What do I want for my birthday?

pegging
- don’t knock it until you’ve tried it
- Well played.

Full disclosure, I peeked at your comment history.
How about those phone mounts and maybe a neat 2-in-1 tripod/monopod for your binoculars? Or a shoulder sling?
Otherwise, my go-to is an experience like others suggested. Escape room, paint nite, afternoon of pool/ bowling/ mini golf, Top Golf, cooking class, museum visit, comedy night, hockey game, roller skating, hiking, music bingo/pub trivia, or consider a hotel room nearby for the night with an indoor pool or my absolute favorite...a cabin weekend with a hot tub and a real wood-burning fireplace.
- Damn it! I clearly want things! Why don't I think to write these things down!?
  You're only slightly creepy for looking at my comment history, but also pretty dang smart for doing so.
  It would take some research, but maybe they can help with that. I think that's the frustrating part for them because they don't know the first thing about these things, but hey... they are the ones who want to get me something. Haha.
  Years ago, they bought me clamp on lenses for my phone, but it did not fit. I have a new phone now and I would love lens that I could mount to it. There's a company that makes custom cases so they easily attach. I didn't want to bother getting a new case, but my partner might want to do just that.
  And if I don't dig it, we can always return it and try again. Hopefully that wouldn't be too offensive. I've done that in the past and never ended up buying a replacement item even though I promised I would. 😬
  So yeah, an attachable lens or mount that would affix my phone to my binoculars when birding. And I think there are monopod stands, kind of like a tripod but only one leg, which can be used to keep things like binoculars stable. Maybe something like that if it isn't too weird looking. Lol
  Thank you, creepy internet sleuth! It's so funny that I wrestle with what to think of when I know I've expressed interest in things. I don't know why I couldn't think of that on the spot. I very rarely actually get those things, but others might want to go that extra step and actually get them as a gift!
  This can work!
  
  Mines comin up as well... I always struggled to be in the "here and now" and been too busy for years and dropped most of my hobbies, found a very old camera that I bought in 2010-11 from the storage room... Its too big, started looking at what is currently available, found Ricoh griiix, saw some forums with the sensor results and pocketability; might get me back into photography, back into "here and now"..... Take a look if you are into that.. Just leaving this thought here....

Use it as an excuse to strengthen your bond I guess. Just say something like "all I want is to do (XYZ thing you know you both like: dinner, movie, whatever.) with you, I don't need anything more." If that even is something you'd even want to do of course. Don't force it if it isn't what you want.
Just be honest with them, you could even possibly try to explain the anxiety you feel about it all and let them know you're happy just being with them in whatever way.
Either that or pick a food you like lol for me I'd probably just say "get me a big ol' bag of chocolate covered pretzels and I'll be in heaven." :P
- There's a lot of good truth within this post. More than you might realize. Something to ponder today.

Beans
Jamon Iberico
Life size model of Captain Picard
Escape Room
8000 Hamsters
Ketamine
Dinner at a fancy restaurant
Art
Bathtub of chocolate pudding
- An escape room with 8000 hamsters and ketamine. Now that's a birthday
  
  Lol
- My eyebrows actually went up and hand went to my chin when I read life-size replica of Captain Picard. Lol.
  I would have nowhere to put such a thing and would never actually want it...
  But it would be absolutely hilarious and I'd love it nonetheless. 😁
  
  It's one of those things that you hide away for most of the year, but every now and then, when your partner's forgotten about it, you move it to the bathroom in the middle of the night 😁

I always go with experiences over stuff. I want to do something with the people I care about and collect memories instead of things. It gives people the freedom to be as frugal or lavish as they want and I don't have to store or return anything.
- Now this is what I'm talking about. 💯

Pick something you already have and use often, like a phone charger or an office chair or a pair of shoes, and ask for a higher quality version of the same thing. Something that will last longer or be more comfortable.
- Now this is a good idea. Genuine thanks!

To list of things anything you could want:
Goods
Services
Relationship time, that is your partner doing things for you,
which can be subdivided into 10 more types of wishes.

I think you lifted gift giving standards way up high and your partner wants to keep up 😊
Anything that can be consumed, eaten or drunk is a good gift.
Tickets to some event you can both attend and spend quality time together. Maybe a concert
- Yup, 100%. Consumable treats that you'd not normally buy yourself and experiences like events or lessons.

Food? Everybody likes food, right?
Or an experience - a trip, a night out, whatever
- Consumables are great. It opens up for repeatability and the receiver is never stuck with dust collectors.
- You want a fun day trip that you don't have to plan?

A small island nation to crush beneath the heel of your boot.
Or, if you don't have boots, you can ask for those.
- I don't have boots... 🤔
  😁

An experience, like going axe-throwing.
A favorite food.
A music playlist made especially with you in mind.

With my partner, we usually gift time/knowledge. As in, one person wants to buy something but doesn't have the time/expertise to read up it and find the perfect thing. So the other hops in and does the research for them.
This valentine's my partner helped me decide on a new gaming keyboard, while I got him a custom web domain and email setup.
So maybe if there's a thing you've been meaning to research/buy, let your partner do it as a gift?
- Not a bad idea. I just have to want a thing first. I really need to wrack my brain. Ugh. I know there's something I can pull out of there. Something that I wouldn't be a huge control freak over, something that they can fully research and figure out without me minding the details. The poor spongy mash is crawling on fumes because of how busy work is and what life seems to have done to my poor gray matter.

You want a purple rubber dildo
- You know, I should have played a game where I guessed the percentage of comments that would involve some element of sexuality. Haha.
  Purple is my favorite color. 😁

My partner gifted me a pottery class recently, which we are doing next weekend and im VERY excited about. Maybe do that?
- Good point. I can look up one of those coupon apps to see what kind of things are being offered. Maybe something will catch my attention. Thanks!

A cat.
- Good god no. Half my family's allergic. I'm just allergic to their nature. 🤣
  
  In that case, a cure for allergies.

Same, I’d honestly just skip my birthday if that was an option

I have the same problem when I need to come up with things on the spot. So instead I keep a list that I add ideas I get for things I want over time. That way if someone asks I can show them that and I don't have to think on the spot about what I want.
- This is literally what I do for other people. Not sure why I've never thought of this for myself. I mean, I have to want things now and again, right? I usually don't get those things because I ultimately don't really care and there are more important things I need to spend money on. Budget only seems to get more tight over time.
  Anyway, it will be tough to remember to do this, but I just have to remember I'm doing it for them and not me. I will be more likely to actually notate things then. This can work moving forward. Thanks!
  
  Yeah I definitely still have problems with remembering to do it, especially if I get an idea when I'm not at a place where it's easy to note the idea down. But even having a few things on there can be enough and sometimes help with jogging my memory about other things I wanted when it comes closer to an event.

I also don’t like receiving gifts from my spouse. So I just tell her to buy my bar tab for the night.
- Ha! I so very rarely go for drinks, mainly because I don't wanna pay for it. Lol. If only I married someone who was independently wealthy. Oh well, no take backsies. 😁
  
  Lol my wife isn’t rich either. She works as an insulator, so me makes decent enough money that she can buy me 60 bucks worth of beer once a year tho.

I always ask for the same thing.
A rare steak and messy anal.
- Best I can do is a meatball and an over-the-pants tugjob.

A pair of Calico Cut Pants
- I don't know what those are, but I did damage some pants recently which I was going to fix. But fixing things annoys the hell out of my spouse because I can usually endlessly keep things going on forever when... we could just go shopping... which would make them excited. I could use a couple t-shirts as well.
  I hate shopping... and it drives me nuts that i would need to do it on my birthday... But my birthday is an opportunity to bring joy to my family. People love giving gifts!
  I know this sounds all weird and backwards. I just don't really want things, but there are things that I could use which seem mundane to me but can be fun for others to pick.
  Thank you!
  Still no idea what makes pants calico. Lol.
  
  Oh u gotta watch more InThink You Should Leave.
  Maybe have them donate to some charities of your choice.
  Happy birthday!

Food

Tell them the they are the only gift you need and how lucky you are to have them in your life. Anything material just pails in comparison.
- Ha! To which they will then melt in my arms and kiss me and tell me just how wonderful I am... only to then punch me in the arm and say... "now tell me what I can get you, dammit, or I will hurt you more!" 😁

She might get mad if you tell her this, but maybe you want some time to yourself. It's what I usually want on my birthday.

If your partner is a craftsy type, you could suggest that they craft something for you. It was always those gifts that meant the most to me when I was with someone craftsy. It doesn't have to have utility, or be perfect, it just means the world that someone spent time and thought creating something for you.
- Now this is a great idea and why i asked this question in the first place! Not sure why I wasn't thinking of it.
  They once made me an incredible crocheted dice bag. It's a crocheted bottle and cork with a baby red dragon wrapped around it protecting it. It took time and effort, looks super cool, was cheap to make, and I love it! This is the kind of thing that would make them feel great in giving and I love it too!
  Win-win!
  
  Glad I could help!

my usual responses when asked are:
Cheap one: 6 pack of beer and a pizza
Middle one: bottle of vodka and a take out
Expensive one: bottle of scotch and a bar of dark chocolate
booze and food are always welcome with me lol

Ask for world peace maybe it'll work.
- I asked god. Still waiting for a response. Will let you know.

Maybe a really nice edition of a book you already love, from a luxury publisher like The Folio Society or Easton Press?
- A fun idea. For me to get for someone else! Muahaha!

Get a hobby. You'll always need/want stuff if you become a photographer or a fisherman or a pnp-player or a ...
- If only for my birthday I could get more resources, like time for hobbies or a huge raise so I have more money than I know what to do with. 😁

if i wanted something other than a bag of cocks i would just buy it

- I mean, I'd love extra money that I didn't have to look for. 😁

You want a 6npack of BIC medium black pens
- Near perfection. 😁

LSD
- Imagine the gift of wonders that my mind might give me for my birthday! It would be incredible!Either that... or I will suffer a psychotic break. 🤣

Easy: "I WANNA SIX PACK O BEER AND AN EMPTY HOUSE, PRONTO"
- Ha! You're on to something with that! 😁