Friday, December 26, 2003

Low Rider

Featured in this banner are two of Kelly's Christmas presents from this year: a Bratz doll (for some reason she really likes these things) astride an RC truck. I don't even want to get started on the mountain of toys she got, between us and her grandparents, aunts, uncles and distant friends, but thanks to all you contributors out there! I swear each year, that she gets more toys in one holiday than I recall getting in my entire career as a Christmas child. Probably not true, but it surely feels that way.

Most of my presents to Jean and Kelly went over well, with the exception of a book-on-CD, which she had just checked out of the library this week! So she gets to take one thing back to the store. Oh well, not too bad a ratio.

Jean and I bought each other an early Christmas present, the Roomba vacuum cleaner. We've been using it for the past week, and it fulfills my expectations as an interrim light vacuum. We bought it using some of the money we'd set aside for tests my doctor ordered for my annual physical, which turned out not to be needed. So, found money, as I like to say.

I opened all my 'rebagged' gifts from the NOVA Christmas party last weekend. I got a great cookbook from Lisa, many goofing toys from Alan (two Star Wars Lego kits and a foam ring 'gun'). Tom gave me the Season One DVD from Red vs. Blue, which turned out to be a great gift, as I have watched the entire season, the Outtakes, the P.S.A.s, and the Directors' comment track on Christmas day. Good choice, Tom!

James gave me two cool gifts. The first was a Japanese import game for the Gameboy Advance, based on the current remake of Astroboy, which James knows I consider my first 'anime', having seen it and practically worshipped it as an 8-10 year-old in Washington, D.C. (UHF! UHF! UHF!). The menus, printed manual, and everything else are in Japanese, and since I put my Japanese studies on hold until Kelly gets out of the house, it's all 'Greek' to me. So it'll be a challenge to work through some of it. I even got stuck in the introductory training level as the key combos started scrolling past too fast and poor little Astroboy got creamed by the sample monsters.

The other gift I got from James was a Hot Wheels model of the Mach 5, or Mach Go Go Go!, from Speed Racer, another cartoon from that childhood era which included such gems as Ultraman and Eigth Man. Boy, I'm tearing up here with the nostalgia. . Last but not least, John got me a DVD. Rather, he offered me a choice of one out of seven or eight different movies and anime. I finally settled on Boondock Saints, as I'd seen it but never owned it, and I have heard that there will be a sequel, so best to refresh my memory.

Gifts from the family were limited to stocking stuffers and a couple of personal gifts, as I'd already spent my gift money on buying an upgrade to Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther). All the computers in the household are running it now! Cool!

I just ate one of my presents, vegetable curry, with my dinner. Other presents include a Skeptical Inquirer magazine, a terrycloth pillow for soaking in the tub, some Chinese spicy sauce, and another personal favorite, my own DVD of Strictly Ballroom. Jean and I rented this movie many years ago, and it is just a pleasure to watch, both for the dancing, and for the drama and comedy of the storyline. I can't wait to watch it again.

The final present I'll mention was a minicase for my Gameboy Advance SP. I've been using the case for my old GBA, which is oversize. It has the advantage that I can fit most all of my games in the same case, but it is bulky. The minicase can fit two games, if you count the one in the GBA. I expect I'll use both, on different occasions.

I got money too, even though I spent the money Jean usually give me on the OS upgrade. So I put most of it in the bank to cover my expenditures for everybody else. Funny how that works!

And now, I'm being summoned to help my daughter brush her teeth (braces and all), so I'll just wish you all happy holidays, and post something more tomorrow...

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