ladies..who thinks your husband's secretary picks out your gifts? valentines?

[Grumpy's Gal]

I was just thinking about this....my mom ALWAYS got the most beautiful cards and flowers and gifts from my dad all the years he was working. And he had the most wonderful secretary.

(And we kids all knew "Linda" did my dad's shopping and picked the things out for my mom. She was awesome!)

Anyway, after my dad retired and was on his own to do the shopping.....well, he didn't do as well as in previous years!

How many of you think your husband's secretary picks out your Valentine flowers, gifts etc?

 

[Liberty Belle]

My husband doesn't have a secretary, but he does have an assistant. She knows my taste in books, so she'd do a good job there, at least. My husband picks out my gifts, though, and I'm happy.

 

[Cindy B]

I think gone are the days when the secretary buys the stuff for the boss. I was an executive assistant many years ago and even then I never did stuff like that. I was too busy doing my job of assisting all the executives with paper work and such.

Of course the older guys tried and I flat out told them that they have to make thier own darn coffee and get thier own lunch orders. A gift request-- would have said something like the mall is down the street. (no online shopping then)

 

[Luv'sTink]

DH buys my gifts and he listens really good. I have to be very careful not to say I like something anytime near a holiday because if it is just something I think is nice but I don't necessarily want I will get it...LOL

 

[malibuconlee]

My hubby's assistant is for the whole project, not just him. He does his own shopping, but I will admit that for Christmas 2005 we hadn't moved yet, so DH was traveling every week to the jobsite. He did all my shopping online and had it delivered to the jobsite. His assistant kept offering to wrap the presents and he kept telling her he couldn't have her do that. Finally one day she showed up with wrapping paper and just did it. I think she felt bad about the hours he was working and the driving he was doing. Plus she's just really sweet. She makes everyone a cake on their birthday, and I'm not talking out of a box!!!

 

[NMAmy]

I've been a secretary for years and I can tell you that I personally have NEVER picked out my boss's gifts. I worked at a college in New Mexico and I was secretary to the president. He was very proper and old school and he picked out his own gifts. In fact, for Secretary's Day, he'd go to the florist himself to pick out the gift. My favorite was one year when he'd gotten me a candy bouquet--he stopped and picked up a six pack of Diet Coke for the base because he knew it was my favorite. I can't tell you how touched I was that he did that.

And his wife would have had a fit if I'd been picking out her gifts.

 

[KelNottAt]

Aha! Now I get it!

DH has no secretary. That must explain the gifts I get.

But I still love him!

 

[antmaril]

I've been a secretary (now known as an administrative assistant) for 36 years (same company) and I have never been asked to pick out something for my boss' wife. It's just never happened and I've worked for the same man for 23 of those 36 years!

 

[golfgal]

Dh had one secretary that would call me before my birthday, anniversary, etc. and ask me what I wanted and then would pester DH until he bought it. I sure miss her! . Since then, I don't get anything.

 

[themarquis]

yeah... um ... secretaries don't do that sort of thing anymore ... at least to my knowledge.

 

[Jynohn]

yeah... um ... secretaries don't do that sort of thing anymore ... at least to my knowledge.

I'm an executive assistant (we're not referred to as secretaries anymore. ) and the day my boss asks me to run his personal errands is the day I give my notice. I get paid to do things that are essential to the running of the buisiness. If he needs a personal shopper, he can hire one.

 

[themarquis]

I'm an executive assistant (we're not referred to as secretaries anymore. ) and the day my boss asks me to run his personal errands is the day I give my notice. I get paid to do things that are essential to the running of the buisiness. If he needs a personal shopper, he can hire one.

LOL! Slightly off topic (but not really) have you all seen the movie 9 to 5? Its one of my favorite movies -- a hilarious window into the lives of secretaries in that earlier era the OP was referring to -- when secretaries get slapped on the butt and called "honey" by the perv boss, have to make his coffee, buy gifts for his wife, etc. Ultimately they find a way to transcend all that, but they have to kidnap the boss to do it!

 

[SC Minnie]

Dh's picked out mine this year even the card.

But taking into consideration he doesn't have a secretary or Admin Asst it means I got nothing.

We are going out to a nice dinner Sat night though.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

in my husband's case, i think that he is thrilled when he can get her to do things like answer the phone and keep his Outlook schedule up to date ..... Heck, he is thrilled if she just shows up at her desk 5 days in a row. I think that personal shopper is probably WAY down on the list.

Now several years ago he had a secretary who took care of him like he was a little baby. She kept track of when he was due for a Dentist appt and would schedule it for him -- present buying, restaurant reservations, everything. Honestly, I kind of felt that the intrusion into our personal lives was a little creepy.

 

[lillygator]

DH doesn't have a secretary, but even if he did I would not be thrilled with the idea of that person picking out my gift. Even if my gift isn't ideal, it means a lot that my husband takes the time to do it on his own.

Lucky my DH does pretty good in his own right.