Ben's 40th Birthday Wish List

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Hello, Ben's family! This is a public post on a public forum that any random person on the internet could potentially see. (Extremely unlikely anyone would, but I just want to be sure you all know that.) You won't be able to respond here, but you can send me a private message on Facebook.

Ben's 40th birthday is coming up on Dec 30th!

*Edit 11-29-17 Party invitations have now been sent in the mail! If you'd like to donate money to a gift, you can use the return RSVP envelope for that. (Personal checks payable to Jennifer Brown are fine.)

He doesn't know I'm doing this, so please don't let this one surprise slip!

The following are 11 items he has listed on his wish list we keep on our refrigerator. If you want to claim one of the items to get for him, please let me know and I will mark that item off the list.

1. Duluth Trading Company gift card
2. massage
3. ~~zester~~ ...This item has been spoken for!
4. ~~hand juicer~~ ...This item has been spoken for!
5. patriotic canvas print(s) (crossing the Delaware, revolutionary war)
6. ~~gun safe~~ ...Someone has claimed this item, But they're expensive so speak up if you'd like to help with the cost!

7. ~~fancy bourbon (Angel's Envy, Jefferson's Reserve, Woodford Reserve)~~- - - All three bottles of bourbon have been claimed

8. ~~bluetooth speaker~~ ...This item has been spoken for!
9. 1½ pood Primal Bell by Onnit (Orangutan) (update: This gift is NOT claimed!)

10. ~~Rubber Dummies target~~ This item has been ordered!!!! But they (we) would love having some help with the cost! Contact me if you'd like to join on this item.

11. Tattoo money

*** In addition to a gift, Ben mentioned a while ago something he thought would be cool is if everyone answered the question "What advice would you give to your 40 year old self?" (It doesn't matter if you've reached 40 yet or not!) You'll be able to use the RSVP envelope to include answers from everyone in your house if you want. (Or just bring it with you to the party.) I think Ben would really enjoy it if everyone participated in this 40th birthday activity.
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Below are descriptions of the items in case there's any confusion:

1. Duluth Trading Company is a clothing store. It's expensive stuff. Gift card(s) would help him be able to afford some of their fancy things.

2. He would like to have a massage. We aren't really sure where to get massages around here, so I'm sorry I'm not much help suggesting where to get gift cards. You could even just give him cash with a note that says it's money for a massage. *Edit: He now says he's less interested in getting a massage. HOWEVER, if you gave him cash with a note saying it's for a massage, the thought would count, and he could spend the money on anything he wants.

3. Item Claimed (description removed)

4. Item Claimed (description removed)

5. Canvas prints of patriotic stuff that you can hang on the wall. Old-timey, oil-paint type artwork. But just prints is fine. (Prints on canvas are nicer quality.) He mentioned crossing the Delaware, and the revolutionary war specifically, but I'm sure other patriotic scenes would be good too. Something in the realm of 20" x 20" is good. He doesn't want a gigantic thing that takes up an entire wall.

6. Item Claimed (description removed) BUT if you'd like to help with the cost of the gun safe, let me know!

7. Item Claimed (description removed)

8. Item Claimed (description removed)

9. A 1½ pood Primal Bell is a piece of work out equipment made by the company Onnit. It's basically a huge weight with a handle on top. The thing that makes it "primal" is because Onnit has a line of kettlebells that look like monkeys. LOL! He has a 1 pood bell that looks like a chimpanzee he really likes. (Pood is a weight measurement.) The 1.5 pood bell he has on the list looks like an Orangutan. Here is a link to the Onnit primal bells, but I believe you can purchase these things other places like Wal-Mart and workout stores too. https://www.onnit.com/search/?q=primal+bell
*(update: This gift is NOT claimed!)

10. Item Claimed (description removed) BUT if you'd like to help with the cost of the Rubber Dummies Target, let me know!

11. Tattoo money. New idea I just thought to add to the list. This could be good for Christmas AND his birthday. Money in an envelope that says it's for a tattoo. True, he could use the cash for whatever he wants. But knowing you know he likes to get tattoos would mean something to him. (And he does physically set aside cash to save for tattoos, so he would likely add this to that stash.)

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Some of these items are either expensive, or might be hard to find. Don't worry if you don't get something off the list. I just know for a fact these are things he'd like to have, so wanted to make the list available to you guys.

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Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Zester and Juicer have been claimed.

Still taking donations for the gun safe.

If anyone wants to get the Rubber Dummies target, I'm willing to pitch in some money to help with the cost! I can offer up to $100 to help, but we can talk about the specifics of that later.
Just want to be sure the cost doesn't drive people away from considering it. Wink

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

If anyone specifically wants me to send list updates through Messenger, let me know. I'll be happy to do it for each of you, but I don't want to bombard anyone's Messenger with updates they don't want. Laughing

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Ben's long weekend starts today, so it'll be hard for me to communicate for several days. I've come up with a big, fat, huge, stupid lie to explain why he might see me typing and checking messages more often, but I still need to try to keep it limited. Will do my best to respond ASAP. And I'll see most of you really soon!

P.S. If money exchanges don't happen this weekend, it's fine. We can always use mail.

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

The good news is Ben shared this exact list with people on Thanksgiving. So that opens up possibilities for people to use this list for Christmas too. However, I really hope everyone in his family (both sides) have a chance to have their names on a birthday present if they want to use this list. Please bear with me while we give people a chance to participate. I'll keep my ears open for additional gifts that could be used for Christmas, and I will keep this list very updated as I hear from various family members.

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

The more I investigate the gun safes, the more I'm starting to think Ben should be the one to actually pick it out. I've learned a lot about them, and I'm sure he would like whatever I got ... but this may be the type of thing a person chooses for themselves. (And I'm not sure exchanging a 400+ pound item is something anyone wants to deal with.) And it's not like I could have the actual safe at his party anyway. So I'm wondering if I could make a big fake cardboard one that has a note saying one of his choice is paid for by his loving family. I could wrap it, it could be carried, and it could have a big tag with participant's names on it. I hope that's okay with those of you that have contributed to the gun safe fund. And, by the way, There's still plenty of room for more contributors on the tag. Even if you just donate $10-$20, that qualifies as contributing!

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

UPDATE: The 1½ pood Primal Bell is no longer tentatively claimed. It is a completely available item. Let me know if you're interested in getting it. I could still probably help out with the cost.

The Rubber Dummies target is in a state of being looked into, but they would love some help with the cost. Again, let me know if you'd like to help. I can get the money where it needs to go. Wink

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Really exciting news tonight. Someone has ordered the Rubber Dummies Target! We're going in on it together, but would appreciate some help with the cost if anyone wants their name included on the tag. It's a "claimed item" so nobody goes out and buys it again, but that doesn't mean there isn't room to share on the tag.

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Invitations to the party have been sent in the mail! (Info about the party included.) People expecting money reimbursements will find checks in the envelopes too. Also, those of you who need to get money to me can use the return RSVP envelope for that. Personal checks (payable to Jennifer Brown) will be safer than cash. (But do what you need to do, folks.) Ben will not be opening the envelopes, so gifts won't get spoiled.

If you send money I'm not expecting from you, please include a note letting me know which gift you would like to contribute to so I can keep the money organized and get your name on the proper gift tag.

Also, you can use the return envelopes to answer the 40 year old question. We'd love it if everyone in your family answered. (If they can't speak yet, we will accept "He pooped in his diaper." as a valid response.)

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Just added "11. Tattoo money" to the list as another option. I explained more in the item description section. This could be used for either his birthday and/or Christmas and could be given by any number of people so will never be marked as "claimed." Very Happy

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Speaking of the invitations, Ben asked me to put "Gifts aren't necessary!" on there, and of course I did ... But I have to admit it made me feel like I was being bad. I hope you guys all know the deal. (Also it's true! Gifts aren't necessary! Please come regardless of gifts!)

And a little head's up about the party details before you get your actual invites. The Party will be at Los Portales (Evansville) Saturday, December 30th at 5pm CST. (6pm EST.) Here's a link to their website. (And they have a Facebook page too.)
http://www.losportalesmex.com/

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Woodford Reserve bourbon has been purchased and is no longer listed as available on the list.

(This represents the second bottle of bourbon he should be getting .. I might mark "fancy bourbon" off his list if another person speaks up about it.)

*EDIT I just heard yet another person was probably going to buy bourbon also, so I'm marking it off the list now.

*EDIT 12-6-17 It is official, all three brands of fancy bourbon have been claimed. The item is now marked off the list fully.

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

14 days until Ben's birthday!
Thank you to everyone that has participated in this Wish List Extravaganza! I think his mind is going to be blown for sure! He'll be getting a gun safe, a Rubber Dummies target, a zester/juicer & maybe some Florida oranges, and three bottles of fancy bourbon! (Not to mention anything else people might bring.) It really does make my heart smile when I think how special this will feel to him. The best part will be seeing all the names of his family joined together on the tags. You guys are awesome!

Still plenty of room on the Gun Safe tag if you'd like to donate to that. And there are several unclaimed items for those of you looking for gift ideas for either his birthday or Christmas: Duluth Trading Company gift card, cash for a massage, cash for a tattoo, patriotic canvas prints, and the 1½ pood Primal Bell by Onnit.

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Today is the RSVP deadline. Thank you to everyone that let us know if you can make it or not. This evening we'll be letting the restaurant know how many people to expect. If you haven't sent in your RSVP yet, feel free to message me on Facebook. If we don't hear from you, we'll need to assume you won't be coming.

Admin Posts : 36 Join date : 2012-09-08

Tonight was so wonderful! It was so nice to see all your happy, loving faces... Ben had a great time and was touched by the incredible turn-out, including the names of people on gifts that couldn't be there. I'd love to figure out how to share pictures soon. More later... thanks to you all, it was a frikkin' awesome birthday for Ben!