QUOTE OF THE DAY (OR MORE): "No, no. You don't understand. This is an '89 Calico. I'm pretty sure that exceeds the Kelly Blue Book value. The cat's totaled." --A comedian whose name I forget talking about a vet who presents a $3,000 bill for a 12-year-old cat

Monday, June 1, 2009

When you care enough to send the very best...


I got my daily chuckle while card shopping at Target (tar-JAY') this morning. As always, I went into Target for a couple of things and emerged with 10 times the number of things for which I had been hunting.
One detour was the cards section. As I passed, I thought: "ooh. I should get a card for my nephew's graduation, and my friend's graduation from design school... and oh look at all these Father's Day cards - better get those done, too..." etc., etc. There is almost nothing more pleasurable, indeed, than having time to card shop without little kids (or big kids... or even husbands) in tow. Card shopping all alone, with plenty of time to pick up and enjoy (or frown at) each card is so delightful, particularly when one has a cup of coffee in hand. Oy. I can remember days shopping with the boys as toddlers, when they felt the urge to pick up EVERY SINGLE card, hand it to me while I was trying to decide if the card I was already reading said the perfect thing: "How about THIS ONE, Mom?!"
As I began to peruse the Father's Day cards (and there are SO MANY variations one needs: kids to Dad, kids to grandfathers, husbands to Dad - don't we all get our husbands cards for their families? - wife to husband... all for a hallmark holiday), a nice lady next to me said: "you know, I really shouldn't be card shopping for Father's Day when I'm mad with my husband."
LOL!!
"I just picked up a card," she explained, "that went on about how helpful he is... and I was like. whatever."
I recommended that she delay the card shopping until he was out of the dog house, hoping that that could soon be the case.
"Yeah," she agreed. "I think I'll go to the section of the store with cleaning supplies to buy something for what I DO and he DOESN'T..."
yikes. Hope he gets out soon. It's a good thing that all cards are friendly. Suppose they sold cards like: "Most of the time you really get on my nerves, but Happy Father's Day." Or "I might be wishing you a Happy Father's Day if you contributed to parenting around the house at all..." Or "Happy Freakin' Father's Day." This might be material for another blog, actually...
Let that be a lesson to all of us; don't go card shopping ill-humoredly. It just can't yield good results...

15 comments:

  1. On my way to the mall with both boys. Good times.

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  2. I was at Target myself this morning. With the almost-three-year-old.

    Therefore I avoided the card dept. And the toy dept. And the seasonal department...how did I still manage to spend $50?

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  3. "Here's to Another Year of Me Not Stabbing You" is a theme we recognize with each Special Day.

    My husband knows he's blessed.

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  4. Ugh...I hate card shopping, coffee or not, now if I could do it whilst drinking vodka, and they actually sold cards like the hilarious "Most of the time you really get on my nerves, but Happy Father's Day", you suggested, THEN I could really get into it!

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  5. I can't stand card shopping. It seems like there's never a card that accurately describes my relationship with the subject. Too mushy, too jokey, too...whatever-y.

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  6. not to quibble over small things, but I believe it is Tar-zhay you are talking about.

    Cards are great;except for the creepy ones with little kids dressed as adults. And singing ones. And pastel colored ones. hmmm, yeah, all the rest are great. In my opinion.

    I have an urge to go to Tar-zhay now. Thanks so much.

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  7. Oh hysterical! I absolutely agree with you about leisurely card shopping. Fun and free.

    I am one of those people who think "My husband isn't my Dad... I'll help the kids pick out something for him, but only Big Daddy Dave gets a card and gift from me."

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  8. This is so true! I love card shopping, it's the only time I might get to read something from beginning to end! But -- I have little ones who always thrust the cards at me with a, "How about THIS one??" also. I really need to treasure that, cause soon enough they won't even want to be seen with me in public.
    Love this post!
    Macey

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  9. I love Target shopping by myself...with soda and popcorn in my cart. I'd love to know which card the woman bought!

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  10. "Happy Freakin' Father's day".....Oh please halmark you need to make this one!

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  11. I think you should think about starting up a card line that says things like...Would it kill you to say excuse me when you burp - Happy Father's Day or I'm not your mother so start putting your freakin socks into the hamper you overgrown idiot! Happy Father's Day. I would be a return customer!

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  12. Hurry up and design your card line. I think I'll be buying some of those! :)

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  13. I always walk into Target with something in mind and walk out with things I didn't even need until I saw them!

    And reading cards is always a guilty little pleasure :)

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  14. LOL! I doubt we'll ever see cards like that in the card aisle--nice concept though. My husband and I made a promise to each other when we were married that we would not exchange gifts on designated holidays. It's been a good philosophy, that way we are never disappointed. When one of us does give a gift unexpectedly it is appreciated so much more.

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  15. I only shop for cards if I'm out alone. With the kids it's enough to give me a panic attack. If the kids need a card for something I urge them to make their own, just so we don't have to go to the store.

    The lady uspet with her husband sounds like a real pistol, and brutally honest.

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