One Thing I'd Like To Be

Pharon and I had a Skype/Facetime date last night that lasted approximately 3 hours.  There was wedding talk (Yeah! to us being engaged at the same time!), shopping talk (it's totally fine to return something you've worn if it's defective, but NOT if it smells like you sleep in an ashtray), and rehashing of conversations we've had 12 other times...pretty much the best 3 hours EVER.

One part of our conversation was the discussion of Kate Spade and telling Pharon that Ms. Spade has an awesome coffee table book out right now.  Which made me wish that #1- I had just sent her the book as a gift without telling her and #2- I had the ability to keep that sort of surprise secret from her.  

I also told Pharon that some day when I'm rich, I'm probably going to be the sort of friend who buys her (and presumably my other favorite girlfriends) fun random gifts.  I once had a conversation along these lines with my super fun friend, Courtney.  We talked about what we would do if we won the lottery and she told me that not only would she spend her money going on trips and buying fun stuff, but she would also take me with her.  She also told me she'd do nice things like paying off my student loans.  Granted, if she actually wins millions of dollars, I don't know if she'd actually do this (nor would I do something like sue her if she didn't) but it made me think "I've got great friends!" 

And then I saw this on YoungHouseLove today

You should probably just follow that blog and read the story yourself (and every single other post they do) but the short version of the story is that Sherry and John (of YHL fame) went to visit their friends Katie and Jeremy Bower (of also fun BowerPower fame) for a fun weekend that coincided with a book tour stop for their great new book (which I definitely purchased immediately upon it's publication).  As a nice surprise, Katie left Sherry this box of treats outside their guest room door to celebrate their great year.  

I immediately looked at this and thought of the conversation that I had with Pharon last night and went "I want to be THIS sort of person!" I want to be the person who sends random fun gifts to people out of the blue.  I want to be the person who puts together thoughtful welcome packages for visitors.  I want to be the person who tells people when they're thinking of them.  

In general I'm not that person.  I do buy gifts for people but then I usually hang on to them until I see them next which means I'll have them for like a year or I'll forget them for the next 10 times I see that person.  *which reminds me that I have a Christmas gift for someone I've seen on almost a weekly basis that I should probably give them* I need to just send those gifts in the mail.  STOP BEING LAZY GIFT GIVER, MADELINE! And I do try and buy welcome gifts for people but usually it ends up just being a bottle of wine so it doesn't look so gifty when I'm opening it up myself when they get there...or in the case of my mother, it's a dress that doesn't fit me anymore and a bottle of patchouli shaving cream that I hate with a passion.  Way to keep it classy, Solien.

Anyway, watch out folks, this is my new personal goal.  Don't expect me to start sending out massive amounts of trinkets but you just might get a heartfelt card someday...and maybe a cute coffee mug next to your bed...or something like that.