Baby Gift

Amazon.com Baby:Gift Ideas Your Store Baby See All 31 Product Categories   Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help Baby Registry | browse categories | browse brands | gift ideas | resource center | baby outlet Search Amazon.com Baby Products Toys & Games Advanced Search Web Search Baby > Gift Categories > Gift Ideas Browse Gift Ideas Baby Books & Calendars Blankets Gift Sets Gyms & Playmats Keepsakes Layette Moses Baskets Photo Albums Picture Frames Piggy Banks Related Categories Personalized Gifts by Babies 'R' Us Browse Picture Frames Collage Frames Photo Frames Special Occasion Frames Browse By Occasion Adoption Baby'sFirst... Baby Shower NewBaby Pregnancy Religious Browse By Price Under $25 $25-$50 $50-$75 Over $75 Browse By Recipient ExpectingMom Grandparent NewDad NewMom NewSiblings Toddler Twins,Triplets & More Are you, or is someone you know,expecting a little bundle of joy? A baby registry makesshopping easy and ensures that everyone gets what they want. Create your ownbaby registry or search for someone else's registry. Visit our BabyRegistry Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., Eric Carle (Illustrator) Amazon.com The gentle rhyming and gorgeous, tissue-paper collage illustrations in this classic picture book make it a dog-eared favorite on many children's bookshelves. On each page, we meet a new animal who nudges us onward to discover which creature will show up next: "Blue Horse, Blue Horse, What do... read more --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. List Price: $7.95 Price: $7.95 Used & new from $3.00 See more books for baby A Reason to Celebrate Baby showers are a wonderful way for family and friends toshower the impending arrival (not to mention mom and dad) with plenty of gifts.Attending a shower and not sure what to give? No worries. Our baby shower gifts guide willwalk you through the basics and offer some gift-giving advice. Read our guide Subscribe Now! Find low prices on selected family and parenting magazines, including AmericanBaby , Parents ,and more! More magazines Give a Gift Set Gift sets are always a hit. Take a look at ourcollection of gift sets--from simple to spectacular--that include everythingfrom bathtime essentials to cozy layette items. See all gift sets Fun Bug/Fish 5 Pack Bib Set List Price: $19.99 Price: $14.99 You Save: $5.00 (25%) I WANT MORE , September 12, 2005 Reviewer: Look ma These are wonderful! Though I really don't need more than the five that are included, I'm lazy and would rather toss in the washing machine than hand wash after every meal. Either way, after washing and hanging to dry, they look brand new - WITH NO STAINS!!!! Read more Treasures Pewter Beaded Baby Cup by Empire Silver Company Price: $31.99 Along with the stroller, car seat, and diaper bags, it's nice togive something that they won't grow out of. See our collection of keepsakes that will make anynew parent ooh and aah. See more keepsakes Our Top Sellers Updated Hourly 1. SwaddleMe Adjustable Newborn Fleece Wrap - Ivory by Kiddopotamus and Co Price: $9.99 2. LeapStart Learning Table by LeapFrog Price: $39.99 You Save: $5.00 (11%) 3. Baby Einstein Play Gym by Kids II Price: $59.99 4. Gymini Super Deluxe Light and Music by Tiny Love Price: $59.99 5. SwaddleMe Adjustable Infant Cotton Wrap - Green by Kiddopotamus and Co Price: $9.99 More top sellers Treat yourfavorite parents-to-be to a gift certificate with a free new baby or pregnancy e-card!Or purchase an e-mail or paper gift certificate . Whichever one you choose,you can't go wrong by giving them the gift of choice. See samples of our gift certificates Baby Outlet BabyRegistry Books, Music &More LayetteBoutique NewParents' Checklist Parents'Favorites Resource Center Where's My Stuff? • Track your recent orders . • View or change your orders in Your Account . Shipping & Returns • See our shipping rates & policies . • Return an item (here's our Returns Policy ). Need Help? • Forgot your password? Click here . • Redeem or buy a gift certificate. • Visit our Help department . Search Baby Products All Products for Top of Page Babiesrus.com | Baby Registry | Browse Categories | Browse Brands Gift Ideas | Resource Center | Baby Outlet Amazon.com Home | Directory of All Stores Our International Sites: Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | Japan | France  | China Contact Us | Help | Shopping Cart | Your Account | Sell Items | 1-Click Settings Investor Relations | Press Releases | Careers Conditions of Use | Privacy Notice © 1995-2005, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates

shower gift or wishing

Bridal Shower Ideas and Themes from Top Wedding Sites Discount Bridal Shower Favors and Ideas Print Your Own Bridal Shower Invitations Bridal Shower Games BRIDAL SHOWER GAMES Priceless bridal shower advice from planning and hosting to tons of games and all your printable Game Cards - Bridal Bingo included. Easy to Download use. BridalShower GamesAtoZ.com The Perfect Bridal Shower Planning Book Click here to get tips and advice to plan the best ever wedding shower! E-Book is packed full of ideas, directions, etiquette guidelines and advice, so that you can plan the perfect shower for the bride-to-be and all your guests. Makes a great bridal shower gift or wishing well gift! Chicken Soup for the BRIDE'S Soul Romantic, humorous, touching, and true, Chicken Soup for the Brides Soul will help bride's look ahead to their wedding day with joy instead of stress. Buy This Book Wedding Gown Preservation Kit BRIDAL SHOWER GIFT! Only $99.99 More info Real Postage Stamps! Wedding Coupons Click here for money saving coupons and offers from our top ranking wedding professionals! SAVE NOW Save Money! Wedding Store Clearance Items...all ON SALE NOW!!! CLICK HERE to Save! The Chick Game - Girls' Night Out in a Box! ON SALE NOW $3.95! Disposable wedding cameras make a unique bridal shower gift or bridal shower favors! Useful Bridal Shower Favors Votive Verse Bridal Shower Favor The lighting of candles has always signified respect and memory. Let your girls remember the great time they had at your bridal shower for a long time with this great reusable votive. You choose the verse that's best. More great wedding shower favors here! Wedding Hair Bridal Shower Lottery Game Lose Weight Now! Great Wishing Well Gift! Thank-You Cards Need to make a speech at the wedding? Click here for wedding speech help. Bridal Shower Party Games Bride Trivia Game NEW! Bridal Bingo Wedding Favors & Bridal Shower Favors Wedding Dresses Wedding Favors Wedding Music Wedding Invitations Wedding Etiquette Wedding Websites Wedding Cakes Wedding Photography Wedding Planner Wedding Speeches and Wedding Toasts Bridal Showers Wedding Videos Wedding Rings Bridal Hairstyles B ridal Shower Ideas: Best bridal shower ideas. Wedding shower games Bridal shower themes Bridal shower favors and invitations Courtesy of: Recipe Legacy Provider of the unique bridal shower gift: Recipe & Photo Album CD Kits Plan the Perfect Bridal Shower E-book History The concept of a bridal shower is to ensure that the bride-to-be is well prepared for her married life. In fact, according to www.world-wedding-traditions.net, "The idea of the customary bridal shower originated in Holland. If a Dutch bride was unfortunate enough to have her father disapprove of her choice in husbands, he would not offer a dowry. Her friends would then "shower" her with gifts so she could still be married to her groom, without the help of her father." Purpose However, in modern times the purpose of a shower is twofold. Ostensibly the shower is held to provide the bride-to-be with gifts to help her set up her new home. However, the bridal shower also provides an opportunity for the women who surround her to provide a sense of support, as she enters into this new phase of her life. For this reason, it is preferred that the shower be small enough so that the bride gets to talk individually to all the participants. As the bride-to-be moves forward with her wedding plans it will become clear that she will need several helpers to be sure that all the wedding day events run smoothly. By the time the shower takes place, she should have a good idea of what these duties are and to whom she has assigned each one. The shower is, therefore, an ideal time to discuss these responsibilities with her friends and family. Recipe Legacy's Adaptable Wedding Planner includes an assignment sheet with 69 such duties - from keeping charge of the guest book to setting out the place cards. Hosting & Guest List The Maid-of-Honor traditionally hosts a bridal shower. Sometimes, the Maid-of-Honor is a sister or other family member. It used to be considered improper for a family member to host a shower, because it would seem as though the family was requesting gifts. However, in today's society, showers are accepted as being an integral part of the wedding celebration, and family members often host bridal showers. Sometimes, two or three showers are scheduled, perhaps one given by the immediate family, another hosted by the Maid of Honor for the bride-to-be's friends, and sometimes one given to the bride-to-be by her business associates. The bridal shower hostess or hostesses should invite female family members of both the bride and the groom: mothers, grandmothers, aunts, cousins, etc. She should also invite close female friends of the bride and the bride's family. She may also want to invite some of the bride-to-be's co-workers. She should be sure to consult with the bride when compiling the guest list. Not everyone invited to the wedding needs to be invited to the shower. However, those invited to the bridal shower are normally invited to the wedding. Inviting someone to the shower and then not inviting them to the wedding is sure to cause hurt feelings. Surprise or Not to Surprise??? Sometimes a surprise shower is planned for the bride-to-be. This is unwise, since the bride-to-be should be consulted on who attends the event and what type of gifts are needed. It is also possible that more than one shower is planned. Perhaps the bride's family and friends are planning one event and the bride's business associates are planning another. Only the bride will be able to coordinate the dates of both events. We advise against making this event a surprise unless you are sure of the following: The bride-to-be will not be disappointed that she has not been informed beforehand. You are confident that your guest list includes everyone the bride-to-be would have invited, if consulted. The bride-to-be has registered for gifts. The bride will not schedule another event on the planned date. If there are to be several showers, and some guests are to be invited to more than one shower, the bride-to-be should be careful not to burden anyone with the need to purchase more than one gift. Guests receiving two bridal shower invitations are faced with the moral dilemma of whether they should give two gifts. The answer is no. An understanding bride-to-be will make it known to the guest that she will also announce during the gift opening activity at the second shower that she has already received a beautiful shower gift (describe the gift) from that guest. If the guest has not been given this hint ahead of time, a solution would be for the guest to give a small gift for the second shower. It is a good idea to connect the second gift with the first gift. Examples: 1. You gave a cake plate and server at the first shower. For the second shower, gather some spatulas and other utensils at the local 99Cent store, wrap them prettily and include a note in the package saying "The cake plate was for the end product - here are the utensils you will need to bake the cake!" 2. If the bride is registered for dinnerware, you can split up the gift. Give the sugar dish at one shower with a note saying "more to come", then give the creamer at the second shower. 3. Give a set of towels for the first gift. Wrap a pretty package of guest towels for the second shower with a note saying "My first gift was for you, this gift is for the many guests who will be welcomed into your new home." Scheduling It is best to schedule a bridal shower about two months before the wedding, when the excitement is mounting in anticipation of the wedding day. A bridal shower should not be scheduled less than a month before the wedding date because the bride-to-be is typically consumed with last minute details as her wedding date approaches. Be sure to check with the bride-to-be to make sure that the scheduled date fits in with her plans. Bridal Shower Invitations Mail three to four weeks before the event and include the following information: Name of the bride-to-be. Date of the Shower. Time of the Shower, e.g. 2 PM - 5 PM. (It is best to put both the beginning and end times on the invitation so that the guests can plan their day.) Address where the shower is being held. Name and phone number of the hostess/hostesses. A deadline date for the RSVP. (This is usually about two weeks prior to the shower date.) Bridal Shower theme. (If applicable). Home decorating colors. (If applicable). It is helpful to enclose a map of the shower location. Personalized Save the Date Magnets can be tucked inside the invitation. Discount Bridal Shower Invitations Print your own bridal shower invitations Schedule for a Bridal Shower at the Home of the Hostess 1. Hostess greets guests and offers drinks and appetizers. Some introductions are made. 2. When all the guests have arrived, the hostess has each guest introduce herself and explain her relationship to the bride-to-be. 3. Icebreakers: These can be shower games or other activities that help your guests interact. 4. Food is served. This can be appetizers, a buffet or a sit-down lunch, tea or dinner. 5. Toast to the bride-to-be. 6. The bride-to-be opens her gifts and then the gifts are passed around for the guests to admire. 7. The bride thanks the hostess for giving the shower and thanks the guests for celebrating with her. 8. Time for individual conversations. 9. Shower favors are given to guests. (If they have not been provided at a place setting.) 10. Hostess thanks the guests for coming - individually, if possible. Home Bridal Shower Menu Suggestions Appetizers - vegetables and dip, fruit tray, potato chips, nuts, etc. The meal - salad and a casserole works well. Select a menu that can be prepared ahead of time, because you don't want to be busy in the kitchen when you could be mingling with your guests. For vegetarians - If some of your guests are vegetarians, include a meatless dish such as a bean casserole, etc. If you plan to serve a chicken or shrimp salad, put aside some of the salad in a separate bowl before adding the chicken or shrimp. Drinks - coffee, tea, soft drinks and/or punch. Mimosa (orange juice with champagne) is good for a brunch. This can be used to toast the bride. If you don't want to serve liquor, there are many good non-alcoholic champagne choices available now. Dessert - specially decorated cake, pie. Sunday Brunch Shower: Bagels, fresh seasonal fruit, mini danish, scones, breakfast quiche, fresh squeezed OJ, bloody mary's, mimosas. Atmosphere Builders for a Shower at Home Have some music playing in the background to set the mood. See that the music is low so that it will not drown out the conversation. Choosing a CD of wedding music will set the tone and provide a talking point. A CD of wedding music is also a good gift for the bride, if she has not yet finalized the music to be played at her wedding. Decorating with banners and balloons can quickly give a room a festive air. Flower centerpieces always add charm to the food table. Consider purchasing the new " edible arrangements " that are fruit based cut out to resemble flowers...really cool and useful too! Use white napkins pushed through heart-shaped cookie cutters as a napkin ring. Make a "faux wedding cake" or a bridal shower towel cake for a centerpiece. This "wedding cake" is composed of 4 bath towels, 4 hand towels, and 4 washcloths. These should be new and will be given to the bride after the shower. Start by folding the bath towels in fourths lengthwise. Connect the folded towels end to end with large safety pins. Start at one end and roll the towels up. When you reach the end, secure the end with pins. Follow the same procedure for the hand towels and then again for the washcloths. Stack the three rolls with the bath towels on the bottom, the hand towels in the middle, and the washcloths on top. Secure the layers together with pins. Use creativity to decorate. Ideas include silk flowers, strands of beads, pearls and/or jewels which can be purchased at local craft stores. Schedule for a Bridal Shower at a Restaurant Hostess places shower favors and place cards at each place setting. Guests arrive and are introduced to each other. Guests are seated and the meal is served. Toast to the bride-to-be. Bride opens her gifts. Bride thanks hostess for giving the shower, thanks guests for celebrating with her. Hostess thanks the guests for coming. Bridal Shower Favor Ideas While a tradition in some communities, favors are unknown in others. Here are some bridal shower favor ideas, should you decide to include them: Candies in a decorative wrap or special favor holder . Place Card Frames Small plants (wrap fabric around the pot, tie with a personalized ribbon ) Soft Lotion Bridal Shower Favor Orchid favor Soaps Personalized Tea Bag Favors Bottled Bath Salts "I Do" Lip Balm Wedding Shower Favor Bridal Shower Favor Kits Wedding & Bridal Shower Favors, Accessories & Ribbon Mint Pak Bridal Shower Favor Votive Verse Candle Bridal Shower Favor Jack and Jill Bridal Shower Favors: Lucky Couple Mug Bridal Shower Favor When the shower includes the guys, get straight to the heart of the matter with these beer mugs. Make 'em very happy they came to the party. Free Bridal Shower Game Ideas: Wedding Shower Games Wedding shower games get everyone involved. However, if the guests are diverse in age and interests, it is important to choose themes that all guests can relate to, such as cooking or travel. If the games break the guests into small groups, you will encourage laughter and interaction. Creating a recipe/photo/memorabilia album at the shower for the bride is a great way to get all the guests occupied - and the bride-to-be receives a unique memory album. Recipe Legacy features a recipe / photo CD with artwork, games and detailed instructions on how to do this. A fun shower game that allows your guests to become familiar with the groom as well as the bride, is the How Well Do You Know The Bride game. This will require some work on your part but it is worth the time! Heres how you play: Before the day of the shower, ask the groom several questions about the bride. For example, What is her favorite flower? or What is her dream date? Videotape his answers to each of the questions. At the shower, ask the same series of questions to the guests and have them write down their answers. After all the questions have been answered, ask each one to the bride and have her give her answer. Next play the videotape of her fiance's answers just for fun. The one that gets the most answers right wins! Not only is this a fun way to include the groom, you learn more about the guest of honor! More Wedding Shower Games: Bridal Shower Party Games Love-Themed Shower Bingo Bridal Shower Lottery Game Shower Gift Bingo That Guy! Game Priceless bridal shower advice from planning and hosting to tons of games and all your printable Game Cards - Bridal Bingo included. Easy to Download use. BridalShowerGamesAtoZ.com Game Prizes and Bridal Shower Favors The hostess should wrap small prizes to award for the games. Here are some game prize gift ideas that are easy to wrap: Disposable Cameras Cosmetic Pouches Photo Frames Candles Click here for wedding supplies for d o it yourself homemade wedding favors & bridal shower favors Bridal Shower Gift Unwrapping Ceremony You will need: A prominent chair for the bride-to-be. A writing pad and pen for the gift list. A sturdy paper plate and a scissors for the shower bouquet. A plastic bag for quick disposal of the discarded wrapping paper. Helper assignments: Helper A: Write down a description of each gift and the name of the giver. Helper B: Create the shower bouquet - traditionally accomplished by taking the bows and ribbon from the wrappings and threading them through a paper plate. Helper C: Pass around each gift for all to examine. Helper D: Repackage each gift (with each gift card inserted in the correct gift box - this will make thank-you notes an easier task!) Helper E: Collect the discarded wrap and stuff in a garbage bag. Be sure to have a camera handy to take plenty of photos. While a bridal shower is especially for the bride-to-be, it should be an occasion that all guests will remember warmly - including the hostess! Play Shower Gift Bingo Bridal Shower Themes Ideas and Suggestions by Winnie Ying at Beaucoup Tea Party Serve tea along with finger foods such as scones, finger sandwiches, petite fours, etc... Room of the House Each guest is "assigned" a room of the house and brings a gift to be used in that room. Lingerie Guests bring a gift of lingerie for the bride! Around the Clock Each guest is assigned a "time," such as breakfast time or bath time. Gifts should reflect this time. Pamper the Bride Guests to bring items suited to the purpose, such as bath products, gift certificates to a spa or salon, and yoga lessons. One idea is to have the shower at a spa or salon. There are plenty of places that specialize in hosting showers. What is more enjoyable than to spend a day at a spa with a group of your best girls? Garden Party Host a shower in a garden setting and decorate tables with beautiful flowers. Ask guests to bring gifts that the bride can use in her garden. Stock the Bar Guests bring gifts of liquor, glasses, etc. to help the couple stock their bar. Christmas Ornament Guests bring an ornament for the couple's first Christmas tree. Great for winter showers! Pajama Have guests arrive in the evening dressed in their PJ's. The evening is filled with manicures, pedicures, facials and massages, and lots of girl talk. Stock the Pantry Have each guest write their favorite recipe on a recipe card and bring the card along with all non-perishable ingredients for the recipe in a box or gift basket. Ask the Expert: Bridal Showers Questions About Bridal Showers? Go to Top Wedding Questions , the wedding etiquette advice forum . Unique Bridal Shower Gift Popular Bridal Showers Sites: Bridal Shower Games, Ideas and Themes - Looking for ideas to host the perfect shower? Look no further than here. You will find an assortment of free information to help you become better prepared for your hostessing duties. Bridal Shower Games A to Z - Custom printed full-color bridal shower games you can print from home. They're fast, fun & super easy - if only the rest of the shower were this easy, too! 2000-2004 Top Wedding Sites, Inc. ® All Rights Reserved. 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College Gift of Stock

UT Austin College of Engineering -- Giving to the College -- Gift of Stock Skip to Main Content Skip to Section Navigation Search Search Engineering Home > Giving to the College > Friendsof Alec > Gift of Stock Friends of Alec Alec's Story Austin Area Businesses Gift Designations Life Endowments Matching Gifts Gifts of Stock Pledgecard Staff Giving to the College Quick Links Quick Links Engineering Home Engineering News Academic Departments Prospective Students Current Students Faculty Staff Alumni The College Our Faculty & Staff Research Directory Continuing Education Corporate Relations Giving To The College Gift of Stock A gift of appreciated stock is an excellent way to support the College while simultaneously avoiding a capital gains taxtaking a charitable deduction. Outright gifts of marketable securities for current operations or endowments can be made in several ways: If the donor has a broker, the donor should advise the broker that he or she wants to make a gift to The University. Preferably, this request should be in the form of a letter, containing the following information: The name of the stock; The number of shares; The donor's name and address; and What the stock will be used for. The stock gift will actually be made to the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System for the use and benefit of The University of Texas at Austin. The donor's letter should tell the specific use/purpose for the gift. In the letter to the broker, it is advisable for the donor to copy the Engineering Foundation at: College of Engineering UT Austin ECJ 10.324 Austin, TX 78712 The donor's letter should instruct the broker to call the UT System Office of Estates and Trusts at (512) 499-4346 for instructions to transfer the stock. If the donor does not have a broker, the unendorsed stock certificate should be sent via Federal Express, or similar guaranteed overnight delivery service, to: Ms. Bernice Croft The University of Texas Development Office Campus Mail Code: F1000 Austin, TX 78712 Additionally, the donor should sign a Stock Power, in blank, identical to the way the name is listed on the stock certificate. The Stock Power should be sent separately in the same manner to the address above. It is stressed that the Stock Power should be signed in blank; for example, the name of the transferee should not be entered on the Stock Power. This allows the Board of Regents to sell the stock immediately upon receipt; thus, quickly locking in a sales price for the gift. If the donor does not have a Stock Power, The University can provide one. Once the signed Stock Power and the stock certificates are in the UT System Office, the gift can be processed. If you have questions about a stock gift, please contact the Engineering Foundationoffice at 512-471-3395 or ut@engr.utexas.edu or Bernice Croft ,Development Office, (512) 475-9667. UT Directory | UT Offices A-Z | Campus & Parking Maps | Calendars | Accessibility | UT Direct Last Updated: August 19, 2004 | College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin | Engineering Contacts | Send comments

groomsmen gifts for the

Bridal Party Gifts, Bridesmaids Gifts, Groomsmen Gifts bridesmaids and groomsmen gifts shop by : FAVOR IDEAS | PERSONALIZED | SHOWER FAVORS | WEDDING DECORATIONS | PACKAGING | SILVER | PLACECARD HOLDERS | CANDLES home > theme wedding favors > for the bridal party - bridesmaids gifts and groomsmen gifts for the bridal party - bridesmaids gifts and groomsmen gifts Your bridal party consists of some of the most important people in your life. They have been there for you through the years and together, you have created numerous precious memories. As you prepare for your wedding day, they have been there every step of the way, helping you with both big and small decisions. To show your appreciation, be creative in your gift giving. Find gifts that have special meaning or reflect the way you feel about your loved ones. Your bridesmaids and groomsmen will be touched by your thoughtfulness. Below, you will find a selection of truly unique and high quality gifts for your bridal party . wedding day cufflinks $30 personalized cosmetic bags, $18 & $22 personalized straw handbags, $48 blown glass salt and pepper shakers, $28 personalized heart compacts, $19 engraved sport watch, $30 personalized poker set $42.95 monogrammed cufflinks, $24 custom embroidered beach totes, $35 diamond ring paperweights, $20 engraved leather flasks, $34 engraved jewelry box, $28 custom embroidered silk sachets, $20 engraved wine box $29.95 personalized tote bags $28 pewter heart paperweights, $26 ribbon accessories pouches, $15 monogram money clip wallet, $14 key to my heart sterling silver necklaces, $30 personalized wine gift sets, $29 sterling silver trophy $45 monogram stationery cubes, $55 silk eyeglass cases $16 eat drink and be merry napkin rings, $24 personalized instant photo guest books $58.95 personalized begin now polaroid guest book kits, $179.95 letter openers $18 personalized compact mirrors, $19 custom embroidered handbags, $28 four seasons sterling silver necklaces, $28 branches candlestick holders, $60 personalized jewelry rolls, $14 professional poker kit with personalized case $99.95 single initial square cufflinks, $24 kindness paperweights $25 party planner program | press center | contact info | security & privacy | wedding supplies | site map wedding supplies and favors | wedding decorations , personalized wedding favors , asian weddings , wine parties , holiday decorations , glass & crystal favors , golf wedding favors , corporate gifts , bridesmaid's gifts , groomsmen gifts , cookies party favors , silver wedding supplies , place card holders , candles , sachets , wedding supplies , wedding favor ideas wedding themes and ideas : wedding ideas , what type of bride are you? , why wedding favors? , personalized wedding favor ideas , fall wedding favor ideas , favor presentation ideas , wedding themes , bridal shower themes contact Beaucoup Wedding Favors at 1-877-988-BEAU (2328) or info@beau-coup.com

Birthday Present from Apple

Life Outtacontext: A Birthday Present from Apple Home About Affiliated Produce Contact « A Few Words on Terrorism | Main | Truth, Justice, and the American Way » -- July 17, 2005 A Birthday Present from Apple Apple’s iCal application icon displays my birthday. I get that little tingly feeling (yes, tingly!) every time I see this icon on a Mac user’s monitor. It’s for Apple’s calendar program iCal. And I feel like every iCal user is talking to me. Ever wonder why this icon displays July 17 on your desktop? At first I thought every Mac user’s birthday was displayed on this icon since July 17 is my birthday. What a nice touch. That Apple! Always taking the computer experience one step beyond. Microsoft would never think to do this bit of PR. I figured the display used some user identification we all had to submit when we registered our computers. Then, as I made my rounds around the office, I discovered that every Mac was displaying July 17. It was as if all of you were remembering my birthday. It felt so nice to be loved by everyone. And it was a birthday gift I got all year round. Only after a solid year of this non-stop party did I began to delve into this a bit deeper. I don’t ordinarily use iCal so I wasn’t familiar with its ways. As it turns out July 17 is only displayed in the application’s closed state; when open the icon displays the actual date. But why July 17? Was it Steve Job’s birthday too? Or perhaps it was the birthday of iCal’s project manager. A nice perk for a job well done. I started to investigate. I wrote various computer cognoscenti . But no one seemed to know the origin of this icon —not even Susan Kare , the “mother of the original Mac icons.” I decided to call Apple. After numerous dead ends I found the number for their PR department. Using my expert investigative abilities I posed this piercing question to the woman on the other end of the line: “So, why July 17?” I wanted to think, I was hoping the reasoning was special. But as it turns out the origins of this icon are much more mundane and bureaucratic: iCal debuted on July 17, 2002 at the MacWorld Expo in New York. Today, the program is ubiquitous on this side of the great computer divide. But as it turns not everybody is happy with Apple’s choice of July 17. While the date has major significance to me, it doesn’t to others who are sometimes confused by its display. The poster to one message board offers a way to eliminate the date altogether. Tisk, tisk. To others of like mind, Ken offers sets of replacement iCal icons with your own birthdate and in various colors. And for those of you who would like iCal’s icon to always show the correct date, opened or closed, Greggo offers this scripting solution . Personally, I like it just the way it is. • • • One of the best birthday gifts I’ve ever received was given to me by my oldest daughter three years ago when she was five. She lost her first tooth on my birthday! While at work I received this voicemail on my phone ( Quicktime , 6.7 MB). For once I was glad I missed her call. Otherwise I wouldn’t have this audio document for posterity. I never get tired of listening to this message. But voicemails are only saved for 30 days in our system so I wanted to find a high quality way of recording her announcement (via a devise plugged directly into the phone). Unable to find a phone with an “audio out” port, each month for the last three years I have had to make sure I renew the message or it would be erased forever. When prompted I carefully listen and then wait for the archiving instructions. I know that pressing 9 will save it in the archives for another month. But I want to make sure I don’t accidentally press the wrong button. So each month I listened intently to these directions. I could never find that direct recording setup. So a couple of months ago I just put a microphone right to the speakerphone. The recording turned out pretty well considering my low tech solution. But I still press 9 once a month. • • • Postscript: I wrote this piece last Sunday morning. Later that day my 8 year old and I took a ride on our bikes down one of the local bike paths. She’s just learned to ride a two-wheeler and is pretty proud of herself. She’s still a bit wobbly on “take off” so we take it slow. About a mile into our ride, suddenly she headed for a tree. In trying to right herself she fell on her handlebar. Not a scratch on her, it initially appeared she just had the wind knocked out of her. But within minutes it was clear this was a bit more serious. My daughter’s CAT Scan. During medical emergencies I always ask to see the evidence. Being a photographer it calms me when I can visualize the trauma. After a bad fall two years ago I started taking my cell phone on my weekly rides. I was glad I had it now. I called my wife who picked us up and drove immediately to the ER. Seven hours and one CAT scan later we found out she had lacerated her spleen in the fall. It was a surprise to the doctors as her blood work and color looked just fine. We were glad we were there. In the past, they would “routinely” remove the spleen. But they’ve found that if left alone it will heal itself. They immediately medivaced her to Children’s Hospital in DC for observation. They wanted her near a surgeon just in case she needed one. Two days later we were home. It seemed like two weeks. My daughter is a bit sore but intact (now it only hurts when she laughs). This freakish accident is a parent’s worst nightmare. As they grow up letting go is hard. I saw her fall so proximity doesn’t necessarily insure a safety net. No contact sports for the next three months. Doctor’s orders (if I had my way there’d be no contact sports forever). Needless-to-say today I am reminded of THE BEST gift I’ve ever received. [ July 17 , Macintosh , iCal , Web Design , Bicycle Accident , Medical Emergency ] View Most Recent Story ::: -- Notify me when there's a new missive! Comments Oh, Jeff. I laughed through the bit with iCal, couldn’t stop smiling as I heard the voicemail message, and winced for you after that last bit. Taking kids to the hospital is just painful. In any case, I’m glad things turned out okay. Happy birthday! Posted by: Elenita on July 16, 2005 10:10 AM Happy Birthday, Jeff… Glad to know that the laceration is the only injury suffered in the fall. If that’s the worst thing that happens in her bike days, you will be a lucky dad (and mom!). Posted by: Carolyn on July 16, 2005 11:18 AM Heh thats cool :) Strange to say that the date on the audio recording is my Birthday :D Posted by: Rob on July 16, 2005 12:22 PM Happy Birthday!! Tomorrow! Posted by: Jake on July 16, 2005 12:38 PM Wonderful tips about iCal, but I am truly sorry for the misfortune your daughter and your family have had to endure. I will keep both her and the rest of your family in my prayers. Take care, Katie Posted by: Katie Dixon on July 16, 2005 01:49 PM I, too, have been saving voicemails every month for years, hoping for some sure-fire way to save the audio without resorting to an open-air microphone. These voicemails are from my daughter, about a year old at the time, saying “da-da” and making kissing sounds. The other, when she was 3, saying “Daddy, come home. Snow is falling! Come play with me!” (a freakish, unexpected spring storm dropped two inches of snow that day.) I listen to both messages every month and they still make me smile. I’d hate to lose them. Just like the recording of your father (from your Apr 4 post “becoming a man”), these recordings will become more precious over time. Treasure them — they are truly irreplacable gifts. Childhood is a span of long days and short years. Keep pressing 9. I’m glad your daughter is healing. Posted by: jon Turner on July 17, 2005 02:22 AM There is a nice iCal icon at Interfacelift that replaces the July 17th date with the name “iCal” instead. This is what the icon should have been in the first place. There are a ton of other custom iCal icons over there too. Posted by: hiltontoe on July 17, 2005 10:32 AM What a wonderful posting! Rarely do I see the technical and the human coexisting so well together. Dave Barry also does it well (“Dave Barry in Cyberspace”) but lacks your sensitivity. Posted by: ralph bunker on July 17, 2005 12:41 PM I have managed to get a voicemail off my phone by using the voice recorder function on it (records both sides of calls as well), then bluetoothing it off the phone. If your phone can’t do these things, pop your SIM card in someone else’s phone. Some phones that record, put an annoying beep on every 30 secs or so, mine doesn’t though. Posted by: Neil Turpin on July 18, 2005 03:29 AM I wish that iCal would just always display the current date without any hacking involved. But anyway, I appreciate you doing the grunt work to find out why we always see Jul 17 on that icon. Now I’m off to investigate some of those hacks you linked to. ;-) Posted by: Scott Johnson on July 18, 2005 03:52 AM Happy late birthday. hiltontoe: great way to make new friends! :D Talking about the accident, I had something similar a few years ago. It hurted a *lot*, but the doctor said it was nothing serious. It also hurted even more when I was laughing, so people kept telling me jokes… aargh ;). Took a couple of days for the pain to disappear, but everything’s fine now. ;) Posted by: Denis Defreyne on July 18, 2005 05:26 AM Jeff, Great bit of reporting. And incredible coincidence that it fell on your b-day. Speaking of coincidences, just the other day I was thinking of old Brainstormer’s that I’ve known. Then this morning I’m driven to your site through Digg ! Ha! Hope all is well and I’m glad to hear that your daughter is doing ok. Cheers, Jeff (hudsonhawke) Posted by: Jeff Lang on July 18, 2005 08:25 AM Aww, happy belated birthday. This was a great post. :) It’s the little things in life that are the most precious! Posted by: Daynah on July 18, 2005 01:41 PM Beautiful recording. Check out in-line Recorders . You can run the line straight from the handset into your computer. Posted by: Nathan Colgate on July 18, 2005 05:49 PM Thanks for the birthday wishes. My daughter is doing fine. She can now laugh without it hurting. Although it’s going to take a bit of extra explaining to clue her in to what she can and can’t do for the next few months. When I asked her this evening how school was today she said “Great! We played limbo!” Sigh. Nathan, thanks for the in-line recorder tip! I *knew* the minute I put it out there someone would come up with a decent solution. Posted by: Jeff on July 18, 2005 08:09 PM And I always thought it was to wish ME a happy birthday! Posted by: Jay Rubin on July 18, 2005 09:02 PM I have no idea who you are, but your stories are strangely captivating. My birthday is not in July, so I always just wanted my birthday present to be that Apple made the calendar icon always show me the right date. And maybe free pie on my birthday. Posted by: Justin on July 19, 2005 03:54 PM Hey, that’s my sister’s birthday too! I’ve never noticed that (maybe because I don’t have a mac - yet… I’m hoping soon…) Posted by: Daniel on July 19, 2005 04:46 PM Wow. I thought I was surely the only person who saved a voicemail message every month for years. Although mine is of the woman at the dealership telling me that my car arrived (“everybody is looking at it but I have the keys and nobody is allowed to drive it”). Heh heh. It was rare at the time. I recorded it on a little MP3 player thing. One of these days I’ll hit 3-3-7 instead of 3-3-9 though.. My ‘leave a VM’ message on my mobile phone has my then 3 year old son talking in the background. So I can’t change that now. Digital memories. So fragile. Interesting on the iCal thing. Shame it’s such a dull reason. I bet on the day it was launched at the show, people were like “wow it shows today’s date on the icon!”. Then the next day.. “huh?” Nice catch on the bike fall. Posted by: Phil on July 20, 2005 07:48 PM Happy (belated) birthday. And I’m glad your daughter’s feeling better. Posted by: Kriston on July 21, 2005 12:40 PM I use this to record voicemails/phone calls. It’s real cheap too - like $70 or so. Basically gives your phone an audio out: http://www.digital-loggers.com/dli.personal.html Hope that helps. Posted by: Aaron on July 25, 2005 12:24 PM Just got caught up on your blog. Happy Belated Birthday (for the blog’s record). Funny about you and iCal sharing the same date. You know they say if you have 25 people in a room, two of them will share the same month and day of birth (not year). Try it sometime. (So happy your daughter is fine..) Posted by: Donna on July 26, 2005 12:45 PM I’d always wondered about the July 17th thing, too, but mostly because that’s my birthday as well! Thanks for solving the mystery! :) Posted by: Melanie on September 5, 2005 10:18 PM Post a Comment Lively discussions and different opinions are encouraged. However, please respect other commenters. "Courteous Opposition" is not an oxymoran. Questionable language and flames will either be edited or never see the light of day. Thanks. Name: Email Address (required, but not made public): URL: Remember Me? Yes No Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style) Search Search this site: Text Size Recent Stories A Piping Hot Meal, the Military Way Living on a First World Edge Orbs Above Us How Hot Was It? 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