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Peter · Nov 11, 2008, 09:32 AM

CHRISTMAS IS NEARLY HERE! I noticed as I walked past starbucks and was filled by a wall of red christmas shiz.

I'm hoping for this:

or pony images for my MacNN stars.

what's on your list? Excited?

Oisín · Nov 11, 2008, 09:44 AM

I’ve just realised that it’s almost mid-November and I haven’t seen a single Christmas decoration in stores/shops/streets yet. Normally, they would have started appearing about a month ago.

Could they finally be learning?

Peter · Nov 11, 2008, 09:45 AM

recession kills the xmas spirit

except in starbucks

shifuimam · Nov 11, 2008, 09:50 AM

World peace and happiness for all.

Or not.

Christmas has been lame ever since I got a Real Job and started supporting myself financially. I just buy whatever I want instead of waiting until Christmas. The downside to this practice is that my mother has run out of gift ideas...last year I got a set of white sheets.

But if we're thinking big, I'd like a Wacom graphics tablet and someone to come paint my bedroom for me so I don't have to do it myself.

Dakar V · Nov 11, 2008, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

Christmas has been lame ever since I got a Real Job and started supporting myself financially. I just buy whatever I want instead of waiting until Christmas.

Exactly. Anything I haven't bought for myself already is because it's expensive, too expensive to ask as a gift.

osiris · Nov 11, 2008, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Oisín

I’ve just realised that it’s almost mid-November and I haven’t seen a single Christmas decoration in stores/shops/streets yet. Normally, they would have started appearing about a month ago.

Could they finally be learning?

Lucky you. Just before Halloween I witnessed hints of things to come - reindeer, candy canes... By the fourth of November some stores were in full Christmas regalia.

I did go to Macy's on a major sale day (no real good deals, I must add), but the store was nearly empty. Normally with such a sale the store is packed beyond human capacity.

This is not going to be a jolly xmas for retailers. But I bet that as the holiday nears, stores will resort to drastic D E E E P discounts.

osiris · Nov 11, 2008, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

Christmas has been lame ever since I got a Real Job and started supporting myself financially. I just buy whatever I want instead of waiting until Christmas.

That's usually the way it goes. It also lessens the burden on others. I told my family to stop with the gifts entirely, or at least not to spend too much.

calverson · Nov 11, 2008, 10:21 AM

A Phase One P 45

Peter · Nov 11, 2008, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

World peace and happiness for all.

Or not.

Christmas has been lame ever since I got a Real Job and started supporting myself financially. I just buy whatever I want instead of waiting until Christmas. The downside to this practice is that my mother has run out of gift ideas...last year I got a set of white sheets.

But if we're thinking big, I'd like a Wacom graphics tablet and someone to come paint my bedroom for me so I don't have to do it myself.

I have an amazon wishlist where I stick random things I fancy, and my parents and family buy from that.

shifuimam · Nov 11, 2008, 10:26 AM

Oh, I have a very long amazon wishlist. Unfortunately, my mother refuses to buy from it. She thinks she can come up with better gift ideas on her own.

Oddly enough, I'd rather get season four of The Office on DVD than a set of frakking white sheets...

Dakar V · Nov 11, 2008, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

Oh, I have a very long amazon wishlist. Unfortunately, my mother refuses to buy from it. She thinks she can come up with better gift ideas on her own.

I've beaten my mother mostly into submission on this, but it seems every year she tries to "think outside the box" on one or two gifts with spectacularly bad results. Of course, I get the evil eye if I'm not excited about these things.

shifuimam · Nov 11, 2008, 10:36 AM

We should totally have a MacNN Secret Santa party.

Gift giving is completely lost on my mother. She buys the most random crap and expects me to be thrilled about it. For my birthday last year, she bought me a pair of yellow gloves. Not like gloves to keep your hands warm...gloves like you'd wear to a tea party.

I'm about as un-tea-party as a girl can get.

Laminar · Nov 11, 2008, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

But if we're thinking big, I'd like a Wacom graphics tablet and someone to come paint my bedroom for me so I don't have to do it myself.

I'm sure you could find some guys here willing to paint your ceiling.

Originally Posted by Dakar V

I've beaten my mother mostly into submission on this, but it seems every year she tries to "think outside the box" on one or two gifts with spectacularly bad results. Of course, I get the evil eye if I'm not excited about these things.

Does she take away your allowance, too?

Oisín · Nov 11, 2008, 10:40 AM

My parents are surprisingly good at thinking up cool gifts for me, even when I never have the faintest idea what I want. Last year, they gave me a very nice old mortar and pestle set, which was awesome.

I’m terrible at thinking of gifts, on the other hand, so I always end up at the last minute trying to think of something they might want. Last year I was saved by the fact that their DVD player was bust, so I bought them a new one.

shifuimam · Nov 11, 2008, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Laminar

I'm sure you could find some guys here willing to paint your ceiling.

So disgusting, but so, so funny. You've been on a roll lately with the schtick.

Dakar V · Nov 11, 2008, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Laminar

Does she take away your allowance, too?

If she could, no doubt.

Peter · Nov 11, 2008, 10:45 AM

MacNN Secret Santa 08!

besson3c · Nov 11, 2008, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

We should totally have a MacNN Secret Santa party.

Gift giving is completely lost on my mother. She buys the most random crap and expects me to be thrilled about it. For my birthday last year, she bought me a pair of yellow gloves. Not like gloves to keep your hands warm...gloves like you'd wear to a tea party.

I'm about as un-tea-party as a girl can get.

Have you ever been to a tea party? What was it like? Inquiring minds want to know!

besson3c · Nov 11, 2008, 12:00 PM

The cool thing about this thread title is that you could take out the "XMAS 08" part and it would still rock.

sek929 · Nov 11, 2008, 01:45 PM

I'm with Shif and Dakar, everything I want I'm to impatient to wait for xmas to get, so I buy it myself.

I kinda want a GPS but I honestly would use it like .1% of the time I drive. Maybe an external FW backup HDD.

Dakar V · Nov 11, 2008, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by sek929

Maybe an external FW backup HDD.

Didn't you hear? Apple killed FireWire.

sek929 · Nov 11, 2008, 01:50 PM

I just checked my two FW ports and both have been sabotaged!

Damn you Apple!

Dakar V · Nov 11, 2008, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by sek929

i just checked my two fw ports and both have been sabotaged!

Damn you apple!

KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNN!!!

edit: **** no caps

sek929 · Nov 11, 2008, 02:00 PM

The Search for Spock is definitely the better film.

Dakar V · Nov 11, 2008, 02:01 PM

I thought the new Saavik was enough to ruin it. She was ****ing terrible. Also, the Oberth class starship was ugly as hell.

I did enjoy the concept of a Klingon John Laroquette, however.

shifuimam · Nov 11, 2008, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by sek929

I'm with Shif and Dakar, everything I want I'm to impatient to wait for xmas to get, so I buy it myself.

I kinda want a GPS but I honestly would use it like .1% of the time I drive. Maybe an external FW backup HDD.

You say that now, but GPSes are freaking rad. I got one on Black Friday a few years ago, and now I can't live without it.

Aside from helping you when lost, a GPS is also like having a White Pages in your car - with lots of POIs, you can search for addresses and phone numbers of all kinds of stuff. It's handy for those of us unwilling to pay for data plans to have Internet access on our cell phones.

At any rate, I love mine. If you find one cheap, go for it - I'd recommend the Mio DigiWalker series, personally.

calverson · Nov 11, 2008, 02:07 PM

I think that it should be the law that for all women to acquire driving licenses, they need a GPS unit. The price of gas would come down.

sek929 · Nov 11, 2008, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

You say that now, but GPSes are freaking rad. I got one on Black Friday a few years ago, and now I can't live without it.

Aside from helping you when lost, a GPS is also like having a White Pages in your car - with lots of POIs, you can search for addresses and phone numbers of all kinds of stuff. It's handy for those of us unwilling to pay for data plans to have Internet access on our cell phones.

At any rate, I love mine. If you find one cheap, go for it - I'd recommend the Mio DigiWalker series, personally.

You're right, I'd imagine it's one of those devices you can't see using yet can't live without after having it for a few years. My g/f recently got a Garmin Nuvi (the cheaper one) and it's pretty damn slick.

sek929 · Nov 11, 2008, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by calverson

I think that it should be the law that for all women to acquire driving licenses, they need a GPS unit. The price of gas would come down.

You've obviously never had the thrill of driving on Massachusetts' road infrastructure. GPS systems should be included in our f**king cars.

shifuimam · Nov 11, 2008, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by calverson

I think that it should be the law that for all women to acquire driving licenses, they need a GPS unit. The price of gas would come down.

I thought it was men who never ask for directions...

calverson · Nov 11, 2008, 03:48 PM

Men do not ask for directions, and they get to their destinations, generally, because they have the ability to read road signs, as well as maps.

Women who prefer not to ask for directions, generally arrive at their destinations, after much more driving.

∴ women need GPS.

Laminar · Nov 11, 2008, 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

I thought it was men who never ask for directions...

Because I know where I'm going, so just shut up and let me do the driving, okay?

Dakar V · Nov 11, 2008, 03:50 PM

Man, we've Loung'd the hell out of this thread.

Laminar · Nov 11, 2008, 03:53 PM

Dakar V · Nov 11, 2008, 03:54 PM

Ooooooo, sparkles

calverson · Nov 11, 2008, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by Dakar V

Man, we've Loung'd the hell out of this thread.

Would it not be Lounge'd? Or Loung'ed?

Peter · Nov 11, 2008, 04:40 PM

yeah, kudos on the xmas spirit

calverson · Nov 11, 2008, 04:51 PM

shifuimam · Nov 11, 2008, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by calverson

Men do not ask for directions, and they get to their destinations, generally, because they have the ability to read road signs, as well as maps.

Women who prefer not to ask for directions, generally arrive at their destinations, after much more driving.

∴ women need GPS.

Ironically, I'm better with directions and maps than most men.

The Shifuimam Paradox gets deeper...

calverson · Nov 11, 2008, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

I got one on Black Friday a few years ago, and now I can't live without it.

Originally Posted by shifuimam

Ironically, I'm better with directions and maps than most men...

That is a paradox.

Laminar · Nov 11, 2008, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

Ironically, I'm better with directions and maps than most men.

The Shifuimam Paradox gets deeper...

Have you competed against most men?

Oisín · Nov 11, 2008, 08:07 PM

Went for a walk tonight. Came to Amagerbrogade. Saw bloody tinsel and Christmas decorations had been put up all over the street since last I was there.

Bugger.

Rumor · Nov 11, 2008, 08:16 PM

Rumor · Nov 11, 2008, 08:17 PM

shifuimam · 01:16 AM

Originally Posted by calverson

That is a paradox.

Yeah, being a geek and liking gadgety toys is just SO retarded, and only women like electronic gadgets and toys.

It's not like I needed a GPS. I find it extremely useful when I'm looking for something (like when my buddy came up here and we wanted to go bowling, yet didn't know where the nearest bowling alley was), or when I'm out of town and discover I need to make an unexpected detour.

Also note that you again completely misread (either inadvertently or deliberately) what I said about the usefulness of a GPS. I specifically pointed out that it's like having a compact White Pages in your car, which can be very handy at times. That's the primary reason why I love my GPS. I know my way around most of Indiana without a problem. It's when I want to find the nearest Arby's that my GPS comes in handy.

Originally Posted by Laminar

Have you competed against most men?

Oh yeah. I have big contests every year to show how much more of a manly-man I am than even Tim Allen.

Laminar · Nov 12, 2008, 02:40 AM

*insert grunting here*

calverson · Nov 12, 2008, 03:16 AM

Shifuimam, you are officially too serious.

shifuimam · Nov 12, 2008, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by calverson

Shifuimam, you are officially too serious.

And you're officially the most obnoxious person on MacNN since macgeek2005. Point being...?

calverson · Nov 12, 2008, 09:04 AM

There you go again with the seriousness

Laminar · Nov 12, 2008, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by shifuimam

And you're officially the most obnoxious person on MacNN since macgeek2005. Point being...?

Spend some time in the PL and you'll find people FAR more obnoxious.