carving knives... what do I carve? lol

A pink ostrich skin and fake leather jacket, with big huge shoulder pads and tassles with those silver disc things. Bonnie: WHAT WERE YOU THINKING???

Nothing comes to mind.

The worst gift I had was a pair of socks. I hate wearing socks!

'Makeup' on my sweet 16 birthday. It's like they didn't know who I was or something.

This will be a great place to look for some great gag gift ideas!

I've received a number of gifts that didn't really please me, but a couple of the latest ones were when people in my office went on vacation and felt obliged to bring everyone else back some little trinket. Like f'instance I got a shell necklace from Hawaii and some kind of flamingo refrigerator magnet from someone else. I just don't have any use for that kind of stuff and I hold onto it for a while out of guilt I guess, instead of immediately donating it to a thrift shop. I did appreciate a pen from Hawaii though -- it has served me quite well. I think if I went on vacation I would bring to people in the office some kind of sweets -- like macadamia nut chocolate from Hawaii, say.

I don't really think of gifts as being best/worst. Even if I'm given something I dislike or have no use for, but was given it with love, then it would be something that I'd treasure, just for the spirit in which it was given.

my aunt once gave a bar of generic soap.

I can't think of any really crappy gifts I've gotten. My father bought my mother a waffle maker for their 25th wedding anniversary. I don't think she cared for that.

Probably a book or CD I didn't want.

Everything I've ever recieved from my Nan

This question was inspired by a gift my friend recently got for her birthday. She got a company work coat (camouflage print no less) from his place of employment...three sizes too big...and he made her guess what it was...like it was a big surprise or something. It sounded like a script to a television sitcom, but not even funny...

A horrible poncho.

I know I've gotten some horrible gifts, but none of them are coming to mind right now. I'll have to get back to you on this one.

I don't think about gifts in this way.

A long red sweater with black hand prints all over it.

I don't think about gifts in this manner. I think about them in spirit or intent with which they were bestowed upon me.

Okay, I'm a teacher and I receive so many gifts at the holidays. The worst is the stinky, smelly bath salts and bath gels that come in the baskets from the dollar store and WalMart are the worst. I know it's the thought that counts, but I'd much rather have the dollar or two that the item cost in cash so that I could do what I would like with it.

The gift of life.

Having one of those days?

Socks. Argyle socks. Ugly fudging argyle socks. I hate argyle socks. They suck.

That is a pretty sad statement. I hope you feel better tomorrow and for the rest of your life. Maybe if you had plastic surgery to look less like a goat, things would take a turn for the better for you. Or maybe there's another goat person out there with whom you'll fall madly in love... hang in there!

Nothing. The worst thing is expecting a gift and getting nothing.
My ex SO forgot my birthday. That's why he's the ex.

you should regift that back to the same person who gave it to you.

did it look like you were groped by a chimney sweep?

Oh, why didn't I think of that. Perfect, I didn't ask for this crap.

I bring crap like to work and leave it for my employees unless I got it from an employee then I give it to my mother.

absolutely, i much prefer to give someone a gift from the place I visited that reflects the culture. food items are always nice. foreign candy is always good or toiletries from foreign countries too.

the gift giver

Sort of, though I feel better now.

Got anything to eat?

totally.

Hi, Kitti, good to see you back!
Chimneysweep.........

How've you been? Are you still working at the store?

yep, yep, yep. all is out of control since hurricane Rita no one wants to work, x-mas is upon us and I am knee deep in crap. One of peers is coming too early this a.m. to help me but I'll take what I can get. No one wants to work and is totally milking the FEMA $$ unemployment benefits and I have no good apps. Desperation. I thrive in chaos. I will all work out. How are things w. u?

Yikes! Hang in there. Things are crazy in my job, too. The American way of assigning 3 jobs to one person, on top of office politics, makes things pretty nuts. I'm pretty happy in my life, though. I wish I could work part time. Now there's the key.

yeah, i was figuring since i am on salary if i demote i could actually make the same per hour if i step down to an hourly rate. then they couldn't work me to death. i will probably be moving after x-mas.

It's the thought that counts.

Argyle socks are cool... I love them.

I have a drawer full of them.

India really knows how to make good sweets!

Moving to????

My brother, for Christmas one year, gave me a bhudda-type goddess statue that was "the goddess of the suffering masses" ...... it really made feel like he sees me as his hippie-empath sister...suffering masses?...good lord....it was awful. I chunked it.

i live in Lousyana. my mother has moved away and my brother is moving and i will no longer have any family here so i figure this is my chance to go and do what i want to do wherever i want to. Rita was a dog. my house has been condemned. just waiting to hear from FEMA.

A plastic construction set similar to Meccano or Tinkertoys, but larger pieces. It was my 13th birthday and my friends were amused. The box showed a couple of kids that were about half my age.

Dammit. That's rough. Where are you thinking of going?

anywhere but here. podunk small town. i don't belong here. i have lived in SF for a couple of month and Alb. but my SO's family is in the NE. Lots of options. I'm not sure yet. I am looking at this as a blessing in disguise. I do not want to live here and never have. New Orleans was on my list of cities to relocate to but I crossed that off my list. I like waterfront property and I hear it's real cheap down there but galoshes don't go with my everyday attire.

baklava!! wow!! it should considered a catergory 4 narcotic.

Sounds like you're keeping a pretty clear head in the face of some adversity. As difficult and tragic your situation is, it's also a really unique opportunity to start all over again...one that I'd be afraid to face.

Yeah, I have been wanting to leave here for sometime I was only sticking around because my mother, brother, and my niece and nephews. Now they are gone, I have no excuse to stay.

Sooooo, now to where?

now? to work. I should've been there at 9:00 a.m. It is 9:04 a.m. I can swing 9:30. I worked late last night. I'm not moving until after x-mas since I am in retail I have a good chance of relocating with my company and they will pay for my move and I am in the top 10% of our company so I also have a great chance of winning a vacation on the company if I stick it out through the holidays. I went to the Bahamas last spring. I think I've got a shot and I want to stick around for that and I would never leave my boss high and dry at this time of year. We are in the south and he has lost 3 stores due to the hurricanes and I will not fudge him over like that. I'll dream about it till then. Any suggestions?

A cheapo jump rope that was supposed to count the number of jumps, but didn't. My uncle the soap opera star bought it for me when I was seven. He even left the price tag on (38 cents).

Wow, interesting. What store is it?
As for suggestions, it depends what you like regarding climate, I suppose. I'm partial to the Northeast, I'm presently considered Mid-Atlantic (PA), but we'll go further North one of these days.
If you can swing a paid move with the company, that's the way to go!

that's my plan.

Old Spice aftershave. I hate the smell of it. In fact, I don't like any kind of perfumy aftershave.

This isn't very nice but my husband gave me a bisque statue of a girl on a horse and I just don't like it at all. It's sitting on the bookcase and it is so totally out of place and not me. I really dislike the thing. To this day I don't know what he was thinking.

My Dad wins this one hands down. We aren't exactly the best of friends, but Christmas before last, he really embarrassed himself. The family was exchanging gifts, and when it came time for him to open his gift from me, he realized that I was the only person he didn't get anything for. So he acts like he forgot to bring in it the room and excuses himself, then comes back with an envelope with my name hastily scrawled on it with a twenty dollar bill in it. I wish he had just admitted he forgot, because it made me feel terrible.

Can't think of a worst gift...I've never gotten a worst gift.

The Pacific Northwest is beautiful, like Spokane or Boise, there's no hurricanes, no earthquakes, warm but not humid summers, and you don't get buried up to your armpits in snow every winter. Just a suggestion.

Super Man lunch box....( My friends are weird)

Wood....soap stone.....maybe that gift was ment for me....I'm a wood carver..

It was electric carving knives for carving meat and whatnot.

Ohhhhhhhhh...well then carve meat... that reminds me I have to go shopping for food soon...

I have a clear shot at Vermont. Was considering SF. My dad is Ohio so I know he'd help me w. all the details. Not too sure yet. I'm justing waiting for the holidays to die. Then I will start making plans.

I think it's cool you aren't ditching out on your boss... I hope s/he appreciates it!! Makes me roll my eyes thinking about what you said about nobody wanting to work and milking the FEMA. If it were me, my ass would be back at work ASAP to make sure I had a job after the FEMA is gone.
I hear Vermont is gorgeous this time of year. I hope you like snow! I've been to SanF, but that was years ago, right after the big quake. Don't know a darn thing about Ohio. I hope everything works out for you.

Soapstone is interesting stuff... my dad dabbled in carving in it for a little while, but he loves wood best. He brought home two huge wheelbarrows full of very large chunks from a vacation several years ago, and they're just collecting dust. What do you carve? Which wood is your favorite to work? I prefer to make toys and furniture when I have the time and money.

Well right now I just finished carving a nativity scene for a church...but there not my favourive thing to do...I like relief carving....I like to carve flowers and dragons and stuff...and I do Chip carving too....( if your unsure what that is just search for "Chip carving" and you will probably find some things.......I mostly carve in Bass wood but I also like butter nut, birds eye maple, maple, walnut, cedar, and white pine.......I will carve in anything really....Well except for rock maple because its really really hard.....But right now I have a few stock piles of bass wood.....so I'm set for quite some time. I have friends that have farms and they cut me trees when ever I need them. Its pretty handy to know people with lots of land.

My hubby likes to relief-carve, but he never has time.
I am so jealous! Friends with farms... Wood can be very expensive, especially the walnut and bird's-eye maple. Walnut, bird's-eye maple, and hickory are some of my faves. Have you ever worked with ironwood? My sister has a farm, but there isn't one damn tree on the place. The place I live now has a lot of trees, but we can only prune them. We did have a fence blow down and I am using the old wood and tree branches to make some rustic stuff. I need a good, reliable, local babysitter so I can work on stuff without having to stop every five minutes to check on my kid.

I've worked for the same co. for 14 yrs. I plan to stay with the company where ever I go.

So who do you work for that inspires such loyalty?

Suncoast Motion Picture Co. I'm afraid of change. I also make a pretty nice salary for a 10th grade drop out and get 4 wks paid vacation, 8 sick days, 10 floating holidays, and medical, dental, and life insurance.

Holy crap!! I would never have believed that a retail store would have such a great plan. Maybe you should email Kate (wolf359). LOL

I have mentioned retail to her before but she said that she's tried it and it's not to her liking. I don't recall why. Health maybe. Not too sure.

Oh, that's right... something about the feet, I think... it's on another survey here somewhere... I was 'talking' to her about it here. Can't say that I blame her... I did retail for 12 years, ten of those in home improvement retail, and it sucks. Home improvement retail is the most frustrating, dangerous, and outright torturous of the retail industries.

My boss likes me and I often win contests and get quarterly bonuses as well. Since Hurricane Rita things have been crazy & my boss and another manager from another store are coming to help me catch up.

Well, good luck with that, and with your move. I'm glad you have a job you like... do they have 401k and stuff too?

yep all that stuff too.

Thanks!

You're welcome!

Yeah time is a big issue too...I am a member of a carving club where I live so every wednesday I atleast get 2 hours of carving there done. I have never tried ironwood but there is an ironwood tree on my buddies property so maybe I will get him to cut it down some time and I'll try it. I hope to buy quite a bit of property when I get financially set to do so, with of course a lot of trees on it......but until then I have a lot of people just giving me free wood...which is good because wood can be very expencive......I only bought wood one time and that was to make my brother a large hope chest for his wedding present. So I didn't have the time to cut down the tree and get it dried and all that...so I just got one of my cousins to get me some walnut for a discount (because he works in the wood industry) and I built a large hope chest and i chip carved 10 different pannels to put in the hope chest...the pannels were made from bass wood...it turned out pretty good.....Yeah it sure is good to know people that can help you out in any way......sure helps...I hope you can get some things made and get some free time...I know it can be pretty damn confusing to not have the time to do something that you love to do so much.

What is especially confusing is having to put a project down for a few days, and then come back to it, and wonder: what the heck was I doing, now?

Lol..yeah thats another thing.

A boring religious book.

no gift at all...

Nothing and to be forgotten.

a pair of socks, with a hole in them!

Ugh! A half-naked poster of Prince. Lame.