Dear Aunt Kathy, You Suck
embarrassing August 3rd, 2008So you all know how bad I am about buying cards. I’m equally bad at sending them and associated gifts to the recipients on time.
These are the cute thank you cards I received this week from the children of my best friend, who I only last week put in touch with gifts I owed them long ago.
They call me Aunt Kathy because I’ve been friends with their mother since I was five years old, so we might as well be sisters.
Judging from how late I am in the gift-giving department, their mother should drop me immediately from her friend roster. I suck.
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Give me a smiley! I might send you a thank you card. Next year.
Stumble it!
August 5th, 2008 at 11:50 am
When we moved last year, I found presents for my niece and nephew from about 10 years ago that I purchased in a timely fashion, but never delivered. I suck too.
Vixen’s last blog post..Vixen needs internet at home
August 5th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
you’re better than i am b/c if i don’t see people in person, they don’t get anything. i know, i’m bad.
love you’re blog! i’m adding it to my blog roll on http://theneuroticmom.blogspot.com/
Kelly’s last blog post..Pause for a Pedicure
August 5th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Funny stuff! I enjoy your posts! Keep them coming!
Jesse’s last blog post..Made in the Third Grade
August 5th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I wish I could tell you the 200 was a joking number. Nearly every day marks some sort of commemoration of someone’s life event. She buys cards at the drug store every week. Because it’s so important to find the perfect card for a dear, close friend she hasn’t seen in 20 years. I should take a picture and post a copy of our calendar. BTW, I don’t even know the majority of those listed.
Joe’s last blog post..Growing Up Dorky
August 5th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
BK — It wasn’t lost, just late! You’re right, though. Better late than never. I’m sure she was excited. I love getting gifts in the mail. Hint, hint.
mojo — It’s best if you just forget about it. I say wear the T-shirt yourself and buy your friend something new. That’s exactly what I did with a pretty top I bought for one of my sisters (I’ll let them guess which, if they’re reading). I liked it so much, I kept it for myself. I don’t remember what I got her in its place.
Lori — I thought I coined it, but turns out it shows up everywhere. How ’bout Christmabirthday?
Mamaflo — No kidding. I’m worse off now than I ever was before I started blogging. I need to buy everything on one day out of the year and dole them out accordingly. Or I need an assistant.
Pool Guy — Don’t worry, I do too, even though the kids and their parents don’t mind. They think it’s rather charming.
Maureen — I felt a twinge of guilt every time I open yet another thank you card. Those kids are such sweethearts, I felt so bad.
Vixen — Nice! You take the cake!
Kelly — You’re ruthless. I love it! And thank you for adding me to your blogroll. Mmmm…. rolls….!
Jesse — Thanks. Always nice to have new visitors to The Junk Drawer!
Joe — That’s incredible and God bless her for being so thoughtful. Now, would she mind if I added another twenty or so people to her list and I could put her on a schedule? Yes, post the calendar. It will stun everyone.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Believe it or not, you’re more organized than I am!! At least you sent a message. You’re a good Aunt Kathy!
kirsten’s last blog post..What the Hell Kind of Name is Rulon Anyway?
August 5th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Okay, with kids, I am better at this than I am with my adult friends. I actually have (most of) the Christmas presents I bought for a friend of mine who lives out of town. A few, I actually regifted to closer more urgent occasions. She sent mine in a box (still wrapped and marked with the year) just out of the blue one day. I had to call her and ask if she was dying or something. She said no, she was just cleaning out stuff and didn’t want to move with all of them again.
Elle’s last blog post..Don’t You Just Hate It When…
August 5th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
1) Lordy! 58 Comments. You go gurl.
2) What Jeff said
3) Loved the circles and arrows on your visual aids.
4) Jaffer over-posted. He has to sit out the next time.
5) Regan is on her way to blogging. God help us all.
Geakz’s last blog post..Classic Italian Sub Goes A-Rye
August 6th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
oh welll i never give out thank you cards so i will try
Dear Kathy
thank you for the magnet
i will use a lot (well as much as possible)
and thank you for the wonderful blog
your reader
brooke reagans friend
\
August 6th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
I couldn’t even comment on this when I first read it because I suck beyond all sucking when it comes to presents. And it doesn’t help that my sister is the queen of the birthday shirt that fits perfectly with the matching headband, socks, and earrings, wrapped in beautiful paper with a matching bow she made herself and the card that she found after reading all the cards in the store that is hilarious because it seems to reference some funny private joke that she will mention inside the card before sealing it with a matching and equally humorous sticker.
If I was rich I’d just buy people cars and give them the keys in a tiny gift bag with the tag already attached and no fancy paper or gewgaws sticking out. I might remember to write the To: From: business on the card with a pen I find in my car console on the way into the house. Maybe. Or I’ll hire an assistant to do all that crap.
Shieldmaiden96’s last blog post..Country Piccata
August 6th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Hey, I thought that sweater you have looked like something that I might wear…..
August 6th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Joe, I will begin the clamoring to see the calendar of 200 card-giving occasions of which you speak.
Will your wife grant Kathy an interview? For I have many questions regarding this card-buying behavior.
Let the over-posting begin!
August 6th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
kirsten — Yeah, but I still feel crummy every time I do it.
Elle — It’s perfect that you and your friend are cut from the same cloth. Love this: “I had to call her and ask if she was dying or something.”
Geakz — Now stop making fun of my visual aids. You’re making fun of them, right? If you weren’t, you should. Jaffer paid me to post a second time. We have a thing where I let him do that for a fee. The minute Regan starts a blog, you’ll be hearing about it here.
brooke — That’s a lovely thank you note. You taking tips from Regan?
Shieldmaiden96 — I believe it’s possible you suck more than me, although I can’t count the number of times I’ve bought a card on the way to somewhere, thrown some cash in, and written “Love, Kathy” in the card with a pen I found in my glove compartment that’s half running out of ink. Your sister needs an intervention.
ann of the shampooo bag — You are not the sister who got the replacement gift for the sweater. Poor Marlene. It was such a pretty gift she never got.
And, yeah, Joe needs to write about his uber-organized wife. I’ve never heard of such a thing. I want to know more about this freak behavior!
August 7th, 2008 at 9:15 am
I know the focus of this post is “How Aunt Kathy Allegedly Sucks,” but to me it is pretty refreshing seeing kids (whether at their mother’s prompting or not) actually wrote you thank you notes. Manners seem to not be something everyone teaches nowadays, unfortunately. At least it seems that way. But then I am now “over thirty and should not be trusted” so what do I know…
TheSnackHound’s last blog post..Healthy Coffee…Is there such a thing?
August 7th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Better late than never, right? 🙂 Sometimes it’s nicer getting christmas gifts in july, since at christmas you get so many…so you could tell them you planned it that way so it would be extra special??
Chelle’s last blog post..Keep Out of The Pond!
August 7th, 2008 at 10:29 am
I’ve been thinking about this since I ran across it the other day. Don’t feel bad — a lot of us hellasuck at remembering birthdays of nephews, nieces, cousins and etc.
If I can remember the birthdays of my wife and kids, I figure I’m doing well…
Ethan Nobles’s last blog post..Superheroes that didn’t make it
August 7th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
TheSnackHound — I know what you mean. They might have needed a prompt, but they still did it and I love them for it. Refreshing indeed!
Chelle — They loved it the one year I dropped off Christmas gifts in the summer. There they were, tearing through wintry-looking wrapping paper in 90 degree heat. Very fun for everyone!
Ethan Nobles — I feel the same. One out of five remembrances ain’t bad. Count yourself lucky.
August 7th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Not a terrible idea, but (a) the shirt wouldn’t fit me and (b)… bein’ a guy, if I wore it… it’d just get weird.
Mojo’s last blog post..55 Flash Fiction Friday (#6): “Synchronicity”
August 9th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Mojo — Oh, didn’t consider that. Of course, you could wear it and it’ll be our little secret.
August 9th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
maybe
You shall never know
August 12th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I have a pile of thank you cards right beside me for all the kind folks that attended a 30th anniversary party for us. I’ll get to them soon!
August 13th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Data Entry Lady — You better, or I’m getting Miss Manners after you! Probably feels like a big job. Do a few at a time. You’ll make it.
September 9th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Wow! All of you sound like me! I have three kids 6 & under, and I always forget birthdays. And who has time to go to the store with three kids and pick out a card that costs $4?! Anyway, I finally solved the problem. I found a company called Send Out Cards that sends me e-mails reminding me of birthdays & anniversaries. I can find a card online, add a personal message, and they print and mail the cards for me. Even better, I can send really cool gifts or gift cards along with the card. Thank you notes? No problem–I can send the same card out to everyone on my list with a click of the mouse! The best part? The cards cost about $1–with postage! Wah-hoo! Problem solved!
September 10th, 2008 at 3:38 am
Karen — That site sounds amazing and just what I need because my problem is that I never transfer birthdays to a new calendar every year and I can’t remember on my own. Getting an email reminder is just what the doctor ordered.
September 10th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
I love getting my reminders! Several friends have asked me, “How did you know it was my birthday?” Do I have a secret life as a spy? No, I just have Send Out Cards. 🙂 It’s amazing how happy people are when you do remember! Anyway, you can send three cards for free (inc. postage) from my website. The site is packed with info, too, so you can truly see if this will be a tool that can help you. My number & e-mail are listed, so you can call me/e-mail me if you’d like me to give you a personal walk-through of the site.
October 13th, 2008 at 12:44 am
Sorry Kathy,but I can’t help crying out with laughter.You are a good aunt,and don’t worry.I know you’ll do much better than that in future.
Handbag for life’s last blog post..Paris Fashion Week: Handbags Show
October 13th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Handbag for life — Oh, you’re so kind! I’m not really sure I’ll remember next time. Of course, Christmas is coming up. If I plan accordingly, they might have their presents by spring instead of summer.