Christmas is very commercialised and I really wish Santas were not all a clone of the Coca-Cola marketing images but who would listen to me? I have to be honest and say that I do in fact like getting Christmas presents. My lovely wife has been hounding me to make a wish-list but I’m not very good at writing lists of demands. On the contrary, it doesn’t make life any easier for her trying to buy me stuff. So, I started writing one and realise the Christmas Lists (once you are beyond the age 0f about 12) start to really show the kind of person you are. Looking at mine is rather scary because apparently I’m a geek that cycles occasionally. Oh. I suppose I am.
I tend to buy the books I want to read so the Raymond E. Feist books are not on there, nor are the Neil Gaiman, Simon Scarrow or David Gemmel ones. My wife has decided to not buy me the latest Pratchett at Christmas either because it is a darn sight cheaper in January and I agree. I suppose if somebody wanted to buy me the kind of novel I would pick-up as the third in a “buy two, get one free” sale, that would be good. You know what I mean. You’ve chosen a good book and either a second of similar merit or one that you keep meaning to get, but the third one is proving tricky. As it is a free book though, you can be a bit of a risk-taker for a change. Go for one with a fancy cover or that has an intriguing title. My most reason example of this was “Dissolution” by CJ Sansom. I put off reading it for a while but did enjoy it when I finally did pick it up. I certainly recommend it for those who want a murder mystery set in Henry VIII’s England. Anyway, that is a good choice.
For those with a load of Lottery cash, there is the Scott 2007 CR-1 Pro 30speed carbon fibre bike in 54cm frame at a mere £1400. I will instead start saving my quarterly bonus and consider treating myself next Christmas if I do some proper training next year. So don’t buy me one of those.
Staying in the cycling theme, I did have my bike stolen this year so maybe a new mountain bike instead. But again, a second-hand one in March is just as good an idea. Maybe just some riding glasses with amber lenses for use when it isn’t sunny enough for full shades. They should be about £30 so won’t break the budget. Not very exciting though really.
I do like the look of the Linksys NAS200 which when bundled with a couple of 250GB SATA hard drives makes a very nice little solution to how I backup all my photos and music (as well as MySQL databases). But I’m being all geeky again.
If I’m going to be geeky though, the new microSD 6GB cards are a great way for me to load movies onto my Nokia N95. I’ll need some movies too. The Bourne collection, The Die Hard Quadrilogy, the film “300” are all good.
I should also include the Tardis USB hub that flashes when you plug a device in, one of those annoying PicoZ radio-controlled helicopters or a desk clock that tells the time in binary. Stop it.
As usual it seems, the best ideas for gifts for me will come from other people many of whom know what I will like even though I haven’t considered it. The books about some off-the-wall subject, the framed photo of a special day, the item of clothing I often complain about not having, the widget for making something I do more often than I realise a little bit easier…. I’m going to do a list but hope that it doesn’t stop people buying my something else instead.
Now, what on Earth am I going to buy my wife for Christmas now that Bon Jovi have refused to come and play a concert in our back garden?
