OK, I know it's better to give than to receive and all that, but what is the best thing you received this year?
For me, it's gotta be the home theater system that my wife and brother-in-law gave to me. We spent about 4 1/2 hours installing it yesterday - it can be a wiring nightmare if you have lots of components, Tivo, etc.
For sentimental value - my 4-year-old daughter got me a nice bag of whole coffee beans. Bless her.
One nice thing about having family over to our mini-chateau - I got to raid my sister's CD collection - got Elliott Smith, Peter Case, X, Plimsouls, Steve Earle, Joe Strummer and much more.
Well, for my Jewish X-Mas, I'm sure I'll enjoy Brian Wilson's "Smile", the "Ray" soundtrack, and that DVD of "Sweet Charity"...but I'm still waiting on that world peace thing.
But, Sammy, be glad you have family members who's music you would actually care to raid. In my case, I'd have a choice between my brother and law's Shania Twain records, my nephews' sub-Green Day/nameless (to me) rap and metal records (Kid Rock? Fred Durst??), and my sister's Eagles collection. What can you say about people's musical tastes when they like the Eagles and Shania, but despise actual country music? Oh, and did I mention they actually still have their "Macarena" CD?
On the upside, my sis did introduce me to the Beatles and my bro-in-law to Steely Dan....
The best thing I recieved was something I had all along. I'm gonna get sappy now, so sorry.
My parents moved into a new house this Fall, and this is their first Christmas in the house. A lot of family turmoil and tenative resolution have made things easier...and my parents and lil sis and I had a wonderful Christmas. A few family members with whom my relationship is strained seem to be tentively better. I have have a 3.8 GPA from this semester from Hell. I couldn't have done it if it weren't for my familr and friends.
The presents were exchanged, yes, but words were exchanged, too, ideas were exchanged. We acted like a family again, and it was the most incredible thing I've ever felt. Then, having friends come by was just great. We just wanted to see each other and make each other smile.
It's ben a rough year for me, my kin and my friends--we've all been through some rought shit in one way or another. But we--in various configuations--came to the aid of whomever needed it and took care of thangs.
The point? Yes, I have one.
Now, more than ever before, I am blessed; somehow, I've ended up with the craziest, goofiest, most beautiful, inelligent, graceful group of people. And some of these people share my blood. I don't share a blood bond wih my friends, family doesn't always require blood. The people I saw together are my brothers and sister as much as Nesie and Janee are.
This year, getting to see my friends and family, all in well health and doing well. None of the other things (the Chcocat hat and scarf!!!!; jeans; a necklace; 2 shirts; CASH!; and Bath and Body Worka atuff, in my favorite scent...all great gifts...having the people there to deliver them meant more to me.
Bottom Line: family and friends--provided hey're goo--are the best gifts. This year, it certainly does for me. I loved every minute of being home. Having my family and friends was the best thing I could have asked for.
If there's one thing you can say about mankind--there's nothing kind about man
Grandtheft Parsons (Johnny Knoxville as Kauffman with a made up Christina Applegate character? Could work.) Dawsons Creek Season 3 Star Wars: Knights Of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
I must say that my best gift was the Creative Zen Xtra. I was actually a tad disappointed by the thought of it- until I actually opened it. I had read bad review after bad review about this, and had my heart set on the Zen Touch. But, this Xtra is 30gb (10 more than the Touch), and I have had no problems at all with it. I love the sound quality and it's a great player.
My best unexpected gift was the season one DVD of Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Hours and hours of laughing like a hyena and throwing microwave popcorn into the air. It is, truly, the gift that keeps on giving.
if we can rock together, why can't we walk together?
While I've gotten quite the loot this year, my best gift by far was having Blue by my side this holiday. He's willing not only to celebrate xmas with me, but also come to Indiana and spend gads of time with my extended family.
As always a totally engrossing read by Wolfe. Nothing terribly new in it - but told with tons of detail . Of course I've no way of knowing how credible it is but I enjoyed it.
A long read - c.700 pages - but I did it in three days. Of course , it helped that I spent most of them lying on the beach here on Gran Canaria ( off Africa) , a welcome break from the snow ' n ice back in Dublin.
I received a few really nice gifts from family and friends, and the love I got from some of them at the end of what has been a difficult year for me, well, it was life-affirming.
However I have to say that my darling brother-in-law took the proverbial cake when he gave me this, just before I got on the train from Philly to Boston. He said he thought I 'needed' it; meaning he wanted me to have something truly special and he knew I'd appreciate this....
