The Weekend is a Gift

It has been one long, busy, and productive week. Things calmed down after the first three days, but I couldn't stop my momentum. Two days in a row, I worked later than I needed to simply because I was so focused. I need to turn “one more thing” into “tomorrow is another day”. It's like Jackie Chan's Uncle is constantly battling Scarlett O'Hara in my brain and winning. You know, because those were their catch phrases. Too obscure? I'm really tired.

Every weekend is a gift, well-earned time off from a week of labor. As the holidays loom, December could be the busiest month of all. I haven't done more than think about shopping. I actually still have a lot of presents wrapped for relatives we never saw last year, so I may be able to get away with giving those for this year and focusing on my parents. I think.

I'm not sure what the workplace etiquette is, and it's varied over the years. Some years coworkers all chipped in for gifts for bosses. Some bosses explicitly stated they didn't want gifts or think it was proper. Many bosses got things for their employees, and I felt bad for not reciprocating on those occasions. The odds were 1 in 4 of not feeling bad. Once or twice I was in a group that drew names and did the whole “Secret Santa” thing. I liked that solution. The last time I started a new job, it was at the beginning of that year so I had twelve months to get to know people. I’ve only been with my new company for three months. It’s a lot like waiting until after February 14th before you start dating a girl; you’ve got plenty of time to worry about holidays and appropriate levels of presents.

So, each year, my parents are the only constants when it comes to gift giving. They're not easy to shop for to begin with, and the more I buy the less they need. Each year is harder than the previous one, and clutter becomes an issue. I'm much happier with gift cards or items that won't remain in the house for long, such as food or shampoo. I think back on my childhood, on circling every toy in every toy catalog. My appetite for stuff has diminished, as I find I'm quite full when it comes to material possessions.

With work and gifts swirling in my brain, when I got home on Friday I kept doing the sort of thing I do all day. Here are some “interesting” gift ideas from my addled mind:


B13 Vitamins will improve your eyesight and turn you into a video game ace. I can't promise energy when sprinting across a field with a paintball gun in the real world though.


SouthCon stops annoying Liberal itches. Conservative name; aggressive action.


Look at that Jerry curl! After a comment the other day, I knew someone had to let their Soul Glo.

I'm sorry. Did I mention I was really tired?