My Grown Up Christmas List

 

Much in the same vein as my 2012 New Apartment Housewarming Gift Registry Extravaganza, I present to those of you who have not yet crossed my name off your list (I’m talkin’ to you Senor Kringle) my Christmas 2012 White Wonderland of a Wishlist—let everyone cheer!!!!!!!

 

Bespoke British Baggage: As BoingBoing put it, this “gloriously impractical” luggage from Williams British Handmade is sure to draw attention at the baggage claim turnstyle.  (You know… because I’m sure people who can afford to even consider buying this stuff take care of their own bags.)

 

 

Booze Books!!: These sneaky little things from BenderBound are an alcoholic bibliophile’s wet-bar dream come true.  My only complaint—what… no Barenreiter?!?

 

 

Doctor Who goodies from ThinkGeek: I mentioned last year how the nerd inside me looks forward to the annual Doctor Who Christmas special every year.  Why not celebrate with a Tardis mug and Weeping Angels t-shirt!!

  

 

 

Sugru polymer clay and LEGOs: Just so you know, Catherine, this is how I will now be hanging all of the shows in the gallery!

 

 

SodaStream Water Carbonation Machine: Ever since I was quite young I have always loved sparkling water.  One of my favorite things about going to Europe is that, as opposed to in America, it’s quite ubiquitous over there.  My host family in Minden even had one of these machines and I probably went through a whole CO2 cartridge just on myself.

 

 

Look, I Made a Hat: Stephen Sondheim’s follow-up to last year’s Finishing the Hat, the combination of the two offering his entire collection of lyrics as well as anecdotes for his entire body of work.  Somebody puh-LEASE Sondheimize me this year!! (The video below explains it all if you aren’t familiar with Modern Family)

  

 

 

Stealth Toothbrush Sanitizer: Because let’s be honest, it’s the perfect companion to the fancy pantsy toothpaste squeezer I mentioned in the last registry.

 

 

And FINALLY, for a bit of a laugh… if you think this list is a bit hodge-podge then check out the holiday shopping list these guys came up with (as seen on BoingBoing):

I’m pretty sure a gallery just down the street would probably sell an oil painting of circus clowns storming Normandy Beach.

 

Artist: Aretha Franklin / Album: This Christmas

The Book Report

 

This afternoon Catherine and I were chatting about common interests and, of course, the subject of books came up.  Now, I know I have previously stated I’m not exactly the biggest reader these days, but I was actually quite the voracious bibliophile in my youth.

That being said, my favorite book EVAR is Currer Bell Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, so when I came across a book entitled The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde several years ago I was intrigued.  I bought it on a whim and have read them in their entirety every summer, always waiting for the next installment!

    

It’s a bit of a challenge to sum up the series in a couple of sentences, but I’ll do my best.  Set in an alternate England in the 1980’s, Thursday Next works for a literary policing agency (black market Shakespeare and Byron are hot commodities) and discovers that she has the ability to travel into the book world.  In The Eyre Affair, the villainous Acheron Hades has also figured out a way to do just the same and has absconded into Bronte’s Jane Eyre, holding the characters from the original manuscript ransom—for if you change something in the original, all subsequent editions of the book are changed.  In this alternate reality, Bronte’s work ended with Jane leaving the Rochester estate and never coming back (boring!!!), but, through her dealings with Acheron in the book it becomes the ending we know today. She goes on to join the policing agency within the book world under the tutelage of Miss Havisham of Great Expectations fame and in the course of the series are introduced to the “real” versions of the literary characters of lore.  All that to say… I’m not promoting it to be high literary art but it’s super clever and gives me some semblance being well versed in the classics without ever, you know, actually having to read them (Oh that Heathcliff, he’s such an ass!)

These works, along with Doctor Who and Catherine Tate, are often my go-to conversation starters whenever I meet someone from across the pond.  Case and point, I knew that Hester and I were going to get along famously when she too was a fan of the Ffordse’s!

At any rate, the newest addition to the series, One of Our Thursdays is Missing, came out yesterday and though I haven’t had a chance to get to a bookstore yet… it’ll happen sooner rather than later.

Come to think of it, this sounds awwwwwfully similar to my favorite game, “Um… Hey guys, where’s Hester?”  Why do you Brits keep on disappearing!!!!

Artist: Clark Gesner/ Album: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

The Doctor is In

 

Now I know a lot of people have set-in-stone traditions on Christmas day.  Some open presents first thing in the morning.  Some make gingerbread houses. And for some, the decorations are stripped down before anyone is allowed to get tucked into bed that very night.  Besides all the regular family/reason-for-the—seasoness of it all, December 25th means one thing: the return of the Doctor!!  (Here’s where my nerdiness really shines through, by the way).  Doctor Who is a long running BBC sci-fi show about a space/time traveling alien and his (usually) female Earth companion.  The series began in 1963 and has appeared in various forms ever since.  The most recent regeneration came in 2005 with the ninth Doctor and every Christmas night BBC airs a special that I hastily download that evening (there being a sizeable enough time difference across the pond)!  No, seriously, though, I love it a little too much.

Don’t worry, the TARDIS’ universal translator will take care of that

 

This years special is inspired by Dickens’ A Christmas Carol but you know… in the future… in space… and with Dumbledore Michael Gambon as Scrooge.  At least I think that is what’s happening here.

DUMBLEDORE LIIIIIIIIIVVVVVEEES!!!

 

The 11th Doctor, Matt Smith, and his companion, Amelia Pond

 

So here’s hoping that everyone’s Christmas was fantastic, and as the Cybermen love to remind people:

That mean’s you, housewives!!!

 

And just for a little fun, a selection from CollegeHumor’s five re-imagined children’s classics as sci-fi books:

Dr. Who and Dr. Seuss: Probably my two favorite fake doctors.  (Well… next to Dr. Pepper, that is)

 

Artist: Clark Gesner/ Album: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Them There Eyes

 

I love a good close-up shot, and these photographs of the human eye by Suren Manvelyan are mesmerizing! (Click here for the complete portfolio)

 

 

 

 

 

It’s basically like looking at a still from a Doctor Who opening. 

I MISS YOU DONNA NOBLE!

Artist: Ella Fitzgerald/ Album: At the Opera House

Fear No More

 

Happy Halloween, biscuits!!! 

Now, to be honest, I’m not really that big on Halloween.  Not really for any other reason than that I don’t like putting a costume together.  I dread being invited to a Halloween party with a “costume only” policy.  Ummm, can’t I just go as some tool who doesn’t like Halloween, ‘cause I’ve got that one in about 25 different versions.  I generally just revert to wearing a pair of orange Prada shoes I have and carrying around my orange umbrella, which worked fine in Michigan those four years because there most likely was rain (it’s Fall up there this time of year for those Texans who wonder).  Here, however, it’s currently 82 degrees and freakishly sunny outside. 

Not… amused. At Monica’s (shout out, girl!) after our “candy lock down” because we were out of it in 5 minutes

Don’t worry, it’s not like I was deprived the opportunity to dress up as a kid or anything.  Liz Kelly and I made a pretty fantastic Superman and Supergirl if I remember correctly.  I could be wrong (I was also superyoung) but I think that was the year Jenny Yates’ costume had been professionally made or something… it was all the buzz amongst the Jordan School mom crowd.

I do have one funny Halloween story from Michigan, though.  I went to several parties throughout the evening and woke up the next morning with this voice mail:

“Hey, Joseph!!! So excited to have you joining the band! Don’t forget rehearsal is tonight at 7:30… see you there!”

And then my conversation with my roommate, Drew, who had gone to the party as well:

Me: Um, why do I have this voice mail?

Drew: Oh, yeah… you heard this guy talking about ska music and interrupted their conversation: “I LOOOOVE SKA MUSIC.” Upon hearing this he said: “We’re looking for a new lead singer, interested?” “Well you’re. in. luck, because I am IN SCHOOL to be a SINGER. Plus I have, like, so many songs of ska music on my iTunes.” [I have two.]

Me: Well this should be an interesting phone call to make.

At any rate, today I thought I would share a couple of Halloween flavored items from yet another blog I frequent: i09.com.  It focuses on all things science fiction (and fact)—from astronomy to film to architecture to pretty much anything that makes you say “whoa, that’s pretty cool!” Basically it’s the perfect website for the inner fan-boy in all of us you.

 

John de Lancie reading Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven

 

 

Coffin technologies that prevent you from being buried alive <--- click for full article

   

“In the eighteenth century, rumors swirled about people accidentally buried alive when they lapsed into a deathlike state from cholera. As a result, the safety coffin was invented. Here's how it worked.” … 

 

 

And finally, a picture that probably only one person who reads this will even understand! (Yay for alienating my readers!)

Best. Jack-o-Lantern. EVAR!

 

Artist: Stephen Sondheim/ Album: The Frogs