Question of the Day | 09/17/2009 5:00 am
Are there certain topics about which you think men and women will always disagree? What are they? Why won't we ever agree?
Joan Juliet Buck, Liz Smith and Joan Ganz Cooney on the battle of the sexes. Join the conversation …
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I think men need to be taught that a gift in its original store bag is not the same as actually taking the time to wrap it. It is the thought that counts, of course, but women inherently understand the value of nice paper, ribbon, and a card. My boyfriend proves that men are trainable. He gets the biggest puppy dog grin on his face when he hands me a wrapped present now.
I know a man who, invited to birthday party for a female friend, rushed to the store to buy her a gift on his way from work to the party. He had no idea what to buy her. He went to the fresh produce department and selected the nicest thing he could find there; fresh spring leeks. He presented her with the lovely leeks, she placed them in a large vase and they became the centerpiece of her party.
I just have to love that! He could have spent 20 minutes searching for a card and picked up any ol’ premade bouquet and average table wine, but would all of his friends be talking about him and his extraordinary birthday gift today? I doubt it. Yet what he did give has given him a reputation for being a bit quirky and people invite him to their parties to see what he will bring. Let’s raise a toast to this man and hope he never changes.
Year of experience has taught me that the only differences between humans is age and gender. My husband and I agree on nearly everything, the exception is freshly popped popcorn. I love it while he hates it.
The ability to listen enriches the listener. The more one listens the broader one’s perceptions become. I believe experience can be gained by listening. I suppose that everyone does though, considering that propaganda of one sort or another is everywhere.
ah…. nothing new here folks. Move along!
I am the worst nightmare for Hallmark. I hate to spend money on giftwrap and cards. Just hate it. I do not expect it either.
I think it is great that men are different in some ways, it gives us something to "work" with.
Good morning, Jeannot. I just had to comment on your lack of Hallmark purchasing. I never buy cards, I make my own––usually very funny ones. And with the magic of e-cards I can send those if I so wish. I save wrapping paper and ribbons and bows and those darling little bags that one can stuff some lovely tissue paper in and stick in the gift. Cheap and inventive.
Regarding men, whom I have had a great deal of experience with, I agree totally that their differences are something to behold and if need be, to work with. I have never found them terribly different from myself, though, and what differences did emerge, they were welcomed, and are welcomed.
Good morning Phyllis, You are much more on the ball trying to make something. Husband and I used to do that , now I just gave up on this stuff.
The best Valentine (our anniversary) Bob ever gave me is plastered on my kitchen wall. He cut out a heart on a our shop’s mailing label and wrote on it ":Happy Anniversary, I love you very much ".It was in the beginning of his illness and I just glued it on the wall. I love it.
I think that for me the paper issue goes way back to my childhood and the war. Paper was made but it was ersatz , had tons of pulp still in it. In school we cherished every piece we could get our hands on. We used our little chalkboards left from kindergarten days. You might remember the jokes about toilet paper in Europe after the war. Paper was precious. I am still saving paper when I can. Now if I could only become stingy about my need for purses…..
Jeannot—I like to make my own gift wrap paper—subway maps are great (and free), ink stamps on plain paper, a crazy quilt of paper from gifts I have received in the past, oh, and cloth remnants are wonderful for odd-shaped presents. I always use cloth ribbon, and put select beads on the ends so the receiver can use it as a bookmark, if they wish. I make my cards, also, from heavy stock, because I can say exactly what I want instead of a preprinted Hallmark sentiment.
When I was a very young child there were too many kids in the house, I was the youngest, and I could never find paper. I don’t recall this, but I was told that I used to draw in magazine margins, book margins, on walls—until one day my father brought home a ream of paper from work, and colored pencils, that part I remember vividly. I was in ecstacy. To this day, that gesture, nowadays kids would scoff at it, was the best gift I ever got. Riches beyond belief it seemed. It cemented my lifelong love of art and writing.
Kermie this is precious. Reminded me that one day, well after the war. the paper plant started to gt into production.
My mother was an accountant there (all hr life in fact) so she brought back some reams of paper which was made for newspapers.
We papered the walls with it and then we both sketched flowers on it with colored pencils. It was a hoot, we loved it.
I can’t remember a wall paper I liked more. It is giving me an idea……….
kermie b - Great ideas. Very ingenious; - and I found your little vignette to be quite delightful. Would make a lovely little movie scene. Very nice !
My husband was taught to see the glass half empty. I was taught to see it half full. We have had some interesting conversations at our house. As an engineer he is taught to see the faults in something as well as how to reinvent or fix it. I believe that if it isn’t broke that we should leave it alone. I am a saver he is a spender but he has learned to compromise. That is what relationships are all about learning from each other and laughing about the things you can’t change.
My husband is also an engineer and like your husband, he also believes that what is missing is the better design. I am, however, the one who often sees the glass is half-full, but not in a negative way I think. I often see how anything can be improved and then make what I term a genius add-on or improvisation. He often laughs at me when I try to describe what I am going to do but afterwards he stands back and sees how it works. I am the spender but I spend to save money. Example, I bought a very expensive but reliable sewing machine. He just about died when he saw I spent $3,000.00 on the sewing machine but now he loves to tell the story about it’s purchase and what I have done with it. I have made drapes, clothing for him & I, quilts for our grandchildren, and artistic wall-hangings. We are a great team because each of us supply what the other lacks.
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