It's hard to believe, but Christmas is finally over. Since the holidays seem to start as soon as Halloween ends, it's almost a shock when they're over. We're bombarded by Christmas commercials, Christmas specials, and decorations for nearly three months. Then, it just ends. I'm sure it's just because I'm (arguably) all grown up now, and don't have another week of vacation left after Christmas Day. It kind of puts a damper on things when you know you have to travel several hundred miles or go to work the next day. But, none of that negative, down in the dumps stuff today. Today is all about show and tell. Here's the booty that I was lucky enough to find waiting for me under our tree this year.
Tons of books!
If you can't already tell, I love to read. I tend to be random in my interests, but as you can tell, I enjoy movie trivia, facts about everyday things, and horror stories. I'm particularly excited about
Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things and
Seeing Further: The Story of Science, Discovery, and the Genius of the Royal Society by Bill Bryson. I've been a Bryson fan since I discovered him in college, so I'm sure I'll enjoy this book as well.
Axe Holiday Pack
Not only does my girlfriend like a strong, handsome man, she also likes one that smells good too. Plus, it has a Spartan from Halo on the box. I feel more manly already.
Legos!
Lego Star Wars: The Essential Minifigure Book Collection includes a Star Wars minifigure encyclopedia, and two different sticker books, because who doesn't like stickers. They also included a small Tie Fighter model. The one there in front is my first Lord of the Rings set, Gandalf Arrives. I never would have considered Lego and LOTR to be a good match, but it appears I was wrong. I still need to put both of those together actually..
New Balance Sneakers
I'm hard on my shoes, but every pair of New Balance that I've had has lasted me a minimum of two years. Other brands usually fall apart on me after 6 months or so. They also fit my feet better than shoes from other companies, so I'm sticking with them for now. This pair is supposed to be good for trail running, which means I don't have any excuses not to go jogging with my girlfriend now.
Lots o' candy
We always get a stocking or two full of candy. This year was a light one, if you can believe it. Thank goodness, because I'm trying not to push my metabolism any harder than I have to. There's some good stuff in there, including Reese's cups, Reese's pieces, Butterfinger bells, and a box of Whoppers. There's also a tiny Darth Vader that spits our small sour candies when you push a button in his chest. They must be candy from the Dark Side, because I thought my face was going to turn inside out when I tried it.
Sharp things!
My other hobby involves sharp and pointy objects, though I've slimmed down my knife collection to just what I use these days. The top two are a Buck Vantage, and a Buck Prince. The Vantage will see a lot of use for work, while the Prince will ride in my pocket for everything else. It's a nice little knife, and it's easy to forget it's there sometimes. Plus, it won't freak out those folks that tend to be scared of sharp objects. The Victorinox Mini-champ will replace the Classic that I used to have on my keychain. I love Swiss Army knives, and always have one on me. If all I had received this year was the Mini-champ, I would not have been disappointed.
Starbucks Cold Cup
I've had a larger one of these for sometime now, but it's starting to get a bit worn. I love these cups, if just for the fact it has a screw lid, so it's a bit harder to spill. It also came with some instant coffee and tea packs. Not too shabby.
Inception and The Social Network soundtracks
I enjoyed both of these movies, but I think my favorite part of both were the musical scores. I'm also a big fan of Hans Zimmer and Trent Reznor, so these two will probably be on "Repeat" on my Ipod for a while.
Movies and Video Games!
My Xbox 360 collection has been a bit slim, so it was nice to boost it up a bit. Between these four discs, I received about 30 games, though most of them are on compilations. I also received my first Blu-Ray, The Dark Knight Rises. I guess this means I need to get the rest of the trilogy in Blu-Ray as well. Speaking of, I was given a Panasonic Blu-Ray player, which I was shocked to discover did not include any video hookups of any kind. This isn't the first time I've had this happen, though it doesn't get any less aggravating. If including a $2 wire is going to break your company, you need to step back reexamine how you do things.
Awesome T-shirts!
I love me some Nintendo and some Adventure Time. Nuff said.
Logitech Wireless Trackball M570
I know the majority of people use a mouse, but I prefer the feel and function of a trackball. It's nice not having to worry about clearing stuff off the top of my desk, and it's also funny watching someone try to use it for the first time.
I also received a Spiderman night light in my stocking. Not only does it keep my office from being too dark, it also means Spiderman will always have my back. So there you have it, my Christmas haul for 2012. As usual, it would have been a great year even without the presents. I hope everyone else had a great Christmas, and I look forward to seeing you all in the new year.
Oh, and there will be a Fun Food Friday this week, even if it kills me.