Didecade

Though age is continuous, age is often treated dicretely. I make this point because I'm nerdy enough to do so, and because there recently was a discontinuity in my perceived age vs. actual age graph.

In recognition of this discontinuity, my friends surprised me with dinner at Chinese place on Solano. I followed my friends into the place, and was interested to see another friend at a table there, and shortly I realized I knew everyone at that table, and was wondering what they were doing there. About the time I noticed a second table with people I knew was when it occurred to me what was going on.

Of note at the dinner: I jumped between the two tables of my friends (there was a third table for another friend who's discontinuity occurs a few days previous to mine), one table was full, so I sat between two of my friends. There was a lot of food.

The celebration was concluded with a traditional cake and presents. The cakes were chocolate with mint ice cream (not particular my favorite flavor) and tiramisu. The presents consisted of two cards (one Charlie Brown, one pickle) signed by many of my friends, a certificate for a pound of See's chocolate, a gift card of unknown value to Barnes and Noble, and a $100 gift card to Best Buy.

Apparently I have been successful in not letting anyone know what material things I want (except for the stuff I don't expect anyone to get me, i.e. laptop and car). [Before I comment more on this, I want to make it clear, that I appreciate all the effort my friends went to for me.] Despite this, and I feel bad saying it, I'm a little disappointed by the final gift, especially after the ideas the people in charge of the gift buying had. This is for three reasons: most importantly, (1) I guess my friends really don't know that much about me, (2) many of the things they mentioned are worth more (20" flat-screen TV, Gamecube+games, makeover, etc.), which makes me feel like I've been shortchanged, (3) as I understand it, I'm fully expected to add more money in order to buy something I want, which just seems like wrong in principle. The first point seems to characterize my friendships better than I'm willing to admit. The second point just makes me feel shortchanged; it would have been better if they hadn't mentioned those alternatives (though a count of the people at the dinner does averages to something lower what I might expected from the organizer; however, I don't know the actual average and contributors so it wouldn't really have bothered me that much). The third point is dumbfounding, especially as it relates to the second point. Essentially, as punishment for not knowing what to get me, I get to pay up to what they were thinking of getting me.

The ideal gift seems to me to be a physical object that is either something the person desires (or desires but doesn't know it) or something that defines the relationship between the giver(s) and receiver. A physical object that doesn't fit into these criterion would be rejected (though not openly). A gift card is an indication that the givers don't really know what the receiver wants, though this may work if the person is really into some particular store or the gift card is worth a reasonable present for that store. Pure money doesn't work at all unless it's in a large quantity.

A few notes before I publish, graduation is nigh, and I intend on posting some reflections of my time in college. Also, Blogger now allows comments. So people, person, or null set, comment away!