Christmas Cards

This has inadvertently become an annual tradition here on Beyond the Rhetoric. Yes, many people say that Christmas has become far too commercial and it’s become far too much about “gimme this” and “gimme that,” but I just can’t help myself. Rather than breaking it down into three levels of realism, like how I did for my Christmas wish list three years ago, I figured a simpler list would be easier. So, what do I want for Christmas this holiday shopping season?

Panasonic 20mm F.1.7 Pancake Lens

This is a holdover from last year’s list. As you may already know, I’m the proud owner of an Olympus E-PL1 micro four-thirds digital camera and this allows me to play around with interchangeable lenses. The 14-42mm kit lens is fine for what it is and the recently acquired Olympus 40-150mm telephoto served me well for shooting in the Outback, but I still want this Panasonic Lumix lens. Why?

There are two reasons. First, it is a “pancake” lens, which is much more compact than the other lenses for my camera. That’ll help make it more pocket-friendly. Second, it has a wider F1.7 aperture, which will help me in low-light conditions and give me a leg up in the bokeh department. Retail price is about $350.

Asus Zenbook UX Series Ultrabook

I had previously asked for an Asus thin and light notebook as part of my holiday wish lists and while I’d still love to have one to replace my aging Dell, I’m getting quite enamored by the UX Series Ultrabook instead. It’s a beautiful machine that should offer enough power, yet also provide better battery life for my exploits on the road. Pricing starts at about $1,000 and goes up with better specs.

Home Theatre Surround Sound System

There’s just something about having a great home theatre experience. It would be fantastic to get a new HDTV — and that’s definitely on my list — but I really want to handle the audio side of the equation too. I’m trying my best to avoid the “home theatre in a box” solutions, since those aren’t as versatile, aren’t as powerful, and simply aren’t as good. A better solution with a good receiver and a good set of speakers will be much more enjoyable, but sadly much more expensive too. Not surprisingly, pricing ranges considerably between different brands and models.

Qanba Q4RAF 3-in-1 Real Arcade Fightstick

As the guy behind Hadouken Online, it should come as little surprise that I’m a pretty big fan of Street Fighter. I have a couple of arcade sticks already, but one (by X-Arcade) has a cumbersome connection scheme and the other (by Hori) uses lower quality parts. The Qanba is looking like a terrific solution with great parts, great art, and fantastic versatility. It can be used on an Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, so I can play just about anywhere. Depending on the art and version, the Q4RAF is about $160-$220.

Super Mario Bros Mushroom Pillows

Continuing with the gaming theme, I’d like to do a little bit of decorating. More specifically, I’d love to give my living room a little more geeky flair and a range of Super Mario Bros. mushroom pillows in a variety of colors would be a great way to do it. My couch is a subdued beige (ironically called “mushroom” by The Brick), so these splashes of color would help to brighten up the room. I’ve seen them sell for about $20 each, though I’m sure I could find a better deal shopping in Hong Kong or Taipei.

My Amazon Wish List is a perpetual work in progress, but it is mostly for my own sake to keep track of what I’d like to have. Truth be told, just as in previous years, I won’t be too disappointed if I don’t get any of these items for Christmas. I’ll be happy just to spend some quality time with my friends, family, and loved ones. Happy holidays, everyone!