It's The Thought That Counts

September 5, 2006

Not to toot my own horn, but I like to think of myself as a fantastic gift buyer. I'm thoughtful. I try to come up with things you wouldn't expect, or, something you've mentioned, maybe a long time ago that you wanted, that you probably forget ever mentioning to me.

And so I pride myself on this...I may even pat myself on the back from time to time...but lately, you all keep spoiling my carefully thought out, perfectly wrapped masterpieces.

For months, I calculate conversations, I dig deep into my short term memory, just to come up with the perfect gift for someone. But I've been punked. A week before a birthday, my friend purchased my well-thought-out gift. After months of avoiding spending the money, there it is..."Let's go to the store so I can buy one."

Fine. So at least I had a week to rethink. And so I did. I came up with perfect give number two. But, you guessed it, they decided to buy it, online, from MY computer, just days before. I tried to stop it. Really, I did.

Fine. So at least I had a few days to rethink. This time, they didn't buy it, but they joked that I could buy it for their birthday. Which, still, ruins the fact that it was my idea in the first place.
And now, it looks like a thoughtless gift that was only purchased last minute at their request.
Who buys things the week before their birthday! Next time you think "huh, I'm going to buy myself that ______ I've been wanting as a birthday gift to myself" think again. Someone like me probably already bought it. Dummy.

I'm just lucky I'm not an advanced purchaser, or else, I'd have an awful lot of returns to make. Except now, I'm late, and have to wait 5-9 days for shipping. And so still, I look like the bad gift-er who gives lame presents, and, gives them a week late.

If only it was the thought that really did count.