Goofy gift for goofy friend?

March 24, 2010 5:17 PM

Any ideas for a goofy gift for a very good friend who just got a job in an insurance company (doing data analysis)?

He's coming from the consumer products field also doing data analysis. He's leaving a very stressful job for one that will be stressful in a different (hopefully better) way. I'd like to acknowledge the transition with some silly little gift.

posted by SheIsMighty to Shopping (8 answers total)

Here is a gift that is both (a little) goofy and (possibly) appropriate for a number cruncher. It's a decorative abacus. It might look nice on a desk.
posted by 4ster at 5:28 PM on March 24, 2010

pocket protector
posted by rhizome at 5:54 PM on March 24, 2010

In the same vein as the abacus and pocket protector, how about a slide rule?
posted by mhum at 5:57 PM on March 24, 2010

Think TPS reports. (Office Space movie). Surely someone must have taken the idea and run with it.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 6:07 PM on March 24, 2010

A red stapler. (Office Space movie.)
posted by exphysicist345 at 6:24 PM on March 24, 2010

This is my job too (health insurance), but I can't really think of anything that is particular to the field of data analysis. If he works with SQL or a particular programming language, you could go with a t-shirt from ThinkGeek (the No Comment shirt is amazingly appropriate for my particular job, YMMV). But that site is probably your best bet as far as goofy gifts go.

Also, you could go the Despair, Inc. route. Maybe a mug so he can use it at home?
posted by smalls at 6:47 PM on March 24, 2010

Binary Clock.
posted by webhund at 6:58 PM on March 24, 2010

Terry Pratchett's book "the Color of Magic". The tourist Twoflower sells insurance to the citizens of Ahnk-Morpork who promptly burn down the city to collect. It's not considered his best work by some but it is funny and has something to do with the perils of insurance.
posted by stray thoughts at 12:17 PM on March 25, 2010