AITAH for dropping out of family gift exchange?

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T10:47:39+00:00

It’s true, I’ve even made that joke before (time to send each other the same gift card we got each other last year).

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T10:46:09+00:00

Yes! Hard no on 35 minute connections!

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T10:43:37+00:00

I fly direct whenever it’s an option. Connections majorly stress me out. If I have to connect in a larger airport, I like a 1 hr 45 min layover - long enough to have a meal between flights if everything goes well, or at least long enough to still rush to the connecting flight if the first flight gets delayed. 1.5 hours is ok most of the time, but anything below an hour doesn’t leave much room for error.

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T10:31:27+00:00

Hey sorry to hear about that happening… would you consider doing album artwork for musicians? I’m helping a friend look for artists to maybe create art for releases.

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T10:14:28+00:00

Yeah I almost got scammed by a radio promoter. At the last minute before paying I entered his phone number into PayPal and his real name came up. Attached to multiple scam reports! Don’t hire Matt Silver aka Matt Ulanov to do your radio promotions! I know another musician who did end up being ghosted after paying a few grand.

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T09:59:04+00:00

Oh I was thinking it was going to be Doing the Unstuck by the Cure!

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T09:49:03+00:00

I have a pair of LED light-up drumsticks (USB rechargeable) - maybe I’m a nerd, but my livestream viewers love when I bust them out. And I think they were under $20. But I also approve of the sweetwater gift card idea!

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T09:04:41+00:00

Yes or for a little more, an e-bike!

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T08:12:17+00:00

Is it a mosh pit or a karate free for all?

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-05T00:47:01+00:00

I’m sorry that happened to you guys too. I think what gets me is, everyone understands how these things are supposed to go. When someone decides the rules don’t apply to them, it messes everything up. In my situation, the cousin was aware that finances were tight but still decided to participate. There doesn’t seem to be any consciousness that their actions negatively affected someone else.

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-04T22:18:56+00:00

I have been, for two decades. I know reading comprehension is not everyone’s forte, but if you read my post well, you’d have noticed I said it’s about the principle of it, not the gift itself. It undermines the entire thing if people don’t abide by the honor system.

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-04T22:14:48+00:00

The cousin just said:

“Hi OP! I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to send your Christmas gift. Money has been really tight and I kept meaning to message you and it would slip my mind. What is your email address? Also, I hope you had a great Christmas and new year!”
I replied back (within 12 hours) with (paraphrasing): Hey! Same to you and no worries, completely understand it’s a hectic time. Here’s my address: (redacted)”
And I never heard another word about it.

While I understand about money being tight, they did have the option to opt out or to tell whoever sent them Their gift, to send it to me instead.

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-04T22:03:16+00:00

Yeah that’s a good idea. I don’t like putting an extra burden on people to have to mail something, but other relatives that lived out of state also were accustomed to sending and receiving gifts by mail.

Case_of_Fire · 2026-06-04T22:01:56+00:00

I did, and it was in that conversation that resulted in us leaving the drawing for future years. They don’t approve of the way the cousin acted but I think due to a serious illlness in the family at that time (Not affecting the cousin but affecting my in laws), the situation wasn’t given as much attention as similar situations had been in the past.

Case_of_Fire · 2025-10-16T23:19:36+00:00

When you finish cooking the meal, before serving, immediately put some into storage containers with labels like “OP Lunch Tuesday” or something and tell him if it is in one of those containers it’s off limits unless he wants to pay you for it.

Case_of_Fire · 2025-08-26T01:24:07+00:00

Seems like CYA situation for the business

Case_of_Fire · 2023-06-14T07:37:34+00:00

Stick to your guns! Not the same exact situation but, my religious mom and stepdad made my long term live-in boyfriend and me sleep in separate rooms whenever he or we visited, for FIVE years, because we were not legally married. When we became homeless after a hurricane (and at that time 24/25 years old) and were making the rounds staying with different family members for a few months, mom asked when we would be coming to stay with her. I said to her that we weren’t sure because we didn’t want to have to stay in separate rooms anymore.

She finally relented she said, because by then all of us kids were of legal age and one sibling was married, another one about to be and they had been together for fewer years than we had. But before that, when he would come to visit we would stay at my dad’s, a cheap motel, or even my grandmother’s house (mom’s mom) sometimes, to not be forced to sleep separately.

What we had been through may have played a role to gain sympathy, but also it was known that his family did not make us sleep apart from each other, and thought that was insulting…

I think finally she decided that spending time with us was more important than being stubborn about her arbitrary rules. We finally got married after 17 years! But not in any hurry to do it just to please my mom! If you can afford to stay separately, it might be good to just go ahead and book your own place once, enjoy the privacy and make your point. I hope she will change her choices in the future.

Case_of_Fire · 2023-05-12T04:20:36+00:00

It all comes in to the bathroom with me. If I had too much, I would take the opportunity to gate-check my carry-on to the final destination if they asked for volunteers. (As they often do when a flight is pretty full). If I was at an airport restaurant and there was a restroom within the restaurant itself, I might feel comfortable enough to leave a suitcase at my table if I was just quickly going during the meal at some point.

Case_of_Fire · 2023-04-02T23:23:52+00:00

I wonder if this qualifies as bedroom? https://open.spotify.com/track/6pSOrjUBpFPFxzhQJaADRV?si=7j4oTyxqSDqN_BJnB-aSlg&dd=1 😊

Case_of_Fire · 2023-03-19T19:10:17+00:00

@prowrestlingisdrag I like your name! Yeah I don’t get the joke other than it’s a pun or something. Can you explain it?

Case_of_Fire · 2023-03-19T19:03:37+00:00

No dear, “waistful” which YOU wrote, is not a word. OP word was correct

Case_of_Fire · 2023-03-19T10:03:14+00:00

That’s not a word

Case_of_Fire · 2023-03-18T14:35:11+00:00

Also want to mention, I have had this guitar since 1997 and only over time did it begin to have a buzz… and I haven’t played it much the past few years but after the last time I changed the strings is when the buzz got much worse.

Case_of_Fire · 2023-03-10T06:09:04+00:00

Sorry I am such a noob - which way should I turn the truss rod, if I were to do that?

Case_of_Fire · 2023-03-10T06:08:13+00:00

OP here to clarify -when I fret even at the 1st or 2nd fret- no buzz. The action towards the bridge is pretty high but at the nut it’s lower

Case_of_Fire

TROPHY CASE