It's that time of year again. That time when A Coca-Cola glugging man in red skipps merrily through a mall hand in hand with Ebeneezer Scrooge commenting on how inexpensive everything is. A time when several large forests a cut down because they look so much nicer in people's homes. A time when the landing strip for aliens, build on the roof of that psycho recluse at the end of the block isn't the brightest thing for miles around.

In order to avoid any possible misunderstandings this year, I would like to put forth a list of items I would like for Christmas. This has always been a difficult task for me to find things to get others, and although it does take away from the surprise a little bit, it does save the embarassment of having to give gift certificates or similar.

Maybe you can think of it as a registry. Check with Carmen first maybe. Or not. This is just a guideline to use. If you think I'll like something else, go for it. But in no way should this obscure for you the true meaning of the season...

The loot.

Update, 17 December 2006: Very late update. Fortunately not much has changed, surprisingly.

Update, November 2005: (Older updates have been moved to the bottom of the page.) and early November to boot.

Computer games
  • Wii Points cards
  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade*
  • LOOM*
  • Indiana Jones 4 and the Fate of Atlantis*

* Note that these are really old games, and quite possibly hard to find. I think that LucasArts is still selling some of these titles, although at the moment, I can only find the Fate of Atlantis on their website. You might be able to find them used or in the bargin bin of a nearby software store for $10 a piece if you're really lucky.

DVD Movies (Widescreen please!)
  • Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
  • Ghostbusters
  • The Last Starfighter
  • Remo Williams: the Adventure Begins
  • Wargames
  • The Simpsons, season 5 or 6

I've recently bought the following movies:

  • Futurama, season 4
  • Serenity (available Dec 20th)
  • Kung Fu Hustle
  • True Lies
  • Hot Shots
  • Matrix, Revolutions
  • Office Space
  • Porco Rosso
Toys
  • A ZomeTool construction kit. These things are cool!
  • Almost anything from Cheap-Ass Games. Very cool, but inexpensive games. I already have a few of these games, Namely Devil-Bunny Needs a Ham, Devil-Bunny Hates the Earth, Kill Dr. Lucky, Save Dr. Lucky, Captain Park's Imaginary Polar Expidition, Deadwood, One Small Step for Mankind, Unexploded Cow, and the Great Brain Robbery.
 Books
  • Any good book on either Fractals or Chaos from a mathematical perspective. Algorithms are always a plus.

I've recently bought (or received) the following books

  • Anansi Boys, Neil Gaiman
  • Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
  • System of the World, Neil Stephenson
  • The Confusion, Neil Stephenson
  • Quicksilver, by Neil Stephenson
Music
This list is horribly out of date in terms of what I know is out there. I really should go visit a record store every once in a while.
  • "Brand New Day", or "Sacred Love", Sting
  • "Nude Photos Inside", Sal's Birdland
  • "The Richest Man in Babylon", Thievery Corporation
  • "Bone to Pick", the Gone Jackals
  • The Soundtrack to "Rabbit-Proof Fence", Peter Gabriel

I've recently bought or received the following CDs:

  • "Guero", Beck
  • "Extraordinary Machine", Fiona Apple
  • "The Cosmic Game", Theivery Corporation
  • "Mirror Conspiracy", Theivery Corporation
  • "Out in L.A.", Red Hot Chili Peppers
  • "American Idiot", Greenday
  • "The Man Comes Around", Johnny Cash
Really expensive stuff

Update, July 2005: I updated the page too too late again. I suck.

Update, December 2004: Believe it or not, I've been fairly good about not buying things that are on the list. That being said, I don't really need or want for anything in particular. If you wanted to make a small donation to someplace on my behalf, that would make me just as happy. Check out these Buy Nothing Christmas sites here and here. Buying used is cool too.

Update, July 2004: Yeah, I updated this list again, later than I probably should have. I sincerely hope that no one went by this list, getting me something that I've bought in the past six months.

Really, what it comes down to, is just give me a phone call, or send me a card. I'd really like to hear from you all more than anything else. :)

Update, December 2001: This list is horribly old. I haven't really thought about what I would like lately, and I've been of two minds of the merit of doing this. Things that I would not feel uncomfortable were people to give me as a gift (i.e. because they spent more on the gift than was really necessary) I am quite happy to buy for myself on impuse, and quite often do. So anything I would put on such a list, I probably will buy for myself before I get around to updating the list. There is also the added effect that the list lessens somewhat the excitment of getting and receiving.

So what's the point of having this list at all? I guess the list is still useful to show the kind of things I'm interested in. But then maybe I should be showing you things that I recently bought or read or listened to or played with instead. What a nightmare that list would be for me to keep current.

Oh well, in the meantime, maybe I'll just leave this mostly as is.

Last updated, 17 December 2006
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