Getting Woo for Christmas

[Blog of Reason]

Discussion thread for the blog entry "Getting Woo for Christmas" by rabbitpirate.

Permalink: http://blog.leagueofreason.org.uk/random/getting-woo-for-christmas/

 

[Josan]

What? You got property on the moon? That is AWESOME you ungrateful git!

Not sure how to react to that to be honest. But on my side, a relative put crystals on their wish list (to be used to collect energy etc.), I took the easy way out and simply ignored it.

 

[borrofburi]

I got 160 pills in two bottles of this supplement junk, and have basically been wondering the exact same things. I figure I'll take one every other day so I can honestly say I tried it and it didn't work (they're water soluble, so not too much harm is done), and give the second bottle back to her so she won't waste her money in the future.

 

[obsidianavenger]

i think property on the moon is a pretty cute gimmick!

as for dealing with the relatives, i would say honesty is the best policy, but on the other hand, its not dishonest to "forget" about the present they bought you as soon as possible >.>

i mean you can thank them for trying... if you want to be badass you can try to throw in a semi-sarcastic you shouldn't have... but you're not obligated to like what people buy for ya

 

[Aught3]

Is this your way of saying you don't like the William Lane Craig sweater that I knitted for you?

This is part of the deadweight loss problem of christmas best thing you can do is try and sell it to recoup part of the money, or see if they will take it back for a refund. I would say it's better not to lie about it, but sometimes they corner you.

 

[ImprobableJoe]

We got a witch ball to ward off evil spirits... at least it is sort of decorative?

 

[monitoradiation]

I'd want something useful, in a primary-but-secondary sort of way. (as in, though not used as what the gift-giver had intended, it was what the object was supposed to do in the first place). Like a garland of garlic from a well-meaning relative who seriously believes in their power to ward off vampires. I could at least use them in soups and cooking.

 

[Gnomesmusher]

I guess it pays to be a skeptical jackass to all that I know so that no one wants to give me gifts.

 

[xman]

"Well, you've obviously put a lot of thought and energy into this gift, thank-you for that. I appreciate this chance to explore this new thing. I confess I've heard a lot about it, not all of it good mind you, but here is my opportunity to discover more about this first hand. What could be better. It'll surely help my assessment. Would you like to discuss with me some of the arguments I've encountered regarding this subject so far"?

I'm not always liked for my honesty.

 

[Giliell]

What kind of people are you related to?
I got money, my favourite choclates, a book about 19th century costumes, another book about 19th century costumes and I was pleasently surprised to find that my husband had bought me a DVD I like and didn't have so far (after my best friend kept him from buying me some pseudo-historical romantic novel garbage).
Well, people who know me close enough to buy me a present also know that I don't hold with this kind of crap.
But I've always been terribly honest and as a child disappointed a lot of people who'd given me something I totally didn't like

BTW, the moon property is somewhat cool, at least the moon is real. I once thought about buying my hubby a squarefoot of Scotland so he could call himself a Laird :lol:

 

[mindandshade]

First of all, I do not lie through my teeth. People who know me would never give such presents to me. If they did, they could anticipate my reaction: I would be insulted.
Furthermore, I do not want anyone to give presents to me on Christmas; I do not give presents to anyone, either, and everybody keeping in touch with me knows that I give presents to others whenever I think they could use something I come across. I would not, however, give something to someone if I were not sure he could make use of it. By the way, giving presents, at least in my view, means to give something to somebody without expecting him to give something to oneself in turn. I despise people running around before Christmas, exlaiming, 'I have to buy something for X, and I have to buy something for Y, and I have to buy something for Z!' You do not have to; you just conform to a capatalistic, but mindless convention. Think free, live free!

 

[Nuckpang]

What do you do with a gift like that? Use it as inspiration to write blogs, of course!

At least most new age stuff looks nice. Dreamcatchers, crystals, candles all work well as decoration. As for the Deepak Chopra book, well, you could always use it to soak up anything "little accidents" that your pets have...

 

[Prolescum]

I guess it pays to be a skeptical jackass to all that I know so that no one wants to give me gifts.

This is much the case for me also - I'm not a Christian so I receive no gifts (or anything else beyond a bank holiday) for Christmas. I don't think it's right that non-Christians celebrate it, or at least are beneficiaries of its commercialisation (yes I'm aware of its origin outside the Christian faith and I don't celebrate the shortest day of the year either, although only because that would be daft not because of a particular stance on day lengths).
Well, not that it's not right, but it's a bit hypocritical. Waffle waffle.

 

[Aught3]

Prolescum, where were you over Christmas? I could have used some support in the Christmas Grinch thread.

 

[xman]

So what woo's for you, BTW? Just interested.

 

[5810Singer]

So what woo's for you, BTW? Just interested.

One year I got given a copy of "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus,....Children Are From Heaven."

I haven't read it.

 

[Prolescum]

Prolescum, where were you over Christmas? I could have used some support in the Christmas Grinch thread.

I was laughing at this, mainly ---> http://evolutionforum.info/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl but you need to take a stout stick with you, should you venture there. I recommend every thread.

 

[jrparri]

The moon deed is pretty flipping cool actually. I love how the ruler of the moon is called "The Big Cheese". Woo or not, I'm an instant fan of that site.


My mom gave to me for Christmas a Deepak Chopra calendar, and some wootastic book about how epigenetics proves that The Secret is real... or something like that. I forget the title. I used to ask questions like, "If you can change your DNA with your thoughts, than doesn't that mean I can totally beat a paternity test??"
She'd get all mad, "why are you so filled with negativity?" (In woo, questions=negativity)

I just smile now, and say thanks.

 

[borrofburi]

I don't celebrate the shortest day of the year either, although only because that would be daft not because of a particular stance on day lengths).

I have SAD (not actually diagnosed), short days and general lack of sunlight makes me depressed. You bet I celebrate the day when sunlight begins to return to me and my happiness begins to (on average) increase again.

I used to ask questions like, "If you can change your DNA with your thoughts, than doesn't that mean I can totally beat a paternity test??"She'd get all mad, "why are you so filled with negativity?" (In woo, questions=negativity)

I never quite understood that. I suppose I'm not usually called negative; I am called negative whenever I say something like "I don't think that will work" (because positive = thinking everything, anything, will work, otherwise you're a negative cynical person with a chip on your shoulder...), however I am usually called "limited" when I point out that woo is not grounded in reality or evidence, e.g. "you have such a limited outlook" or "your thoughts are very limited", things do not tend to improve if I respond with "yah, I limit myself to reality, I apologize for not agreeing that searching for leprechaun's pot of gold is a good use of our time"...

 

[5810Singer]

I used to ask questions like, "If you can change your DNA with your thoughts, than doesn't that mean I can totally beat a paternity test??"She'd get all mad, "why are you so filled with negativity?" (In woo, questions=negativity)

I never quite understood that. I suppose I'm not usually called negative; I am called negative whenever I say something like "I don't think that will work" (because positive = thinking everything, anything, will work, otherwise you're a negative cynical person with a chip on your shoulder...), however I am usually called "limited" when I point out that woo is not grounded in reality or evidence, e.g. "you have such a limited outlook" or "your thoughts are very limited", things do not tend to improve if I respond with "yah, I limit myself to reality, I apologize for not agreeing that searching for leprechaun's pot of gold is a good use of our time"...

That reminds of of a quote I heard many years ago about pessimism, I'm not sure who the author is:

"A pessimist is a scoundrel who refuses to see the world the way it ought to be, and stubbornly insists on seeing it the way it actually is."