A friendly place to chat.
No politics please. Don't be a dick.
Happy Sunday folks!
Got the wean’s girlfriend visiting from Austria for the week and look what their Dad brought as a gift!
Would love to hear of some interesting/peculiar gifts that folk have unexpectedly received? I was absolutely blown away by getting this and it’s just such a nice wee gesture that I was blown away.
Ooh that's nice of them, looks lush! What kind is it?
Trying to figure out how to share a story related to my (tiny, insignificant and not worth me trying to shill) YT channel without it coming across as self promo. Sod it.
Basically there've been a few occasions where someone who watches my channel was looking to get rid of craft stuff, and thought I might find a use for it. And it just blows my mind that people are so generous and thoughtful like that.
I'm now the proud owner of an encaustic art kit, a load of cross stitch frames, and a whole washi tape collection sometime was getting rid of!
It’s a chocolate cake with apricot jam apparently.
And a bit of self promotion is never unwarranted! These wee kinds of totally unexpected gifts are my absolute favourite. I loathe getting presents generally; and hate the kind of obligation folk feel on Xmas and birthdays, so when someone goes out their way to do something like this I just adore it. Even better when someone is getting shot Or something and thinks of you and keeps it aside! TIL what encaustic art is as well, so cheers for that!
I didn't know either until she messaged me asking if I wanted the kit! Guess I have a reputation for trying anything once (this is correct).
I'm the same as you with gifts usually, sick of telling people I don't need anything for my birthday. For Christmas in our house we've started just setting a hard and fast budget so at least I know I'm not about to be ambushed with something unnecessarily expensive 😅
My 40th coming up and my mother in law is doing my head in asking what I want. I've already said an Amazon voucher please, which I genuinely want because then if a book comes out I can get it on my Kindle. That is what I actually want. I don't really want anything, but because I have to say something, that is what I'm saying to get the present police off my case.
But she's insisting that she has to get me something 'proper' and I'm like what does that mean? And my wife says well some of your jumpers are looking a bit shabby (thanks wifey). And then suggestions start flying in like what about a nice print for the living room, or that beard oil stuff you use maybe? Because I like cooking, she asks if I've got enough pots and pans? Instead of an Amazon voucher what about avoucher to go somewhere like a spa?
At least I can trust my Mum just to get me a book, send me a birthday text and say no more about the matter 😂
Christ that's infuriating. My partner's dad gets the same thing for everyone every year, except the other women in the family get a Next voucher as part of theirs and I get an Amazon one to spend on board games and books. I actually look forward to it so much every year!
Maybe there's some way to get your enthusiasm for reading vs spas across to her. Emphasise how much longer that would last in terms of enjoyment, or something. There must be some way to get through to her!
I hope so, because a yearly injection of free books is an excellent gift.
I've really tried, but their side of the family takes birthdays seriously and has this thing about 'real' presents being... I don't actually know. I guess Spa vouchers count because it's an experience. But digital books are somehow a cop out. Or something. She's a bit stubborn and not my mum so it's a bit awkward to keep finding ways of saying 'i just want an Amazon voucher because that's what would really make me happy' without it coming across as me being the dick!
It's just a culture clash because my family don't really make a big deal out of birthdays at all and certainly don't have some weird caste system of presents lol
Ok new plan. Go for the spa voucher and sell it to someone you know, then spend the money on Kindle books.
Win/win lol.
Yeah, I'll be in touch 😂
I was sent this fruit cake as a thank you for some software I wrote, back in the 2000s. It's from a famous fruit cake place in USA (I forget where now) and was delicious.
Must have been some great software! The most I ever got for any of mine was an angry pull request 😅
At least you got a wank out of it, albeit an agressive one
Though the gift is great, especially these Sacher Cakes are so darn dry. Tasty, but you need a can of coffee or cocoa to get a piece of it down (the box is great for storing things, though).
Ate it with some whipped cream and a coffee to go with it. Was fantastic. Plus we made a big deal of it and had it together as a family. Good times.
Give that Viennese a whirl!
Well it's just gone four now. A cup of tea and a slice of that fine cake would go down nicely...