I might buy myself this book on the Soyuz spacecraft. Other than that I'm pretty content with getting nothing at all this Christmas.
I didn't even know there was a giftshop on the Soyuz spacecraft.
Want a thick iPhone with 48 hour battery life and 1 TB space for podcasts.
Nothing is on my actual list.
Bonus link: Cruzing for Christmas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3hB3iOQKjY
I need a new wallet and a couple of belts. Who knew belts wore out? But the only belt I have, the leather is actually starting to be tattered. (I don't wear belts much, but some outfits, you need them.)
I have no money, but I have fierce desires for a new/additional guitar. That's not the sort of thing I'd ask for as a gift, though. Too expensive, even though my tastes are modest.
Pssh. Let's just get you a leather-embroidery kit instead.
Not much. I have like two things on my Amazon wishlist now that I, in a rare moment of having some dignity, took the cat tiara off.
Last year for New Year's (our traditional gift-giving date) Bave and I got each other a turntable that was fancier than either of us would have sprung for individually, and it's been, no kidding, a source of happiness throughout the year.
I think what happened in the last two years was I made enough money that if I felt like buying a banjo, I bought a banjo. So I have less saved up on my brain-internal, composed-of-actual-wishes, non-Amazon wishlist.
Not much. I have like two things on my Amazon wishlist now that I, in a rare moment of having some dignity, took the cat tiara off.
Last year for New Year's (our traditional gift-giving date) Bave and I got each other a turntable that was fancier than either of us would have sprung for individually, and it's been, no kidding, a source of happiness throughout the year.
I think what happened in the last two years was I made enough money that if I felt like buying a banjo, I bought a banjo. So I have less saved up on my brain-internal, composed-of-actual-wishes, non-Amazon wishlist.
All I want for Christmas is the ability not to double post.
I, in a rare moment of having some dignity, took the cat tiara off.
It'd be more dignified to wear human tiaras, and they'd fit better; you should put one on your wishlist.
8.last describes me--instant gratification throughout the year, so no real materialist Christmas wishes. Looking forward to sleeping in, though.
I have a feeling what I am actually getting is some pyjamas or a t-shirt that xelA picked out [I sort of saw something colourful and fabric getting wrapped].
If the lottery fairy arrived:
or
http://www.heritageguitar.com/models/superkb_specs.html
||
I just wanted to share that I was with a relatively new partner last night, and he, in the context of something about his sexual tastes, though now I can't remember exactly what, started a sentence, "I'm a feminist, so ...", and I burst out laughing so hard he couldn't finish. Then I explained why. He then would start laughing spontaneously about "Because I'm a feminist" for the rest of the night.
Also, I really wish I had never heard of Fluevog shoes, because now I want all of them.
||>
No material wishes. Okay, maybe matching sweaters for me and my dog. But other than that? Nothing.
If I magically had an extra thousand dollars and magically wouldn't immediately experience self-loathing for spending it on a thing instead of making up for many years of not saving, I think 1K is about the range for neat old banjopodes from 1900-ish. It would probably make sense to see if I'm going to be any good at the instrument anyway.
I was emailing with in-laws about what to get kids and I usually leave gmail open on computer and I think kid was subject line so knows what he's getting. At least, he said he knows what he's getting and I don't know how else he would figure it out besides email snooping. Time for separate accounts and routine logouts on the family computer.
Banjo... feet? You want old banjo feet?
Headphones. Magic headphones that can't be lost. Also a Nalgene that can't be lost.
There is a long list of expensive material objects I covet, which, for the reasons given in 5, I would not ask for (nor be given) as gifts. Things I want that are within reasonable gift-giving price range, I have always already bought for myself. So there is literally nothing reasonable I could put on any gift list, and, since I don't have any gift list, I'm going to get a bunch of truly horrible shit I hate, for which I'll have to feign appreciation while opening gifts, etc. It's miserable.
There is a long list of expensive material objects I covet
Like what? I'm trying to think of something I'd like, and I'm not coming up with anything. Tell me things I can covet. Coveting can be fun.
OP reminds me of the old joke about the British Ambassador in Washington who was phoned up by a reporter to ask what he wanted for Christmas, and replied that it was very kind and they really shouldn't bother but if they were going to get him something he was rather fond of ginger cookies. And two days later the newspaper reported that it had asked various senior diplomats what they wanted for Christmas; the Soviet Ambassador said he wanted peace among nations, the French Ambassador said he wanted no child to go hungry, the Chinese Ambassador said he wanted the equality of all human beings, and the British Ambassador said he wanted some ginger cookies.
21: Get into photography and you will never lack for objects of covetousness again.
Yeah, I coveted that stuff for a while, and I have, eg, a sweet Gitzo tripod, but since I had kids I've used my DSLR maybe five times.
I really wish my extended family would accept "I don't really want anything (especially anything that is cheap thoughtless garbage)" or its corollary, "if you feel you must do something gift-like on my behalf, please donate monies to one of the following charities: ...", but no.
And actually 20 isn't entirely true: I do appreciate nice booze, which is a great gift. But most of my family won't buy me that.
I would like Seguy insect pochoir prints, especially the rhinoceros beetle one. Maybe some butterflies.
Haeckel prints are affordable.
I would really like the original art for this image
I am past the annual anxiety re what yo get the impossible-to-buy-for better half, huge relief. I figure the usual Terry Riley fan suspects seem to generally loathe the In C recording made in Bamako so there's a decent chance the better half will like it. Also some crazy sounding Lawes recording that seems like it could be fun. I am having a hard time tracking down a copy of Landscapes of Communism not from amazon, it seems very wrong to order a Hatherley book from amazon.
I can't remember what I asked for, to be honest. It has been crazy busy at work, I've had a bad cold, mock trial is in full swing of practices and we keep on having parties even though we also keep on planning not to. So kind of exhausted.
I'm pondering springing for a new fly fishing rig in the spring. Maybe a Loomis NRX 5 weight and a Ross reel. That'd set me back over 1K but I'd likely use it for decades.
This is the first Christmas I'm spending intercontinental distances away from all family, and thus free of the misery described by urple. Gift enough for me!
Headphones. Magic headphones that can't be lost. Also a Nalgene that can't be lost.
A couple of years ago, Buck figured out that the best stocking stuffer ever was multiple pairs of cheapish headphones for each family member, color-coded by owner so thieving becomes difficult. (Oh, Sally loses or breaks all hers by midsummer, and then steals from me and Newt for the rest of the year. But it still means everyone mostly has headphones all year.
32: That is unbelievably wise. I've accepted that I destroy earphones at such a rate that I can no longer justify buying nice Etymotic in-ear buds and so I've switched to cheap Sennheisers that are a third of the price and 80% of the utility.
I'm pondering springing for a new fly fishing rig in the spring. Maybe a Loomis NRX 5 weight and a Ross reel. That'd set me back over 1K but I'd likely use it for decades.
Decadent, gswift. But totally worth it, and you probably would use that rig for decades. I built a couple of Orvis kit rods (4 weights) in the early 90s and am still happily using them. For small streams I prefer the action of the shorter one to that of a bamboo rod I inherited from my dad.
More Criterion collection DVD/Blurays.
Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy.
Kieslowski's Decalogue.
Maybe more Jancso please.
The rest of the Tarkovsky I don't have.
More Ozu. Naruse. Teshigahara.
Some Suzuki.
And all the Hou Hsia-hsien, Tsai Ming-liang, Wong Kar-wai movies on DVD. Like everything possible that has ever been released. Thanks.
Oh, and a round trip plane ticket to a city with a cinema that is playing Jacques Rivette's Out 1 all in one day, or at most over two days (with hotel) And the movie ticket of course.
Maybe a good projector (but I don't really have the wall for it here).
And if I wasn't seriously seeing someone who rocks my world but lives in another country which is not Canada I'd probably want an Xbox 1 (One?) and/or a PS4 and and bunch of games like all the Halo, CoD, Fallout, and The Last of Us, the last of which I hear is an awesome game.
I'm not greedy.
Music is mostly overrated so I don't see the need for earphones.
I really can't think of anything that I want other than boring stuff like some new suits, shirts, or ties.
I moved back into the city so I have less space so I have been making piles of clothes I haven't worn, sporting stuff that I haven't used in forever (roller hockey gear, tennis rackets...), and kitchen things I don't use. Oh, and boxes of old papers that I don't need.
Is this a question about things one covets, or about things one covets and might reasonably expect to receive as a gift (if, he added haughtily, one celebrates christmas at all), or about things one doesn't covet precisely and might reasonably expect to receive as a gift? I need/want a new large cutting board and would like it to be a thick end-grain sort of affair but I don't covet such a thing. And there are articles of clothing, or footwear, which I do covet, but which are priced beyond what I would expect anyone who might give me a gift to spend. Or, say, artworks or ceramics.
I've heard good things about art, but very little of it seems to be as easy to carry on a hike as the kind of tent you can get if you have $800 to spend on it.
Shorter and less snootily cinephiliac 35: Basically a boatload more Criterion, Kino Lorber, etc, DVDs.
But if anyone wants to spring for a round trip ticket to say London or NYC I'm down with that.
36: You can also listen to people talking without music. This is called a "podcast", referring to the technique one uses when fishing for whales.
Is this a question about things one covets, or about things one covets and might reasonably expect to receive as a gift (if, he added haughtily, one celebrates christmas at all), or about things one doesn't covet precisely and might reasonably expect to receive as a gift?
If I had posed this to my parents, I would have gotten coal in my stocking.
would like it to be a thick end-grain sort of affair
I'll bet you would, Scooter.
I recently needed a cutting board and looked at some very fancy wood pieces, but wound up buying a cheap plastic one that I'm perfectly happy with. No maintenance, basically.
38: The OP question doesn't actually include the word "covet" at all.
All I want is all of the Kiyoshi Saito woodblock prints, especially those of cats.
This is called a "podcast", referring to the technique one uses when fishing for whales.
Are the exploding harpoons included or do you have to pay extra for them?
47: But coveting has come up in the thread!
If I had posed this to my parents, I would have gotten coal in my stocking.
Sweet! Free energy!
50: Apparently introduced by urple in 20. Make of that what you will.
An entirely novel desiderative technique.
At least for registries, I think that there should be crowd funding of gifts. People cod out in )50-100 into the purchase of a pair of shoes. Once the cost is met, you get the shoes. When people give me money, I often don't buy the thing that I say I'm going to.
This year, though, the Christmas money from Tim's parents is going to go to a new iMac.
I've heard good things about art, but very little of it seems to be as easy to carry on a hike as the kind of tent you can get if you have $800 to spend on it.
You might look into jewelry.
Does very little to keep the rain off you.
51 Coal beats bupkis which is what I was usually promised when I misbehaved come Xmas time.
I've never actually burned a piece of coal. How hard is it to light on fire?
No one wants a pet eagle?
"They want to be with you. They love you. And they love to kill for you.
(The best part of the article is, I think, the bit where the elders are worrying about the next generation and how it seems like they want to listen to music, meet girls, make money for themselves and so on instead of spending their time alone in the bitter cold of the mountains trying to make friends with vicious predatory birds.)
All I really want for Christmas is the new Zeiss 28. But, a) it's not out yet, and b) nobody loves me enough to drop five grand on a stupid lens.
I got a silly perfume but the girls already snuck and dumped it all outside to make fancy mud, which I'm sure it did. Some books (H is for Hawk and The Goshawk, which I've already started reading but will wrap) and a pair of earrings I sort of like and sort of think may be too much. I could perhaps have done better but oh well.
60 Hell yeah! I'm working my way up to that. And a war owl.
And maybe a villa in Dubai's Falconcity of Wonders for when I visit Chani (note the pyramids and strategically placed Eiffel Tower).
Ooh, things I covet? How about a lovely French perfume like Annick Goutal's le chevrefeuille? Or something spicier like bond no. 9's Chinatown? However, the perfume I like is so expensive and personal I usually just buy it myself. I can't trust others to pick it out for me. I also want some swim fins, but I need to try them on to get the right size. What I really want is a CD player in my car because the Bluetooth that came with it seriously sucks and I want to listen to all my CDs somewhere. I have voiced this opinion loudly and often enough that I think it might be happening. Just thinking about tooling around listening to my music is making me happy.
64: get the ones that go on over separate booties. the barefoot ones can chafe like hell if they don't fit quite right.
32, 33: Somewhere along the line, Apple started making their earbuds sturdier. I used to break a pair roughly once a year (mostly by the cord catching on something and jerking), but I don't think I've done so in 3-4 years.
Everyone says they suck, so I finally got a recommended (but cheap*) pair, which I fucking hate. They're in-ear, but even the smallest pads (or whatever) don't want to go in far enough that they feel secure, and one or the other will pop out with the least impact, and while they're in I can hear them jostling with every step. I cannot fathom what about them is supposed to be good (when they're not pissing me off, the music doesn't sound appreciably better).
*I am simply not in the market for $100 earphones
Why not just ask for the specific perfumes you want? How could that be a problem?
To the OP, one of these bags.
Also some general AV stuff, like additional Sonos speakers and somebody to make my home network more reliable*. AB is about ready for a fancy, flat screen TV (we have a barely-used, smallish CRT upstairs).
*mostly it doesn't reliably power music on the front porch or back yard. I've looked into it some, but there don't seem to be any good solutions because the fundamental issue is that we have a 3 story cube of a house with solid brick walls outside and heavy plaster walls inside. But if I had $1000 to throw at the problem, I'm sure somebody could make me happy.
|| Speaking of buds and potential Christmas presents, Pittsburgh City Council just voted to decriminalize marijuana possession, and the mayor will surely sign it into law. |>
I don't think I've ever asked for anything for Christmas. Missing the point, and a bit...want-y?
22: you're thinking of Oliver Franks, and it was a box of crystallised fruit.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Franks,_Baron_Franks
He also ran the Ministry of Supply, helped to start NATO, the Marshall Plan, and the University of East Anglia, was a professor at Glasgow University at a stupidly young age, a director of Lloyds Bank, the Wellcome Trust, and a ton of other stuff, gave the 1954 Reith Lectures, knew Attlee, Churchill, Nehru, Bevin, and all three of Philby, Maclean, and Burgess. Bastard.
They want to be with you. They love you. And they love to kill for you.
Now I know what I want.
I basically never buy nice clothes for myself, and have come to depend on family members replenishing my supply each year at Christmas.
OT, air travel is much less annoying since in-fligght wifi was introduced
72: From what I have been told this is also true of Dachshunds.
25.1 to 71.1. I'd like to think that spouses know what each other wants/would enjoy, but to me the idea of offering suggestions to distant (physically or emotionally, not necessarily genetically) relatives is a way to forestall unwanted gifts that may be well-meaning but are ill-conceived or just crap. Nothing wrong with going off-list, but without a list, you're just guessing.
And while, yes, it's the thought that counts, there's nothing especially virtuous about unwanted gifts.
Also, lists can be a good way to spur thinking, either reminding the giver of something they saw months ago and thought of the recipient, or helping them put two and two together. Point being, it's not a shopping list that you hand your relatives, it's a way to communicate, and communication is good.
74: Somehow, it's less imposing that way.
In terms of what I want that I'll purchase myself, I think I'll build out a bar so I can make more mixed drinks (I don't have tequila, or rum, or a blended Scotch (or a single malt for that matter)) plus various liqueurs, etc. Plus maybe a muddling implement.
What I want from others that's reasonable in price? I dunno. Gift cards to Barnes & Noble?
What I want but is unreasonable to expect anyone to purchase for me? Subscriptions to some wine clubs (I had to leave my smallish cellar behind when I moved from California and would like to rebuild). Maybe a nice leather or waxed canvas computer bag. A new car.
77: Not when they're attacking from the air! (This may require some assistance on the part of the owner.)
I got a tiara for Solstice yesterday. Well, more of a headache band, bit it has lots of rhinestones and will look delightful at a tango or foxtrot someday.
I don't really regret never learning to a sense of rhythm enough to clap along with Harry Connick Jr, but I sort of regret never having enough rhythm to be passable at dancing. Alcohol works as a temporary solution, but only if everybody else is as drunk as I am.
79: dachshund-bearing drones.
81: finding the rhythm is the hardest part to teach, IME. Walking to music helps - maybe hiking to Sousa would. If you don't feel the beat in Sousa, I dunno.
That would be fine for me but the guy with the tuba would probably have trouble in the hills.
Also, it only really works properly if you have the lederhosen and the Tyrolean hat.
Finding a not-stupid hat is a continuing problem for me when I do anything outdoors.
Give it up. They're all going to look silly. You just need to accept that and work with it.
I wear a variety of big straw hats to keep the sun off my face in the summer. Buck comments that they look sort of like the kind of hats you put on a mule with holes for its ears to go through.
Have you considered folding yourself a painter's cap out of newspaper? Bonus, you can use it to start your fire at the end of the day.
I'd have to steal a newspaper from a neighbor.
I also don't like to hike in shorts. Too many plants along the trail.
69: that is such a jroth bag that I assume you already have it in a different color, but want options.
JRoth: Not in the market for $100 headphones, but totally in the market for $300 bags.
It's not very useful for hiking. Won't even fit a trombone, let alone a tuba.
I got a Marvel Unlimited gift subscription (early), on my list because (a) it's a lot of reading matter for a year and (b) I can comb through the back catalog for their actually good stuff, like maybe what TNC talks about.
Imagining with glee the possibility of being bought a sweater: I am old! But also nice as a reminder of my new shape.
Lusting also after an Amazon Echo, but unlikely to get one unless I buy it myself.
Man I wish you hadn't mentioned the possibility of a marvel unlimited subscription.
"I need/want a new large cutting board and would like it to be a thick end-grain sort of affair but I don't covet such a thing."
I have a friend who makes these. No idea of price:
http://mtbwoodworks.com/category/end-grain-cutting-boards/
Based on the pictures of the boards and the spartan design of the site, and the fact that no price is listed, I'm going to guess that those fall under the "if you have to ask" rule.
Maybe they would come down in price if you let them use toxic wood glue?
I can ask him (in fact, I'm kind of curious). I think not having the prices on the site is simply because he wanted it to function more like a brochure rather than an online store. Most of the work he does is to custom specification, but I know he has a lot of smaller things like those boards and boxes around his shop.
They are very attractive! As is much of his other work.
He has prices for his workshops. It's under "news."
You can't cut carrots on a workshop.
Alcohol works as a temporary solution, but only if everybody else is as drunk as I am.
True for many things other than dancing.
As for the OP, I've already received as a hybrid birthday/Xmas gift the only thing I really wanted, which was a linen bedcover because Jesus Christ my flat is hot - I'm still running the fan in my study on 21 December. But in the process of looking for gifts for my family I have picked up a number of frivolous consumerist gifts for myself, ranging from card sleeves to steering wheel for my Xbox and PC. Oh, and my sous vide stick thing that I ordered ages ago just arrived. Yay!
H is for Hawk and The Goshawk
Loved these books. What do you think about them?
Ooh, ginger y, more details on the linen bedcover!! I'm a huge linen fan!
And Mossy Character, I'm halfway through The Goahawk and it has so much overlap in certain respects with parenting, which is probably going to come across as much more creepy than I mean it to.
Gah, stupid phone posting. proper link.
99: Those boards are beautiful, but they look kind of high-maintenance (like you might have to oil them or something).
I got a new stand mixer for my birthday, and I am thrilled with this consumer item. Today I made a bûche de Noël/Yule log.
Like from scratch with all the mushrooms and stuff?
From scratch, yes. Chocolate sponge roll, vanilla cream filling, chocolate fudge icing. One of my sisters is making the meringue mushrooms.
That's pretty impressive. We just buy one or use Little Debbie Swiss Rolls.
Not creepy at all Thorn. I'm teaching youngish children and have more than once felt a certain desire to leave them hanging upside down from their jesses.
166: Well, it's not worthy of a food magazine or anything like that. But I guess it does look somewhat like a log. And it's chocolate!
99: I have actually been given a chopping board as a Christmas gift before. By my mother, who you would think knew me better.
99: I have actually been given a chopping board as a Christmas gift before. By my mother, who you would think knew me better.
I also need the hat to be cheap.
I'd have to steal a newspaper from a neighbor.
I don't see the problem.
Linen is the best. I bought a bunch that I think I'm going to make into a nightgown or medieval chemise or something but I can never quite decide. Someday linen sheets!
Those boards are beautiful, but they look kind of high-maintenance (like you might have to oil them or something).
This is exactly the problem. Don't get it too wet, oil it regularly. PLASTIC. We got a butcher-block island in our kitchen, but I got the hard don't-cut-on-me coating.
Oiling is pretty easy and also addresses the "don't get it too wet" issue. And something that thick won't warp easily. Wood roolz, plastic droolz.
Wood is great, but I knew I wouldn't maintain it properly.
I wonder what the Paleo people use for cutting boards. On the one hand, plastic is clearly out, because cave people didn't have it. On the other hand, wood is obviously no good, because of the grain.
We have several wooden cutting boards, different sizes are useful, we just wash them and let them air dry. Doesn't seem any more complicated than washing anything else? But then we don't have a machine to wash dishes so all washing is the same.
I would love to make a buche de noël but the kid is still firmly anti buttercream after the wedding cake this past summer and I'm too unwell anyways. If I can manage to boucler one more brief before collapsing for the holiday it will be good enough.
Although I did manage to score a sample of jicky parfum when picking up a gift yesterday so there's that.
I am mildly amused that my parents still use a cutting board that I made in 7th or 8th grade shop class.
My dad still uses the pacemaker my sister made at a Maker Faire.
I have picked up a number of frivolous consumerist gifts for myself, ranging from card sleeves to steering wheel for my Xbox and PC.
I may succumb to the after Christmas consumer madness for the first time in years this year. My laptop was purchased in 2007 and still runs Windows Vista. I think I passed the "just spend the *!%&! money already" point a while ago.
Hey, what's the deal with Wii? Iris is interested in saving up for one, but it only makes sense for her to go with a used console. Is there any particular reason to pony up for a Wii U? The odds of heavy use or serious gaming are incredibly low, and we're still years away from HS for either kid.
My only interest would be in Rock Band, because I've done it at my sister's and love it. I think my sister just has regular Wii, but am not sure.
Regular Wii was great but new games aren't always released in it. Thus, the Xbox Xmas this year. You can definitely do Rock Band with a regular one. I've never seen a Wii U.
I want leather boots that fit my long, sticklike calves. The evidence of many years suggests that no such thing exists, but, like Virginia, I want to believe.
Have you tried stuffing a sock or two down there?
I would like my workplace, and any other with similar issues, to be less neurotically hostile and grudging towards people taking leave for the holidays. I got an officious multi-recipient "tut tut, make sure you've covered for yourself during your solitary planned day off" email from my boss, and it has ruined my fucking day. Daycare closed for two weeks, spouse has all of next week off, but I get treated like I'm leaving the country for a month for requesting one measly day? Also everything today is terrible and I would like that to end by Christmas day.
I wonder what the Paleo people use for cutting boards. On the one hand, plastic is clearly out, because cave people didn't have it. On the other hand, wood is obviously no good, because of the grain
Well-done, Stanley. Well-done. (Paleo people cook their meat, right?)
141: I think the George C. Scott version of A Christmas Carol might be available for free on Youtube. You could send your boss a link.
In workplace communication, subtlety is key.
I've been super unproductive the last two days, but my boss is being fairly sanguine about it.
Sorry about yours, lk.
141 -- the lawyerly way, at least IME over the years, is "everyone takes off for the holidays! Of course there's no business during this joyous time of year, plan your vacation then, everyone enjoy! Oh, wait, except for this emergency filing which absolutely must be done by tomorrow or the judge will put us in jail and the client will fire us and we'll never work again and OH MY GOD WHY AREN'T YOU CALLING ME FROM VACATION RIGHT NOW. OK, that's done, merry Christmas!
Since several people mentioned headphones/earbuds: I have to say, Skullcandy earbuds are like $15 and don't short out. Infinitely better and more comfortable than iphone earbuds. After years of hating my earbuds, I sometimes feel like doing commercials for Skullcandy. The only caveat is that cats sometimes like to bite the cord in two but that's really more about cats than the product. I don't think they coat them in catnip or anything.
Hey, what's the deal with Wii? Iris is interested in saving up for one, but it only makes sense for her to go with a used console. Is there any particular reason to pony up for a Wii U? The odds of heavy use or serious gaming are incredibly low, and we're still years away from HS for either kid.
Wii U is backwards compatible (it's actually runs a virtual machine of the Wii) and I'd say it has the best exclusive games of any console this generation (though it has very little else). Most of which are young child friendly - not Bayonetta 2 obviously. You can play Splatoon, Lego City Undercover, Super Mario 3D World, Pikmin 3, Mario Kart 8, Captain Toad's Treasure Tracker, Super Smash Brothers, Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD on the Wii U and nowhere else.
Also, if you don't mind ponying up for endless figurines, the kids love Skylanders and Nintendo's homegrown version, Amiibos.
Oh, and Super Mario Maker, which is many people's game of the year, but that's probably a bit too advanced.
I took today off because I have to use two vacation days by Dec. 31 or lose them and we're already closed Thurs through Jan 4. I went shopping for beer wine and liquor, went to Starbucks, saw Star Wars Imax 3D, got a burger and shake for lunch, bought the 3 year old cute little hockey pads (she's obsessed, she's been sleeping with a stick and puck and yesterday we were trying on hand-me-down gear and she wanted to sleep in that too, we compromised at just the gloves) and later I'm playing hockey with all the kids. Vacation days are wasted on vacation, just doing whatever the hell you want with no kids is awesome.
My happiness probably doesn't help with 141, sorry.
My son was asked, and said "a cast iron skillet." My parents learned of this -- wife and son are in Florida with them now -- and had me bring back theirs from their house in Canada. (Sold but not yet closed -- I was there this weekend looking for documents relevant to Revenue Canada.) "Oh, and let's give him the stand mixer too." Did I liberate the Husqvarna chainsaw? Yes I did.
I joked with the wife today that I thought she was getting me a snowbike, which is what I wanted last year. This came up because I hadn't taken the bike rack off for my snowy drive to and from BC, and she observed, too late, that bike season was over. It's clear I'm not going to get a snowbke this year either.
Super Mario Maker
Is the premise that Mario and Luigi move to the San Francisco Bay area, grow beards, and develop elaborate, artisinal "engineering" projects like robots made out of wood and tin, while financing the projects with their work as developers for the Uber for pets app?
152: The Mario Brothers already have mustaches, wear hats and working-class garb, and live in Brooklyn. Isn't that hipster enough for you?
On the cutting boards,
38: I need/want a new large cutting board and would like it to be a thick end-grain sort of affair
Is an end-grain thing supposed to be good? Looking at the photos linked in 99, I chiefly think that the joints will eventually split / get crud in them, plus it would be so heavy that picking it up to clean it off would be a drag.
I replaced my main cutting board a year or so ago with one of these: bamboo. I reserved judgment at first -- and I'd have liked it to be larger -- but it's so light that it's easy to rinse it down and air dry after any wet use, and I don't have any felt need to oil it or anything.
152: The Mario Brothers already have mustaches, wear hats and working-class garb, and live in Brooklyn. Isn't that hipster enough for you?
Nah, they got gentrified out of Brooklyn and had to move to the Mushroom Kingdom. Not even a princess's consort can afford to live in Brooklyn.
You'd think they'd move to DC, now that Bowser's taken over.
Is an end-grain thing supposed to be good?
No, it's supposed to be terrible.
Bamboo actually is supposed to be bad for knives, by the way.
158: Oh. Well, it is a bit hard. I myself just try to have a light touch when chopping.
I built a couple of Orvis kit rods (4 weights) in the early 90s and am still happily using them.
Those are just getting broken in! Only in the last couple years has my dad started using a graphite rod (he's 75). And that's only because he found a four piece marked way down in the Cabelas bargain cave and wanted one that was easier to pack in his luggage. Up until that point he'd always used the same two fiberglass rods he'd built himself back in the 60's.
A few years ago I got (bought? gifted? can't recall) a pretty good (supposedly) cutting board (not end grain), but despite taking better care of it than any I've ever owned, it split pretty quick, which makes me say fuck all cutting boards. They're like high end electronics: essentially disposable.
157/8 is unusually bitchy.
Wow
Google suggests not an outlier (which would be more like https://www.etsy.com/listing/177757817/black-walnut-end-grain-chopping-block), but certainly not the cheapest hand made board either.
fuck all cutting boards. They're like high end electronics: essentially disposable.
What you want is a stainless steel cutting board. Those are built to last.
So is that butcher block mineral oil actually helpful or some marketing malarkey?
And if it works, what is it actually doing?
As did I. Most of the basic results were random instructions that didn't give a great air of authority or explain much technically.
I am sorry. I didn't mean for you to get caught in the bitchfire.
Anyway this suggests that it keeps things from drying out and potentially cracking, and also likely from absorbing water and swelling.
We mineral-oiled our butcher block, and at the minimum, it looked better.
Teo! Sorry, I've been doing more lurking than commenting for a bit.
Jrooth, my kids are getting a woo for Christmas. GameStop was selling a refurbished holiday bundle for $60, including a Mario game and woo sports game. We picked up a few other used games, all of which can be had crazy cheap. I looked at the woo u but it's MUCH more expensive and I'm really not sure it would buy much additional enjoyment. Plus, even that is not going to be supported much longer anyway since it was a commercial dud--the Nintendo nx is widely expected to be released next year. So, just get a used woo for cheap.
Nintendo's own website actually has some pretty good deals on used/refurbished woo systems and games. That's where we picked up several games.
Oiling a block will keep it from splitting, and help maintain antiseptic properties of the wood.
Oh, yeah, the Wii U as an ongoing platform is basically dead. It's getting the next Zelda game, and that's about it. And if cost is a significant factor, sure, pick up a cheap Wii. But do know that there are some really great Wii U games, and it'll play anything for the Wii too.
Now, let me tell you the sad story. The sewa company came to my house today to "upgrade the gas meter" but then they went into my basement and said it was not to code since the gas lines are routed through the plumbing ands they SHUT OFF GAS TO THE WHOLE HOUSE. IN DECEMBER. they say they will not turn it back on until it's brought up to code. We had a plumber come out tonight on an after hours call and he said he can't even imagine what he's going to need to do to bring this up to code. He seriously just said "sorry" and left. And we have no heat. Or hot water. Or stove. And we have a whole bunch of our wife's family coming to stay in our house TOMORROW through Sunday. And how do we cook? Fuck. My wife is crying. I am not even joking: crying. I'm just drinking extra to keep myself warm.
I called some poor service representative at the gas company and yelled at her BUT IT DID NO GOOD.
Cut the deadbolt and switch it on temporarily?
How were you allowed to buy the house without this getting flagged?
our home inspection didn't mention it.
I wish I understood 183, because I would definitely do it.
"There's at least a switch, somewhere near the gas meter, to turn it on and off. Either that's what they turned off, or maybe a master valve somewhere that he can't get to. It just depends," says Jammies. "He should at least check if there's a valve near the gas meter."
"When they said they were shutting it down, what did they do?" continues Jammies, "Did they call someone and then it turned off? If so, he's fucked."
I'll say. It sounds like Urpleville has curb valves, and I don't know if the cover is locked or can just be lifted. And you'd probably need a special tool to turn the valve anyway. Plus, don't kill yourself and your family. It seems nuts that they can do that. Do you have an...I don't know what it's called...alderman, assemblyman, local government type you can call? That seems like your best bet.
Or call the gas company and keep asking to escalate until someone can help you. The first person you talk to will definitely not be that person.
Back-up plan: start making phone calls to get the wife's (and your?) family into a hotel for the weekend.
191 -- I was going to say to call your PSC commissioner, but it's appointed in your state, so maybe they're not going to be as responsive as an elected official would be. Nonetheless, a call to the chair can't hurt.
It would be super unusual to have a requirement to bring residential single family property up to code as a regulatory condition of title transfer. For a utility to cut service to owner occupied single family residential property on the basis of code compliance issues sounds like bullshit UNLESS there is some imminent health and safety issue, eg keeping the gas flowing risks massive conflagration.
196: He could also file a complaint with their consumer protection division; they seem to have an online form.
He seriously just said "sorry" and left. And we have no heat.
That's crazy. I have no knowledge whatsoever, but it seems very strange if that's standard policy.
Don't get it too wet, oil it regularly. PLASTIC.
Right. Don't get it too wet in your kitchen.
We all have our limits. And the need to regularly oil one's cutting boards definitely exceeds my limits. If I were a different, and a better sort of, person, my kitchen would be more artisanal.
But it's plastic for me; and did I mention my new stand mixer? Today I made chocolate mint squares with said mixer. And also homemade but not-at-all-artisanal 'Chex Mix' (which did not involve the stand mixer, admittedly) to replace the batch that I made last week to take up to Toronto, which a bunch of animals in my house ate up and picked clean. Only one of those animals is a dog.
Could buying or renting space heaters provide temporary help, weather and number of necessary rooms permitting?
200: tweets, "regular" oiling in my case has meant every few months, or whenever you remember ... And has worked well.
urple, thanks for 176, and boo to 180. That's unfuckingbelievable. They shut ours off abruptly a few years ago, but A. it was summer, and B. I'm pretty sure they found the line was leaking between the curb box and the house (they were replacing the main line on the street).
I don't understand "gas lines routed through the plumbing". Doesn't that make your water taste awful, and make a big mess when you turn on your stove?
My guess was that they're going through pipes that are intended for water rather than pipes that should carry gas?
Did the plumber give any indication of whether the gas company was being crazy or whether your house was genuinely dangerous? You need to know which situation you're in to know how to escalate.
A great christmas gift: http://downloadmoreram.com/ The tweets are the winning touch.
Some googling suggests copper pipes are not allowed for natural gas but were sometimes used anyway- the sulfur odorant in natural gas makes them deteriorate.
Propane is allowed in copper so theoretically you could switch to a local propane tank for your house instead of ripping out all the pipes. However you'd also need to change or install adapters on your appliances to let them use propane instead of natural gas. I think that's easy for a stove but might require an entirely new furnace and water heater (which still might be more economical than ripping out pipes depending when those are due for replacement anyway). You'd also then be reliant on propane deliveries instead of using the town gas supply.
The other interpretation of "gas lines are routed through the plumbing" that I can think of is that there are literally pipes inside of pipes. But that just doesn't seem possible to do for any large amount of distance. (I could imagine that there was a large old water pipe going through a wall and they just left it there and ran pipes through it, so as to not have to rebuild the wall.)
Weren't there some bizarre plumbing issues in urple's house anyway? Does this help explain any of them?
Indeed: http://www.unfogged.com/archives/comments_11876.html
That sucks urple.
211 is an amazing thread.
212: Yeah, it sucked me in too, particularly once the tale of the plumbing began.
204: the gas lines run up from the basement to the kitchen through the plumbing vent, and separately part of the gas line is a plastic plumbing tubing which apparently shouldn't be used for natural gas. A different plumber is at the house now and trying to figure out the easiest fix. (The second issue is easier to fix than the first, but I think both are resolvable without astronomical cost.) The biggest issue is getting them both fixed today in time to have the gas company turn the gas back on. They literally turned it off around 5:00 pm yesterday and said, "I hope you get it fixed tomorrow--we're won't be able to come back out on thursday or Friday because of the holiday." So if we can't get it fixed today, we have no heat, stove or hot water until Monday I guess. Fuckers.
It still seems nuts that you can't keep it on by signing a waiver or something.
Ah, through the vent. That's what I was missing in terms of it being physically possible. I was imagining it running through pressurized water pipes and that seemed impossible for both inner and outer pipes to be sealed. But here the outer pipes don't have to be totally sealed. It's still somewhat mysterious to me how the gas pipes were joined together while inside the vent, but at least it's possible.
We had a recent pipes inside pipes adventure. When our old clay sewer line was replaced by plastic, they didn't want to pay to dig up the street. So for the last 4 feet under the street before it hit the plastic lateral, they just shoved the new pipe through the old pipe. This means the connection wasn't sealed (4 inch going into 8 inch), but also due to a slight turn in the clay pipe there was a 15 inch gap between the two plastic pipes that was still clay. The roots got in between the inner and outer pipes and filled the clay section. Cost $4K for less than a foot and a half of pipe to be replaced.
I agree 1000% with 215. Even if the waiver was only good for a maximum of a week or ten days (during which time you were supposed to get the issue fixed)--after which, they cut the gas for safety. But just cutting it off without warning? Fuck you.
If the gas lines are really that bad and a conflagration could result, your neighbors, if you have any and if their homes are flammable, might not be so sanguine about your waiver.
They are literal shits. Sorry for the trouble over your holiday.
Somebody decent would have pretended not to see it and told you they would be back on the 28th.
Yeah, it sucked me in too,
Completely novel, folks.
Don't substitute propane for natural gas in your stove if you have a choice. My dad did that up at the cabin (regular natural gas stove, powered by propane) and the lowest possible setting for the burners is still blasting flame. Good for searing. There is no possible simmer.
Simmers in the All-clad of a hungry clod.
Mossy, I finished The Goshawk, which was fascinating and infuriating and heartbreaking and great. H is for Hawk seems to be quite different in tone and content but equally engaging and moving. I'm glad I'm finally getting to them and sort of grateful I'm reading them post-breakup as I think there are certain sorts of resonance that work for me well now.
IT is summer holidays here and i need a gift
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