Yeah, at a certain point your car gets old enough that it's cheaper to leave it unlocked and let people rifle through it just so they don't break the window to find out there's nothing valuable inside.
It's like, "Hey, I'm driving a 24-year-old car. Just how much do you think you're going to get out of it?"
You might have one of those really cool 12 disc CD changers in your trunk! Or a cassette tape deck! VINTAGE CAR AUDIO EQUIPMENT!!
Wait.
No.
No, I don't care about any of that anymore. Maybe the actual CDs themselves, but it'll be less work for me to just spend the money to get them legally than going through your car.
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Now, I suppose if I'm going through your car naked, I'm looking for something of a different kind of value.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
So, in my mind, the two-slit experiment is a confirmation of the vagaries of quantum theory: If you treat the light as particles by putting in a photon counter, they diffract as particles. If you remove the particle counter, they diffract as waves. This was a confirmation of quantum theory, rather than a confirmation of non-determinability.
The problem is, the fundamental aspect of non-determinability lies in the quantum wave function representing a particle. This function can collapse at any time, at complete random (according to current theory). Space isn't a vacuum; space is a roiling sea of particles popping into and out of creation. If you interact with a particle, its function collapses immediately. If you don't, there is no way to determine when it will collapse because it might collapse whether or not someone is interacting with it.
The two-slit experiment is an example of forcing the wave function to collapse: You put a photon counter in there, that collapses the function, and the wave becomes a particle. So it's a practical experiment that demonstrates one side of the issue: Observation causes collapse.
The other side, that collapse can happen without observation, is obviously impossible to prove, since without observation you have no data. So, space is a roiling brew of appearing and disappearing particles due to wave collapse. Are they really collapsing randomly, or are they collapsing because they are interacting with other waves?
Quantum theory, which has been fantastic at predicting such things, says that they collapse randomly. This is a non-deterministic aspect of the universe.
But, as with any physical theory, this is the best theoretical representation of our observations so far, and it has yet to be disproved. That doesn't mean it will never be disproved. But until disproved, random wave function collapse is non-deterministic.
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Just had to talk to an employee because someone said he's being rude to people.
I don't believe he is. There is an ongoing trend to treat "factual, short, neutral" statements into "You're being rude!" Tone matters, I get it, but I am getting tired of my guys getting ripped left and right and being swore at by the other employees and the instant one of my guys says anything with a sideways look they're getting complaints.
Except for me. Somehow, I don't get in trouble for being blunt. No idea why.
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All in all, here's my quick summary:
QUESTION: Does humankind have free will?
In order for humans to have free will, the universe must be non-deterministic.
LEMMA: Is the universe deterministic?
We have two fundamental results from quantum mechanics that say that it isn't.
(1) The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states that you cannot measure things with absolute precision; there's always some error in your measurement.
Combining this with Chaos Theory from mathematics, which states that even the slightest variation of starting conditions can result in massive overall changes to the solution of a system of differential equations (which applies to quantum theory perfectly), we are forced to conclude that the universe is non-deterministic in the sense that it is impossible to predict. Some might argue that this doesn't mean that it's non-deterministic, just that we can't predict what will happen.
(2) Waveform collapse is a much more solid bedrock. Quantum wave functions are probability distributions, meaning that they behave randomly. A particular waveform might collapse into a physical particle at any time, and this result is fundamentally unpredictable on a particle-by-particle basis. This results throws determinism out the window with prejudice.
Combining (1) and (2), I am satisfied that the lemma is correct. Given this, I'm happy enough to accept the affirmative to the question.
And this is why I'm not a philosopher. I just don't care enough to get into deep arguments about it.
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I just got to watch a livestream of a Christmas concert by one of my favorite bands, halfway around the world.
That's pretty amazing.
Just had to talk to an employee because someone said he's being rude to people.
I don't believe he is. There is an ongoing trend to treat "factual, short, neutral" statements into "You're being rude!" Tone matters, I get it, but I am getting tired of my guys getting ripped left and right and being swore at by the other employees and the instant one of my guys says anything with a sideways look they're getting complaints.
Except for me. Somehow, I don't get in trouble for being blunt. No idea why.
Two words: Charisma.
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My daughter just gave me some news. A friend of hers passed away; this poor girl was 16 years old and drugs were a factor. Sixteen...
I knew this kid. She'd been to my house, had sleepovers with my daughter. I just saw her, a few months ago.
Hug your kids. Cherish them. Love them unconditionally. No one should suffer like that, and certainly not a poor little kid.
Holy s*** that's terrifying.
It's one of the things I always fear listening to Impus Major's descriptions of his friend's "exploits": Death happens. A lot. I'm incredibly happy for him that he hasn't had to go to any friends' funerals yet.
But still sage advice.
My daughter just gave me some news. A friend of hers passed away; this poor girl was 16 years old and drugs were a factor. Sixteen...
I knew this kid. She'd been to my house, had sleepovers with my daughter. I just saw her, a few months ago.
Hug your kids. Cherish them. Love them unconditionally. No one should suffer like that, and certainly not a poor little kid.
I am so very sorry for both her, her family, your daughter and yourself. I'm so sorry.
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Speaking of Impus Major, this is such an example of why I'm so proud of him.
Impus Major: I'm going out for a walk with xxx.
NobodysHome: You know that's illegal, right?
IM: Yeah, but from the sounds of what he's saying, he really needs it for his psychological well-being. So it's not a "walk", it's psychological therapy while walking.
NH: You're a good kid, Impus Major.
IM: Yeah, but he really needs this.
And this is why I'm not a philosopher. I just don't care enough to get into deep arguments about it.
Yeah, at a certain point it all becomes very academic, doesn't it?
Objectively speaking, if the consensus among quantum physicists is fundamental spontaneity, I trust that they know what they're talking about better than I do. This is probably just a case of QM being beyond the limit of my education/smarts...but at the same time, fundamental determinism has become so intuitive to me, and I haven't been able to find an explanation I understand. And QM is itself a relatively new field and on the edge of Humanity's current understanding, so I have this nagging feeling that my intuition could be accidentally right.
Ah well, uncertainty is a feature of the Human condition.
Pun NOT intended!
I added quantum spontaneity to my model of Human will, and here's where it gets a bit academic, but I still think it's a worthwhile question: Which aspect of our will is 'free'? If we say that free = not deterministic, ok the answer is simple. But when I did believe in free will many years ago, a quantum die roll that modifies my decisions wasn't how I imagined it. I imagined myself operating under mind/body duality, not that there was some random aspect to my decision-making.
So I wonder if that quantum die roll is how others imagine free will?
(Feel free to answer, anyone and everyone.)
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Crap. Steam, why, why?!
Lost On Mars DLC for Far Cry 5 is on 75% sale now...
And it might be better than actual Far Cry 5 with its waky premise of Nick and Hurk fighting against aliens on Mars, instead of poorly implemented case of scripted incompetence in Far Cry 5.
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Please heal, John.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Please heal, John.
Seconded.
Hello, everyone.
Sorry I haven't been around much. I haven't been feeling well, recently.
Glad you're here. Hope you're feeling better soon.
I hope that you feel better soon John!
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And this is why I'm not a philosopher. I just don't care enough to get into deep arguments about it.Yeah, at a certain point it all becomes very academic, doesn't it?
Objectively speaking, if the consensus among quantum physicists is fundamental spontaneity, I trust that they know what they're talking about better than I do. This is probably just a case of QM being beyond the limit of my education/smarts...but at the same time, fundamental determinism has become so intuitive to me, and I haven't been able to find an explanation I understand. And QM is itself a relatively new field and on the edge of Humanity's current understanding, so I have this nagging feeling that my intuition could be accidentally right.
Ah well, uncertainty is a feature of the Human condition.
Pun NOT intended!
I added quantum spontaneity to my model of Human will, and here's where it gets a bit academic, but I still think it's a worthwhile question: Which aspect of our will is 'free'? If we say that free = not deterministic, ok the answer is simple. But when I did believe in free will many years ago, a quantum die roll that modifies my decisions wasn't how I imagined it. I imagined myself operating under mind/body duality, not that there was some random aspect to my decision-making.
So I wonder if that quantum die roll is how others imagine free will?
(Feel free to answer, anyone and everyone.)
Well my personal opinion I think when I make those minuscule choices that I make everyday The ones that could of just as easy gone one way or another. Say how much sugar I put in my coffee or take one way or the other to work. I just can't believe that I couldn't of just as easily got the other way. The I figure if the small choices are truly choice then surely it works all the way up to the big ones.
That is deep. I don't think so. but then my thoughts can't be trusted. If that was the case though wouldn't that make a lot of expressive arts impossible?
Had a wonderful moment of etiquette during our first night of Tyrant's Grasp yesterday. Our GM asked us what a day in our character's life was and everyone paused a few seconds to see if someone wanted to go first, then everyone immediately jumped in to speak then apologized for speaking at the same time.
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That is deep. I don't think so. but then my thoughts can't be trusted. If that was the case though wouldn't that make a lot of expressive arts impossible?Eh, art is mostly b%#%+~#% anyways.
Keepin it classy gran.
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This is SO typical of my family that it's terrifying:
Impus Major: For Christmas I'd like a set of Bluetooth earbuds and these CDs.
Grandma:
So... when your grandson is ordering CDs and earbuds, you might stop and think for a moment, "Gee, this one-ear clip sure doesn't look like something I'd like to listen to music with," or even, "I wonder what the difference between ear 'buds' and an ear 'clip' is."
Not my mother.
It had the words "Bluetooth" and "ear" on it, so it must be the right product!
I'd be a lot less irritated if it weren't for the fact that he ordered all the CDs with the earbuds. In context, it was clear the earbuds were for listening to music. I know of very few people who like listening to music in one ear and not the other, so a one-ear solution should be very obviously, inherently incorrect.
EDIT: I think the thing that frustrates me is that I was dealing with the exact same issue this year: Older Brother said his teenage kids wanted "The Year in Sports 2020". On Amazon, the only book with this title was a Scholastic version aimed at pre-teens. Instead of blindly ordering it, I contacted older brother and asked, "Is this what they really want?" before ordering it. Took me 2 hours, avoided sending the wrong present. If you're dealing with communicative family members and there's any doubt, check it out before ordering.
The Outer Worlds is a pretty good game but I have a big issue with it right off the bat.
1) no grenades or s#++ you can throw. I mean seriously, it should be a futuristic game essential. I mean sure they have plenty of exploding cases lying around unless you snipe them no one goes near enough of them to make them useful in a fight.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
This is SO typical of my family that it's terrifying:
Impus Major: For Christmas I'd like a set of Bluetooth earbuds and these CDs.
Grandma:So... when your grandson is ordering CDs and earbuds, you might stop and think for a moment, "Gee, this one-ear clip sure doesn't look like something I'd like to listen to music with," or even, "I wonder what the difference between ear 'buds' and an ear 'clip' is."
Not my mother.
It had the words "Bluetooth" and "ear" on it, so it must be the right product!
I'd be a lot less irritated if it weren't for the fact that he ordered all the CDs with the earbuds. In context, it was clear the earbuds were for listening to music. I know of very few people who like listening to music in one ear and not the other, so a one-ear solution should be very obviously, inherently incorrect.
EDIT: I think the thing that frustrates me is that I was dealing with the exact same issue this year: Older Brother said his teenage kids wanted "The Year in Sports 2020". On Amazon, the only book with this title was a Scholastic version aimed at pre-teens. Instead of blindly ordering it, I contacted older brother and asked, "Is this what they really want?" before ordering it. Took me 2 hours, avoided sending the wrong present. If you're dealing with communicative family members and there's any doubt, check it out before ordering.
Crookshanks asked for bluetooth earbuds from my family last year. She got a purse.
Crookshanks asked for bluetooth earbuds from my family last year. She got a purse.This is SO typical of my family that it's terrifying:
Impus Major: For Christmas I'd like a set of Bluetooth earbuds and these CDs.
Grandma:So... when your grandson is ordering CDs and earbuds, you might stop and think for a moment, "Gee, this one-ear clip sure doesn't look like something I'd like to listen to music with," or even, "I wonder what the difference between ear 'buds' and an ear 'clip' is."
Not my mother.
It had the words "Bluetooth" and "ear" on it, so it must be the right product!
I'd be a lot less irritated if it weren't for the fact that he ordered all the CDs with the earbuds. In context, it was clear the earbuds were for listening to music. I know of very few people who like listening to music in one ear and not the other, so a one-ear solution should be very obviously, inherently incorrect.
EDIT: I think the thing that frustrates me is that I was dealing with the exact same issue this year: Older Brother said his teenage kids wanted "The Year in Sports 2020". On Amazon, the only book with this title was a Scholastic version aimed at pre-teens. Instead of blindly ordering it, I contacted older brother and asked, "Is this what they really want?" before ordering it. Took me 2 hours, avoided sending the wrong present. If you're dealing with communicative family members and there's any doubt, check it out before ordering.
Was it at least a "Bluetooth Ear Purse"?
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Was it at least a "Bluetooth Ear Purse"?Crookshanks asked for bluetooth earbuds from my family last year. She got a purse.This is SO typical of my family that it's terrifying:
Impus Major: For Christmas I'd like a set of Bluetooth earbuds and these CDs.
Grandma:So... when your grandson is ordering CDs and earbuds, you might stop and think for a moment, "Gee, this one-ear clip sure doesn't look like something I'd like to listen to music with," or even, "I wonder what the difference between ear 'buds' and an ear 'clip' is."
Not my mother.
It had the words "Bluetooth" and "ear" on it, so it must be the right product!
I'd be a lot less irritated if it weren't for the fact that he ordered all the CDs with the earbuds. In context, it was clear the earbuds were for listening to music. I know of very few people who like listening to music in one ear and not the other, so a one-ear solution should be very obviously, inherently incorrect.
EDIT: I think the thing that frustrates me is that I was dealing with the exact same issue this year: Older Brother said his teenage kids wanted "The Year in Sports 2020". On Amazon, the only book with this title was a Scholastic version aimed at pre-teens. Instead of blindly ordering it, I contacted older brother and asked, "Is this what they really want?" before ordering it. Took me 2 hours, avoided sending the wrong present. If you're dealing with communicative family members and there's any doubt, check it out before ordering.
No, just a purse, the same as the year before and the year before that.
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The year before that however she was in theater club for school so she got a bunch of stage makeup for aging (essentially so she could look like an old person) because every young woman interested in theater and script writing clearly dreams of being a makeup artist on a movie or television set.
No, just a purse, the same as the year before and the year before that.Was it at least a "Bluetooth Ear Purse"?Crookshanks asked for bluetooth earbuds from my family last year. She got a purse.This is SO typical of my family that it's terrifying:
Impus Major: For Christmas I'd like a set of Bluetooth earbuds and these CDs.
Grandma:So... when your grandson is ordering CDs and earbuds, you might stop and think for a moment, "Gee, this one-ear clip sure doesn't look like something I'd like to listen to music with," or even, "I wonder what the difference between ear 'buds' and an ear 'clip' is."
Not my mother.
It had the words "Bluetooth" and "ear" on it, so it must be the right product!
I'd be a lot less irritated if it weren't for the fact that he ordered all the CDs with the earbuds. In context, it was clear the earbuds were for listening to music. I know of very few people who like listening to music in one ear and not the other, so a one-ear solution should be very obviously, inherently incorrect.
EDIT: I think the thing that frustrates me is that I was dealing with the exact same issue this year: Older Brother said his teenage kids wanted "The Year in Sports 2020". On Amazon, the only book with this title was a Scholastic version aimed at pre-teens. Instead of blindly ordering it, I contacted older brother and asked, "Is this what they really want?" before ordering it. Took me 2 hours, avoided sending the wrong present. If you're dealing with communicative family members and there's any doubt, check it out before ordering.
were there earbuds inside the purse?
No, just a purse with some tissue paper inside.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
This is SO typical of my family that it's terrifying:
Impus Major: For Christmas I'd like a set of Bluetooth earbuds and these CDs.
Grandma:So... when your grandson is ordering CDs and earbuds, you might stop and think for a moment, "Gee, this one-ear clip sure doesn't look like something I'd like to listen to music with," or even, "I wonder what the difference between ear 'buds' and an ear 'clip' is."
Not my mother.
It had the words "Bluetooth" and "ear" on it, so it must be the right product!
I'd be a lot less irritated if it weren't for the fact that he ordered all the CDs with the earbuds. In context, it was clear the earbuds were for listening to music. I know of very few people who like listening to music in one ear and not the other, so a one-ear solution should be very obviously, inherently incorrect.
EDIT: I think the thing that frustrates me is that I was dealing with the exact same issue this year: Older Brother said his teenage kids wanted "The Year in Sports 2020". On Amazon, the only book with this title was a Scholastic version aimed at pre-teens. Instead of blindly ordering it, I contacted older brother and asked, "Is this what they really want?" before ordering it. Took me 2 hours, avoided sending the wrong present. If you're dealing with communicative family members and there's any doubt, check it out before ordering.
Done! (I think...)
Heck if I was going to deal with PayPal, so I just sent you something that looked reasonably close directly through Steam. Or at least to someone named Drejk.
Hope they like whatever the heck I just bought.
(The Shiro school of buying. "This bundle is 80% off and includes the mentioned game, and this guy has the same name as the person who wants it, so it's close enough...")
EDIT: Oh, whoops! I bought the "5 and New Dawn". Looks like you wanted 4 and New Dawn. Let's see whether my wallet is still full of unused funds from returning hated games...
Not that I am complaining, mind you, it was exactly what I wanted, but still, it's funny to read that now.
Well my personal opinion I think when I make those minuscule choices that I make everyday The ones that could of just as easy gone one way or another. Say how much sugar I put in my coffee or take one way or the other to work. I just can't believe that I couldn't of just as easily got the other way. The I figure if the small choices are truly choice then surely it works all the way up to the big ones.And this is why I'm not a philosopher. I just don't care enough to get into deep arguments about it.Yeah, at a certain point it all becomes very academic, doesn't it?
Objectively speaking, if the consensus among quantum physicists is fundamental spontaneity, I trust that they know what they're talking about better than I do. This is probably just a case of QM being beyond the limit of my education/smarts...but at the same time, fundamental determinism has become so intuitive to me, and I haven't been able to find an explanation I understand. And QM is itself a relatively new field and on the edge of Humanity's current understanding, so I have this nagging feeling that my intuition could be accidentally right.
Ah well, uncertainty is a feature of the Human condition.
Pun NOT intended!
I added quantum spontaneity to my model of Human will, and here's where it gets a bit academic, but I still think it's a worthwhile question: Which aspect of our will is 'free'? If we say that free = not deterministic, ok the answer is simple. But when I did believe in free will many years ago, a quantum die roll that modifies my decisions wasn't how I imagined it. I imagined myself operating under mind/body duality, not that there was some random aspect to my decision-making.
So I wonder if that quantum die roll is how others imagine free will?
(Feel free to answer, anyone and everyone.)
Fair enough, but would you call this 'free'? Or maybe there's a better term like 'chaotic,' a la 2e's CN alignment where such characters act randomly?
NH, would you say gifts/presents are one of your love languages, or is it communication? Maybe both? Also, would it be a fair assessment to say that your ma didn't so much ignore/forget what IM said as it was that she is just so eternally convinced of her own correctness that she couldn't possibly have gotten it wrong?
I only ask b/c your stories in the past seem to suggest your ma is fairly self-focused. She tells negative stories about folks to get attention for herself, but if you ever become outraged never seems to accept any blame so, in essence, she never really thinks she's doing anything wrong. Could be that this self-focus is what took hold when she looked at the product, thought "this doesn't have the word 'buds' on it" but then shrugged and got it anyway b/c how could SHE be incorrect?
LOL. Dates that require gifts/presents are a burden (birthdays, Christmas, etc.). A gift should be a spontaneous thought of, "Oh, so-and-so would LOVE that! I should grab it!"
And it's hard to call my mother "self-focused". It is far more "completely clueless", to such a degree that she might well be somewhere on the autistic scale. The negative stories are a good example: I think she sees that people react positively to them, laughing and saying, "Oh, no, that's terrible!" so she does it because she believes she's making other people happy, without any concept as to the damage it's doing to the subjects of the stories. And the earbuds weren't so much, "I can't be incorrect," but rather she got a picture in her mind of what she thought he meant, searched, and sent, without once thinking that there might be variations on that theme. Not, "I can't be wrong," but not even conceiving of the possibility that there may be other products with similar names.
I see the same thing with Impus Major. I send him to the store to get "orange concentrate". His brain processes this internally and he gets a picture of orange juice in his mind, and he'll buy me some very nice orange juice, which is useless to me because I'm using it as a cooking ingredient, and the juice has too much added water. The idea that I asked for one thing and he bought something different never crosses his mind, and it's not malice, it's simply, "I heard a phrase. My brain has interpreted that phrase. I now know what I'm looking for. Here it is. I'll buy it."
EDIT: And that's the thing. With Impus Major, I can take him aside and say, "You bought the wrong item again. So, if what you're buying doesn't exactly match what's on the list, don't buy it. Come back and check in with me."
And he's gotten MUCH better. No one ever did that with my mother, and at 89 when you tell her she got the wrong thing she just throws up her hands and says, "Oh, well! How was I supposed to know?"
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This is SO typical of my family that it's terrifying:......
...Done! (I think...)
Heck if I was going to deal with PayPal, so I just sent you something that looked reasonably close directly through Steam. Or at least to someone named Drejk.
Hope they like whatever the heck I just bought.
(The Shiro school of buying. "This bundle is 80% off and includes the mentioned game, and this guy has the same name as the person who wants it, so it's close enough...")
EDIT: Oh, whoops! I bought the "5 and New Dawn". Looks
Surprise gifts are definitely harder because you can't establish the lines of communication beforehand. I'm far more forgiving of "surprise" presents that aren't quite right.
Though I'm sure you're going to get to listen to me tirade on the 25th or 26th about mother-in-law continuing to buy me books in spite of my "many times a year" instructions to her to stop buying me things entirely. It's really frustrating. GothBard says it makes her happy. I ask how buying books and throwing them in the trash makes her happy. She smacks me in the head.
|
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No, just a purse, the same as the year before and the year before that.Was it at least a "Bluetooth Ear Purse"?Crookshanks asked for bluetooth earbuds from my family last year. She got a purse.This is SO typical of my family that it's terrifying:
Impus Major: For Christmas I'd like a set of Bluetooth earbuds and these CDs.
Grandma:So... when your grandson is ordering CDs and earbuds, you might stop and think for a moment, "Gee, this one-ear clip sure doesn't look like something I'd like to listen to music with," or even, "I wonder what the difference between ear 'buds' and an ear 'clip' is."
Not my mother.
It had the words "Bluetooth" and "ear" on it, so it must be the right product!
I'd be a lot less irritated if it weren't for the fact that he ordered all the CDs with the earbuds. In context, it was clear the earbuds were for listening to music. I know of very few people who like listening to music in one ear and not the other, so a one-ear solution should be very obviously, inherently incorrect.
EDIT: I think the thing that frustrates me is that I was dealing with the exact same issue this year: Older Brother said his teenage kids wanted "The Year in Sports 2020". On Amazon, the only book with this title was a Scholastic version aimed at pre-teens. Instead of blindly ordering it, I contacted older brother and asked, "Is this what they really want?" before ordering it. Took me 2 hours, avoided sending the wrong present. If you're dealing with communicative family members and there's any doubt, check it out before ordering.
Oh, she will have her revenge I'm sure of it.
Though I'm sure you're going to get to listen to me tirade on the 25th or 26th about mother-in-law continuing to buy me books in spite of my "many times a year" instructions to her to stop buying me things entirely. It's really frustrating. GothBard says it makes her happy. I ask how buying books and throwing them in the trash makes her happy. She smacks me in the head.
Could be worse. It could be alcohol.
I am still in "I'll accept books for presents" phase. I have some space and can throw some unneccessary things to make more space for them. And if they start pilling around it won't bother me that much. When I finally die heirless along pilles of old crap it won't be my problem anyway.
Though I'm sure you're going to get to listen to me tirade on the 25th or 26th about mother-in-law continuing to buy me books in spite of my "many times a year" instructions to her to stop buying me things entirely. It's really frustrating. GothBard says it makes her happy. I ask how buying books and throwing them in the trash makes her happy. She smacks me in the head.Could be worse. It could be alcohol.
I am still in "I'll accept books for presents" phase. I have some space and can throw some unneccessary things to make more space for them. And if they start pilling around it won't bother me that much. When I finally die heirless along pilles of old crap it won't be my problem anyway.
For my birthday it was alcohol.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
This is SO typical of my family that it's terrifying:......
...Done! (I think...)
Heck if I was going to deal with PayPal, so I just sent you something that looked reasonably close directly through Steam. Or at least to someone named Drejk.
Hope they like whatever the heck I just bought.
(The Shiro school of buying. "This bundle is 80% off and includes the mentioned game, and this guy has the same name as the person who wants it, so it's close enough...")
EDIT: Oh, whoops! I bought the "5 and New Dawn". Looks
Surprise gifts are definitely harder because you can't establish the lines of communication beforehand. I'm far more forgiving of "surprise" presents that aren't quite right.
Though I'm sure you're going to get to listen to me tirade on the 25th or 26th about mother-in-law continuing to buy me books in spite of my "many times a year" instructions to her to stop buying me things entirely. It's really frustrating. GothBard says it makes her happy. I ask how buying books and throwing them in the trash makes her happy. She smacks me in the head.
A reasonable argument could be made that it's the smacking you in the head that makes her happy.
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For my birthday it was alcohol.Though I'm sure you're going to get to listen to me tirade on the 25th or 26th about mother-in-law continuing to buy me books in spite of my "many times a year" instructions to her to stop buying me things entirely. It's really frustrating. GothBard says it makes her happy. I ask how buying books and throwing them in the trash makes her happy. She smacks me in the head.Could be worse. It could be alcohol.
I am still in "I'll accept books for presents" phase. I have some space and can throw some unneccessary things to make more space for them. And if they start pilling around it won't bother me that much. When I finally die heirless along pilles of old crap it won't be my problem anyway.
That's what I was drinking to*
*drink to sth (either in past or present tense) is a Polish idiom basically meaning "refer to"**... it felt appropriate for the situation... it might also say a thing or two about Polish culture
**not to be confused with drink for that (usually in future tense, occasionally in present form), which is expression of appreciation, acceptance, or hope.
EDIT: The later generally overlaps with English "I'll drink to that"
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For my birthday it was alcohol.Though I'm sure you're going to get to listen to me tirade on the 25th or 26th about mother-in-law continuing to buy me books in spite of my "many times a year" instructions to her to stop buying me things entirely. It's really frustrating. GothBard says it makes her happy. I ask how buying books and throwing them in the trash makes her happy. She smacks me in the head.Could be worse. It could be alcohol.
I am still in "I'll accept books for presents" phase. I have some space and can throw some unneccessary things to make more space for them. And if they start pilling around it won't bother me that much. When I finally die heirless along pilles of old crap it won't be my problem anyway.
Wait... whut?
** spoiler omitted **
This just seems egregious.
Once you leave the "alcohol culture", you gain a huge amount of understanding as to just how insidious it is. My mother in law lived with her husband for 30+ years, and every fond memory she has is associated with some form of alcohol. The wonderful bottle of red they got for their 10th anniversary, the "secret stash" the wonderful restaurant owner shared with them for their 20th, the $1500 bottles of scotch hubby received as a thank-you for a job incredibly well done, etc.
Alcohol is intrinsic to our culture, and intertwined with our fondest memories in a way than cannot easily be dismissed. My forsaking of alcohol is so alien to her mindset that she can't even comprehend it. Surely I must plan to start drinking again at some point! To do otherwise would be to give up life itself.
And that's really a prevalent attitude in the alcohol culture. If you're not willing to drink, you're not willing to live.
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It seems dreadfully mercenary, but I am truly grateful that my family (and in-laws) have embraced the online wishlist idea. You don’t ask for “earbuds,” you provide a link to a specific product that you have researched and is what you are looking for.
Maybe it takes some of the magic out of gift-giving, but nobody ever gets the wrong thing.
It seems dreadfully mercenary, but I am truly grateful that my family (and in-laws) have embraced the online wishlist idea. You don’t ask for “earbuds,” you provide a link to a specific product that you have researched and is what you are looking for.
Maybe it takes some of the magic out of gift-giving, but nobody ever gets the wrong thing.
Yep. That's how the GothBard do.
She just puts enough on the list that she never knows what she's going to get; just a few items out of a list of 15-20. Works well for her.