Hi.

Male mules are always sterile, but in very very very rare cases, female mules (mollies) can bear foals. /farm girl

My two nieces are graduating this month. One high school, one college. What in the heck do I give them??? Oldest is into punk/Goth, does all kinds of art and makes her own corsets and costumes; youngest is into retro fifties/sixties and she paints and speaks Latin. Someone help me, please.

Alias:

quester, Right? What's that about, me feeling sympathy for Sloane? That shit's not right. And I suspect they're just reeling me in, because I keep going back to the creepy scene where he brained the dude for not being worthy of Rimbaldi.

Also, I think Amy Irving is just lovely.

Is the high school grad going away to college? Something dorm-room-ish? Not that I can really remember what that would be.... A cute bathroom caddy filled with cool stuff and maybe hot flip flops?

Honestly, I feel like both of them are going to need cash more than anything, so maybe some cute smallish thing (cool lunchbox + notebook?) plus cash if you have that kind of budget?

Oh, and nice desk stuff for the college grad. Having nice desk stuff is great. I mean like a pen cup and whatnot.

For goth/punk sewing artist, I'd find a local really cool fabric place or art supplies place and get a gift certificate and wrap it up all funky. Not practical, but if that is the sort of thing that feeds her and she's a recent grad, she probably won't have any budget for more than the practical crap.

For the college going, I'm with Jesse. There's a lot of retro-style stuff out there right now that would fit her style. Also? Ask msbelle. She's good at that vintage. I mean, she has a pink vintage fridge! Oh! And nice towels. Or a good robe.

Cash is also good, of course, but it is also fun to feed the nonpractical. I know all cash I got (greatly appreciated) went to boring shit. Necessary, but not food for me.

Jesse, this is why I can't give gifts - I always just want cash myself. Youngest will undoubtedly need cash. Oldest has a summer job and is already selling her art for generous sums.

Biggest problem is, their uncle is THE best gift-giver in the world, and he is impossible to top. It's all I can do to even come close.

Zenkitty, I'm putting together a graduation gift for one of my neices too. I've done it twice now, for her older siblings. I put together a bunch of stuff they can use at college but might not think of themselves, but I try to tailor it to their personalities. I put in things like those little reading lights, book holders, book marks, an address book, a toy, etc.

This niece is getting a couple of strange things. I slept in her room when I was up there for the holidays and she has posters of Orlando Bloom and Sponge Bob Squarepants. So she's getting a homemade Sponge Bob picture frame holding a picture of Orlando Bloom. Also, a Sponge Bob toothbrush.

Excellent ideas! Thank you, mighty Buffistas. Where do I put the sacrifice?

Picture frames are good for going off to college, too.

Oh! Those frameless glass 5x7 frames from IKEA. I LOVE those. I have a bunch of postcards collected from various points in my life that I've put in them. It makes for nice "art." Or Art.

Can they please make nonstick covers for balance balls? Sticking to the plastic ouch!