The Gift Exchange

“Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards – the things we live by and teach our children – are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings.”~ Walt Disney

And I’m back. In not any moment too soon before the Christmas holiday & break .

But I knew that I would be back today here when I woke up this morning as today was our grand ole fun-filled Holiday Party. A party in which no neighbor has referred to it as such in over five years. With the kinda of neighbors that I have now, political correctness can sit on it!

Our usual gathering took place with snacks and drinks and other deliciousness. As much as you had wished to stack onto a plate.

But the one part that would make you run and get the popcorn from home, would be ……. the gift exchange.

Allow me to explain why this is entertaining.

First off, there is a $10 limit on gifts. Of course, you must give a gift to receive a gift. Even though other people have attempted to lie and falsify that they gave, just to get something more… it never worked out well for them. But instead of doing something about it, they get passed off as “old and confused.” It doesn’t make sense to me either.

But one year after the gift exchange had been announced that it had come to an end. Everyone looked at what they had RANDOMLY SELECTED and nobody was happy or satisfied with what they received.

One woman who has been a rather frequent topic of conversation in this blog stood right up and announced a proposition for other neighbors if they had the desire to “SWAP” what they had with hers. Within one hour, I watched that one gift get traded and swapped through a total of four separate people.

The gift in question you may wonder? A two-cup coffee maker.

Another year, an old bitty was so greedy about receiving something through the gift exchange, that she had let it slip her mind until that very day. So just hours ahead of the party, she dumped out the contents of her own personal wallet and threw it in a box and then put it under the tree.

I can still see the look on the person’s face who had randomly selected that wallet. It wasn’t new. It was old and falling apart. And there was nothing inside of it either. All in the name of getting something more.

For the past couple of years, after the gift exchange had come to an end, it was an automatic thing that people would swap and switch their gifts. For as long as they were not receiving the same gift that they gave for the exchange.

So in 2015, I chose emphatically not to participate in the gift exchange. But rather sit back like a boss and watch the people trip and drown in their own selfishness and avarice.

I was not disappointed. The gifts that were under the tree this year were horrible. And I think the thought behind them were even worse. A person can do a lot with a ten dollar limit. This group of participating hoarders simply chose not to go that far in their exchange. A lot of thoughtless gifts, and even more bullshit ideas that would be considered as a present…. in the minds of simple children. 

So we pass another holiday season here. Christmas is just a few days away. And sadly for me, it will be just another day of the week as my sister already made her plans for the holiday elsewhere and out of town. I’ll probably get a few text messages and a couple of telephone calls of family and friends wishing me a Merry Christmas. And that will be the extent of it.

Stay tuned. 2016 is going to be packed full of surprises. I PROMISE YOU! Just be patient……………….

I Am A Valentine’s Day Deity

“A single rose can be my garden… a single friend, my world.”~ Leo Buscaglia

A few years ago, there was an article that talked about how a man had met a woman, and he was attracted in some manner to her and he left this really nasty message on her voice mail about how much of a “great catch” he was and that she was missing out and all of that. It actually serves two purposes: For one, a good laugh. And two, it teaches men how NOT to be around women.

I have broken the mold today in what I have done this morning at the local grocery store while waiting for a ride to return home.

Being that everyone who knows me personally knows that Valentine’s Day can just go ahead and suck on it and die already.

However this morning, I took a different approach.

What I am about to tell you actually did happen, nothing has been changed to protect anyone. Just the hard up truth.

I know that there are going to be millions of people out there like me tomorrow with absolutely NOTHING. And I mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G! ! ! !

So I decided to go over into the floral department where they had their displays of long stemmed single roses out for their Valentine’s Day promotions. I picked up a few of the single roses and paid for them.

Then I went out to the edges of the floral department and with anyone that passed by me, I offered to buy them a rose so that they could say that they had something this year on Valentine’s Day.  It didn’t matter if they were young, old, married, single, divorced, widowed, engaged, in a relationship, MALE OR FEMALE… I offered to anyone that went by me.

I am planning on saving some extra money on the side each month so that by next Valentine’s Day, I can offer more than “just a rose” for people. Because I AM the great catch.

Wish me luck. And yes, if you’re in this area next year. I will definitely BUY you some roses for Valentine’s Day.

Full Spectrum: Part I- Celebrating A Life

Dr. & Mrs. Froth

“Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.”~ George S. Patton

I was going to call this post “Surprise,  Surprise” but in the next blog that is upcoming, you’ll understand why I have taken this and broken it down into two parts.

However, I did something that was totally not all that characteristic of what I do but I was totally glad that I did it. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOO WORTH IT!!!!!

Dr. and Mrs. Froth are expecting a son in January 2014.

This past weekend, was a shindig AND a hooten-nanny all in one. But this was more for Dr. Froth than it was for Mrs. Froth. A little different, hey… a party is a party, right?!?

So in my usual communication ritual with Mrs. Froth, I had begun to feel absolutely worthless based on the fact that I didn’t think that I could pull it off.

But then something that I’m not quite sure that I should be calling a miracle happened.

I was GIVEN the money to go ahead and attend this party. So then I got with the hostess and the so-called coordinator and said that I was coming. But it was agreed upon that my attendance at this party would be kept a secret until I just simply showed up.

That’s exactly what I did. For a guest list that did RSVP close to 30 people in one house for a party, besides myself there were only three others that knew I was coming. Everyone else took in the surprise ……. including Dr. & Mrs. Froth.

When I arrived, the looks on the Froth faces were absolutely perfect, not to mention priceless. I’ve never seen a woman seven months pregnant move so fast with such gusto and excitement in order to greet me.

Everyone who knew who I was, which was a majority, was totally blown away that I was there.

I was able to be with my friends and celebrate this expected child of Froth. I believe that the child is referred to as the Spawn.

Food, great company, lots of laughs, a few tears when it was over and I was heading home. But damned well worth the secrecy.

I’ve never been good with those kinds of secrets. I’ve always broken down and told someone which ruined the surprise in some fashion. But this time, I was able to pull it off and probably earn myself Friend of the Year Award. Yep, it was that important to Dr. & Mrs. Froth that I was there to share with them. Even though they had no clue that I was coming and several times of being told that they wished I could be there.

Be careful for what you wish for! Just saying……

A little different as we were not out all hours of the night as we normally would be if I was in town for a show. I was able to reach the hotel and get something they call sleep. Or rest.

I woke up early still, so I watched more re-runs of “Married With Children” just like I had three weeks ago when I was there last. Then I hopped on the bus and almost the entire trip had to listen to some stupid group of people argue over the Twilight movie franchise and its characters and what they can and cannot do …………. sexually!!!

Really? First world problems are whether or not vampires can bang each other????

Thankfully I had the sense to bring along the new album of SIX MINUTE CENTURY with me and drown those bastards out!

Yet the party was so much fun. I got to go into the “forbidden” rehearsal room of WELL OF SOULS while they were practicing and listen for a bit. Apparently wives/girlfriends aren’t even allowed in there, and some how I got through. But I think I am beginning to stamp my VIP pass a little too hard because I did receive the stink eye from a lot of people.

I still had fun surprising everyone there at the party. That was truly a blast to have been able to accomplish it. Even though I was so tempted to tease The family of Froth with text messages while I was waiting to be picked up to go to the party.

And you know what? I’d do it again all over again if I had to!!!

So when that time comes, I’ll be back again soon to see this wonderment of child.

And even TODAY, the 11th of November, is their wedding anniversary. So HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!!

 

Non Thoughtful Nincompoop

“Guilt: the gift that keeps on giving.”~Erma Bombeck

Now the entire world is done talking about the Mayans, we press on closer and closer to Christmas Day. It will be here before we know it!

With that said, today was the Christmas party for the complex that I live at. I must say that today is probably the most memorable party yet.

It was the first time that I had ever eaten chocolate covered potato chips. It was also the first time that I had cream cheese in soy sauce and sesame seeds.

However it was the gift exchange that basically takes the plate of Christmas cookies that you intend on leaving out on Christmas Eve, and throws them all into the sink before shoving them down the garbage disposal.

The gift exchange is not an activity that participated by everyone who attends. But a large number of people do. The idea is that you give a gift before receiving one. Plain and simple. And there’s even a cap of $10 for reach gift. No gifts to be purchased more than that.

So then today after some interesting snack foods and some unusual “caroling” if you will, the gift exchange began.

Each person taking their time to open things before the next person got up to make their selection for a gift.

The rest of this story is something that I couldn’t make up even if I tried:

It wasn’t enough to be greedy this past Wednesday as it was their monthly acts of greed during Food Pantry distribution, but now we have the desperate to do anything to take part in the gift exchange.

The neighbor sitting next to me was called up to pick a gift and when she sat down and opened it up, she found a woman’s wallet inside.

ONE USED WOMAN’S WALLET. Complete with wear & tear.

Now I am given to understand that there is either a tradition or superstition that if you are giving a wallet as a gift, that you leave some small amount of cash inside of it. I do not know if that is for luck or just the beginnings of actually having the purpose of a wallet.

This worn out wallet had no cash in it. But instead, was a photograph of someone’s brother in it. That someone being another neighbor.

The gifter literally just thought that they would empty out a wallet and throw it in a bag, and that would be sufficient enough to participate in the ritual of receiving something different and new in return.

So the person who received the wallet took the photograph over to the person and gave it back. Then the person was humiliated, NOT for the fact that she had been busted by someone who knows her well or by someone who is smart enough to realize that this is not a new gift, but rather the fact that her identity was revealed because she left that photograph inside the used wallet.

How lame, lazy, and cheap must one be? If the limit on a gift is $10 then why couldn’t that person have gone over to the corner store and just purchased some scratch off lottery tickets? Even if it was just one for $1.

And now I am understanding that some way, some how, that gifter miraculously has walked away from this party by receiving two gifts. That one, I am still scratching my head about.

People are strange.

Getting What You Deserve

“It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.”~Mark Twain

 

After taking what seemed to have been the longest shower in world history, I emerged from the bathroom and descended into my bedroom to rummage through my closet so that I could find something to wear.

 

The personal attendant who was hired by the current home health company shouting for me to “come back” because she was not finished.

 

When at last she was finished with her job, I returned to find something suitable to wear. After taking up another world’s record of time to figure that out, the attendant came at me with a long red bottle, ready for action.

 

If anyone is counting, it was a bottle of cologne by Perry Ellis.

 

She pumped that stuff all over the place. It was quite heavy and it would have been an overstated comment to say that it was “too much”.

 

Needless to say that everything that was selected to wear, was probably too much as well. I had no plans of going anywhere, and here I was in was designer clothes with really big names that were given to me at some point in time. The cologne being no acception as it was given to me as well. I think that the personal attendant merely was playing “dress up”.

 

Anyways, when I was out and about on the property, I ran by the person who had given me the cologne in the first place. He immediately indentified the scent that I was more or less half-bathed in. So then he would talk about how he needed to “hook me up” with some other things, and I asked him why he felt that way. And this is the whole point of this blog post, now that I’ve dragged out a long story. 

 

I was all ears as I waited for a speech upon the soapbox. But his speech was short. Far shorter than I thought. “Because you deserve it”.

 

It had struck me because I had heard the same thing from a neighbor when she and I were discussing the fact that whenever a large donation of clothing is given to the apartment complex, that when she receives the shipment… she always goes through it to find men’s clothes that would fit me. And this is how I have ended up with the really nice designer clothing that I have today. Not because I can afford it, but because someone donated it and she recognized the value of them and immediately set them aside for me before distributing the rest into the community room for the rest of the residents to go through as they wish.

 

When I asked her a few days ago why she did things that way, she said the same exact words but only with more force and intention in her vocal tones. And then quickly realizing what she had done and tried to mask her “oops” with a bit of giggling and nervous laughter.

 

But in my mind, that had been two people believing the same exact thoughts.

 

I’m not quite sure what I have done or not done to “deserve it”. I just know that these two think so. So I have actual options when it comes to colognes and my wardrobe has rapidly grown. However, I personally think that the wardrobe increase comes from the fact that everyone here knew that I returned back here by the skin of my teeth after narrowly losing all belongings and life.

 

All the clothes that I had with me when I left my ex-girlfriend, could be stuffed in a backpack and one duffle bag. And the rest of my belongings were crammed back inside one more bag, and that’s all I had.

 

Sometimes we receive things, whether it be food, clothing, money, or anything really… and it’s not because we actually shown any merit for it. And of course, when we have shown merit we still receive our rewards.

 

With each and every time that I have received something from someone, I have always thanked them. It was a very good lesson that my step-mother taught me a long time ago. To say “thank you” for all that you have received. Whether its a written note or a verbal acknowledgement of gratitude, I have always done my best to do just that, and in a quick and timely manner.

 

I still cannot figure out why some believe that I deserve it all. But I suppose that sometimes, it is just better to acknowledge the blessings that have been given to me and be thankful. For whatever reason, it is the beliefs of these people that I have merit. And even though I cannot figure it out exactly, doesn’t mean that I should be rude to not accept their good will and kindness.

 

What I can say about it is that they wouldn’t have done it if they didn’t care. And quite obviously they do care. Whenever someone receives a gift such as these, its because someone cares. And so when you end up in these kinds of situations and you cannot figure out what you have done in order to receive whatever gift that has been given to you, at least think of that. Someone cares about you. And quite honestly, there probably isn’t any real reason, other than that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O Happy Day!

'I would do this, if I could.'

“Java! Java! Java! Java!!!”~ Brendan Fraser

Happy Day, Happy Weekend, something like that.

Regardless of what pathetic people did to my mood over the weekend, it’s been replaced with unrestrained jubilation today, fueled by two cups of coffee.

Yes, I fear the caffeine crash that is inevitable soon. But for now, the mood is beyond cloud nine.

The weekend began with the story from a previous post about being taken out to eat last Friday evening. Then it rocketed through Saturday and Sunday. I felt like the weekend just blew by until today.

But also on Friday, I finally was able to track down a package that was actually delivered around the time of my birthday, over a month ago that was sent by my brother who lives in Germay. Friday afternoon, I finally pinned the package and found it still waiting at the Post Office. Not thrilled that they declined my previous request to re-deliver it. However, it could have been worse and they could have returned it. But it had been sitting there for a month and I FINALLY got it.

My brother loves me and knows me very well. He sent two Rammstein albums. One that I had before but lost, and the other one was “newer”. And to his credit, he also sent the newest album to me for Christmas last year.

I received Liebe ist für alle da, and Herzleid. I went for the classic album first, but then when I turned on Liebe ist für alle da, I am stuck and I cannot get passed the first track, “Rammleid“. Even though I am aware of the other songs on the album, such as “Ich Tu Dir Weh” and “Pussy“.

So I’ve been rocking out all weekend long, in German. With me being stuck on the song, “Rammleid“, I am sure that my neighbors definitely heard me shouting “Ramm-stein!!!!” a few times during the song over the weekend. Or maybe a few dozen times.

Then this morning, the postal carrier came knocking on my door with another package.

It was from my penpal that I have been writing for almost ten years.

I was extra happy when I saw the box. But I knew what it was, but not exactly sure what kind or whatever. Still, to have it hand delivered is always cool.

I received a Canon Powershot A80 Digital Camera. It’s great! I’m going to have to play with it today so I can get used to how it works and all of that. This could be the camera that I have been looking for, in order to make videos better and clearer. Perhaps I’ll begin uploading videos to YouTube, we’ll see!

I like the fact that the display screen comes out and you can actually see what’s in the view finder. It’s a pretty neat idea for a camera.

I’ve not had a lot of luck with digital cameras in the past. I hope this is the exception. But I think that if I make myself very familiar with the camera, I should be okay. I’m excited to start working with it. It came with a fresh set of batteries and an extra memory card.

In my absolute state of being on top of the world, I went to go show my apartment manager the camera. I knew that he would appreciate the fact that I had something. And then he turns around and hands me a Men’s Travel Kit by Paul Mitchell.

His girlfriend works for Paul Mitchell, and he’s been talking about getting me some product so that I don’t have to keep shaving my head in the military style that I have been keeping in for the last … well …. let’s just say a very very long time. There are others that agree that they want me to grow out my hair and keep it the way it is now. These products were meant to keep my hair under control as I have horrible cowlicks if I let it grow out too long.

While I was talking with my apartment manager, two attractive women came into the office, I backed out and allowed them to conduct their business. But I was there to see them come through.

And like I said at the beginning, I’m also fueled by two cups of coffee that was overloaded with sugar & cream. And those two cups were consumed back to back.

So yeah, someone is BUZZIN’!!! Both by jubilation and by the caffeine.

It turns out that my rather unusual guess to celebrate my birthday this past weekend worked out well. Gifts that were originally intended to arrive for my birthday came this weekend and today. And a few people just played along with me and wished me a happy birthday. Some were happy that I made the decision to do so. I am too.

I haven’t had a “good weekend” in a long time. I think that I was overdue. Or that I overlooked something. But for sure, this was full of excitement and a bit of adventure.

Thank you to all who gave me gifts. And thank you to all of those who played along this weekend that I was celebrating. Very few “got it”, most didn’t. But that’s okay. Clearly, the timing on some of these things were perfect!

I’d be bouncing up and down and jumping everywhere, if I could.

 

Ye Olde Christmas Traditions

“We’re kicking off our fun old fashion family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols.”~ Chevy Chase as ‘Clark’ in “Christmas Vacation” [1989]

It’s Christmas Eve. At least for most. Christmas Day is several hours away and we gather with family and friends to celebrate in love and harmony, not to mention in pride and avarice (for others).

Each family who celebrates Christmas throughout the world has their own holiday traditions. I know that growing up, my family sure did. But after having those traditions for many, many years- it is sometimes difficult to realize that others do not do the same thing as I have done for most of my life.

Growing up, my family did our Christmas celebrating and the opening of gifts and presents on the evening of Christmas Eve. For many years I just thought that was how it was done. Until I was much older and realized that the only reason why my parents decided to open presents on Christmas Eve, was because of the fact that my sister’s birthday is the 26th of December.

So many Decembers gone by, and I could never figure out why other neighborhood children had only had their toys and gifts for an hour or so when me and my siblings had ours freshly unwrapped overnight. I would learn after the age of ten or so why that was.

Most of my life though, and even into adulthood, I would open up Christmas presents on the 24th of December………. except for one year.

On the 24th of December in the year of 1982, our family stayed at home instead of attending Christmas Eve services. My father would go on without us and then return home. Meanwhile, a thunderstorm came through and by the time we had heard the garage door opening, signifying that my father was home and “Christmas” would begin, my younger sibling ran out the front door to greet him in the pouring rain. At that moment when the front door was opening, the tornado sirens began to wail.

Christmas was not going to happen for several hours later as the F4 tornado ripped through in the middle of the night. Two days later (on my sister’s birthday that year) we had twelve inches of snow. Go figure.

That year, so memorable. Opening gifts and drinking tiny glasses of egg nog well after midnight and practically falling asleep on the floor amongst the disaster area of torn and shredded Christmas wrapping paper and emptied out toy boxes and packages.

Christmas traditions vary worldwide as well. Not just from American family to family. Some have already opened gifts and presents. When I was studying German in school, we learned about something called “Saint Nikolas Tag” (St. Nicholas Day). That was the time when many children would open gifts and presents. Of course in Germany, they do celebrate Christmas on the traditional days of 24th and 25th, and even on the 26th. But what we learned, Saint Nikolas Tag was the day that the German version of Santa Claus would visit and bring gifts for the children.

Now as an adult, now that I am an uncle; things have changed a little bit. My niece and nephews will most likely be opening gifts tomorrow morning as many children will in this country.

But I really don’t believe that it matters all that much on WHAT DAY we open our gifts and presents for the Christmas holiday. It’s more towards what the real meaning of Christmas is about. And being with family and loved ones.

And that’s just me.

For those of you reading this blog post, and celebrate Christmas– MERRY CHRISTMAS. May your holidays be full of love & joy.

 

A Wedding Announcement

This blog post is for my friends as they are getting married this evening.

Michael Millsap, bassist of the band, SIX MINUTE CENTURY, is getting married to Lori. Both of whom I am so abundantly proud to be able to call my friends.

Unfortunately, I am unable to attend due to uncontrollable circumstances. And most likely that by the time I finish writing this blog post, Lori will be cruising up the aisle.

I’ve known Lori just a little bit longer than I have known Michael. But all in all, I’d have to say that when I met them both in person back in April, it was like a dream come true for me. They’ve also had me tag along with them as I was able to see my first SIX MINUTE CENTURY show. They both made me feel comfortable and cared for. And that was something that was new to me at the time. Without the generosity and friendship from the both of them, I’m not sure where I would be today. Definitely, I would not be such a hardcore fan of SIX MINUTE CENTURY as Lori was the one who introduced me to their music.

Later this evening, they will have a reception and SIX MINUTE CENTURY will perform. It kills me not to be able to go, but moreso, not being able to share this moment with them because they’ve both meant so much to me in my journey with the band. Having band mentors, has always worked out in my favor.

But, it won’t be the last time the band plays. I know that there will be other times where I can go see them. And of course, I can go and visit with my friends any time I want. In fact, I think it would be safe to say that the entire circle down there wishes that I would move there to be closer so I wouldn’t have to miss anything.

All I can say is: I’m working on it.

Michael: You are super moist! I owe a lot to you for your kindness. You have been a great teacher in Frothtonomy, and an excellent source for musical inspiration. I appreciate all that you have done for me in the past year or so. As I said to you earlier, mucho love.

Lori: The one who reigns in the metal world. I owe so much more to you. Your friendship is priceless. I am so grateful to have been put on a path that crossed yours in this life. I love you mucho too. 

Both of you: Congratulations. I will return to the area soon. Blessings upon you as you enter marriage.

This is blog is my wedding gift to you. Your own corner of the Internet composed specifically for you and this happy event. And it has been known that this blog reaches people WORLDWIDE.

Michael’s personal blog, Frothtonomy, can be found in the blog roll to the left. Also there are a few websites for the band, SIX MINUTE CENTURY as well. Check them all out.

Diamonds Are Not A Girl’s Best Friend

It appears as if the days of the stereotype sung by Carol Channing in the Broadway production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, might be over with.

With the advent of several birthdays, anniversaries, and the soon approaching Christmas holiday, I find myself in a rather odd position. The stereotype in what women want as gifts doesn’t seem to be the case anymore at all. The things in which we (as men) grew up to learn about what women wanted has been thrown out the window entirely.

It used to be a safe bet for a man to buy a woman either chocolate, flowers, or jewelry, or all of them. But I am finding out that within the group of female colleagues and friends that its not really what they want any more.

Sure, I don’t see a woman turning down these things. I don’t see how a woman would want to turn away from FREE chocolate. But it really isn’t what they WANT from anyone. It appears that the female population (at least within my circles) want things that are less tangible and more meaningful. They seem to want to hang on to the bond of friendship more often than not. That they want that to grow and develop, rather than a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates.

I will say that some of my female friends are already married. So perhaps if it is chocolate and flowers and jewelry that they want, they could probably seek it from their husbands. But, not all of my female friends are married or in a relationship. And they still would rather pass on the objects and maintain the emotional bonds.

I have a friend’s birthday that is coming up and I have absolutely no clue at all what she would like or would want. Perhaps the first step would be to ask. Yet with previous conversations I have had, she’s not exactly the “material girl” either.

That is not to say that ALL women have abandoned the stereotype and aim for less tangible things in which they desire. There are still those who want these things. I am just saying that through my social life, those women that I speak to regularly are NOT those kinds of women.

I personally have no problem giving my female friends chocolates or roses. I am not opposed to ordering a small and simple vase of flowers for their special day. Whether they are married or not. My intentions are always true… “This is for your special day. Be happy!”.

I recall one time that I sent a half dozen roses that were white, to a female friend of mine who was married. It was for her wedding anniversary. She was thrilled. But when she got home, the gift in which her own husband had purchased for her, she found less endearing than the white roses. Oops!!

They do laugh about it now.

Clearly, it was not the objective to outshine her own spouse. That’s just what happened. I’m also not opposed to “downgrading” a gift, just in case that may happen again.

One thing that I always run into over and over and over again is “Don’t spend your money!”. Well, I am creative. I can create greeting cards, write poetry, give simple gifts in lieu of roses, chocolate, and jewelry and it would be tons cheaper if not at any cost at all. But what exactly is it that women want any more??

Perhaps it all depends on who the woman is. And that would make sense to me. If I was friends with a woman, and I knew she loved Chinese food. I’d probably buy her a gift certificate for the nearest Chinese restaurant. I think that it’s really, all a matter of paying attention.

If she’s been raving about a particular film that is about to come out, then I’d get her free movie passes.

Each woman is individually unique. That goes for anyone in this world. And I love all of my friends, male or female, in my own unique way.

It is just- what in the world do women want??