Anyone got any good xmas diyish gift / gadget ideas?

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I dunno where the nearest cash and carry is. But several Lidl nearby. As he'd have had to have driven to the Tesco - he couldn't have carried all that water back on foot.

[Richard]

Which is exceedingly hypocritical in his instance considering his lengthy pontifications on the topic of empathy.

[ARW]

Maybe he pinched the shopping trolley?

[ARW]

Pinched shopping trolleys or £1 ones do seem to end up in the most odd places.

eg HMP "not saying which one" and the catering staff use a ASDA trolley to transport goods around. And in one school in South Yorkshire the caretaker uses a TESCO trolley.

I have an ALDI one. I do not have a use for it but I was pissed when I put the quid into it.

[Max Demian]

Who celebrates Christmas in June?

[T i m]

<snip>

;-)

And it's not like you don't have enough outbuildings A. could use (but don't tell her I said that!). ;-)

I think if the truth be told, many people (and not just men) would 'not bother' with much of it, if only they had the bottle to. However, they are too bothered about what X or Y might think, just as they do about their house decor or the clothes they wear.

My first wife used to 'do' the Xmyth cards and when I had my first Xmyth with her I handed her the heap of last years cards for her to 'process'.

She basically said she had a hard enough time bothering to do hers, so why would she do 'mine' and so neither of us bothered from then on (30 years or so now).

I can't say it's had any impact on the number of friends we have (or want) as the *real* friends and good family 'understand' and respect our wishes.

They are the sort of people who will try to 'pop in' on when passing ... or send the odd 'Gwan' text or email any time of the year.

I think we are ahead of our time ... just as I was re smoking in public places and one day we will reflect when we used to cut down thousands of trees, turn them into cardboard, cover them in glitter and heavy ink and put them in a paper 'envelope and post them to each other?

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

You Brexiteers don't really do 'fuzzy logic' do you? See, 'not really watched' doesn't mean I've never seen but I have seen bits / clips so have a pretty good idea what it's about and who the characters are but may not have watched an entire show but it may have been on in the background whilst I was doing other things.

If it get's the point across ...

Maybe a softer solution would be to just give the cards back unopened in the new year and then they can hand them back to us the next year without having to waste even more card / paper (and I don't have to dispose of them myself). ;-)

I can post the mailed ones back with 'Not known at this address' or in an unstamped envelope with some of our junk mail. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

Would you feel that in the thickness of the card?

But I still don't get it, does someone's unwanted format and generally hollow suggestion (and mostly meaningless) gesture of 'Best Wishes *at Xmyth*', trump my request to not receive such in that format? Avert all, I'm not the one inflicting anything physical on anyone else or the trees etc?

I'm not bothered if someone sends me an eCard because I can choose to not open it (I generally don't or only long enough to see what they are) or an email for similar reasons. At least only a few trees were killied in the sending of those. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

Yup, even though we asked her not to send them. ;-)

Luckily we aren't in any need of that ourselves and try to do more for those that might need such contact all year round. In fact we actually when to a 'Friends of' meeting where we are working with an Age Concern group to get together and 'Tea a natter / walk / activity venue.

Yes, it's called the (often commercial) unbreakable loop or habit.

But our feelings don't count in any of this?

Unfortunately we do, and in many cases we don't go or I'll drop her there if she wants to. The good friends ask out of politeness but are already prepared for the 'Thanks but no thanks' and are as accepting of that as they would be us saying yes.

Then nothing ever changes? People will continue sending us bits of folded cardboard (often covered in glitter that always seems to get under her contacts) and for what, simply because that's how they are programmed ... they do it without thinking?

Ask them the same question, they started it!. ;-)

Sure, as it is with me, but the *tradition* at such times (unlike birthdays or weddings etc) is the *exchange* of gifts.

Apparently it's ok (for you / them) to agree something (no presents) and for them to go back on our deal and for us to not to be made uncomfortable by that? People can't seem to be able to deal

*themselves* with not do something like that, such is their programming / indoctrination?

But I'm the one who is being passive here. I'm (preemptively) asking them NOT to do something. Something I'm not doing to them (because we have *agreed* not to)?

Yes, it's more money for the corporations (just not from me or at that time). It makes as much sense to be as buying your child a new bike and having them just look at it till the spring before they can use it.

specially if it doesn't get in my way or living my everyday life.

Me neither?

I'll not turn down Xmas food if it's offered but I won't go somewhere especially for it because I'm fortunate enough to be able to afford (say) Turkey any time of the year?

If I CBA to go to whatever friend / family invites us to there for Xmyth day / lunch, those who actually care without judging will often offer me the option of just popping up for the lunch (I never have) or the Mrs / family bringing some back for me (sometimes have).

Anyone I would consider a good friend or family wouldn't put any pressure on me to do anything. That wouldn't be very kind would it?

Cheers, T i m

p.s. When I have gone to some gatherings it's funny when one party of each of the couples say in confidence that they didn't really want to be there and were only going because they would never hear the end of it otherwise. That sounds like a healthy and honest relationship (not).

[T i m]

<snip>

Yes Rod, I would be interested to hear how you set your moral compass where someone being inactive has fewer rights than someone doing something actively to someone and against their wishes?

I might enjoy my job at the abattoir so according to you I should be able to send some of the firms charity Xmyth cards to all my friends, including the vegans and they should just suck it up?

No wonder you are confused re how empathy can be applied un empathetically.

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

Nope. I know I have real friends because nearly all of them don't send me Xmyth cards because I've asked them not to.

I'm sure you do.

Yup, even without people sending me bits of folded card with a factory printed picture and message on. ;-)

What I meant is what I said. Sorry you can't understand it in that context. 'Disgusting waste ... '. I find the waste disgusting.

Thanks for playing though. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[Bob Eager]

Heaving this back on topic...I mentioned the Wowstick.

Has anyone else got one?

[Andy Burns]

No, I've sent plenty of reviews of such 'lightweight electric screwdrivers', which generally seem to be from people who got sent one free, I don't really see the need for an electric screwdriver for opening gadgets, PC components etc, they don't need high torque, or super-long screws.

I have one of these (Maplin RIP) that I keep in the study for all such jobs, thankfully I don't touch iThings so have never needed pentalobe bits to get into anything.

[Richard]

So you have an imaginary job at the abattoir. Whatever floats your boat. Don't send Christmas cards to the vegans, a slice of liver should do nicely.

[Richard]

Oh shit. It's Dr. WTF? He travels in a retardbus.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

No cash needed for trolleys at this store. Just the usual wheel lock system if you try and remove one.

[ARW]

And those false £1 coins that fit on your keying to unlock the shopping trolleys do not work in my fruit machine.

[T i m]

;-)

You did.

I haven't and never having heard of them I had a quick Google and now I know what they are. ;-)

If I was given one I think I'd be grateful but not sure how often, if ever I would use it?

Whilst I'm often inside laptops and small electronic gadgets I can't say I've ever felt the *need* for anything other than the correct size manual screwdriver and especially when it comes to doing such screws back up.

A mate has a corded electric screwdriver that he uses for de / re-assembling laptops but he works in a PC shop and for him time is money ... and he may be less concerned just how tight / well a screw goes back in as I might.

From my experience of any electric drill / screwdrivers is that the bigger ones are good for taking the strain out of repetitive screwing and especially where accuracy isn't important (putting up a shed or dry walling) or where you may have pre drilled / screwed something (furniture) and then you use an electric driver to simply fit / re-fit the screws post-gluing (and I 'get' you can still use the Wowstick as a manual screwdriver but not sure what sort of comfort / grip that handle offers in that mode)? With a very fine screw in a laptop or eGadget I think I prefer the ability to be able to feel the screw going in, especially if a machine screw into metal or a self tapper going *back* into plastic.

As an aside, I think I'm put off by the name 'Wowstick' as I am TomTom.

If I saw one for a fiver, I might buy it (for the S&G's).

Cheers, T i m

[John Rumm]

For things like flat screens, and laptops they can be handy since its not uncommon to have to wind out 20+ screws.

[T i m]

Nope, what I said is exactly how it is. How very left brained of you to not get that from the outset.

There are millions of people out there who have seen bits or clips of films or TV shows and who would therefore have a reasonable idea of the general theme / spirit of it but without watching a whole film / show themselves. Or those who have been present in the room when someone else has been watching something but they weren't paying much attention to it themselves, or only if the actual viewer prompts them to watch 'this bit' because it's especially funny / clever / violent.

I watched Taken 2 *again* on TV last night. Daughter has been present in the room before when someone else was watching it and so had a fairly good idea of the story. The Mrs has been in the room when I've watched it previously but was doing her own thing (watching catchup on her PC or playing PC based games or eBanking etc) but didn't have those distractions last night (we were round mums) but still didn't really follow it closely and probably wouldn't be able to recap much of the detail.

But hey, you are a fanatic Brexiteer so don't actually have much of a clue how 'other people' might think or work do you! ;-(

<snip>

I have more friends than I could be bothered to send bits of folded cardboard to and know 100% that all of them really don't GAF that they don't get one from me. They are better people than that / you (and why they are my friends of course). ;-)

Cheers, T i m