What percentage of your holiday shopping is done would you say?
35 thoughts on “November 29, 2021: Cyburberry”
Because of my anti-capitalist attitude towards holidays I'd say that my percentage of shopping is now 100% complete. This year we decided that going offshore fishing was going to be our holiday present. I've booked the Fishin' Magician to take us into the gulf on New Years Eve morning. He guarantees fish (I think that if we don't catch anything we reel in some fish sticks or somesuch). We'll get home, take a nap, and then make a spread of fresh caught fish for NYE dinner. I'm excited.
We've only been primarily buying for less fortunate families the past few years. I gave Runner daughter a few ornaments for her first Xmas tree, and will gift her some voice lessons with a friend of mine who was a choir teacher. Need to find a stocking stuffer for Mrs Runner yet.
That fishing trip sounds amazing! I like the idea of experiences as gifts rather than more material goods. That said, the Children's Museum family membership I gave my sister and her family for Christmas in 2019 didn't pan out as well as expected given the events of 2020...
This is a great idea. We went offshore fishing on vacation in August and I loved it. What a perfect experience to gift.
We're similarly big on experience gifts when we can make them work - or combination gift/experience. So a fishing pole and planned trip, or a D&D book and commitment to play a few rounds with a godchild, etc. Admittedly, sometimes that just turns into "stuff" - but I enjoy the challenge of finding a gift that really shows you know and appreciate the recipient, and in that I feel like at least 3/4ths of the time I'm not just buying stuff for the sake of buying stuff. I'm not perfect on that, but I try.
That said, it's also easier to be anti-capitalist when kids aren't involved.
We bought cross country skis for our anniversary this year. Stuff but for an experience.
i'm sure many have seem the clip going around (or the doc itself), but mccartney cranking out 90% of "get back" in about two minutes is just amazing.
Watching Paul come up with “Get Back” out of literally thinking air while Ringo and George just yawn is a marvel to watch. This Beatles documentary is INSANE #TheBeatlesGetBackpic.twitter.com/09Nii0tHqr
I take issue with the tweet author's assessment of George and Ringo. They're listening closely and the moment Paul is on the right track, they perk right up, recognize and acknowledge it, and jump in.
Have we ever ranked Beatles by personal preference here? My list has certainly shuffled from where it was fifteen years ago.
We had a brief discussion about the list that Beau put on his site, but didn't delve too deep into it. At least not as deep as Beau did.
Ringo is a fantastic drummer but I would still rank him 4th. The other three kinda move around but George probably sticks at 3, maybe 2 somedays, but never one.
Ranking Paul and John is a whirlywind of emotions, actual work, post-Beatles legacy, etc. Paul has the advantage/disadvantage of being around and burnishing and/or ruining his legacy. John's treatment toward women will always knock him down a peg, imho. I probably like the John songs better but I like Paul's musicianship more. You probably can't have one without the other.
I'm mostly in agreement, but I was a big Wings fan as a kid (well, shoot, still am), so Paul is solidly fixed at #1.
Oh, I read CH's question wrong; I thought he was talking about song rankings.
I'm pretty much in straight agreement with free here.
Yes. George's yawn is awesome. And, as you say, they perk up when they see that Paul has something.
Also insane: he's strumming it on a Hofner bass like it's an acoustic!!
Thanks to all the warnings about supply chain problems, we're in the best shape we've ever been for holiday gifts. I hired the jalapeno to help me wrap a bunch for other family members yesterday and we delivered them to my parents' house when we went over so the boys could help assemble and decorate the tree with their cousin.
Normally I wrap the gifts on my own at around 11pm on Christmas Eve while everyone else is sleeping and I'm angry and resentful, so this is a definite improvement.
Yup, those warnings got us thinking of things ahead of time too (fwiw, I've had 0 issues of availability - one major purchase, sufficient supply, and nothing else affected by this supply chain stuff - so I'm thinking it must just be certain sectors affected and not so much others, right?), and so we are also way ahead of our usual pace. All of our god children, except 1, are done. Sibling name-draw gifts are > 50% done. Our own kids are nearly finished. Feeling pretty good.
Since we leave for Costa Rica soon and will be gone for 13 days, we're foregoing the Christmas tree this year (made easier since Runner daughter now has her own up), but did get the house lights up and put on the timer. There's no "Hallelujah Chorus" this Christmas (rumored to be at Easter next year instead) and haven't heard if there's going to be a St. Louis Low Brass Collective Holiday Play Along or not, so looking at a less eventful holidays this year.
I'm getting all my gifts this year from the Duluth Trading Company (mostly underwear and capes). Done.
The connection isn’t direct, but whenever I read “Adam Brett Walker” I see John Goodman’s face in my mind.
I took the 15 year old to Bunker's last night to see Dr. Mambo's Combo. He was pretty excited when he saw Sonny T and the keyboard player from the Wongnotes were there.
He was definitely the youngest person there.
Since I won't get my first paycheck until Christmas Eve, we decided that we would go easy on Christmas presents again this year. We got Elder Daughter a new vacuum cleaner. I found out I had a bunch of credit card points I could use on Amazon so we got Younger Daughter a rice cooker and some leather palm mittens and we'll get a new toaster oven/air fryer to replace our old model. I've asked for a new pair of slippers and Mrs. Twayn has some charcoal drawings of the girls that she wants framed, so I have to get on that this week. I also got her a new folio case and some screen protectors for her iPad mini. Oh, we'll also get new phones when we move our service from AT&T to Comcast, but that may not happen before Christmas.
Last year I got several things framed at Mitrebox in the North Loop. It wasn't cheap, but it was great fun to pick out frames and mats, and the results are fabulous.
I know this place but I'd forgotten about it, the wife and I poked around in it one afternoon before going to a Twins game. I'm gonna book an appointment.
Gonna be interesting to see exactly how the Mets implode this year. It should be particularly impressive this time.
Eduardo Escobar will be part of the collapse this time.
I'm wondering if Max talked to Bobby on how to structure his payments in the future.
If you are a non engaged Wolves fan, this years team should start to get a little engaged. It seems they are not "The same old Wolves"
Gutsy win tonight.
I still don't understand why they don't run an offense late in games. Dribbling at the top of the key isn't a great scheme.
In any case, sweet block by Okogie at the end.
I'm with you there. Its maddening. They play with pace all game until like 3 minutes then its hero/iso/grenade ball.
No thank you. I'm not gonna start following a team on the rise, just to see them moved to Seattle and immediately win a championship. I've been a Minnesota sports fan too long for you to fool me like that.
I'll admit, I gave up on the game at the end of the first half when it looked Wolvesy (and because the lure of Forza Horizon 5 was pulling at me). But I checked the score and saw they were back within one and switched back over and I'm glad I did.
That said, holy crap something needs to be done about the way Towns is officiated. Those last two foul calls on him were bad enough someone ought to be fired.
Because of my anti-capitalist attitude towards holidays I'd say that my percentage of shopping is now 100% complete. This year we decided that going offshore fishing was going to be our holiday present. I've booked the Fishin' Magician to take us into the gulf on New Years Eve morning. He guarantees fish (I think that if we don't catch anything we reel in some fish sticks or somesuch). We'll get home, take a nap, and then make a spread of fresh caught fish for NYE dinner. I'm excited.
We've only been primarily buying for less fortunate families the past few years. I gave Runner daughter a few ornaments for her first Xmas tree, and will gift her some voice lessons with a friend of mine who was a choir teacher. Need to find a stocking stuffer for Mrs Runner yet.
That fishing trip sounds amazing! I like the idea of experiences as gifts rather than more material goods. That said, the Children's Museum family membership I gave my sister and her family for Christmas in 2019 didn't pan out as well as expected given the events of 2020...
This is a great idea. We went offshore fishing on vacation in August and I loved it. What a perfect experience to gift.
We're similarly big on experience gifts when we can make them work - or combination gift/experience. So a fishing pole and planned trip, or a D&D book and commitment to play a few rounds with a godchild, etc. Admittedly, sometimes that just turns into "stuff" - but I enjoy the challenge of finding a gift that really shows you know and appreciate the recipient, and in that I feel like at least 3/4ths of the time I'm not just buying stuff for the sake of buying stuff. I'm not perfect on that, but I try.
That said, it's also easier to be anti-capitalist when kids aren't involved.
We bought cross country skis for our anniversary this year. Stuff but for an experience.
i'm sure many have seem the clip going around (or the doc itself), but mccartney cranking out 90% of "get back" in about two minutes is just amazing.
Maybe I'm amazed....
I take issue with the tweet author's assessment of George and Ringo. They're listening closely and the moment Paul is on the right track, they perk right up, recognize and acknowledge it, and jump in.
Have we ever ranked Beatles by personal preference here? My list has certainly shuffled from where it was fifteen years ago.
We had a brief discussion about the list that Beau put on his site, but didn't delve too deep into it. At least not as deep as Beau did.
Ringo is a fantastic drummer but I would still rank him 4th. The other three kinda move around but George probably sticks at 3, maybe 2 somedays, but never one.
Ranking Paul and John is a whirlywind of emotions, actual work, post-Beatles legacy, etc. Paul has the advantage/disadvantage of being around and burnishing and/or ruining his legacy. John's treatment toward women will always knock him down a peg, imho. I probably like the John songs better but I like Paul's musicianship more. You probably can't have one without the other.
I'm mostly in agreement, but I was a big Wings fan as a kid (well, shoot, still am), so Paul is solidly fixed at #1.
Oh, I read CH's question wrong; I thought he was talking about song rankings.
I'm pretty much in straight agreement with free here.
Yes. George's yawn is awesome. And, as you say, they perk up when they see that Paul has something.
Also insane: he's strumming it on a Hofner bass like it's an acoustic!!
Thanks to all the warnings about supply chain problems, we're in the best shape we've ever been for holiday gifts. I hired the jalapeno to help me wrap a bunch for other family members yesterday and we delivered them to my parents' house when we went over so the boys could help assemble and decorate the tree with their cousin.
Normally I wrap the gifts on my own at around 11pm on Christmas Eve while everyone else is sleeping and I'm angry and resentful, so this is a definite improvement.
Yup, those warnings got us thinking of things ahead of time too (fwiw, I've had 0 issues of availability - one major purchase, sufficient supply, and nothing else affected by this supply chain stuff - so I'm thinking it must just be certain sectors affected and not so much others, right?), and so we are also way ahead of our usual pace. All of our god children, except 1, are done. Sibling name-draw gifts are > 50% done. Our own kids are nearly finished. Feeling pretty good.
Since we leave for Costa Rica soon and will be gone for 13 days, we're foregoing the Christmas tree this year (made easier since Runner daughter now has her own up), but did get the house lights up and put on the timer. There's no "Hallelujah Chorus" this Christmas (rumored to be at Easter next year instead) and haven't heard if there's going to be a St. Louis Low Brass Collective Holiday Play Along or not, so looking at a less eventful holidays this year.
I'm getting all my gifts this year from the Duluth Trading Company (mostly underwear and capes). Done.
RIP, Lee Elder.
Our old friend Adam Brett Walker II was named MLB Partner Leagues Player of the Year.
The connection isn’t direct, but whenever I read “Adam Brett Walker” I see John Goodman’s face in my mind.
I took the 15 year old to Bunker's last night to see Dr. Mambo's Combo. He was pretty excited when he saw Sonny T and the keyboard player from the Wongnotes were there.
He was definitely the youngest person there.
Since I won't get my first paycheck until Christmas Eve, we decided that we would go easy on Christmas presents again this year. We got Elder Daughter a new vacuum cleaner. I found out I had a bunch of credit card points I could use on Amazon so we got Younger Daughter a rice cooker and some leather palm mittens and we'll get a new toaster oven/air fryer to replace our old model. I've asked for a new pair of slippers and Mrs. Twayn has some charcoal drawings of the girls that she wants framed, so I have to get on that this week. I also got her a new folio case and some screen protectors for her iPad mini. Oh, we'll also get new phones when we move our service from AT&T to Comcast, but that may not happen before Christmas.
Last year I got several things framed at Mitrebox in the North Loop. It wasn't cheap, but it was great fun to pick out frames and mats, and the results are fabulous.
I know this place but I'd forgotten about it, the wife and I poked around in it one afternoon before going to a Twins game. I'm gonna book an appointment.
Gonna be interesting to see exactly how the Mets implode this year. It should be particularly impressive this time.
Mets, Max Scherzer Agree To Record-Setting Three-Year Deal
Eduardo Escobar will be part of the collapse this time.
I'm wondering if Max talked to Bobby on how to structure his payments in the future.
If you are a non engaged Wolves fan, this years team should start to get a little engaged. It seems they are not "The same old Wolves"
Gutsy win tonight.
I still don't understand why they don't run an offense late in games. Dribbling at the top of the key isn't a great scheme.
In any case, sweet block by Okogie at the end.
I'm with you there. Its maddening. They play with pace all game until like 3 minutes then its hero/iso/grenade ball.
No thank you. I'm not gonna start following a team on the rise, just to see them moved to Seattle and immediately win a championship. I've been a Minnesota sports fan too long for you to fool me like that.
I'll admit, I gave up on the game at the end of the first half when it looked Wolvesy (and because the lure of Forza Horizon 5 was pulling at me). But I checked the score and saw they were back within one and switched back over and I'm glad I did.
That said, holy crap something needs to be done about the way Towns is officiated. Those last two foul calls on him were bad enough someone ought to be fired.