A quarter of a bet
April 13, 2019 2:28 PM Subscribe
I made a bet for a quarter (of a dollar) which I now, for purposes of wit and flirtation, need more options for 1/4 of...something.
Just started seeing someone a few weeks ago, and made a flirtatious bet with them while we were feeling out whether we wanted to start dating that it would rain on their birthday (May 9th) and not on mine 4 days later. It’s Seattle, the May weather is unpredictable, I’ve got a 50/50 chance on this one.
I make quarter bets because it’s enough money to feel the satisfaction of winning without anyone getting actually hurt by losing. Once we pinky shook on the terms, they asked me “so...a quarter of what?” out of cute bloodymindedness. They claim they have not decided yet what they will ask 1/4 of if I lose. If we hadn’t started kissing already I would have asked for that! So instead I turn to you.
I’m looking for something that is:
—funny? clever? It’s a new relationship, I’m trying to be impressive.
—maybe doubles as a birthday gift? This is a good opportunity to not have to stress about gifts early on.
—is clearly a “quarter of” something.
Maybe relevant??
—I’m turning 36, they’re turning 28. Not a quarter of anything sadly.
—We both work at a cafe, though I’m a barista and they do machine maintenance.
—They have a Ukrainian passport, which apparently makes international travel different from how it is for me with a US passport.
—We both like cake?? I dunno y’all
All I got is that I’m a professor in a school with quarters so, uh, that’s a thing. 8 hours is a quarter of a day, so some thing that takes 8 hours to happen?
Help me here, crowdsourced wooing is the only way I’m not gonna just end up cutting a dollar into 4 pieces and throwing it in the air like stupid confetti.
I’m paying up whether or not I win, by the way, but don’t tell them that.
Just started seeing someone a few weeks ago, and made a flirtatious bet with them while we were feeling out whether we wanted to start dating that it would rain on their birthday (May 9th) and not on mine 4 days later. It’s Seattle, the May weather is unpredictable, I’ve got a 50/50 chance on this one.
I make quarter bets because it’s enough money to feel the satisfaction of winning without anyone getting actually hurt by losing. Once we pinky shook on the terms, they asked me “so...a quarter of what?” out of cute bloodymindedness. They claim they have not decided yet what they will ask 1/4 of if I lose. If we hadn’t started kissing already I would have asked for that! So instead I turn to you.
I’m looking for something that is:
—funny? clever? It’s a new relationship, I’m trying to be impressive.
—maybe doubles as a birthday gift? This is a good opportunity to not have to stress about gifts early on.
—is clearly a “quarter of” something.
Maybe relevant??
—I’m turning 36, they’re turning 28. Not a quarter of anything sadly.
—We both work at a cafe, though I’m a barista and they do machine maintenance.
—They have a Ukrainian passport, which apparently makes international travel different from how it is for me with a US passport.
—We both like cake?? I dunno y’all
All I got is that I’m a professor in a school with quarters so, uh, that’s a thing. 8 hours is a quarter of a day, so some thing that takes 8 hours to happen?
Help me here, crowdsourced wooing is the only way I’m not gonna just end up cutting a dollar into 4 pieces and throwing it in the air like stupid confetti.
I’m paying up whether or not I win, by the way, but don’t tell them that.
Maybe go with a four seasons theme? A spring-, winter-, fall-, or summer-themed small cake/bunch of cupcakes?
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:42 PM on April 13, 2019
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:42 PM on April 13, 2019
I'd totally go with a quarter of a decadant cake.
posted by christinetheslp at 2:44 PM on April 13, 2019 [13 favorites]
posted by christinetheslp at 2:44 PM on April 13, 2019 [13 favorites]
Go on a sunset sailing charter - super romantic and you'll encounter quartering winds.
posted by dum spiro spero at 2:45 PM on April 13, 2019
posted by dum spiro spero at 2:45 PM on April 13, 2019
Um, 8 hours is a third of a day... 6 hours is a quarter of a day. Maybe a big multi-course meal (either that you go out for or that you cook) that takes 6 hours to eat? Or something that takes 6 hours to cook?
posted by Weeping_angel at 3:00 PM on April 13, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by Weeping_angel at 3:00 PM on April 13, 2019 [6 favorites]
If you both work at a cafe you could give the person a quarter of a quart...instead of a full quart.
Some other pun involving "drawn and quartered" comes to mind.
Offering no quarter.
posted by effluvia at 3:04 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Some other pun involving "drawn and quartered" comes to mind.
Offering no quarter.
posted by effluvia at 3:04 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: ha, I'm not very good at math apparently. 6 hours seems less extreme, hmmm.
and they do get 8oz drinks....HMMMM
posted by zinful at 3:04 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
and they do get 8oz drinks....HMMMM
posted by zinful at 3:04 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
German beer halls often have liter beers, which is approximately a quart.
posted by supercres at 3:21 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by supercres at 3:21 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
7 is a quarter of 28, so seven of anything is on the table as a birthday gift. Lots of ways to spin that: seven roses, a present that would be appropriate for a seven-year-old, a seven-pack of craft beer...
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 3:36 PM on April 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 3:36 PM on April 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
Pick your favorite celebrity pothead, make it a that-person theme night, and show up with a quarter ounce of weed.
Or, put an actual quarter in a plastic sleeve (baseball card holder), use a hole punch around its edges, and crochet it into a slipper or a beret or something.
Glue a quarter onto a blank journal, or something; fancy.
Make a treasure hunt. One clue points them to the next clue, leads to the next, taking them to various locations until they reach the final destination (a skyview restaurant or something) where you carry out your evening and also they find a quarter waiting for them as the hard-won treasure.
posted by little_dog_laughing at 4:07 PM on April 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
Or, put an actual quarter in a plastic sleeve (baseball card holder), use a hole punch around its edges, and crochet it into a slipper or a beret or something.
Glue a quarter onto a blank journal, or something; fancy.
Make a treasure hunt. One clue points them to the next clue, leads to the next, taking them to various locations until they reach the final destination (a skyview restaurant or something) where you carry out your evening and also they find a quarter waiting for them as the hard-won treasure.
posted by little_dog_laughing at 4:07 PM on April 13, 2019 [3 favorites]
Two pints of beer make a quarter of a gallon.
posted by irisclara at 5:02 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by irisclara at 5:02 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
A quarter of a pie is a generous portion for two people to enjoy pie together.
posted by Mizu at 5:02 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Mizu at 5:02 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
If you bake, you can make a quarter of a layer cake by making one layer, cutting it into four pieces, and stacking so that it’s a four-layer quarter of a cake.
Another thought I had is the French Quarter - other people might have ideas related to that. I only thought of it because my city has a restaurant called the Quarter Bistro.
posted by FencingGal at 5:25 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
Another thought I had is the French Quarter - other people might have ideas related to that. I only thought of it because my city has a restaurant called the Quarter Bistro.
posted by FencingGal at 5:25 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
You could invite them back to your quarters.
posted by smcameron at 5:28 PM on April 13, 2019 [7 favorites]
posted by smcameron at 5:28 PM on April 13, 2019 [7 favorites]
If it involves a real quarter, you could make it from their birth year. I don't know if the Ukranian passport thing makes this idea out of the question, but it could be a Canadian quarter that you spend on an excursion to Vancouver or elsewhere across the border.
Or take a ferry to San Juan Island National Historical Park and visit the officers' quarters.
posted by carmicha at 5:53 PM on April 13, 2019
Or take a ferry to San Juan Island National Historical Park and visit the officers' quarters.
posted by carmicha at 5:53 PM on April 13, 2019
horseback riding on a (quarter) horse?
sit very close to them at dinner (close quarters)?
eat quarter-pounders at mcdonalds?
posted by QuakerMel at 5:55 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
sit very close to them at dinner (close quarters)?
eat quarter-pounders at mcdonalds?
posted by QuakerMel at 5:55 PM on April 13, 2019 [1 favorite]
How about 1/4 of silver "piece of eight". This one is sold on Etsy, it looks you can actually break it apart in front of her. And, as I read it, it is made from real silver so more of a grand gesture than just a US quarter. You can save the other fractions to surprise her at other times. Apparently, the coins were made in Spain from 1 ounce of silver (8 reales), and were routinely broken into fractions to represent smaller units of money. So you are also giving her a quarter of an ounce of silver.
posted by metahawk at 5:57 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by metahawk at 5:57 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]
A stick of butter is 1/4 pound (I think). That can be turned into some muffins, cupcakes, or the spread on two lovely baguettes.
posted by amtho at 9:07 PM on April 13, 2019
posted by amtho at 9:07 PM on April 13, 2019
Take an online college class together for a quarter.
posted by otherchaz at 11:33 PM on April 13, 2019
posted by otherchaz at 11:33 PM on April 13, 2019
3 roses - 1/4 of a dozen. You can give them 3 more every time you see them until you’ve given a dozen.
posted by yawper at 4:58 AM on April 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by yawper at 4:58 AM on April 14, 2019 [1 favorite]
Are you guys Star Wars nerds at all? Maybe do something around "one quarter portion" from TFA.
posted by saladin at 5:35 AM on April 14, 2019
posted by saladin at 5:35 AM on April 14, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
There may be something sexy you could do in pieces but my mind isn't giving me much here.
posted by hought20 at 2:40 PM on April 13, 2019 [2 favorites]