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Dumb dumb dumb ol' me

MEKer

MEKer

Supporting member
May 30, 2006
6,081
3,586
#1
OK, my sister-in-law's birthday. I'm thinking of something that will be helpful for her, not another "dust-catcher" piece of crap. She's into fitness/dieting (big time) and such so that I got her 6 cans of choc and vanilla Slim Fast. Just tryin' to help....hello!

My bro was cool with it---for which he got the cold shoulder for a couple of weeks. My wife said I was insensitive and if she'd known she would have stopped me (she got her a couple of these new copper pans...hah!...another gift about EATING!!!).

So she's trying to lose weight (she IS pretty over-weight--whew), I do something to help and I get the slap-down. If I'd got a piece of exercise equipment I'm sure it would have been just fine...but oh no, if it references weight then you are an ash whole.

F it. I could care less. I think my bro is gonna dump her anyhow (no kids thank gawd).

Next female present I get, I swear will be a lace hankie. Nobody can bee-otch about that.
 
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#4
MJ5150 said:
Try giving the gift of your time next time.

-Mike
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Yeah, I'll coach her on her stationary bike or something and then have her cool down with a Slim Fast.

Maybe I'll entertain her with a joke---humor is good, right? I'll tell her the first thing Columbus bumped into when he crossed the Atlantic was not the island of Hispanola ...it was her big behind. He just thought it was the sub-continent of India.




hmm maybe not...:rollno:
 
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#10
And you didn't even open her present:

CAdqNzYUMAAJBJS.jpg
 
#12
MEKer said:
OK, my sister-in-law's birthday. I'm thinking of something that will be helpful for her, not another "dust-catcher" piece of crap. She's into fitness/dieting (big time) and such so that I got her 6 cans of choc and vanilla Slim Fast. Just tryin' to help....hello!

My bro was cool with it---for which he got the cold shoulder for a couple of weeks. My wife said I was insensitive and if she'd known she would have stopped me (she got her a couple of these new copper pans...hah!...another gift about EATING!!!).

So she's trying to lose weight (she IS pretty over-weight--whew), I do something to help and I get the slap-down. If I'd got a piece of exercise equipment I'm sure it would have been just fine...but oh no, if it references weight then you are an ash whole.

F it. I could care less. I think my bro is gonna dump her anyhow (no kids thank gawd).

Next female present I get, I swear will be a lace hankie. Nobody can bee-otch about that.
Click to expand...
What's her second favorite hobby/interest? Sounds like walking in a minefield trying to figure out that first one.
 
#13
MEKer said:
OK, my sister-in-law's birthday. I'm thinking of something that will be helpful for her, not another "dust-catcher" piece of crap. She's into fitness/dieting (big time) and such so that I got her 6 cans of choc and vanilla Slim Fast. Just tryin' to help....hello!

My bro was cool with it---for which he got the cold shoulder for a couple of weeks. My wife said I was insensitive and if she'd known she would have stopped me (she got her a couple of these new copper pans...hah!...another gift about EATING!!!).

So she's trying to lose weight (she IS pretty over-weight--whew), I do something to help and I get the slap-down. If I'd got a piece of exercise equipment I'm sure it would have been just fine...but oh no, if it references weight then you are an ash whole.

F it. I could care less. I think my bro is gonna dump her anyhow (no kids thank gawd).

Next female present I get, I swear will be a lace hankie. Nobody can bee-otch about that.
Click to expand...
Honestly, I'm right there with you. If she is working out and dieting, then the Slim-Fast would be something that would get used, and she ought to accept it as encouragement. You didn't intend it to be an insult in any way, right? Not your fault she (and your wife) don't think logically. Move on, and stick with a gift certificate next year. Surely she can't be offended by that.

I'm overweight and I wasn't the least bit offended when my kids got me one of those gut-buster abdominal things (to do crunches, etc.) :D
as-seen-on-tv-ab-roller-evolution.jpg
 
#16
dwm74 said:
Honestly, I'm right there with you. If she is working out and dieting, then the Slim-Fast would be something that would get used, and she ought to accept it as encouragement. You didn't intend it to be an insult in any way, right? Not your fault she (and your wife) don't think logically. Move on, and stick with a gift certificate next year. Surely she can't be offended by that.

I'm overweight and I wasn't the least bit offended when my kids got me one of those gut-buster abdominal things (to do crunches, etc.) :D
View attachment 3213067
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You’re a guy. It should be no surprise we see things different than women. Insensitivity to that reality is how this sort of emotional SNAFU happens.
 
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#19
This reminds of when in 6th grade, the class did a secret Santa and the teacher gifted a student with poor hygiene a basket of soap and shampoo. It was probably one of the most cruel, awkward things I’ve ever witnessed. People would taunt and pick on this poor girl constantly and one could literally smell her from around a corner. At the time, I don’t think anyone knew or thought about the reasons for the young lady’s poor hygiene, which was a result of her living in a home that had no running hot water and wasn’t very far removed from what was essentially a one room shack.

While everyone was unwrapping gifts of toys and candy, this poor girl was unwrapping a big fat reminder of her unfortunate situation. I could understand the teacher privately gifting her this basket of bath products, but the fact that she sat and watched her open it in front of the class read like something well beyond benign cluelessness. I know that OP was well meaning, so it’s not really comparable, but alas, it’s a vote from me for a “no gift” policy when it comes to non immediate family.
 
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#20
Personally my thought is, if that person is/has been making a big show(tell?) about losing weight and being “big time” into fitness, then they, and those who must know too, have nothing to gripe about when a gift targeting that all important enough to talk about it all the freakin time lose weight get in shape scenario is given.

If they had waxed poetic about the latest MC D’s artery clogging item them maybe a gift cert. would have been appropriate but it sounds like you paid attention and acted accordingly.

Sounds like a few more gifts are needed. Pacifiers for the criers :)

In all seriousness cash is king with a nice card. It’s lazy but safe if I don’t know them terribly well or the gift is dead obvious to me.
 
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