Gift ideas/suggestions needed

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

Ok, here is situation:

I am meeting a girl and a friend (a guy in his early 40’s with family and kids, whom I met online and we have been really close friends for past two year and hang out often together) in couple of days whom I met online. Since we all know eachother from online, we thought we’d get together over a cup of coffee. This is the first time both of us (my buddy and I) are meeting her, although he’s spoken with her few times over the phone.

I have spoken to the girl over the phone once, but we know each other from online for past couple of months. We have been flirting online, but don’t have anything solid going on. However, there is a potential.

Usually when I meet a girl over the net for a cup of coffee, I get her something nice just as a good social gesture. Nothing of romantic nature, but something that usually people like. Usually I get a music CD of the kind of the music she’s into. But the problem is, I don’t know what kinda music this particular girl likes (somehow never came up) and it’s a bit too late to try finding it out now. It won’t be subtle.

My questions are:

1- Do you think it’s a bad idea to get her something, like a CD? I don’t want to come off too overbearing but at the same time wanna leave a good impression.

2- If CD is ok then what do you think would make a good album? I don’t want too popular type of music that she might already have a CD of, but at the same time want to get something that’s good and listenable.

3- Are there any other small, neutral gifts that would fit the occasion? I’d appreciate the suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

#2

Books are always nice… If you know her interests. Good luck.

#3

General Questions is for questions with factual answers. IMHO is for opinions and polls.

Off to IMHO.

DrMatrix - General Questions Moderator

#4

That’s a great idea! I know that she’s done her degree in literature. Obviously I’d have to give a book that I have read too.

#5

I’m thinking The Great Gatsby. That’s one of my favorites.

#6

Flowers. And I love books, don’t get me wrong. But anything more substanial than flowers, anything that lasts, would seem creepy to me: a bok as an assumption of a long lastng relationship (romntic or non romantic), and it is a bit early to assume that. Get a small bouquet of “non-romantic” flowers: daisies or a mixed bouquet that involves daisies or carnations.

#7

Hate to disagree with Manda JO, but I think flowers are too romantic. I would also sit there in the coffee shop wondering what to do with them. And what if she is going someplace afterward? A book or CD, on the other hand, is totally portable and doesn’t need care and feeding. She might have read Gatsby, though, since it is common high-school fodder. Any other ideas for books? Any interests she has mentioned that might lead to a non fiction book?

#8

Me thinks flowers are tooooo romantic and cliche too.

(i’d do plants over flowers)

But if you don’t want to “creep her out” with something long lasting… why not a candle/popurri/insence/bubble bathy stuff/coffees and teas

maybe a book… a journal… a gift certificate…a nice book mark… a picture frame… some cookies YOU made…

#9

Yeh, I agree. Flowers are a bit too much. The idea is to just sorta initiate a good friendly, social gesture for now. Candle, incese also have romantic connotations. Gift certificate is too tacky (sorry, just expressing my opinion, no offense intended).

The Great Gatsby also seems a bad choice now. It’s a sad romantic novel. Something funny and non-fiction probably would be best.

I’m thinking PJ O’Rourke’s Modern Manners.

#10

If she has her degree in Lit, you should try Silverlock by John Myers Myers. A good book with MANY literary references, many well known, some quite obscure.

#11

Drat. It’s out of print.

Well, she can’t have MY copy. I hope you can find it.

#12

One more, if you can stand it… Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams. Not a deep read, but very entertaining, with lots of stuff to delight English Lit people.

#13

Thanks all, speciall hammerbach – I’ll check out Douglas Adams’ book sometime. I ended up buying “Modern Manners” by PJ O’Rourke since I have read it myself. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet up due to the snow storm but I’d save it for the next time.

#14

PJ O’Rourke is always a welcome gift here. ( Holidays in Hell, is my favorite of his)

I was going to suggest **Cat in the Hat ** :slight_smile:

No, actually, a compliation of Hunter Thompson or, for the more fun, Dave Barry or Steve Martin’s *Pure Drivel *.