Wednesday 10 December 2008

Christmas presents and more plagiarism

This morning I see that another one of my press releases has been published online by the same sneaky journo who took credit for the last one. Once again, she has used her name on stuff I wrote. Sigh... I doubt I will ever be ok with this aspect of PR. Anyway... onto a nicer topic: presents.

I love shopping for gifts. Love, love, LOVE it. I can spend hours trawling the mall or market for something perfect for the person I'm buying for, and usually start my Christmas shopping in September. This year, however, I lacked money due to needing to fund a new house and various other expenses, and am only just starting the shopping now.

Seeing I don't have a 13th cheque like I did last year, the gifts have to be less expensive, but I still want to get TSC something special. Specifically, a table tennis set.

Why? Because that's what he wants, for some odd reason. He could happily play ping pong for hours on end, and while I don't understand his fascination with it (I can play for 45 min tops before I'm bored out of my skull), I'd much rather buy him a table tennis set than a Playstation.

He has been nagging me to get table tennis since we moved to Joburg, and I promised him that when we moved into the new house and had more space, I'd buy him a table.

Problem is, I can't afford it. I have to buy presents for my family, his family, our friends and my work colleagues (not to mention the various secret Santa stints), plus an anniversary present for him (for next Tuesday). We also need so much stuff for the new house (and by need, I do not mean the new carpet I'd love to buy for the floor in the living room or the gorgeous scatter cushions I spotted at Boardmans - I mean stuff like cleaning equipment and other such joy-inspiring purchases). And we need to pay our house-sitter while we're away, and keep some money stashed for petrol and spending for the holidays.

So, TSC is unfortunately not getting a table tennis set for Christmas. The cheapest fold-up one with wheels I can find is R1 500 and I just can't stretch my budget that far on one present.

I was feeling miserable about the fact that he wouldn't be getting what he wanted until I remembered that as well as space for ping pong tables and the like, the man now also has space for his all-time favourite thing to collect: TOOLS.

It's unbelievable - he can get as excited about an orbital sander as most women would get about being given six pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes or a shopping spree in Paris. In fact, if you had to ask him to choose between a lump sum to spend on power tools or an all-expenses-paid cruise along the coast on a five-star ship, he'd probably go for the former.

Men are so weird. So it's off to Builder's Warehouse for me this afternoon. In my stilettos. I always end up with about five store salespeople following me around asking if they can help. It's that obvious that I don't have a clue.

I leave you with this (old but awesome) video clip. Now this is entertaining table tennis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11O9IrG8zzg

17 comments:

ExMi said...

the header looks great. although you should select the 'shrink to fit' option on your header settings - that will fit it into the template properly.

Anonymous said...

LOL; I love the new header; rad indeedy!

I know your thing with buikders warehouse; I have that same problem with Mica; I even have a guy there who knows me know. Very shifty; but comfortable.

Christmas shopping has always been on one rule for me "if you buy me one I'll get you one next Xmas" works for me. But you know; I usually start the cycle... sad.

But I love this season. I have been talking about it since September. :D

Janine / Being Brazen said...

ahhhh, its the silly season :) Good luck with all your shopping.

Anonymous said...

Tools. *sigh* I know how that goes. J's dad is like that. So for tha past six years he's gotten a Mica voucher for his birthday. :)

Anonymous said...

PRs are not journalists. What gave you the idea they are? If you want a byline, become a journalist.

Tamara said...

Kevin: How rude. I am a journalist. I write paid for articles for magazines, books and websites and run my own freelance business. I also work for a PR company in the mornings and write press releases for them. So technically, I am both.

Before you make hurtful remarks, do your research.

Tamara said...

PS: That's what pisses me off - journalists are not supposed to publish releases under their own bylines. It's lazy and it's plagiarism. I don't care if someone uses my release - I want them to! But I wish they'd be honest enough not to add their own name to it.

Tamara said...

Exmi: I know, but bloody Blogger is not giving me the option at the moment. Grr! I open the "edit" window and the "shrink to fit" option disappears!

Paula: You and me both.

Brazen: Thanks ;-)

Sleepy: Men, right?

phillygirl said...

Paha. Varen is just the same. He was more than thrilled that he got to buy himself a jigsaw on Monday evening so that we could get moving on the latest addition to pimp the bunny hutch ;) any excuse ...

Anonymous said...

hey, why don't you write the name of that stupid woman who is stealing your work, name and shame baby, name and shame.

Unknown said...

yep... the economy bites! We might just do 1 gift for our household like Rockband 2 or Guitar Hero World Your and not worry about pleasing everyone else.


Men and their tools! Psh... whatev

Unknown said...

Shame, no table tennis for TSC...he'll have something to look forward to next year.
And if you have 5 sales assistants trailing you at the hardware store, maybe it's because they think you're cute! Just saying.

I'm curious - how does TSC play ping pong for hours if you can only manage 45 mins? Does he play with someone else?

Sass said...

I'm giggling to myself...

My son wants a ping pong table, but we have NO room for it, so he said we could just put it in his room and he could sleep on it, or under it.

hee hee.

Good luck with the shopping. ;)

po said...

I ahte shopping with a fiery passion, I wish I could hire you to shop for me!

Pity about the table tennis but it is always the thought and the love that counts.

Anonymous said...

Hehe love that you go to Builders Warehouse in stilettos!!
I haven't really started shopping, and normally I love it, but this year for some reason I'm just dreading it.

Slyde said...

if it was me, i'd stick with the playstation!

Gill said...

You love Christmas shopping??? I'll send you my list next year k?? I hate it with a passion.

What is it with men and their weird ideas re: xmas prezzies? Grant would be in his element if I gave him a whole bunch of strangely named tools for his bicycle - weird!!