Father's day gift ideas?

[Nikki Lacey]

What are yours?

[Melita Magic]

If you do not know of something special they want or need, clothes and food are a good fall back gift.

[Madelaine McMasters]

I got married and moved out of my parent's house. That's probably more than you can get done by the weekend.

;-)

[Dillon Levenque]

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

I got married and moved out of my parent's house. That's probably more than you can get done by the weekend.

;-)

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Not. It's only Tuesday. Plenty of time.

[Dillon Levenque]

And, since I smarted off replying to Maddy's post (I'm right, though: there is plenty of time, although to get it right you probably want to schedule the wedding for Saturday, and at someplace other than your parent's house) I do have an actual suggestion. I once sent my father a card that had a picture clipped from somewhere (I hope I'm not the only one who remembers those days) and put on a simple card that just said, "Happy Father's Day". The picture was of a male lion with at least three of his cubs climbing all over him, hanging by their teeth from his skin, etc. He was just lounging there looking forward, as lions do. Yes, I do know how male lions deal with cubs not theirs; it was still a great picture. Couldn't find it online (not surprising) but this one's not bad:

 

 

edited, there

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Dillon Levenque wrote:

And, since I smarted off replying to Maddy's post (I'm right, though: there is plenty of time, although to get it right you probably want to schedule the wedding for Saturday, and at someplace other than your parent's house) I do have an actual suggestion. I once sent my father a card that had a picture clipped from somewhere (I hope I'm not the only one who remembers those days) and put on a simple card that just said, "Happy Father's Day". The picture was of a male lion with at least three of his cubs climbing all over him, hanging by their

teeth from his skin, etc. He was just lounging there looking forward, as lions do. Yes, I do know how male lions deal with cubs not theirs; it was still a great picture. Couldn't find it online (not surprising) but this one's not bad:

 

 

edited, there

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I love it!

There are so many fantastic animal pictures that capture the essense of fatherhood. I once gave Dad a Sandra Boynton Father's Day card. On the cover was just a tiny creature, with horns as I recall, and the phrase "Happy Father's Day". Inside it said "From your little monster."

And last year, in the feeds, I posted this image I composited from several I found on the web...

For all you fathers out there, thank you for helping bring us into the world, and for helping bring the world to us.

[Madelaine McMasters]

This image is one of the defaults in my Apple TV's screen saver. I've now got a copy of it hanging on a wall in my RL home. I'm anthropomorphizing like crazy when I see it, but it makes a powerful statement to me. Yes, it's a Mom, but they're cool too.

[Randall Ahren]

I'd like a telescope.

 

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Randall Ahren wrote:

I'd like a telescope.

 

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I have three, and Dad and I built one for the local high school back in the '80s.

Check your local paper for "star parties" hosted by local amateur astronomy clubs or societies. Visit one. The members will bring out their various telescopes and offer you a look through them. You can compare the views, the costs, the difficulty of using them, etc. If you are hooked by the experience, they'll be happy to help you get up to speed with anything you get. 

Saturn will be the star of the show this summer, don't miss him!

Here's a photograph I took through a telephoto lens and camera piggybacked on my eight inch reflector 16 years ago. This was April Fool's day 1997, about 11PM I think. My Father and I were sitting in a cemetary (my ex-hubby preferred to stay home in a warm bed ;-), sharing a thermos of hot chocolate and discussing life while I snapped off shot after shot of Comet Hale-Bopp. It's an evening I'll never forget.

[Randall Ahren]

I just wanted one to peer into my neighbors' windows.

 

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Randall Ahren wrote:

I just wanted one to peer into my neighbors' windows.

 

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Binoculars would be better suited, but I imagine you'll need hand's free operation. Even with a tripod, shaking will be an issue indoors.

Should your imagination break free of your body, my previous recommendations apply.

ETA: I have, on several occassions, looked at, and into, my neighbor's windows. My neighbors and their children have been with me when I do, marveling that, from 500 feet away, they can clearly see whether it's a mosquito or a fly on their window screen, and that their TV screen is constructed of red, green and blue pixels.

[Awe Thor]

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

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I have, on several

occassions

, looked at, and into, my neighbor's windows . . . their TV screen is constructed of red, green and blue pixels.

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So when you claim not to have a TV you don't necessarily mean that you don't watch T V, just that you can't decide which channel.

Awe . . . or do you have an extra-strength remote control as well?

ETA The Forum Watchdog - pun intended - would not allow me to submit the original version of this post, giving me the following message: "The message body contains watch T V, which is not permitted in this community. Please remove this content before sending your post." I amended it by inserting a space between T and V.

[Czari Zenovka]

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Madelaine McMasters wrote:

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Randall Ahren wrote:

I'd like a telescope.

 

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I have three, and Dad and I built one for the local high school back in the '80s.

Check your local paper for "star parties" hosted by local amateur astronomy clubs or societies. Visit one. The members will bring out their various telescopes and offer you a look through them. You can compare the views, the costs, the difficulty of using them, etc. If you are hooked by the experience, they'll be happy to help you get up to speed with anything you get. 

Saturn will be the star of the show this summer, don't miss him!

Here's a photograph I took through a telephoto lens and camera piggybacked on my eight inch reflector 16 years ago. This was April Fool's day 1997, about 11PM I think. My Father and I were sitting in a cemetary (my ex-hubby preferred to stay home in a warm bed ;-), sharing a thermos of hot chocolate and discussing life while I snapped off shot after shot of Comet Hale-Bopp. It's an evening I'll never forget.

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That is an awesome photo, Maddy!

Father's Day used to be a very painful holiday for me.  Unfortunately my biological-father (who really doesn't even deserve the term "father") was anything but.  Trying to find a card to give to such a person without lying (ie. all the "You're the best father" type of cards) was really tricky.

Fortunately, my mother divorced him and remarried the man that I truly wish had been my biological father, but he is definitely my "real" father and I love buying cards for him.  I sent his card today but, since his birthday is at the end of this month, will get a gift for him then.

[Madelaine McMasters]

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Czari Zenovka wrote:

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Fortunately, my mother divorced him and remarried the man that I truly wish had been my biological father, but he is definitely my "real" father and I love buying cards for him.  I sent his card today but, since his birthday is at the end of this month, will get a gift for him then.

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When I got married, Dad wrote a check to my new hubby as a thank-you for taking me off his hands. When I got divorced and moved back home, he demanded a refund... and got it!

I recently watched him scooting his young kids across the market parking lot in a shopping cart that looks like a space shuttle. Everybody was giggling. I'm glad I got out of his way. Dad would be proud of him.

I'm saddened to hear of your biological father, but happy you got a real one. No need for the scare quotes, he's real ;-)