Today, when it was 79 muggy-ass degrees outside, I FINALLY started my Christmas shopping. First, I went to
Toy Joy during lunch. I'm embarrassed to say I haven't been there in at least 1 1/2 years. It's one of my most favoritest places ever, and I have just been a loser I guess. But the fact is, I rarely go down near campus. Ever. It depresses me how homogenized it has become, and it just makes me feel old and disconnected. But today I was down there attending an all-day workshop on "Strategic Planning and Goal Setting" (God, I'm such a fucking grown up), and went to one of my favorite college haunts (one of the few that is actually still around) for lunch and then to Toy Joy. Sigh. Got The Geej and BH's younger son some stuff there, vowing I would be back to shop soon when I had more than 20 minutes and $30 to spend.
Oh, where was I? Right: Christmas shopping.
So the workshop ended about 1/2 hour early (that NEVER happens), so I found myself with the rare gift of an hour to kill before I needed to pick up The Geej. I hit this weird shopping center near her school and ended up dropping about $70 in a Target lovingly known as the "Targhetto" because it's so skanky. But, it's still a Target. So there you go.
Long story short: I finally have some damn Christmas gifts to wrap and put under our lovely tree.
Speaking of Christmas gifts, I thought I'd do y'all a favor and do some shopping consulting for you. Some people call it "personal shopping," but since I didn't actually make the purchase and am only providing some REALLY awesome options for you to act upon (or not), I think I'll call it "consulting" and charge you 10 times as much for my services.
Here goes:
Gift Idea #1: For the wacky, cold-natured, free spirit with absolutely no sense of shame in your life, ADULT FOOTIE PAJAMAS!! Perfect for doing the splits and/or some weird frat boy's fucked up sex fantasy.
Gift Idea #2: Some home decor for the bondage-inclined, decapitation prone murderer on your list. Because, what says "I've got Klass," more than an anorexic, shiny, headless woman lamp-type thing? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Gift Idea #3: Want some more kick-ass home decor for your crib? How 'bout some terribly practical furniture like the Aqua Table?
Goddamn, that's good lookin'. Especially with those "brass" sailboats on top that accentuate its ocean-ness. And I'm sure it's a totally trouble-free piece of furniture. Like, it's probably no problem at all to keep it clean and to keep actual marine life alive in it or anything. And I'm sure it's not the least bit difficult to move from one double-wide to another. Right? Who's with me?! The Aquatable RULES!!
Gift Idea #4: While we're on the topic of fine looking tables, may I present the "Unfortunate Sumo." Given the expression on this poor bastard's face, I really, REALLY don't want to know what this thing looks like from the back.
Gift Idea #5: Hey--Do this table and the Aquatable not scream, "Yo, bitches, I'm KLASSY!" loudly enough? Well, how 'bout this saucy little number?
Notice that there's only
one martini glass on this table. All I'm saying is that the guy who owns this is one lonely, lonely dude.
Gift Idea #6: Did someone say, "lonely dude"? Well what about the lonely, internet porn addicted, hardcore gamer dudes? Don't they deserve to be on your Christmas list too? Of COURSE they do, Ebenezer!
May I introduce, "The Slanket." Really. That's what it's called. And what's great is, you can order it and send it via the internet, so that you don't actually have to interact with the fucking loser receiving this thing.
Gift Idea #7: Speaking of fucking losers...
The only people who should be able to legally order this are quadriplegics, the extremely elderly, those with disabling illnesses (such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, Leprosy, etc.), and, of course, the armless. And I have a question: Wouldn't the need to turn the pages and then put the pages back into the holder-thingie sort of negate the purpose of this thing? I'm just sayin'...
Gift Idea #8: Lord, I wish I had some clever, smart-ass segue to give you to introduce the "Backyard Yeti":
But alas, all I can say is that the very existence of this "lifelike cast resin" version of Sasquatch is far more unbelievable than the creature spoken of in the legendary Pacific Northwest sightings.
Gift Idea #9: And last but certainly not least (unless you're a terrorist): The "I'm proud to be an Ah-murh-kin, where at least I know I'm free...!" Eagle Wall Art!
I'm not sure, but I think this comes from the "Toby Keith
SERIOUSLY Rules" home patriot decor collection.
Listen, freaks: If you're truly interested in any of these fine products*, you can spend** your money at
skymall.com.
Happy shopping, friends!
*utter shit**waste
Lovely, no?
(My mom had originally done it, and when I picked it up to bring it in from the garage, the handlebars came completely off.)
It was kind of sad, really. 
And I don't know how it happened, either. They were on the same rack, in the same oven for the same amount of time as the other cookies (that did NOT get burnt, and were actually quite yummy). The pan must suck. I don't know, because I DON'T BAKE, 
and this is just one reason why.
But that didn't stop her from chowing down on it. 
Last weekend was BH's work Christmas party. It was at one of their facilities near the cute little town of Mason, TX--about 2+ hours from Austin. The drive was nice, and once we were there, the property was lovely.
Seems some rich old dude donated this 8,600 acre plot of land to BH's state agency about 10 years ago. Now its used for managed wildlife hunts, hence this sign. 
You'll be happy to know, we turned left, not right. Getting to meet BH's workmates was nice. They all seem like very nice, down-to-earth people--the exact kind of people you'd imagine working in land and wildlife conservation management. 
(I'm thinking that between the Aquatable and this thing and god-knows-what-else you can find on the interwebs, you could potentially FILL your house with aquarium-related crapola this Christmas.)
