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Grandma's Box

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When I was a kid my Grandma had a box.  I think it was originally an old cigar box and later grew into a shoe box or whatever else she had.  Throughout the year, as you found something that you thought you needed it was your job to tell your mom, and her job in turn to either write it on a piece of paper or cut out the add from the Sears Wish Book, as it were, and get it into Grandma's box with your name on it.  The purpose of course was so that when your birthday or Christmas came around and everyone started asking, "What would you like for Christmas?" you could just say, "Oh, it's in the box."  Or sometimes relatives would just ask, "have you got anything in the box with your name on it?" 
 
Of course the only problem with the box was keeping it updated.  Especially when one is young, changing fads and tastes often made the box submissions obsolete.  However, the idea iteself was still sound. 
 
So much so, in fact, that as soon as I could make a website, way back when I found Homestead.com in 2000, I put up a list of all the things that I wanted and, at times, even links to the best place to find them.  This idea was really a mutation of Grandma's Box and the idea of Bridal/baby registry.  As I registered for my wedding presents back in 1999 it occured to me that we could do this for birthday's and Christmas as well.  Think about it.  Anyone could walk into a store and say they are getting married.  Heck you could do it every year and register for gifts and then when someone asked you what you wanted, you could simply say that you are registered at B cubed or Target.  I know it seems like a lot to think about, but I was tramatized by 42 pairs of socks that I recieved for my fifth birthday.  Just kidding. 
 
I was so impressed at my genious idea that I even encouraged my students to make similar websites with their lists for Christmas.  We finished them by Thanksgiving and created business cards that had the Wish List website listed on them.  Then when all of my students' relatives asked them what they wanted for Christmas (which always seems to happen at Thanksgiving) they just whipped out their business card and kindly suggested that they check out their new website.  I have been doing this with my classes for the past five years and every January after winter break my students would all return with tales of the best Christmas ever and how they had never before recieved such an accurately purchased load of presents. 
 
My Grandma died several years ago (2003) but it is in her memmory that I dedicate the idea of the wish list.  Several websites enable you to create your own wishlist for others to view if they go to that site, but I think that my grandma came up with the idea first.  Actually, it was probably her grandma, but I never met her so we'll just give credit to Pamela J. Gates instead. 















This list has transformed over the years, and since no one really looks at this website, this list has become a place for me to store ideas and to remember what it is I need to spend my gift certificates on and other thinigs that I want to buy. 
 
 
 
I have been enjoying my Zune video/music player for the last year.  Microsoft version of the iPod.  I got the 30GB one that is a little bigger than the new ones that just came out.
 
I am trying to do a lot of home improvement this year so the only thing I really need right now is gift certificates to Home Depot.

I am trying to replace interior doors.  I also want to paint, get some concrete work done, get new carpet and tile, put some shelving in my closets, etc.  Just to name a few of the projects that I have been planning to do since I  moved in and have not been able to get to.

Clothes

I lost some more wieght recently and none of my clothes fit me.  I have found that Vans button up shirts that are "fitted" fit me really well.   Sometimes I can buy clothes at Kohls.  I still have not found shorts that fit me but the fitted dress shirts are good.  Dress pants are tough too.  I have started to have to buy M size t-shirts.  I have been down to 140 lbs for a few months now and I am trying to stay there.

DVD's

Used DVD's and books are available for a good pirce at www.half.com or secondspin.com.  Be advised that it can take up to 14 days to get your purchase through media mail.  I recently tried using Netflicks and I am watching movies instead of TV these days since nothing is on.  However, there are still some movies that I want to own. 

The Song Remains the Same - Led Zeppelin

Step Into Liquid

Shine

Drummer's Colective (available online, $26.00 at half.com)

The Endless Summer II (I keep losing this one for some reason, I already have the first one on DVD)

Books and Magazines

I have been enjoying drum magazines lately. Particularly "Rhythm" from London. It always comes with a CD on the front. Available at Borders mostly and few Barnes and Nobles carry it.

This year I read American Psycho, Fight Club and I am slowly editing two manuscripts. I often read books that I know are going to be made into movies. I also have been using the Kevin Mitnick books in my classes and enjoy books about technology or that have been written by Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniack, or the like.  I also want to read Bruce Lee's Book the Toa of Jeet Kun Do.

CD's

Due to the falling price of memory in general I have recently been able to start having fun with MP3 music and players. I often rip songs from my personal library to play while I work out. The following is a list of CDs that I either have lost over the years or still do not have. 

Paint is a good price at Walmart, but never buy CD's there, they actually bleep the ones with explicit lyrics, and I don't believe in censorship of any kind
 
The Offspring's New Album
 

Micellaneous

I need purple Penn racquetballs
 
There is a Metallica Ornament at Metallica.com that is really cool. Plain black with the Metallica logo on it.  I looked the other day and could only find one in Red (either is fine), they also have some Master of Puppets pillow casses, lightswitch cover, a skull Ying Yang poster, and some other really cool items.

Gift Certificates

Gift Certificates are always a good bet and perfectly acceptabel gifts in my book. It seems I am always buying stuff from Vons, Home Depot, Target, Guitar Center, Costco, and Best Buy.

 
 

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Wicked Cool Man!