I’ll be turning 30 in a few weeks, and my girlfriend has been asking me incessantly what I want for my birthday. I don’t have an answer for her. I have all the stuff I want, and I pretty much don’t have stuff I don’t want, so I tell her not to get me anything.
This is apparently the wrong thing to say. She takes the position that a thirthieth birthday deserves something other than her rolling over in the morning and saying “happy birthday honey”. I guess I can see her point… but… I don’t have an answer.
Last night she started up again over dinner and I still had no answer for her. Not to be deterred, she asked repeatedly until I told her she was being annoying and asked her to stop. I feel bad about having to say such a thing to my girl.
In the interests of shutting her up… err, I mean… keeping my sanity, what can I tell her I want for my birthday? We had this discussion over christmas. I told her what I really wanted was for someone to mow my back lawn (I’m so lazy)! She felt that wasn’t appropriate and got me sex toys instead (god I love that girl!) :D. She has already said she’s not getting me sex toys for my birthday (awwwwww).
A bit of background:
I am pretty much a geek, I work in IT and I’ve reached computer saturation point - but I’m willing to consider small gizmos or gadgets.
Music-wise, I like a lot of stuff, from rock, to pop, to classical.
I was once very much into volleyball but since suffering a rotator cuff injury, I’ve not played in over 12 months.
I can’t think of much else to describe me. I’m not very exciting!
Ok guys - suggestions??? Feel free to branch out and suggest stuff I might never have considered. Let’s hear it!
If you do a lot of driving, there are some great books on tape available. For Christmas, I got my hubby a 17-hour-CD set of Masters and Commanders (the book that the recent Russel Crowe movie was based on). We enjoyed the movie, he’s into history (and is also a geek), and he loves the cd’s so far. He drives to Baltimore (about a 2 and 1/2 hour drive) and back at least once a week.
Why don’t you get her to buy you an experience rather than an item?
I recently turned 30 (last month) and my wife bought me an “Introduction to SCUBA Diving” course/session/thing. This was a half day instructor-led session that included a bit of theory, some time in a pool, then a dive out in the ocean. It was awesome.
I had been commenting that I would love to do SCUBA for years, so it was an excellent present. Now as a result, I know that I love it and I plan to take it further.
Another of our friends turned 30 earlier last year. He is one of the OP’s type who buys all the toys that he wants, and we were having significant trouble thinking of a gift for him. We came up with the idea of giving him an “adventure options voucher booklet”. Basically, a bunch of vouchers (he could choose one only) for adventure stuff like…
* Tandem skydiving
* Hot air balloon ride
* Helicopter flying lesson
Plus some other options that I am hesitant to post to the messageboard.
Presents (gifts/items) wear out over time, or get lost, or get replaced, but an experience like this can be a whole lot of fun and the memories can last a lifetime…
** Maxxxie ** you said you like music, and you want to do something, right? Why not concert tickets? I think the most successfu birthday gift I ever bought my brother was tickets to The Offspring
Or, one of those motorbike tours on the back of a Harley or something.
A t-shirt that says “The geek shall inherit the earth”.
Ok, sex toys are out… how about porn movies?
Failing those, a trip to the armpit of victoria to go wine tasting… you don’t actually consume the wine, you’re supposed to spit it back out, so it should be ok from that perspective. And hey, you could always drop in and visit.
I knew it was your birthday, but I had no idea which one. Scary stuff.
Well, I caved and told her I’d like the Ministry of Sound 2004 Annual. I have also convinced her to come and see a play with me (in a month or so). Yay!
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I really liked the “do something” as opposed to “receive something” ideas
