Romantic tip #217...

Wow, it has certainly been a while since the last thrilling installment of "Squid On The Grill!" My sincerest apologies to my loyal fan.

Well, something happened this weekend that inspired me to once again digitize the obscure ramblings of my feeble mind. First, a little setup...

The following is from Gregory Godek's awesome book "1001 Ways To Be Romantic". I believe that it should be required reading for every man who is in (or wants to be in) a relationship with a member of the fairer sex.

217

Understand the difference between a gift and a present.

A present is something you’re giving the receiver because it’s something you want him or her to have.
A gift is something that you’re sure the receiver wants.

(Don’t bother looking up the words “gift” and “present” in the dictionary. Technically, they’re synonyms. But then, what does Webster’s know about romance?)

When a man gives a woman lingerie – guess what?! – nine times out of ten it’s a present. When he gives her favorite perfume, it’s a gift. This is not to say that one is better than the other. Gifts and presents are just different. Knowing the difference between a gift and a present will help both of you stay “in-tune” with each other and avoid unrealistic expectations and possible hard feelings.

Note: Items can sometimes be both gifts and presents at the same time. It depends on the item in combination with the recipient’s individual personality.

As a child, I probably could have used a little less self-focus when it came time to buy gifts. I actually stretched the definition of presents to actually be "something you're giving the receiver because it's something you want him or her to have so you can borrow it!" My poor mother would often receive tool sets, and my dad once got a copy of a music video I was particularly interested in. I doubt that he ever watched it, but I certainly did.

I need to dust off my copy of Godek's book and read it again. Maybe then I wouldn't be confused (and yes, a little disappointed) when my wonderful and ever-giving bride is less-than-enthused about the present I tell her I'm about to buy her...

Sorry, Sweetie. Would you, by any chance, need a good screwdriver set instead?