The in-laws are coming!

[kirei_na_me]

Wow, that is pretty extreme...but I guess no more extreme than some of the other things I've seen.

I just don't see the value of these things. I mean, I have been given gifts of Louis Vuitton bags, Tiffany & Co. jewelry, and a lot of other expensive things, but they were all gifts. I didn't request any of it and I didn't go out and break the bank buying it for myself.

It's like I told my husband. Where I am from, stuff like that is only for fabulously wealthy people or celebrities. "Normal" people have more important stuff to spend their money on. Also, if you get something that is very expensive, you're expected to use it for a long time, not sell it after three uses. The mentality is just different, I guess. Just seems a little too superficial for my taste.

 

[Silverpoint]

Actually, I bought her engagement ring from Tiffany & Co. but this was for a number of reasons.

1) She's got to wear it for the rest of her life, so I wanted something that looked nice
2) I didn't want my ring to be overshadowed by her bloody wristwatch!
3) (actually the main reason) I went there on a whim and saw a beautiful ring with the stones in a design that looked like a snowflake. Since we first met in Hokkaido in the winter, during a big snowstorm, I thought it would always remind her of that day.

It was a pretty unusual decision for me though. I'm not normally quite so extravagant.

 

[budd]

i have read that after wwII it was an unspoken rule that to regain their standard of living, japan had to buy buy buy
thus there is some pride in being able to "afford" such expensive things and paying full price?
i DO KNOW that one time i was in a japanese resturant with some friends (japanese language club), and i asked everybody beforehand (while waiting to be seated) if we were doing separate checks
he paused and was like we will talk about it later
and he sent me a real mean email the next day complaining about it -- telling me to think about what i said
man, i ended up paying $30 and i only had the salad!
know i had to kick him to the curb :boot;