...will be safe." Thank God that the FTC/FRC are not as densely thick headed and stupid as you and the people who surround you that didnt stop you from acting a fool.
@ E.T. Cook What no reference of Ayn Rand? No Gordon Gekko "Greed is good" ? Every villain is the hero of his own story and most times you can get the public to believe it. Maybe you don't want to call something evil, but you can't say that these are good things, right?
Libertarians are all about take take take and give nothing back to the community that allowed them to exist. Truth is, Libertarianism could not exist without the republican (the form of government, we currently practice, not the party) or democratic(America is actually not a democracy) governments that allows for such a system. Libertarians espouse self sufficiency yet, without a lot of money to start with or without taking from the public offerings of education, you can't even begin to educate yourself, never mind getting to the centers of education on public roads. Libertarians are elitists who don't want to pay so that others can have the opportunities that they have had.
Yes there is evil, drilling in ANWR when the public would have to pay for the miles of roads, the destruction of habitat that takes generations to return to it's natural state and then raising the prices of said gasoline, well that seems to fit exactly what the OP said, reaping the private profits at public expense.
Another example hunting whales to the point of extinction. Whale Wars is all about it. I love how it's "research" to kill and animal and then use it for food and not just one or two, but as many as they can get in a wildlife sanctuary, but yet the people preventing an illegal act are terrorists? Give me a break!
Doing something because you can, not because you need to, the causes an intentional negative impact on the existence of another form of life is wrong. We are taught this from birth and in every major religion, but yet when it comes down to actual brass tacks we lack the conviction to do anything about it. When Christians come to convert it's not an issue but when vegetarians say a fact, it's rude? I get that some people may not like vegetarianism, but give me a break it is by far less offensive than what we are sold on a daily basis, but it's easier to pick on a minority group and that's what you do when you are saying that people who attack you for the way you eat shouldn't have their hypocrisy pointed out for the way they eat.
Yes E.T. evil is a strong word, but I think it fits, just because we have become desensitized to it doesn't mean the spectrum of what is evil has moved. Irresponsible corporations cause the deaths of as many people as Hitler, they just have an easier time hiding it because the scope of time for the effects of the mercury poisoning from mountain topping for coal, the effects of GM crops that force family farmers into bankruptcy for unintended cross pollination of their crops grown for generations you can not tell me they are not evil, especially when they are trying to control the entire seed population of the planet and they are already at 70%. There are plenty of evil corporations, evil people, evil politicians and they all seem to want the power to control how I live, because that's what the money buys, power, speech, politicians, law. That is the society you really want, one where everyone is free to live as they please as long as it conforms to how YOU think it should be.
So Funny you asked, another item on my list was the MuckBoots Daily Clog which in your book might not qualify for a slipper but I'm in and out of the house and to the workshop frequently and a normal slipper just won't cut it.
I am a man and the only thing I want this Christmas is a pair of warm slippers to wear around the house that are strong and do not look girly. Is there such a thing?
@post 21 just because a question is not specifically written out does not mean that it is not illegal. Think of sexual discrimination, not every single thing you could say or see is written down, but if it is construed as the same in nature as the way the law was written you are liable.
Also for everyone else, as someone who did professional interviews for a living, you should never ask questions not directly related to the job.
Asking if they mind a certain amount of travel is legal especially if the job requires it. Asking their family situation is not legal, any way you word it.
Just because you are being interviewed, does not mean you can not ask questions. If they ask a question that is illegal and they seem to be genuinely uninformed, ask them what is it they want to know from that question, if you don't like their answer, end the interview and keep searching.
Also make sure if the company talks in generalities, you get specifics. A company that brings up that they are in line with industry pay may be speaking out of turn, if they are bringing up pay nail them down to a range, especially if this is a second interview. I once had a business owner tell me that he paid above industry average, but when it came down to figures he actually paid only 60 to 70% of what the industry average was, even bringing into account the cost of living for the area.
Remember these people are who you are going to be spending at least a third of your day with Monday through Friday in most cases. Make sure your job is the best fit that you can have within reason.
Very nice list, glad to see Lady Ada made your list, she has a ton of cool kits, kind of surprised a Dremel didn't make the list, because a Dremel is magic tool from the land where little boys dream of making the coolest stuff ever,okay maybe just me.
Wow the comments here leave a lot of bad taste in my mouth. I can say most people who seem to think that this post doesn't ring true are the ones that are causing others to be stuck in a wage trap. You're a nuclear engineer? Well bust my buttons, that must mean you're so much smarter than the rest of us idiots. Maybe it was the fact you started with a better lot than I did? I happen to fall into that area of Americana that makes too much money to be poor but doesn't have enough to make college on their own, oh and I'm a white male, so the scholarship opportunities weren't just busting the door open for me when I applied, as this was when affirmative action was at it's height.
So where does one turn, the military and what I got there was debt, because of the predators who are after your money, take money directly out of your account because the military lets them without checking if the claim is valid and you are again penniless, without any chance for education and to the outside world that is not directly military, without skill.
So please don't try to tell me life is good for everyone in the wage slave system. I am here because I have no choice. I was born into it and wasn't poor enough to get a hand up or rich enough to start from a better place. Everything I have I've worked for and I can promise you that I am every bit as smart as your smug engineer self.
For the commenter who thinks 150k/yr is middle class...what planet do you live on? 150k/yr is lower upper class, not middle class. Average middle class in the US is 70k-80k/yr between two people, you must have one of those cushy state jobs that steals money from the public because you're connected, like the toll collectors who make $80k/yr in MA.
Phil, this was a great post, from one of those unfortunate enough to be in a position of having to claw his way from the bottom to the middle, this story rings very true. Right now I have to work for an organization that evades taxes, ships jobs to the lowest paying places and has leadership the went to prison. The people who seem to profit from our system are those at the top and I don't know why so many of them seem to read your blog.
Thanks everyone for ideas and comments. Supplying tools along with a lesson and/or experience sounds like a great way to give a long-lasting gift. Having distance-type options such as delivered (by someone else) holiday greenery and/or flowers and gift cards are wonderful if you visit often but may not make it home for the holidays.
TO rebut one of the previous posters, the clothes don't make the man, but they sure change your initial impression. There is a reason that people wear uniforms, including dress clothes. Psychologically, we are all programmed to listen to authority and a well dressed person commands more authority than a slob. There have been countless studies that show this, so the article is very relevant to the times that we live in, that is until we all become as forward thinking as you and live in Dionysian bliss.
There are quite a few people in my life, who either seem to already have everything, or are difficult to buy for.
For them, try to listen to them throughout the year, and invariably, at some point in time, I will always get an off-handed remark from them about something they want.
I make a note of it, purchase that for them for Christmas, and they always seem to be "touched" by it that I remembered something that they mentioned to me so many months before.
Just want to say that I totally agree with the restaurant gift card idea. We did that for David's mother and my folks this year, along with delivered holiday bouquets. We picked the kind with lots of greenery so they would last through the season and included candles. The cool thing about choosing bouquets with candles is that they tend to be lower to the table, making them great for the coffee table as well as for a nice centerpiece for the holiday meal.
My husband and I also enjoy receiving consumable gifts, as we have everything we need and are trying to downsize. Scented kitchen candles are one of our favorite things to receive and they can be found affordably. My folks included one last year in our Christmas pack that was pine scented.
After SO MANY years. I'm still stuck on level 1, Lifetime. I still have not found any real passions, only mild interests and curiosities. I like technology and future trends and am taking some computer programming classes, but I'm not real passionate about it but it's the closest thing so far. I was laid off from a mundane asst. manager job earlier this year. The best thing and only good thing about it was the pay check, but throughout the day all I did was watch the clock second by second and couldn't wait until 5:00 pm. Absolute misery. My interests keep shifting. Once I lose interest in something, I simply don't care about the subject anymore and want nothing to do with it and try to find something else. I use to like drawing and art and animation, now I can't stand any of that. I used to love movies and film making and even have a BA in communications, but now I barely watch a movie and generally don't care about movies and entertainment at all. Nothing's exciting for me anymore. I don't care much about helping people, the world and all that noble BS stuff. I think all I care about at this time in life is winning the lottery and sleeping, surfing the internet.
some website are complete fraud. They place their insiders to bid and at the end their people win with the Genuine members losing. Having some pity on genuine members they let them win some cheap items like Wii remote controller, Gift cards, etc
Also, I visited at http://www.pennyauctioninfo.com and there too I found the reviews about various website. yesterday, their site was down for some maintenance but now, its up.
1. Make sure the person you are shooting is actually a thief, not the neighbor's daughter's boyfriend or some such.
2. Make sure you shoot them dead so they can not sue you.
3. If you shoot an unarmed person who is not on your property, not immediately threatening you and not putting you in any danger you most likely will go to jail for shooting them.
I have no problem with people owning guns, but gun owners who nonchalantly talk about killing people are either sick, over compensating and in many cases have never shot at a living person. The military has to train the response to hesitate out of you, because taking someone's life is not a natural thing. If you are ever in mortal danger, do not give a person a second chance, if they move in any direction except away from you pull the trigger.
Me personally I have swords. My house has a lot of corners and makes it easy to jump out at someone. Aside from that, who wants to get stabbed with a sword?
My mother is elderly, has trouble reading, and is starting to suffer from dementia. Some needs are obvious and make great gifts. Magnifying glasses in different sizes that are good for different uses. I mail her large print books periodically. LP boos are expensive, so if I buy used I can buy more of them. This Christmas, my siblings and I combined our money to buy a digital picture frame. This will give my brother, who lives locally, a source of conversation when he visits. And my mother won't need a great attention span to look at photos. All three of us can contribute our photos, so that there's a large selection. When my father was suffering from Alzheimer's, I made up photo albums with all the relatives in it. Unfortunately, he was affectted badly enough that he would rip the photos out. That shouldn't be a problem with the digital frame. I'm hoping it will be a great gift that will keep on pleasing.
I have "BEAUTIFUL LONG BLACK ASIAN HAIR" (So everyone says)that I want to sell. If you are interested please contact me back through my e-mail at KristaHieam@yahoo.com . Thank you!
As a professional organizer, I'm often encouraging my clients to give (and ask for) non-tangible gifts...things they will not have to dust, store or care for. I recommend thinking in terms of fanciful or practical experiences.
For example, a year's membership at a zoo, the National Parks, a driving range or a season's fishing license can feed a loved one's desires for fun, without them having to dip into their pockets. Similarly, even for relatives who "have" everything, a year's (or quarter's) worth of internet, cell phone service, Netflix, etc. give them a chance to not have to lay out their money for the practicalities of life.
For older relatives, a gift of a packet of luxury car washes/detailing, plus an offer to meet them there, take them to lunch so they can avoid the wait, and squire them back provides both a practical and loving intangible that yields memories...and requires no dusting.
I like to give (and get) gifts of experiences or lessons. Talking with my Mom in the mid-summer, she said that Dad was making rhubarb pie. I didn't know my dad cooked or baked. I asked if he had made the pie crust himself. Mom said no. I recently learned to make pie crust and it's not that hard. So, for Christmas this year, I'm giving my dad a pastry blender and dough scraper along with pie crust making lessons. I taught a friend to juggle for her birthday last year. That was a lot of fun for both of us.
I like to give (and get) these types of gifts because it's not only an experience and often a new skill, but it also gives me a chance to spend some time with the recipient and have fun in the process.
You people must have ID10T errors running through your think skulls. Stop watching the news, stop listening to the radio, dont register for anything and don't give anyone your name. Cut up your IDs and your credit cards, and oh yeah, they're monitoring your cellphone.
After you do the above, go outside and get some fresh air. The world is not as bad as your gullable little minds have started to believe. The NetSpend company has sent you the equivalent of 2oz of plastic. The card has no value until money is loaded on it. It has no information about you other than your name and address, and... OMG!! you better tell your utility companies to stop mailing you bills every month because... THEY ALSO HAVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS!! I am so going to file and FTC complaint about these utility companies. How DARE they send me a piece of paper that has so much personal information on it through a barbaric medium such as the postal service?!
Get over it people. It's called marketing. You put YOUR name somewhere and registered for something. Your information got sold as a "sales lead" to the netspend company. They then printed a card with your name on it and mailed it to you with a letter that basically says "hey if you dont want to use a card thats tied to your actual bank account that could land you in the poor house if someone got ahold of the number, put some money on our card and use it. we charge a small fee so we can stay in business, but your identity...and bank accounts...will be safe." Thank God that the FTC/FRC are not as densely thick headed and stupid as you and the people who surround you that didnt stop you from acting a fool.
@ E.T. Cook What no reference of Ayn Rand? No Gordon Gekko "Greed is good" ? Every villain is the hero of his own story and most times you can get the public to believe it. Maybe you don't want to call something evil, but you can't say that these are good things, right?
Libertarians are all about take take take and give nothing back to the community that allowed them to exist. Truth is, Libertarianism could not exist without the republican (the form of government, we currently practice, not the party) or democratic(America is actually not a democracy) governments that allows for such a system. Libertarians espouse self sufficiency yet, without a lot of money to start with or without taking from the public offerings of education, you can't even begin to educate yourself, never mind getting to the centers of education on public roads. Libertarians are elitists who don't want to pay so that others can have the opportunities that they have had.
Yes there is evil, drilling in ANWR when the public would have to pay for the miles of roads, the destruction of habitat that takes generations to return to it's natural state and then raising the prices of said gasoline, well that seems to fit exactly what the OP said, reaping the private profits at public expense.
Another example hunting whales to the point of extinction. Whale Wars is all about it. I love how it's "research" to kill and animal and then use it for food and not just one or two, but as many as they can get in a wildlife sanctuary, but yet the people preventing an illegal act are terrorists? Give me a break!
Doing something because you can, not because you need to, the causes an intentional negative impact on the existence of another form of life is wrong. We are taught this from birth and in every major religion, but yet when it comes down to actual brass tacks we lack the conviction to do anything about it. When Christians come to convert it's not an issue but when vegetarians say a fact, it's rude? I get that some people may not like vegetarianism, but give me a break it is by far less offensive than what we are sold on a daily basis, but it's easier to pick on a minority group and that's what you do when you are saying that people who attack you for the way you eat shouldn't have their hypocrisy pointed out for the way they eat.
Yes E.T. evil is a strong word, but I think it fits, just because we have become desensitized to it doesn't mean the spectrum of what is evil has moved. Irresponsible corporations cause the deaths of as many people as Hitler, they just have an easier time hiding it because the scope of time for the effects of the mercury poisoning from mountain topping for coal, the effects of GM crops that force family farmers into bankruptcy for unintended cross pollination of their crops grown for generations you can not tell me they are not evil, especially when they are trying to control the entire seed population of the planet and they are already at 70%. There are plenty of evil corporations, evil people, evil politicians and they all seem to want the power to control how I live, because that's what the money buys, power, speech, politicians, law. That is the society you really want, one where everyone is free to live as they please as long as it conforms to how YOU think it should be.
So Funny you asked, another item on my list was the MuckBoots Daily Clog which in your book might not qualify for a slipper but I'm in and out of the house and to the workshop frequently and a normal slipper just won't cut it.
these are some great ideas
at Arohan
if you go look at the sleeping bag they have chewbacca slippers, definitely not girly ;)
idea here sounds lethal :-)
I am a man and the only thing I want this Christmas is a pair of warm slippers to wear around the house that are strong and do not look girly. Is there such a thing?
@post 21 just because a question is not specifically written out does not mean that it is not illegal. Think of sexual discrimination, not every single thing you could say or see is written down, but if it is construed as the same in nature as the way the law was written you are liable.
Also for everyone else, as someone who did professional interviews for a living, you should never ask questions not directly related to the job.
Asking if they mind a certain amount of travel is legal especially if the job requires it. Asking their family situation is not legal, any way you word it.
Just because you are being interviewed, does not mean you can not ask questions. If they ask a question that is illegal and they seem to be genuinely uninformed, ask them what is it they want to know from that question, if you don't like their answer, end the interview and keep searching.
Also make sure if the company talks in generalities, you get specifics. A company that brings up that they are in line with industry pay may be speaking out of turn, if they are bringing up pay nail them down to a range, especially if this is a second interview. I once had a business owner tell me that he paid above industry average, but when it came down to figures he actually paid only 60 to 70% of what the industry average was, even bringing into account the cost of living for the area.
Remember these people are who you are going to be spending at least a third of your day with Monday through Friday in most cases. Make sure your job is the best fit that you can have within reason.
No doubt about the Dremel it's a maker's dream.
Very nice list, glad to see Lady Ada made your list, she has a ton of cool kits, kind of surprised a Dremel didn't make the list, because a Dremel is magic tool from the land where little boys dream of making the coolest stuff ever,okay maybe just me.
Wow the comments here leave a lot of bad taste in my mouth. I can say most people who seem to think that this post doesn't ring true are the ones that are causing others to be stuck in a wage trap. You're a nuclear engineer? Well bust my buttons, that must mean you're so much smarter than the rest of us idiots. Maybe it was the fact you started with a better lot than I did? I happen to fall into that area of Americana that makes too much money to be poor but doesn't have enough to make college on their own, oh and I'm a white male, so the scholarship opportunities weren't just busting the door open for me when I applied, as this was when affirmative action was at it's height.
So where does one turn, the military and what I got there was debt, because of the predators who are after your money, take money directly out of your account because the military lets them without checking if the claim is valid and you are again penniless, without any chance for education and to the outside world that is not directly military, without skill.
So please don't try to tell me life is good for everyone in the wage slave system. I am here because I have no choice. I was born into it and wasn't poor enough to get a hand up or rich enough to start from a better place. Everything I have I've worked for and I can promise you that I am every bit as smart as your smug engineer self.
For the commenter who thinks 150k/yr is middle class...what planet do you live on? 150k/yr is lower upper class, not middle class. Average middle class in the US is 70k-80k/yr between two people, you must have one of those cushy state jobs that steals money from the public because you're connected, like the toll collectors who make $80k/yr in MA.
Phil, this was a great post, from one of those unfortunate enough to be in a position of having to claw his way from the bottom to the middle, this story rings very true. Right now I have to work for an organization that evades taxes, ships jobs to the lowest paying places and has leadership the went to prison. The people who seem to profit from our system are those at the top and I don't know why so many of them seem to read your blog.
Thanks everyone for ideas and comments. Supplying tools along with a lesson and/or experience sounds like a great way to give a long-lasting gift. Having distance-type options such as delivered (by someone else) holiday greenery and/or flowers and gift cards are wonderful if you visit often but may not make it home for the holidays.
TO rebut one of the previous posters, the clothes don't make the man, but they sure change your initial impression. There is a reason that people wear uniforms, including dress clothes. Psychologically, we are all programmed to listen to authority and a well dressed person commands more authority than a slob. There have been countless studies that show this, so the article is very relevant to the times that we live in, that is until we all become as forward thinking as you and live in Dionysian bliss.
There are quite a few people in my life, who either seem to already have everything, or are difficult to buy for.
For them, try to listen to them throughout the year, and invariably, at some point in time, I will always get an off-handed remark from them about something they want.
I make a note of it, purchase that for them for Christmas, and they always seem to be "touched" by it that I remembered something that they mentioned to me so many months before.
Hi Julie,
Just want to say that I totally agree with the restaurant gift card idea. We did that for David's mother and my folks this year, along with delivered holiday bouquets. We picked the kind with lots of greenery so they would last through the season and included candles. The cool thing about choosing bouquets with candles is that they tend to be lower to the table, making them great for the coffee table as well as for a nice centerpiece for the holiday meal.
My husband and I also enjoy receiving consumable gifts, as we have everything we need and are trying to downsize. Scented kitchen candles are one of our favorite things to receive and they can be found affordably. My folks included one last year in our Christmas pack that was pine scented.
Great article, as usual.
You can also follow me on Twitter and Trek Hound.
After SO MANY years. I'm still stuck on level 1, Lifetime. I still have not found any real passions, only mild interests and curiosities. I like technology and future trends and am taking some computer programming classes, but I'm not real passionate about it but it's the closest thing so far. I was laid off from a mundane asst. manager job earlier this year. The best thing and only good thing about it was the pay check, but throughout the day all I did was watch the clock second by second and couldn't wait until 5:00 pm. Absolute misery. My interests keep shifting. Once I lose interest in something, I simply don't care about the subject anymore and want nothing to do with it and try to find something else. I use to like drawing and art and animation, now I can't stand any of that. I used to love movies and film making and even have a BA in communications, but now I barely watch a movie and generally don't care about movies and entertainment at all. Nothing's exciting for me anymore. I don't care much about helping people, the world and all that noble BS stuff. I think all I care about at this time in life is winning the lottery and sleeping, surfing the internet.
some website are complete fraud. They place their insiders to bid and at the end their people win with the Genuine members losing. Having some pity on genuine members they let them win some cheap items like Wii remote controller, Gift cards, etc
Also, I visited at http://www.pennyauctioninfo.com and there too I found the reviews about various website. yesterday, their site was down for some maintenance but now, its up.
Calcium supplements help some people with muscle cramps.
I messed up with the tag above. The address is http://www.giftzip.com.
You can find a gift card for people that have everything at . I just gave one to mixmygranola.com. Things like wine.com are also on there. They don't have a ton of restaurants but lots of retailers.
For gun owners, three points.
1. Make sure the person you are shooting is actually a thief, not the neighbor's daughter's boyfriend or some such.
2. Make sure you shoot them dead so they can not sue you.
3. If you shoot an unarmed person who is not on your property, not immediately threatening you and not putting you in any danger you most likely will go to jail for shooting them.
I have no problem with people owning guns, but gun owners who nonchalantly talk about killing people are either sick, over compensating and in many cases have never shot at a living person. The military has to train the response to hesitate out of you, because taking someone's life is not a natural thing. If you are ever in mortal danger, do not give a person a second chance, if they move in any direction except away from you pull the trigger.
Me personally I have swords. My house has a lot of corners and makes it easy to jump out at someone. Aside from that, who wants to get stabbed with a sword?
My mother is elderly, has trouble reading, and is starting to suffer from dementia. Some needs are obvious and make great gifts. Magnifying glasses in different sizes that are good for different uses. I mail her large print books periodically. LP boos are expensive, so if I buy used I can buy more of them. This Christmas, my siblings and I combined our money to buy a digital picture frame. This will give my brother, who lives locally, a source of conversation when he visits. And my mother won't need a great attention span to look at photos. All three of us can contribute our photos, so that there's a large selection. When my father was suffering from Alzheimer's, I made up photo albums with all the relatives in it. Unfortunately, he was affectted badly enough that he would rip the photos out. That shouldn't be a problem with the digital frame. I'm hoping it will be a great gift that will keep on pleasing.
I have "BEAUTIFUL LONG BLACK ASIAN HAIR" (So everyone says)that I want to sell. If you are interested please contact me back through my e-mail at KristaHieam@yahoo.com . Thank you!
As a professional organizer, I'm often encouraging my clients to give (and ask for) non-tangible gifts...things they will not have to dust, store or care for. I recommend thinking in terms of fanciful or practical experiences.
For example, a year's membership at a zoo, the National Parks, a driving range or a season's fishing license can feed a loved one's desires for fun, without them having to dip into their pockets. Similarly, even for relatives who "have" everything, a year's (or quarter's) worth of internet, cell phone service, Netflix, etc. give them a chance to not have to lay out their money for the practicalities of life.
For older relatives, a gift of a packet of luxury car washes/detailing, plus an offer to meet them there, take them to lunch so they can avoid the wait, and squire them back provides both a practical and loving intangible that yields memories...and requires no dusting.
I like to give (and get) gifts of experiences or lessons. Talking with my Mom in the mid-summer, she said that Dad was making rhubarb pie. I didn't know my dad cooked or baked. I asked if he had made the pie crust himself. Mom said no. I recently learned to make pie crust and it's not that hard. So, for Christmas this year, I'm giving my dad a pastry blender and dough scraper along with pie crust making lessons. I taught a friend to juggle for her birthday last year. That was a lot of fun for both of us.
I like to give (and get) these types of gifts because it's not only an experience and often a new skill, but it also gives me a chance to spend some time with the recipient and have fun in the process.
sneezing back dc
who would brag about her husband making 150k a year? Unless you live in Nebraska..thats pretty much middle class, doll.