(I would have passed this warm, seasonal sentiment on to you before the holidays passed but I've had minimal internet access the past 10 or so days. Tonight is the first night I've been able to access the web at home since Christmas Eve.)
As stock as it may sound, I genuinely hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas/New Year's break. In my experience, that period between December 24th and January 1st tends to be a wonderful respite during which there is little more one must do but eat, fellowship, and experience the fun of exchanging gifts. I know many of you are now back at work. Those of us in the field of education still have a few more days before our return to the grind. That gives me another 5, responsibility-free days to enjoy all the cool stuff my thoughtful friends and family gave to me over the holidays.
Few times of the year remind me how simple of man I am than the Christmas season. The chief reminder comes when I must finalize my wishlist and discover that each year's list has the same character and composition as every other list I've composed during my adult life. Movies, music, and books...these are my perennial favorite kinds of gifts to receive. One category will receive greater emphasis than the others from year to year, but together these three forms of media continually comprise the backbone of a Dave Scott wishlist.
Always absent from the list is any form of clothing, technology, or other accessory that may be associated with an ostentatious personality. Any gift suggestions that concern my wardrobe are usually driven by practical rather than aesthetic concerns. The closest I've come to breaking this pattern was last year when I asked for a pair of boot-cut jeans. (Apparently tapered pant legs are now as uncool as pleats). Regarding technology, I don't play video games often or use my computer for too much more than checking e-mail and typing documents, so I never have expensive gadgets and do-dads on my wishlist. I couldn't care less about jewelry or products designed to "trick out" my car.
What I do have is a highly active interior life. In fact, pretty much all my hobbies but weightlifting involve processing images, sounds, and/or ideas. Even a cursory look at my Blogger profile will confirm my deep interest in film, music, and all manner of books. And even in pursuing these interests, I don't care too much about having state of the art technology with which to enjoy them. I have a 19" tube television, a six year-old DVD player, and still use a Walkman and adapter set to listen to CDs in my car. Of course, I would love to have a plasma screen TV and a state of the art car stereo system. But I don't want any such thing enough to spend the amount of money that owning them would require.
The moral of the story here is: a) I'm easy to shop for and, b) getting me a present I'd be thrilled to receive isn't likely to set you back more than $35 (probably $20 on average). I admit that the possessions I desire are not likely to make me more stylish or attractive. However, insofar as they enrich my inner life, your gifts will help me to continue being an entertaining and interesting person to have around. Just some food for thought.
In closing, let me list the simple presents that this simple man most recently received. I was most grateful to get each one. I offer a hearty 'thank you' to all who gave them.
Things on My List
-Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seasons 4 and 5 on DVD
-Heat, starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer
-UFC 57: Liddell vs. Couture 3 on DVD
-Cell, by Stephen King
-Sony Walkman CD Player
-2 Short-Sleeved Collared Shirts I can wear to work
Pleasant Surprises
-$100 cash (the combined total of what I received from all my biological grandparents)
-A framed portrait of Levi and Lily Tranbarger, complete with other wallet-sized pictures
-1 Long-Sleeved Collared Shirt (Apparently I made such a positive impression on my friend's mom's foster mom that she decided to buy me a Christmas present.)
-Devil's Advocate, starring Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves
-$80 in combined Best Buy gift cards
---I used this credit to purchase four DVDs (The Descent, City of God, Miami Vice, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby) and one CD (Sacrament by Lamb of God).
1 comment:
"...and be a simple kind of man.
Be something you love and understand.
Be a simple kind of man..."
Glad to read that the holidays were enjoyable.
If you happen to have watched any of CNN's New Year's Eve coverage...Anderson "WOO" Cooper was at Rupp (along with Em & I) at the concert. Fun times being a hillbilly.
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