Conference quark::mennotes-v1

    
    
    
    
          "He who dies with the most toys wins!"
    
    isn't that simple enough?
    
    Regards
    
    Wheels
    

    
    Could it be that some of us have bad memory??, meaning that we tend
    to forget what we have and don't have....
    
    Example: I went to Lechmere looking for item X, went back home with
    a VCR, needless to say we already had one at home, and do you know
    what my wife said??, she said "another toy??"..
    
    I will return the VCR.......ASAP !!!!
    
    ART. (as in "piece of ART".....just kidding!!!).
    

    There are probably lots of reasons.
    
    	1.  Maybe they need a distraction from a job or relationship.
    	2.  Maybe they are doing what they really want to do and the
  	    day job is really the hobby.
    
    I guess one could go on and on and ....  The question seems rather
    ambiguous.

    	When I come home from work, I'm pretty wired....heavy brain
    work, don't you know.  I want something OTHER than TV to bring me
    down to a level of relaxation.  Nothing does that better than a
    few hours of guitar playing.  Quite relaxing, self satisfying, and
    I get a few ya-ya's from it also.
    
    						Phil
    

    Men have no more "toys" than women.
    
    Cut out the sexism!

Well, some of the cars, and the guns I reckon, are psychological extensions 

to a certain part of the anatomy.



Descriptions of the size and power of same toys tends to draw also more on 
imagination than fact.
And those *wonderful* remote controls!! Great for room domination, love 'em!



Jerry
(Who's got a big black swedish saab)      ;-)

    Can we turn this around a bit?
    
    It's been my observation that women aren't often as attracted to
    "toys" as men. F'rinstance...
    
    Many of my male friends (10+) own synthesizers...
          1 of my women friends does. (and it's been at my house for
                                       almost a year)
    
    I know 3 or 4 men with "better than average" component stereo
    systems.
          And not one women...
    
    Now I'm sure there are women out there with keyboards and audio
    gear. I'm not saying "none". (My sample is far too small.) 
    
    Do women have different "toys" than men? Maybe men don't recognize
    them as such?
    
    Can someone shed some reason on what appears to be a statistical
    trend?
    
    Edd who_has_more_toys_than_is_reasonable

	Toys??
	These things I feel are more like male jewelery, the camera buff
	a couple of nikons around his neck and a huge telephoto, the video
	nut with all manner of high tech boxs slung loosley over his shoulder
	.....a sexy stereo......a sleek car......a bigger faster computer...
	all very exciting.....almost sexy.......certainly enjoyable.....most
	of these things are used like women with a new ring..or dress...they
	all beg the same questions.....where did you get it....isn't it 
	beautiful/useful/sexy/user transparent....how much did it cost....etc
	Could you ever get a woman to call her best dress ring a toy?

	My toys are all (too) bloody expensive but are really sexy!

	@ @
 	 ^ 
	\_/

Richard.

    I think that both men and women has about the same number of 'toys'.
    The difference is that men's toys are more easily identifiable as
    such. For women, clothes and accessories seem to be toys. Why else
    does my wife need 4-5 (I lost count) pair of sneakers? My wife wants
    more clothes for Christmas, I want toys. What's the difference?
    She's got plenty of clothes as do I. Why does she not understand
    that giving me clothes will not make me as happy as toys? Actually
    she does, sort of, understand but not completely. I have trouble
    understanding why she'd want clothes in stead of toys.
    
    Men for some reason are not ashamed to admit to themselves that
    their toys are in fact toys. I've heard few men object to the old
    line "the only difference between men and boys is the price of their
    toys." Perhaps admitting that we have toys helps us feel young?

    		Alfred

    
    
    	I love my toys and I'll be honest, I want more.. I even look
    forward to the day when I have a couple of kids and I get to play
    with them and their toys... The toys kids have nowadays makes some
    of the ones I had look like antiques!  I can hear it now: Michael,
    will you quite playing with the kids toys and come to dinner with
    the rest of us?!"  "Just making sure it's set up right Honey!!"
    
    	:-)
    
    	BTW, the toys that I want now cost alot more than my G.I. Joe's
    	cost 15 years ago... (Sailboat, VCR, stereo set, Ferrari, old
    	Mustang convertible, etc.....)
    
    						mike

    
    I have toys...
    they are my cloths
    my jewelry
    my various projects (as in crafts and such)
    my kitchen gadgets that make life easier I consider my toys... I
    am the one who uses them..  my Iron that beeps when left unattended
    I consider a 'toy', I could have bought a simple one.
    I would have 95 pairs of shoes if I could afford them and had a
    place to store them.. they are kinda like toys to me..
    
    but as for electronic things or mechanical things I can't be bothered..
    a tv with a dial or a radio easily replace fancy stairs or a
    computerized tv as far as I am concerned..  I don't even have much
    interest really in fancy cars beyond the color of them.. definite
    preferences in color but little else..
    
    oh I must confess to having a couple of dolls and various stuffed
    animals!!! :-)
    
    later, gailann
    

    I admit to having toys... I have all but one in my collection of
    Popples (including the one that some very special friends gave me
    at a very nice surprise party).  Luckily, my husband and I share
    most of the same interests, so the toys we buy for him are toys
    that are bought for me too (except for the keyboard and the bass
    guitar and and and...)  but our newest toys is the new stereo that
    we got for half price (CD player, turntable that is a frontloader,
    cassette deck, equaliser/tuner, and two large speakers that really
    crank out some LOUD music).

    
    						*** Kristy ***

    Geez, I don't know, I must be weird cuz I like my toys. I like my
    stereo, my tv, my vcr, my camera and all my other gidget gadgets.
    And when I grow up I want a new truck. And the more buttons and
    complicated stuff the better. I even have a toaster oven that I'm
    rather fond of.
    
    Bahama Mama

    I like my toys too!  My husband has introduced me to Model Railroading,
    and I love it, making scenery from scratch is great fun.  I am even
    getting together the materials for my own module for a show next
    year.  
    
    Mary-Lynn

I love my toys and spend far more money on them than does my husband.

They include:

jewely
a fur coat
fancy car
stereo (bought BEFORE I married)
kitchen toys
shoes (far to many)
camera and assorted do-dads

Perhaps in the past expensive basically frivolous items were primarily
purchased by men because women on the whole did not draw a salary...

-vicki

    I have more toys than my SO, but then I have more toys than most anyone
    I know. Bubbles, kite, 'zoids, vegimal, wind up toys, balloon
    helicopter, nose flute, stuffed animals, and on and on... On the other
    hand, Janice has a bunch of toys too, a keyboard ferinstance. We both
    ski, so we have a bunch of skiing toys, we both like to rock climb and
    camp so we have camping toys, we both like to cook, so most of the
    kitchen toys are "ours" though I did give her a nice copper saucepan
    that is "hers" and the omelette pan is *mine*! 
    
    I agree that it seems that men have more "toys" or things they call
    "toys" even when you take household appliances and clothes into
    account. Perhaps having lots of "things" is subliminated
    territoriality? (I don't buy the territoriality stuff, but it makes a
    convenient theory :->) More disposable income is probably part of it,
    but I don't have any pat answers... 
    
    	Fun to talk about though!
    	-- Charles

    
    
    	There's alot of little boy in almost every male. Adult toys
    	serve the same purpose as the toys we gathered to us as kids.
    	I think part of it is status, just as it was when we were kids.
    
    	There is an old saying that goes:
    
    			The main difference between men and boys
    			is the price they pay for their toys.
    
    
    	C.
    
    
     

         My ex wife always said that men never grow up and the difference
    between men and boys was the price of their toys. I love my toys
    3 VCR's, one hi fi
    TV Camera
    2 tv's and video processor
    Extensive stereo stuff
    
    I don't consider my current car a toy, Ford Escort....ehhH!
    
    Toys I'de like:
    
    Mint condition Triumph TR6
    5 liter, five speed Mustang convertible
    PC100 with 896K and 20mb winnie
    More/Better audio/video toys
    
    Ray

    
    I don't know why I like toys but I just do....I also like clothes
    which can put me on the critical list financially.  First
    I started out with a basic little Toyota, that had to have
    a bra on it, then fog lights, then a CB.
    
    Cameras (2) with about 6 lenses
    Stereo w/dual cassette deck/high speed dubbing so I can play......
    Color TV w/cable and stereo hookup
    
    Then came the Boat........course I needed water-skiing equpment
                              and fishing equipment...salt & fresh
    
    Women love toys too!  Next toy -- Dirt bike or Quad Racer
           
    
    
    
    

        Basically, just about everyone loves toys, male or female,
        regardless of age.  In general, it seems that the *kind* of toys
        preferred seems to vary more with age and culture than with sex. 
        
        I guess I've got two favorite toys right at the moment... my
        VAXstation at work (tho I keep hoping they'll give me a /GPX),
        and my "video game on wheels" (as my wife calls my Subaru 4WD
        Turbo XT with the digital dash, mag wheels, and power
        everything). 
        
        Not that I've lost interest in the CD player, VCR, 26 in. NEC TV,
        tape/disc collection, AE-1, Cuisinart, microwave, and all the
        other neat toys we've got at home... 
        
        My wife's favorite toys are probably her Saab 900 and her SPIRIT
        arcade pinball machine.  We share all the rest...
        
        	/dave

    I would say the difference is
    wimmen buy toys by looking at the label. 
    
    guys buy toys cause they work/play with them an labels don't mean
    a heck of a lot to MOST guys
    

    re: .0
    	Gee Marge, we still don't have much more information on the
    reason for the attachment but we sure have some good examples.
    It's interesting that this note has actually become a place for
    folks to list their toy!
    
    Maybe the attachment to toys is just a way of saying look at me,
    see what I've got. It's very hard for people to show the non-material
    things in life that mean a lot to them and others.
    
    /tb/
    

    
    re: .21
    
    hey Kerry... I kinda though you liked that label on your car..
    ya know the one that says... C A M E R O...
    
    :-)
    
    later, gailann
    
    

    
    
    The best of best!
    
    My Harley !!
    
    and
    
    My Wife!
    
    Cal.
    

    My toys are there to give me something to do when there is nothing
    to do.  I have a DECked out PRO/350 a Satellite dish, a vcr, a
    motorcycle, a car (doesn't everyone), an organ.  But they all relax
    me in the particular season.  One saying that I always remember,
    
    	"The only difference between men and boys, is the price of their
    toys."
    
    Why do women always buy their sons "TOYS"?  They started it!
    
    P

    hey GA.
    I drive a C A M A R O
           
    	      wadds a
              C A M E R O ?
    

    
    
    
    never said I could spell!!! :-)
    
    still!
    
    later, gailann
    
    

     re .28:
     
     > check today's date...
     
     Good eyes.  I think it merits a birthday party.  Or at least a
     trip to a showroom to look at new sports cars.
     
     --Mr Topaz

     re .27  Geez, Gail, Steve didn't correct your spelling....
    
    :-)))))
    

    Re .30:
    
    How should I know what's on the back of Kerry's car?
    
    I haven't bothered saying anything in this note, because I agree
    with the general concensus that women love their toys just as much
    as do men.  I openly admit I love toys, and have my own collection.
    (How many of you have a television with built-in Datatrieve and
    a remote control that has a QWERTY keyboard?)
    
    				Steve

    
    [Just gettin' on ya case, Steve]
    
    Toys...I use to love the big $$ toys, but not anymore.  With a
    3-year-old at home I found a whole new range of toys in my workshop.
    I love building things for her, dollhouses, sandboxes, swings,
    anything.  Now I have to go buy a whole new set of toys for myself,
    like a tablesaw, jigsaw, plane.....so much for stereos and vcr's!!!
    
    GOG
    

	I'm more attached to my software than my hardware - I bought a
	CD player and headphones in February and still have no other
	stereo equipment because I keep spending all my spare money on
	CD's... And the only "toys" I've bought to go along with my
	guitar are sheet music books...
	
	Mike

    Men love toys because the can't afford to build empires. B^)
    
    The toy that I remember (age 5) the earliest was a plastic ocean liner
    that my mother broke over my head.  No joke, that's why I remember
    it.
      Mikie?

My wife plays with my toys.

    
    
    We decided last night that his favorite toy is me!
    

>My wife plays with my toys.
 
	Ask her nicely and I'm sure she'll let you join in Dave

>	Ask her nicely and I'm sure she'll let you join in Dave

I have no choice but to let her join in :-7

Dave.

    	If this is none of my business, please say so, but why did your
    mother break an ocean liner over your head?
    
    	Obviously, it wasn't the Love Boat!  :^)
    
    	Larry
    

I don't have any toys, unless you count my cooking gadgets (none of which
 run on electricity).  I have some tools, but I haven't "played" with them
  ever since we bought the Subaru.  (The Subaru is considered "ours," so
   you can't really call it my toy.)

I would not mind a nice bicycle, though.
 <_Jym_>

    A hacky sack, a box of funny plastic like monsta's and a blow up girlie.

    I got toys as a kid.  What kinds of toys do little girls get, besides
    dolls, jacks, jump ropes, etc. ?  A lot of the things I see on TV
    look like they would appeal to boys but I'm less certain that they
    would appeal to girls.  (What do I know  about little girls?!).
     Obviously, toys are for play/enjoyment.  The stereotype is that
    women visit and shop for clothes when they have free time (they
    don't ALL work two jobs).  Me, I interact with things more than
    I do with people during my free time.
         Women are seen to be more social and interactive than men.
     I would rather do things with people than sit down and visit i.e.
    talk with them.
         My wife has lots of toys  --she calls them antiques.  Her toys
    are the most important things in her life in many ways.
    
    mike
    

    This is an interesting topic.  I think I like toys because when
    I was young, we couldn't afford much.  Now I can afford them and
    want more and more.  But not just because they are expensive. If
    I had all of the money I could spend, I would still wear blue jeans
    and drive a Toyota.  I don't want a Mercedes or Cadillac, I prefer
    a vehicle that is more fitted to my lifestyle.  We currently own
    a Toyota 4WD pickup with a shell, and a Toyota 4-Runner.  Either
    one can go anywhere, in any kind of weather.  The pickup is set
    up as a mobile, hard tent for camping.  The 4-Runner is for carrying
    passengers, better for going skiing.  But, I always want more things
    and they are all expensive.
    
    I was sitting at home one day, thinking about all of the expensive
    things that I wanted and I realized that of all the things we have,
    all of them are either mine solely or shared.  I asked my wife "If
    we had all of the money we could spend, what would you want?"  She
    couldn't think of a single thing.  She likes books, paperbacks.
    That's IT!!!  She doesn't want anything else.  That boggles my mind.
    We are both from Colorado, both 34 years old, neither of us comes
    from a well-to-do family.  Her father was military and travelled
    a lot.  Mine wasn't.  So why the difference?  I assumed that that's
    just the way women were.  Judging by past notes, I was grossly
    mistaken.  
    
    

	.43 asked what toys little girls like?  About the same ones as 
	little boys.  

My 5 year old girl has dolls, transformers, foot ball and helmet, 
boys bikes (she likes the "dirt" bike look), skates, blocks, trucks, 
more match box cars than I can count, electric train, books, stuffed 
animals, dress up clothes, cow boy hats, computer, water toys, etc etc....  

Don't think of toys being for girls or boys. Kids like them all if the
parents give them the chance.

    Given the lack of a truly useful amount of money (lots and lots)
    one must choose their toys carefully. If we had it all, I'm sure
    my wife and I would conclude that men and women like exactly the
    same toys because we would each buy ourselves clothes, appliances,
    household decorations, stereos etc. What we do is give ourselves
    a reasonably generous, but limited 'allowance' each month. Enough
    to buy enough stuff but not everything (alas). We use this money
    to buy anything personal, that is whatever the other person can't
    use or doesn't want (including clothes). She doesn't need suits
    or more than one coffee maker, I don't need dresses or twelve purses.
    
    Given this limited amount of money we can each spend, you do find
    differences in what "toys" women or men choose to buy. She buys
    mostly clothes, makeup, etc. I buy stuff like coffee makers, I have
    eight, calculators, (I've lost more than I still have), pens, the
    odd computer game. I buy clothes usually only when the tailor won't
    try to fix my current stuff anymore. I had a hat salesman refuse to
    clean my hat anymore, he said it should be put out of its misery.
    He made me buy two more.
    
    So whereas men and women really do like the same things, given a
    limited choice, the really wanted "toys" are apparent.
    
    By the way, this allowance system works well, neither of us ever
    have to justify anything we want. If the money's still there, go
    for it.
    
    /Les

		< Just playing with my toy ...notes...>
        
    You know what your toys are by the spontaneous urge to run over
    and begin playing with them. Notes is my latest toy. As soon as I
    arrive home I get that urge to jump on my terminal and open notes.
                                                               
    *<:8^D I>=:==| Mark 
    

    My biggest *toy* is DISNEY WORLD.  I make the claim that I moved
    her to Centeral Florida because I no longer could afford the trips.
    We made annual pilgrimages here since the opening of the park and
    just love it.
    
    Being a season pass holder we get there about once a month.
    

    I've read through most of the gift/wants/toy notes and I still have
    a few questions.  This issue was never really cleared up in my mind.
    
    My mom always bought my dad 'toys' for Christmas.  I mean, a race
    car set, remote control car, train set, all kinds of put-together-
    toys.  I find myself now, wanting to buy my husband a 'toy' for
    Christmas.....something to put together, play with, etc.  Finally,
    my question:  Do men really like these kinds of toys? 
    
    I kind of feel Christmas won't be the same without something for
    him to do.  Sure tools are great, books are great, but what do you
    play with (besides your wife, of course) on Christmas day?
    
    What are ideas for put-together-toys?  (something more useful
    than a model airplane)    
    
    Several people mentioned they like 'gadgets'.  What kind?  What
    are they?
    
    What about board games....we have Vietnam...anything else good?

    I think the question should be not so much "do men like toys", but
    rather, do ADULTS like toys?  And quite frankly the answer varies
    from individual to individual.  In your case, I'd say you have to
    take a look at hubby's personality.  Does he like to let his hair
    down occasionally and be fun?  If so, then he'd probably like the
    toys.  On the other hand, if he is adamant about ALWAYS appearing
    "grown-up" and professional, then he'll probably resent them.  It's
    really a judgement call.
    
    As for what kind of toys to get, well, my wife and I buy toys for
    each other all the time; often what we get are toys that we never
    got as kids or that we were too uncoordinated to play with as kids.
    Aside from that, toys that work well with our interests are nice,
    too.  Some examples of what we've gotten for each other:
    
    	Lite-Brite [I never had one as a kid (snif!)]
    	Spirograph - We both had them, but it really takes an adult's
    	             coordination to make it work well.
    	Lego Blocks [She ALWAYS likes things you can put together!]
    	A toy pottery wheel [she's into ceramics and we don't have the
    		time or $$$ for a full-sized wheel and kiln...]
    
    Hope this helps!
    
    --jim
    

    Here's a list of great toys I have coveted or purchased in the last
    while:
    
    Radio controlled sailboat, race car, all terrain vehicle or helicopter.
    
    Commodore Amiga with Joystick and FALCON or TEST DRIVER software.
    
    Synthesized drum pads.
    
    Plasma ball.
    
    Scale model of a tyranosaurus skeleton.
    
    Metal model (no glue) of a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow or Lambroughini
    Countach.
    
    Ninja Turtle set.
    
    Video Camera.
    
    and on...and on....and on...
    
    Kris

Toys???

Well over the years my wife has bought me for Xmas such things as..
model kits (plastic).. I really enjoy _making_ them ,...
a radio controlled car
stuffed toys (I only take them to please her :-) :-)


(this year its either lego, model kit or a make-a-clock kit)

(Married 7 years

    re: .49  Do men really like these kinds of toys?
    
         It depends on the man.  I really like the kinds of toys you
    mentioned.  Maybe you could visit a toy store with your husband on the
    pretense of buying a toy for some child (maybe you could even get
    something to give to a needy child).  Observe his reaction to the toys
    in the store and you might get an idea of what he might like.
    
         I think gadgets are great.  I could spend thousands in one of the
    Sharper Image type stores.  There are a lot of great gadgets around
    these days.  Some are just ordinary things such as garden tools or
    household tools designed in an interesting fashion.  Others are devices
    for unusual activities, such as finding the center of rotation for a
    golf ball.  You really need to visit a gadget store to see the variety
    of things available.
    
         If you have Vietnam, I imagine that your husband is at least
    somewhat into wargames.  I really enjoy playing wargames, but haven't
    played in a while, so I'm not up on the latest games.  I'd recommend
    the games Squad Leader or Wooden Ships and Iron Men.  There are all
    kinds of wargames, or strategy games and a good game store will have a
    lot to choose from.
    
         Games of all types are a great gift for me.  I like knowlege games
    like Facts in Five, Quick Wit and Outburst  I also really like word
    games like Scrabble and Balderdash.  There are a lot of great games out
    there these days.
    
         Good luck finding your husband a toy,
    
    Tony

Last year I bought my husband a remote control, 4x4 pickup truck...he loves
it. I have to admit tho', it doesn't take much to amuse him most of the
time... :-)

Jenna

    .53> It depends on the man.  I really like the kinds of toys you 
    > mentioned.  Maybe you could visit a toy store with your husband on the
    > pretense of buying a toy for some child (maybe you could even get
    > something to give to a needy child).  Observe his reaction to the toys
    > in the store and you might get an idea of what he might like.
      
    Let me second Tony's suggestion.  One SO (long ago) remembered an
    occasion where I'd clowned around with a puppet as we passed a display
    in some drug store...in August or so...*that* is a very special
    memory, unwrapping Lazarus, 8 years ago this month...Lazarus, the
    puppet I *still* have and still clown around with, once in awhile.
    She remembered, when even *I* hadn't.
    
    DougO

    
    
    	I'm Getting :
    
    		N-I-N-T-E-N-D-O.........
    
    
    
    					for the kids, of course....8^)
    
    Anyone know where I can get a copy of "Tiger-Heli"..??
    
    
    If you're really looking for a great toy, the 16MB Sega system has 
    awesome graphics. My kids don't appreciate them at $189.00, so we're
    going with the $99 stuff.
    
    Brookstone has a buncha gadgets.
    
    Ken

    I have my toys too.... ;-}
    
    Model rockets mostly, but also T O O L S.  I luv gadgets and small
    specialized tools!
    
    Someone commented on the fun (toy) aspect of having children...
    
    		...DITTO!
    
    Now I can fly kites, paper airplanes and build with lego's again!
     I'm in heaven!
    
    I also have my hi-tech toys...   Telescope, computers, radio control
    cars, etc, etc...
    
    jim
    

    
    	   Toys are cool, but I find I get bored with most of them
    	pretty quick.  I have a remote-control car and airplane, but
    	I never use them any more.  I also have a few games which I
    	almost never play.  Add to that a nice assortment of adult
    	toys (VCRs, power tools, weapons, and a car) and the old
    	addage takes form in reality... the older the boy, the bigger
    	the toys.
    
    	- Greg

 I feel exactly the same way as Greg. Toys no longer hold the charm they once 
did. I become bored increasingly quickly these days. Like Greg, I find that
my toys have gotten bigger and more expensive. :-) Stereo equipment, guns,
fishing stuff, etc. Adult fun. :-)

 The Doctah

    My husband definitely likes toys.  I'll never buy him clothes for
    X-Mas.  My first Christmas gift to him was a fishing pole.  Then
    we were always fishing.  I didn't know he enjoyed fishing.  I just
    couldn't think of anything else, that I could afford, back then.
    
    Then it was a dart board, then model planes and ships.  He use to
    enjoy making flies for fly fishing.  His mom and sister buy him
    the shirts or jeans at X-Mas.  So, that leaves me to buy him the
    fun stuff.
    
    I hadn't realized how much I enjoyed toys, 'til some folks came
    over one day, when we lived on a lake, and we went "slide" skiing.
     It was the most fun, I had had in years.  I guess I like all kind
    of toys.  Mostly sports kinda of stuff.

    Toys influence the minds of both young and old. I like them, wish I
    could have spent more on them too. Now that I got my daughter home, its
    been about an equal amount of money for food and toys!