July 17th, 2009 at 10:19pm
Under Entertainment Law
Just in Time for Mother’s Day If you have never wanted to play a little joke on your mother-in-law then maybe this gift guide isn’t for you. On the other hand, if there has been no love lost in your relationship and you want to make your mother-in-law’s life as miserable as she’s made yours, here are a few ideas to satisfy that dark side and have a little fun in the process.Complicated Universal Remote No universal remote, that we’re aware of, configures itself but some of these devices can drive people crazy. One unit that comes up below average from Retrevo’s value and user sentiment ratings is the Philips SRU9600 which gets mixed reviews and costs just under $100. Some users complain about the ease-of-use on Sony RM-AX4000 which costs a little over $100. You can provide hours of frustration and misery for your mother in-law as she tries to configure or use one of the remotes.Just About Any Wireless Router Dump a wireless router in the lap of your mother in-law, tell her all about the joys of wireless computing and then split. Just don’t answer the phone for a few days while she tries to configure the router to get it to talk to the ten pound laptop you recommended she buy. The Linksys WRVS4400N gets below average sentiment ratings along with the Netgear WNR854T. Save those phone messages too! They may provide hours of entertainment enjoyment to you and all your friends.GPS Devices Guaranteed to Get Your Mother-in-Law Lost Whether it’s a small handheld GPS or one on the car dashboard, GPS devices are supposed to make it easy to enter destinations and then get to them. The Magellan Triton 1500 and Alpine PMD-B200 show up on the bottom of Retrevo’s list for good value and ratings. So when your mother in-law complains about the GPS you bought her, just say, “I’ve never had any trouble using my GPS.”Cameras That Takes Blurry Pictures Buying a digital camera that takes lousy pictures may be harder than you think. Most cameras are idiot proof and some of the better cameras with image stabilization and face technology make it downright hard to take a bad picture. So providing your mother in-law with an idiot-proof product that can make her feel like an idiot is priceless. Retrevo can recommend a couple of real bargains in the extreme low-end camera category that will most likely take a less than perfect picture. The Argus DC1512 barely has enough mega pixels to be called a camera and can be purchased for under $30 while the Micro Innovations 3120 costs even less at $10.80 and also gets low ratings.Cheap MP3 Player Your mother-in-law won’t be the envy of her bridge club with these low-end MP3 players and they probably won’t sound that great either. The Coby MP-C756 MP3 player barely has enough memory to hold a few songs and doesn’t get the greatest ratings while the Nextar MA933A holds even fewer songs than the Coby and gets low marks for the display quality. One reviewer notes that the font was “too small for older eyes.” Perfect!Now Seriously Folks. . . We all know you would never do anything like this to your poor old mother-in-law so just in case you want to get yourself or someone you love the best values in gadgets or gear, you can find reviews and manuals for all popular electronics like GPS, HDTV, Digital Cameras, Camcorders, and more on Retrevo.com
A fun loving consumer electronic geek that likes to bring electronics with her when she goes camping, hiking, and the great outdoors!
July 15th, 2009 at 04:19pm
Under Entertainment Law
Having a good relationship with your husband’s mother is hard! It takes work, I know! But if you put in the time, you may come to truly appreciate your mother-in-law. Her softer, kinder side may emerge and you may even avoid the repeat daughter-in-law zings that we all experience from time to time (some of us more than others!)
Mistake #1 — Forget to Call Your Mother-in-Law Regularly– You’ll be amazed how much she appreciates it when you keep in touch with her, and not just when your husband calls! Strive to have an independent relationship and call her at least once a week. You can keep it short or aim for when she’s at Bingo and leave a message on her machine!
Mistake #2 — Forget to Frequently Ask Your Mother-in-Law How She’s Feeling– You must do this every time you see or speak to her. As an added touch, offer to accompany her on doctors visits whenever possible. She’ll appreciate that you took the time to care.
Mistake #3 — Don’t Compliment Her Often Enough– Always make her feel good around you. Tell her how pretty, thin, healthy, and young she looks. Say what flattering outfits she’s wearing, occasionally asking if you can borrow a certain item of clothing or a purse. Mention that you love her hairstyle, even if she’s wearing a hairpiece (especially if she’s wearing a hairpiece!)
Mistake #4 — Forget Your Mother-in-Law’s Special Days– Your husband will likely forget, so you’ll have to be the one to make sure this gets done, without fail! For her birthday, Mother’s Day and other important holidays, pick out a Hallmark card with the most heart-wrenching sentiments you can find. Make sure your husband signs it too. Better yet, have him write the note from the both of you.
Mistake #5 — Get Defensive with Your Mother-in-Law– This is the easiest mistake to make, but do yourself a favor and practice not taking things personally. If you find yourself getting defensive with your mother-in-law take a deep breath – then another – and make a casual, self-effacing comment – then make some chamomile tea. Be sure to offer your mother-in-law a cup as well –and make sure you have her favorite tea bags on hand at all times.
Mistake #6 — Don’t be Objective When Your Mother-in-Law Criticizes You–If your mother-in-law tells you your hair looks better the other way, enthusiastically thank her by solidly agreeing how difficult it is to be objective about yourself. Then style it that way while she’s visiting. Of course you can change it back when she leaves, although be open to the possibility that she may actually have a point!!!
Mistake #7 — Ask Your Mother-in-Law for Professional Advice– This is a real no-no, because if you try to get her approval, YOU WON’T! If you do try to get her endorsement for the new Pampered Chef Opportunity you’ve been thinking about and she downplays your enthusiasm, simply say, “Wow, you are so right. I’m not going to give this crazy scheme another thought!” Then, buy all her birthday and Christmas gifts with the 40% discount you get from the new business.
Mistake #8 — Expect Your Mother-in-Law to Share Your Interests– Your mother-in-law won’t appreciate the movies, music, books or TV shows you enjoy. While at your home she may even decree, “How can you watch that? It’s so silly.” Instead of defending your entertainment choices, simply respond with something to the effect of, “That is just SO true! Then fluff up your pillow and hide the remote until she leaves.
Mistake #9 — Don’t Save Gifts from Your Mother-in-Law For At Least a Year– When your mother-in-law gives you a gift, make sure you display it prominently in your home, or wear it a lot when she’s around. If it’s not your cup of tea, don’t get rid of it prematurely. There is nothing more humiliating than not being able to produce whatever it may be upon inquiry due to over-hasty re-gifting!
Mistake #10 — Pick out Presents for your Mother-in-Law– The best way to handle gift giving is to let your husband do the buying. Even if the responsibility of holiday shopping usually ends up on your shoulders, give him the assignment of this one single thing–it’ll be worth your while to make sure he follows through!
Every bit of this philosophy is designed to make a profound and positive improvement in your life, to intensify your level of happiness, and help you live far more peacefully with your husband and mother-in-law.