CHRISTMAS LOOT

This year my Father specifically asked my Brother and I to take it easy on the Christmas presents, and keep the gift giving to a minimum. "Fine with me" I said at the time. Rather than my Mother giving me a present, she fly in for the holidays last week, and I would much rather be able to see her than receive a sweater from Dillard's that I can't return.

Perhaps it was naive of me to take my Father at his word, but I really didn't think he was going to buy me much, if anything. He paid for my hotel room in NYC, which was a small fortune and he decided to also fly in for the holidays. When I asked him, what, if anything I could gift to him and his partner, he said that he wanted DVD's, so a box set (the Baz Luhrmann collection) and 6 other titles were bought.

Yesterday we all gathered at my place to have drinks before dinner and swap our (fairly) modest gifts. True to form my Father bought my Brother and I the same thing (he's been doing this for years). When my Father's partner handed me a small box (exquisitely wrapped I might add) I thought he might have bought me a watch or something. No, he did not...he bought us iPhones!

Look at how pretty that object is! The timing could not have been better, as my Nokia flip is rather, well, limp, and the screen keeps going in an out. To put it bluntly, it's a fucking piece of shit. Father's partner even called me out on it, saying he noticed I needed a new phone when I was in NYC. How thoughtful, no? Needless to say, I am not a tech nerd, and this phone is probably more than I need. But I don't care, I'm addicted to it.

OK - so after experiencing my first time at a Korean BBQ (and a not-insignificant amount of Korean beer - yum) I came home to find the Roomie a little drunky too. We decided to exchange gifts, and while I thought my present was pretty cool (a pair of tickets to "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me", which is a news quiz show on NPR, yes, we are dorks) she gave me...a Dust Buster!

Now, you might be thinking to yourself "what a lame ass gift - I thought you were at least kind of cool", but I don't give a fuck. For whatever reason I have been wanting a good Dust Buster for years, and I am now a proud owner of a silver and black (sporty, no?) Black & Decker, boasting 15.6v and "Cyclonic Action". I fully intend to scare the living shit out of Roomie's cats with it, and occasional vacuum Cheez-It crumbs off of my shirt.

Besides my sexy sneakers and bodacious boots, that's the Christmas haul for 2007. Overall, I think the quality of the gifts far exceeds the quantity. Presents aside, this has been a great Christmas. I didn't have to go to Phoenix, I got to show off my apartment to my Father (who proclaimed, again and again, "this is a really nice place Justin" - awww) and I ate more food last night in one sitting than I have in an eternity.

Hope you all had a great Holiday!