Believe it or not, Christmas is only a week and a half away. It feels like only yesterday that I was complaining about people putting up their holiday decorations too early, but now the malls are already completely flooded with people frantically looking for the perfect gifts for the loved ones in their lives. What do I hope to find under my humble tree this year? Here are a few items from my wish list.
8-Bit Apparel Frank Gore T-Shirt ($24.99)
While I would hardly call myself any kind of real t-shirt collector, I really do enjoy t-shirts that are particularly geeky or nerdy in some way. I have a shirt that mashes up Street Fighter with Calvin and Hobbes, for example. I also enjoy shirts that have something of a retro gaming appeal, like one that I have that features the Avengers in an 8-bit NES kind of art style.
And that’s why I think this officially-licensed NFLPA series from 8-Bit Apparel is so neat. They’ve basically taken a generic 8-bit football player (perhaps inspired by Tecmo Bowl) and told us that he’s supposed to represent a pro player. I like the Frank Gore tee in particular, but there are also some other designs that feature the “likeness” of players like Andrew Luck and Eli Manning.
APC BE550G 550VA 8-Outlet Backup UPS ($59.99)
It goes without saying that I rely on my computer (and my Internet connection) to run my freelance writing business. When I was still working primarily on a laptop, this wasn’t an issue, but since moving to a desktop PC a few years ago, I’ve come to require a proper uninterruptible power supply for my home office. This way, if there’s a surge or a power outage, I have enough time to save my work and shut down my computer.
Well, the battery on my existing UPS is now expired, so I need a replacement. I thought about getting something bigger, but then I figured a smaller APC BE550G
IKEA Hemnes 3-Drawer Chest ($149.99)
This is probably the least interesting of the five items on this Christmas wish list, but it’s probably the one that would prove the most useful in my day-to-day life. Even though we’ve lived in this house for over two years, we’re still not really done furnishing it. It’s not like we’re in any kind of rush, since we’re not going anywhere. There’s already a six-drawer Hemnes dresser in our bedroom, but having a Hemnes 3-drawer dresser along the other wall would give us more storage for our clothes and such. And, you know, it would match and everything.
Canon VIXIA HF R400 HD Camcorder ($299.99)
Video is an incredibly important part of what the Internet has become in the last few years. I recognize this and that’s why I enjoy populating my YouTube channel with videos like the recent Treasure Island tour, but those are still being shot on an admittedly archaic Flip Mino HD pocket camcorder. I really should have something better for this purpose on a camcorder along the lines of the Canon VIXIA HF R400
Microsoft Xbox One Console ($499.99)
With all of that controversy surrounding the “always needs to be online” fiasco with the Xbox One, I thought that I may be switching over to the Sony PS4 for this generation of home consoles. However, there really aren’t any must-have titles on either platform at the moment that really interest me with one very notable exception: Killer Instinct.
And it is for that reason alone that I am interested in getting the Microsoft Xbox One
What Do You Want for Christmas?
Receiving any of the items on this list could make me happier than the Nintendo 64 kid, but in all honesty, all I really want this Christmas is a quiet evening at home, sipping on some eggnog while I watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special for the umpteenth time. That, and if people read and love Beyond the Margins… and if I can get the print version shipping as soon as possible.
What about you? What’s on your wish list?
Interesting gifts Michael. Looks like you are trying to stock a another home office, with the exception of the dresser.
Clothes, tech to protect, video for your trips, and recreation for when you get writers block.
Me, I have a few things on the list. First, I want my kids to have at least their most wanted gift from Santa and happiness. That really would be all I really need, but I do want some clothes, and a dual USB, eSata toaster to be able to retrieve client data. It might be nice to have a few extra USB drives, like one of those terabyte ones you reviewed.