f13.net

It's that time of year again, where people close to you give you stuffs, I'll start off the tally.

I got a Ginsu knife set, a garmin 255wt gps, this awesome little UFO helicopter toy thing, and a shirt that actually fits me from express.

The girlfriend got an HP2709m monitor, a diamond heart necklace from Zales, and a bunch of computer parts she bought put into a case. (13.3k 3dmark without overclocking)

The loot I'm most proud of this Christmas is the assortment of duplo block sets I sent to my niece and nephew (mix of plain bricks, trains, and zoo animal stuff -- after much research into what has the most "real blocks" and the least "single giant one-purpose piece").  I was shocked to learn that currently they have *no* building blocks at all and immediately vowed to fix that for the holidays.  I discovered that mom recently ended up with a DS, so she gets a copy of the new DS Mario Bros and Chrono Trigger (not entirely sure she'll be into RPGs, but worth a shot).

I bought me a new comfy leather couch and chair (the old couches are now 11 years old and showing their age), and a Ricoh Digital GR III.

I got a handful of cavities, $50, and an empty apartment for 11 days.

Get them an erector set as soon as they're old enough.  I have so many fond memories with that thing, it is easily the best of the "I want to be an engineer!" youngin toys, but with all the little screws and stuff they've got to be over the choking hazard age.

I lived and breathed Lego as a kid, so that was my first thought, but yeah erector sets are also good stuff -- they're a little young for that yet.  In the middle are tinker toys, which are fun too.  My goal as uncle is to ensure my sister's offspring lack not for engineering and science oriented toys. 

We bought outselves all of The Shield and The Wire and both seasons of Rome on DVD, and a nice pile of Blu-Rays.

I got her some jewelery, some art books, cook books, some upscale dolls (LotR, Ancient Greeks, and some femfigs), a TV (opened and used a few weeks ago), a bunch of co-op 360 games and a wired controller. There's also another package for her that hasn't yet arrived, with more upscale dolls in it.

She got me a couple of Star Wars books (those DK ones, not novels), a PS3 (opened and used awhile back), some nuts, a mug, and paid for a bunch of 360/PS3 games for me. Apparently I'm hard to buy for since I just buy myself whatever I want right away.

Also got a close to life-sizedTerminator skull from my parents to add to my collection of Sci-Fi/fantasy/military helmets and heads.


Now I just need a bigger house to put all this shit in.

A couple of sweaters, some PJs, a red panda calander, and a PS3.  I really wasn't expecting the latter.

SCORE! ;D

Much as I have my own fond memories of erector sets, get Lego Mindstorms.  Actual robots are so much better than ones where you have to pull all the knobs and levers by hand.

--Dave

I wish I'd thought to give you cavities for xmas. I never think of the clever gifts!

[edit] as for loot, I got 6 cards, and 3 bottles of the same brand of absinthe. From 3 people in different parts of the country who weren't in contact with each other.

I asked for nothing from my wife but she got me a wallet.   My inlaws got me a Sandman omnibus (The Doll's House) and a red UofA hat and shirt.  I'll likely get one gift tomorrow as my family exchanges names (hoping I get Uncharted 2).

I don't need much of anything and I was sincere that I didn't want anything.  New baby was more than enough.

There's only 2 separate brands available in America and one of them is not widely carried outside of the heart of major cities. It also costs $40 more. So, it's not ENTIRELY unlikely for that to happen.

I told everyone that if they were going to spend money on a gift for me (after I basically told them not to) to put it in my kid's 509 college fund instead. 

A bottle of High West 21-year-old, a bass, a guitar hero guitar, a couple of suits and a new topcoat.

So far I've got a picture book "History through Headlines" and a cartoon book "Computers: They drive you crazy" Actually I'm not crazy really. I just get these headaches...

I've gotten to that point in my life where I'm now much more the giver than the receiver of gifts; this year my family pooled together and paid for a few days of my hotel stay when I flew back home for Thanksgiving. The office gave me a Flip miniature HD video camera.

I got myself a copy of Red Faction: Guerrilla on Steam. And a €45 slab of beef, which is going to go into the oven in about an hour.

Picked up Silent Service III pack and X-Com pack from Steam for myself  :grin:

Now, off to see what is on sale today!

What kind of topcoat and from where?  I need a dressy winter coat and got a card from the folks that said "one winter coat of your choice".  Not sure where to start looking. 

Got some M-Audio powered monitors, we'll see if they do what I want.  White Sambas, 3 dress shirts, some socks, salt and pepper shakers that look too complicated to work well and a slap chop probably due to me showing the rap chop video to my brother.

Can't speak for the salt, but if it's a automatic pepper mill, I swear by mine.  Especially when I keep it stocked with  the European Style Peppercorns blend (http://"http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyseuropeanpepp.html") from Penzeys.

I got:

Multiple bottles of port!  Although one is tawny and really, nobody likes tawny port.  I'll still drink it, though.
Several books, including Legacy of Ashes (http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Ashes-History-Tim-Weiner/dp/0307389006/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261786575&sr=1-1) and The Uttermost Part of the Earth (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1585679569/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0486257517&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=004JWG7X52PY4FGWCABF).
Wardrobe upgade - new pair of black dress shoes and a new formal winter coat (both to be chosen by me)
My plane tickets for my recent trip to South America were paid for.
A bit of cash that I'm going to spend on even more clothes.
Possibly, a freaking CAR - but I was going to make another thread about that.

I'm also going back to university in January and that's going to be completely paid for by the folks even though I'm 28.  I know we haven't made the annual  Festivus "airing of thanks" thread yet, but honestly, I'm pretty damn spoiled.

Tawny's are awesome.   I've got a few bottles stashed away that I need to find a good excuse for at some point.

The Black Hole on DVD.  My marriage is solid! :why_so_serious:
Start Trek, probably on bluray.
The Joy of Cooking, current edition.  Facsimile of the original is for the birthday.
Clothes.
Calaphon grill, the two-plate one.
The boy bought me a lava lamp.  A blue one!  I have wanted one of those since I was a boy.  Amazing that he picks out these things himself.  Although I suspect it is because we have similar taste in toys.

Giving is the thing now, not getting, unless it's "quiet time".

Got some more building sets for the boy, and two new Nerf guns.  OH, fuck, Nerf guns are awesome these days.  He got one that looks very much like the RYNO V and shoots pretty much identically; also a single-or-rapid-fire rifle with a coil magazine.  This is in addition to the laser-sighted pistol and strobeing glow-dart revolving barrel jobber.  Killjoy is supposed to bring over his Nerf sniper rifle.  I'm glad I didn't have a girl.

Also: Bakugan.  You just don't know which one until it happens.  I would have put money on Pokemon, but apparently I'm old.

Several science-items, like two kiddie circuit-making things and a chemistry lab.  No, one for the tiny kids, makes colors instead of poison gas.

Got the wife a DDR game for the Wii.  No, she asked for it.  No, she is playing Dragon Age instead. :oh_i_see:

I still can't buy video games since my birthday is on January 5.

Money, which I will now pool in for my PS3.

This is how I celebrate X-mas with my brother in law. We each bring great wines to my mother in law's so we can survive the day. Here are today's dead soldiers (well 4 of the 6 anyways):

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/Abagadro/X-masdeadsoldiers.jpg)

For myself I ended up with the new Medusa headset (http://www.medusa-usa.com/medusa-nx-51-gaming-headset-p-954.html), a dangerously comfortable black leather lazy-boy as my new computer chair, and a massive shopping spree on Steam.

A PS3 and Demon Souls.
Persona 4 (I had no idea what it was about, only wishlisted it due to F13 recommendation threads)
Samurai 7 complete boxed set.

I'm a happy camper tonight.

A book - World Encyclopedia of Mythology - from my mom.  She knows what I like.
2010 calendar of Hubble photos.
Santa ornament (old style ceramic one)
Santa statue (I enjoy getting Santas for Christmas, it's a collecting thing).

All that from my mom.  Along with a box of homemade candy (dark chocolate covered pecans - yum!).

The husband got me another Santa ornament (first of a Hallmark series).
A snowman light up ornament.
Some gummi bears and Ferro Roche candy.
Santa ornament #2 (he's in a kilt with bagpipes!!!  I love it!)
Santa statue - ironically the exact same one my mom got for me.

Hooked up the 42'' LG 1080p I got my sister. Got the picture settings locked in. Hooked up the PS3 and popped in the Matrix blu ray I got as a gift and... wow. I've been officially mindfucked. Trinity has sexy peachfuzz around the edge of her ear  :awesome_for_real:

I got 18 x-rays for not visiting a dentist for five years. But no cavities!

My wisdom teeth kinda grew in.

Facing forward.

And compacting my molars.

And making them an impenetrable mound of filth. Actually, not true. All the cavities are on the inside parts, none on the top or anything. Such a pain in the ass.

The wife got me this:
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s183/ec1016/DwarvenForgestuff.jpg)
4 sets of Dwarven Forge 3D terrain for D&D. plus:

Star Trek II & IV
Miscellaneous D&D books/maps
Bunch of Mountain dragon shirts.

/geek

Some clothes and a... blanket..  :awesome_for_real:

Actually, I've been getting a break for the past couple of months to splurge. Call it an early Christmas. I'm grateful for it.

I need some dental work myself. Damn temporary crown fell out, but haven't been able to get around to it.


If anyone is going to like it, it'd be you (*actually, anyone should like it.. But the style is very much up your alley).

Fuck, dude.  That's what happened to me, and my dental insurance covered wisdom teeth removal - like $120 for a complete bony extraction.  Of course, they didn't actually have in providers in the entire fucking state that would do it, so I'm not sure what the point of listing it was.

$1800 and 2 bottles of vicoden later, I don't get jolts of pain shooting through my jaw every time I walk.

Pretty simple year.  

Leatherman Skeletool CX

PS3:
GOW compilation
Ghostbusters
Assassin's Creed 1 and 2
(wife got singstar 1 and 2)

Gift card to amazon

Pair of Columbia snow boots

Wii:
Super Mario Bros Wii (daughter got this, but I'm claiming half of it - it's fairly fun)

Some awesome trail mix, more candy than granola

That's about it.  Fairly simple year.  

EDIT: DOH!  Forgot about the Belgian waffle maker, too!  It's awesome.

I had a really nice Pinot Noir from Bourgogne last night. 2007 vintage I think; I'll try to dig up the bottle. Not terribly expensive but quite delightful.

http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=11268.msg747690#msg747690

...and a 4g mem card for my phone in addition to a lot of bad noise on my girlfriend's side of the family.

I got a shirt, two sweaters, "The Savage Detectives", a couple bluray movies, oh, and:


This is going to be interesting.

 :oh_i_see: :awesome_for_real: :uhrr: :ye_gods: :oh_i_see: :drill: :drill: :drill:

Anyone know any romantic spots in New Orleans? lol

You're pregnant?  Congrats!

Grats Hats!

I got a DVD copy of Ferris Bueller's Day off (though that wasn't much of a surprise since I was the one that picked it out. Still a great film at least) and a couple of Dylan CDs since I got one last year that disappeared before I even left home. My mother also replaced my 21st birthday present which was a bottle of 83 vintage Port that she'd opened earlier in the year and drank :ack:

Oh and I got a shiny new Canon S90 which is so much better than my old (and slightly broken) camera that I'm ecstatic. I also got a horrific hangover for Christmas and got to enjoy a really nice Portugese red called Drink Me that tasted quite similar to a Port.

Not to derail too far but I stayed in a fabulous suite here (http://www.hotelmonteleone.com/hotel-tour/index.cfm) and I highly recommend the pool... after dark on a clear night. Something about swimming in a heated pool at night while looking up at the stars.

Hopefully this will keep you from making so many stupid goddamn posts on facebook.

And grats, I suppose.

Grats man!   

New Orleans - I'd heard good things about the Court of Two Sisters for brunch, but never tried it.  I can vouch for Emeril's NOLA as being damn tasty, though it's apparently become a bit more touristy in the last few years.   

Muffaletta's at Central are good but they are insanely huge.   I despise chicory, so the charms of Cafe DuMonde are lost to me, however you may as well go to say you've been.  Beignets from any random bakery however are well worth picking up.  They make for a damn fine breakfast.

Oh I got ya covered here Hat, The Hotel Maison Deville.
 (http://www.hotelmaisondeville.com/index.html)

It is spectacular on every point. Great location, spectacular rooms, probably THE most comfortable B&B bed I've ever slept in, excellent staff. I've stayed here three times and I can't give it high enough praise.

There are babies everywhere around here lately.  Congrats! 

Knuckles are too sharp

Blues chord song book, because I can't ever remember lyrics. Legendary Shack Shakers and a King Curtis CD (though my fiancee lost the King Curtis disc behind her glove box somehow so I have to disassemble it to get it). A new strainer and colander. Gift cert to the local good beer shop. going for some Warsteiner, Anchor Steam, Weissen Edel-Weisse and other new friends.

Gave my fiancee a couple books I want to read from her wishlist (The Dhammapada and Paddy's Lament, Ireland 1846-1847: Prelude to Hatred) and a couple CDs I wanted (Wolfgang's Big Night Out - Setzer Orchestra, Ludlow Garage 1970 - ABB, Muscle Shoals - Skynryd).

Bought myself a moisture meter to test my firewood, Baroness's Red Album and Risen (which I got for $2 with amazon credits).

I got books, and a couple more books, and towells! and an awesome moon light thing that changes phases and has a remote and everything. And supposedly my parents are going to buy me a bed, but I'm going to try talk them into loaning me money instead.

I want one of those moon dealies, too.

I got a copy of Assassin's Creed 2 and bought myself a copy of Saboteur ($40 at Best Buy atm) with a gift card.  Also got the wireless FragFX Pro (which should correct my only real gripe with the v2 by replacing the existing mouse with a 2000 dpi laser unit) for PS3 from my father of all people.  Other than that, the usual assortment of clothing and a Korean cookbook with enough kimchi recipes to keep my fridge happily fermenting throughout next year.

More importantly, I got to cook a bunch of stuff for people I barely know, which was pretty gratifying.  :)

Oh... got some Spicoli Vans. Sweet.  :grin:

I got a $100 Visa gift card from someone. My mom was going to give cash, but frankly she might need the cash more than me right now so I refused...unless she sneaks it into my account later. And $200 from a buddy who bought my old TV.

Also, $100 from the Taj Mahal in AC from playing a few hours of craps. I intended to lose about $200, so I'm happy enough.  :grin:


As for topcoats, I'm not quite sure what you mean by "dressym" but I like my Jos A Bank longcoat. I've been told it's sexy, for whatever that's worth to you. You can probably get a decent deal right now, too.

Congrats Hat! And I thought you were a guy? If so, please don't go with the "we're pregnant" bit. She's pregnant, and will be doing all the heavy lifting :-)

I had a very narcissitic Christmas. Four games, Martini glasses, cash, and some gift cards. For all the freakin' clothes I need. Desparately.

Most proud gift-giving moment was the DS I got my oldest and the fish we got my youngest. Grandparents on both sides indulged into the ludicrous range again. Best times were with my family though, as usual. Barely-managed chaos 24/7. My wife hates it. She's much too calm a person. It always brings me to nostalgia. Best moment was scratching our heads at the all-day sold out Avatar (still haven't seen it) and then 15 people going to see four different movies.

http://www.last.fm/music/Sparks/_/%28She+Got+Me%29+Pregnant (http://www.last.fm/music/Sparks/_/%28She+Got+Me%29+Pregnant)

An 8" Henckel Chef's knife, and two tickets to the Men's Semi-Final Curling for the Olympics!  :grin:

I landed Windows 7 and a wireless keyboard / mouse combo. Which were the final parts needed to fire up my shiny computer that's connected to the TV. Over the next six months I'm going to do some software sampling, etc. and drop DirecTV when the contract is up. Also, games on a 42" LCD are  :drill:

Sorry if I confused you.  I was teasing Hat because he is holding up the pregnancy test for the picture.

Your family sounds awesome. I never, ever get video/computer games, roleplaying games or any kind of sci-fi/fantasy memorablia from my family. They also constantly try to talk my wife into getting rid of what stuff I have like that.Thankfully my wife is also a nerd so my stuff is safe.

Let's see, I got a Best Buy gift card from my dad, a Hannah Montanna wall poster from him (it was a gag gift meant to embarass me, I promptly hung it on the wall in my dining room and since he lives with me it has caused him to have to concede that his plan backfired), an Amazon gift card from my sister-in-law, a barnes and noble gift card from my brother-in-law, an iPhone from my wife and umm..that's about it. My family have been so poor lately that we've gone to a sort of secret Santa type system where everyone draws a name and you get that one person a present so Christmas is not nearly as full of presents as it used to be.

Hat has rather hairy hands, for a woman.

They are fucking hairy.  I woke up one morning years ago and was like "When did all this fucking hair happen?!"

I blame my middle eastern mother.  ::shakes fist::

Thanks all for the good wishes.  Going to be an interesting year. :)

You're a true Canuck.

I also have one of those knives and my god is it awesome.

Obviously.  Grats on your new title by the way.

Pretty much ya.

Picked up a bottle of this (actually my wife did after a recommendation from her boss) for my dad for Christmas-

(http://www.klwines.com/images/skus/620009x.jpg)

He was sick over Christmas, so I didn't get a chance to give it to him until yesterday. He was kind enough to open it and give me a slug. I have never been a Scotch fan, but apparently I have been drinking the wrong stuff, since this was excellent. I have heard the 18 yo is even better.

Looks like the girlfriend and I are getting a bonus xmas present from her dad - tickets to go see Ron White!   :drill:

How much is it or dare I ask?

Jesus NiX, you have access to google.

To answer your question, though you don't deserve it, $42-$60 (http://www.google.com/products?q=Macallan+12&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=DSM8S9_OJI2vtge_msSGCQ&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CCEQrQQwAg).

Would anybody recommend that over Highland Park 12 year, or are they about on par?

I bought myself a Laphroaig 18y and it's soo good. Then my friend who apparently has a dead palate sucks one down and says he prefers Bushmills. I poured us a round of Bushmills and ecch. So now I'll pour myself the Laphroaig and him the Bushmills. Heathen. Well, he is of English descent, what can you expect? I didn't think I was a Scotch/whiskey drinker until I had the Laphroaig.

Whiskeys and Whiskys are very different beasts. If you like smooth and hate smokey you will probably prefer any Bushmills to a Laphraoig. I'd say for someone who isn't good with or used to very strong flavours this would be a common reaction. That said if he picked a Bushmills original or Black Bush he's a cretin even if I can understand why.

Also I'm not familiar with Highland Park but the Macallan is good stuff.

It was a 12y he bought me a couple years ago, but he says the plain old off the shelf is better.

It's all toothache remedy for me.  I didn't get the English comment, though.  If he was keeping true, he'd ask for gin, no?  Isn't Bushmills Irish?  Didn't we have almost this very same discussion in F13 before?  You don't want to start the New Year being redundant!

Yes, I vow to be dundant this year.

Is that your resolution?

If you have to do a solution again, is it really the proper one in the first place?

Hey! Google has a shopping option! Man, that's some nifty stuff. The internet never ceases to amaze me.

You guys all have points.  I don't mean that in a pervy way.

I finally joined the 21st century and got an HDTV (32" Insignia - no, I don't give a shit about brands, no I didn't pick it out). The picture is spectacular, especially compared to what I'm used to. The joy of football in HD is orgasmic. I also managed to get a few Gamestop cards that I used to buy Madden 10 for the PS2 (I felt the urge for football) and I got Mass Effect and a bunch of PS2 games from a Blockbuster card. Plus cash, Star Trek on DVD and a few odds and ends.

It's funny you said that.  I'll forget HD half the time when I'm watching TV but never ever for football.  Football in HD is an incredibly beautiful thing.