I need ideas (please!) : something really nice I can do for my friend.

[LaraMN]

She's the sweetest thing in the world and she's had a rough six months or so. This week, she's really sad. She's likely having to quit school after FINALLY going back last year, at the age of 33. It's breaking her heart. :cry: She's probably my closest friend, and I want to come up with something special to do/make for her to cheer her up a tiny bit, and I'm coming up with no good ideas. PLease help!:-(

[RedCloud]

1. if she goes back when she is having a tough time of it...

She is setting herself up for trouble down the road. When she gets things going better, she can return to school. They are very forgiving there. And she can prepare a bit ahead of time for when she goes back, now that she has had a taste for it again.

It is never too late to start over with your learning. Life is a learning process.

[LaraMN]

5. I know- she needs to do whatever keeps her family and her sanity intact.

She's an incredibly ambitious gal. It's hard for her to "give up" anything- even temporarily. I feel bad as I'm likely retuning to school in January after a hiatus of several years, and I don't want her to feel sad that she can't go then, too.:-(

[chknltl]

2. Invite her into the big DU, get her a gold star also.

...imo

[LaraMN]

7. Although I'd love to, I don't want to involve her in anything

that would take up more of her time. She's spread so thin already- I don't know how she can stand it. She's got four children ages 4-11. Her oldest two are twin girls, one of whom is brain-damaged and resultingly handicapped. She and her husband opened two new restaurants recently, and they're pretty financially strapped (which is why she needs to leave school and work for awhile) and she's a recovering alcoholic since early last summer. She is kind, caring, supremely thoughtful, hilarious, beautiful, and means the world to me, and I just can't stand to see her so sad.

[CBHagman]

3. It depends on what she likes.

You can go big or small in this regard, and you would know best what sort of things she likes in her life. But here are suggestions anyway, which maybe will spur some ideas.

*My cheer-up technique used to be going out to the theater (affordable in my area at the time) and for an inexpensive meal and/or coffee and dessert.

*Can you do a girlfriends' weekend away, maybe borrow someone's house in a nice area (oceanside, etc.) or stay in a city and see the sights, shop, whatever?

*Send flowers at work or home.

*Bake something or prepare a meal for her.

*Send cards/messages of friendship and encouragement (obviously more focused on the problem at hand, rather than providing some distraction, as above, so you would know what she's more likely to respond to).

*Arrange some kind of a break from her job/kids/caretaking of parents/whatever's overwhelming her.

I'm sending a friend a cheer-up care package. If she's in another state, that may be a possibility.

Wishing the best to you and your friend...

[LaraMN]

8. She lives across the street from me, so I can easily go see her.

We're supposed to go see the Johnny Cash movie tomorrow night. I was thinking about baking her cupcakes with sunshines or smiley faces, but that seemed too cheesy- not quite my style.

[malta blue]

4. If you have the means, get her a hot stone massage

It is so very relaxing. It will make her feel better both physically and mentally.

[Tallison]

6. Egg McMuffin? n/t

[Sugar Smack]

9. *shakes head* No. Hot soup.

;-)

[LaraMN]

11. Not a bad idea- she actually IS sick, too, on top everything else.

A couple of months ago, she got a wierd-ass staph infection and ended up sick on antibiotics for about three weeks. Then one of her girls got "worms," another broke her arm, and yet another had strep throat. She just cannot catch a break.

[Debi]

10. TIME!

Offer to babysit while she takes a nap - help clean up the house - make some casseroles and freeze them so all she has to do it pop them in the oven - purchase or make general gift cards (birthday - thinking of you) and put stamps on them so all she has to do is address and sign them to mail them to people - offer to help w/laundry - when you go to the store, ask for a list and settle up for funds when you return.

Time is the greatest gift you can give to a person who has none! You are a good friend. :hug:

[LaraMN]

12. I should take her girls for a while! That's a great idea. She needs that

I may just have to (firmly) offer...

[Debi]

15. And make sure she escapes with the time you give her

a nap, long shower, take in a movie or even go window shopping. Just to take care of herself for a moment.

When things in our lives get overwhelming we seem to take the least care of the most important person in the equation, ourselves.

[seemunkee]

13. I was going to suggest baby sit also

Or hire a babysitter and take her out for lunch.

[Shell Beau]

14. Girls Night Out!!

Take her to dinner and for some drinks!!

[Debi]

16. You'll do anything to get drunk won't you?

Even offer to take a complete stranger out for dinner and drinks? What's to become of you? :beer:

[Shell Beau]

20. I think the lounge has corrupted me!!

:o













:P

[LaraMN]

21. Yeah...*snort*....that's it...

I think you are the ORIGINAL LoungePerv! You're just clever and stealthy... like a leprechaun.

[Shell Beau]

22. LOL

You've got me pegged!! :rofl:

[Debi]

23. It's Mr. Scorpio and his happy hour specials

[LaraMN]

19. We went to the casino awhile back- that was fun.

I spent most of the time on a "Kenny Rogers" penny slot machine, laughing my ass off, while she laughed at me. I also stuck a credit slip into something that was not supposed to take them, and we had to page an attendant. Oh- AND I fell down in the parking lot, on the way out. The best part of that was that I hadn't even been drinking! Yeah- I should take her out too, we definitely laughed alot that night.

[WCGreen]

17. Massage... Spa... Male Strippers...

[LaraMN]

18. Only if that costs under twenty bucks or so...

I'd hate to see the male strippers that run in that price range....

[WCGreen]

24. I'll do it for fifteen....

[LaraMN]

25. But I have a half-off coupon!

:bounce:

[WCGreen]

26. Half off, half on....

When it comes to stripping, what does it matter....

[LaraMN]

27. Well, "half-on" insinuates to me that a person is getting dressed.

So that's kind of the end of the fun.

[WCGreen]

28. Reverse Strip.....

[LaraMN]

29. I don't understand...will need visual aids....

preferably video...:rofl:

[WCGreen]

30. I have to get a wide angle lens, you know....

To capture the full glory that is WC Green

[Metta]

31. Pluses and minuses.

If you want to address basic issues with your friend, I can offer a healing meditation that will resolve underlying cirtcumstances and their subsequent manifestations, soothe the savage beast and clear the way for inner healing and for making room for what the universe can then hold in her life. Just drop me a p.m. :)

[GoddessOfGuinness]

32. Sounds like something I could use...

Will you send me info? :-)

[babydollhead]

33. in my neck of the woods...

the cure for what ever it is that ails you. a black man and a dime bag. but, we're old.