ALL I GOT FOR CHRISTMAS
Our tree, standing proud. It fell a few days before Christmas, and we had to do a complicated stand-transfer maneuver.
These are Jessica's gifts from me. I wrapped them all myself. I am a bad-ass wrapper.
What did I get for Christmas? Thank you for asking …
Trying to keep it old-school, like my Grammie used to do, Jessica got me socks and a sweater.
My buddy George works with Ted Turner, and had him personalize a copy of 'Call Me Ted' for me.
Jess knocked it out of the park with some great accessories, including a rare Smart Glass pendant and some Frank Lloyd Wright cuff links.
It's not a cool Christmas for a guy unless he scores some solid gadgetry. I got a Bluetooth system for the car, a Flip Mino camera (which is not in the picture for some reason), a Philips Steamium from my friends at Philips Arena, and a solar charger for small things. Once this lousy weather passes, I may run my Blackberry on 100% solar power. A small gesture, but every little bit helps!
Wendy from the show drew me in Secret Santa and very thoughtfully got me a bunch of Paris-related travel books. The Eyewitness book was recommended by a friend, so I can't wait to check it out.
Last, but certainly not least, Mom & Dad weighed in from Upstate NY with a fine selection of perfect gift certificates. And, the usual personalized tree ornaments.
Not pictured, but worthy of a mention: Bert & Stacey gave me a kneeboard for summer use on the lake. Equally important was Wendy’s tutorial on how to actually use a knee board. And I ‘won’ a glorious feline sculpture from my friend Mitchell (who prepared an awesome Christmas feast) in the White Elephant exchange post-dinner.
Mitchell, wearing the traditional Christmas day ensemble of red and leather, opens his White Elephant 'bear in the woods' bowl. Nobody dared trade him, as he loved it so much.
Yesterday was an A+ day. And tomorrow we leave for Paris. So, life is good. Selfishly, I hope that I am half as blessed in ‘09 as I have been in ‘08, and in the spirit of the season (and knowing that the world is kooky these days) I hope for everyone reading this that all you desire is half what you receive in the coming year.
