It's Not What You've Got, It's What You Give

It has been a while since I've made much of a post. I had been wanting to do a little bit of a "what I got for Christmas" post, and while this will be something of that, I'm going to tell some about what I gave, too, because as I age I find that more of my joy comes from giving than receiving.


So, what I got. Much very cool stuff. One of the tops on my list Tom Petty's "Highway Companion" CD. Every track on this disc is tasty. I got a nice set of pajamas. Usually my tastes run towards some baggy shorts and a button up top (for some reason, they always seem to have three large buttons) but this pair has long baggy pants with no elastic, just a drawstring, and a T-shirt. There seems to be no content tag on the shirt, I'm not sure what it's made of, but the fabric feels great.

Another one I'm sure I'll enjoy (when I get to it, more on that in a few) is Stephen King's "Lisey's Story". I have yet to read a story of his that I don't like. My oldest boy got me C-3PO. This is another of my favorites, because he picked it out himself and bought it with his own money. I got a tin of licorice flavored Altoids from the younger. They know of my fondness for licorice. One of the few things I had asked for was a new belt, and I got a belt. It's nice. Brown, woven leather. I bought for myself an 18" breaker bar, 1/2" to 3/8" adapter, short wobble extension, and a hand socket spinner adapter. Ironically, I am in a position to get a better price on all that stuff than anyone else. My parents got me a complete set of metric and SAE nut drivers, and for both myself and my wife a 4 person tent and a shiatsu massging cushion. Both very cool. We went down and visited with Sammy Christmas evening, and he got me a NICE watch. I almost feel like it's too nice for me, it is a very handsome Kenneth Cole. Oh yea, my sister made up a belated batch of tamales and some green sauce. Made my yule season!!!

Now, onto the stuff I gave. I picked up another Stephen King novel, "Cell" for my wife. I also got Dean Koontz's latest, Brother Odd. I don't know of a single other character who has been the subject of more than one of Koontz's books. I remember when the first sequel book came out and my wife was trying to remember the name, and asked "Odder Thomas???" I said yes, Otter Thomas, he is valued for his pelt. Great stories, I have absconded with this book and am currently working my way through it. That's OK, she's currently reading through the first of the two other books I got her, "Digging James Dean", the fourth in the Nina Zero series. Probably after she finishes that one, she'll be onto the next one, "Zero to the Bone". It is a great thing to have the same taste in literature, I get to enjoy the gifts I've gotten for her. I also bought her a Victoria's Secret "Rapture" gift set. Yet another gift for her that I get to enjoy.

That is a gift that we have passed onto our sons, I think, our love of reading. My oldest got several books, too. Two from the Charlie Bone Series, two from the Artimus Foul series, a Lego Exoforce graphic novel, and I think some other book or two. He also got a skate board, a couple of PC games, a couple of Lego sets, a crew of Storm Troopers (to chase C-3PO around, I guess) and a lot of military vehicles. When I tried to pin him down on what his favorite gift was, he told us that he likes everything that he got.

We got a few books for the younger boy too. There is a Cat in the Hat rain forest book I'd never heard of before that he got, as well as a backyardagins story, and a train book that came with a pillowtick cap and bandana and train whistle. Oh, and many Thomas products. And a Spider Man scooter. His favorite, though, is a stuffed jaguar that he has named Spot. He loves that thing, even though he is known to swing it around by the tail.

Another one that seems to have been quite well received was a keychain mag light and a keychain size Leatherman-type tool. I noticed afterwards, though, that the little tool, while pictured next to keys, has no provision to attach it to a keychain.

I'm sure this list is not all-inclusive, but I believe I've hit a lot of the high points.