Tag archives for present

Friday, October 26, 2007

Good gift, bad gift

I got my first Christmas present of the year last night. Little early? Yeah. But some people are really impatient. (Like me.)

The Bunny and The Chicken went shopping yesterday and Chicken found something he decided I absolutely had to have. He was all set to save it for Christmas. That lasted about 30 minutes. He was SO excited to get my reaction and for me to start enjoying it right now.

So, with a touch of ceremony in taking it out of the bag (Clark W. Griswold would have asked for a drumroll, but that's just not how we roll), it was revealed to be a snow globe. A snow globe? He thought I'd like this? Then I saw what was in the globe.

Image: penguin snow globe

 
Aw! How cute. He knows I loves me some penguins, and the parent and child image is so sweet. That is a pretty good gift. Unlike what my Sister gave me for my birthday.

Image: Hannah Montana books

 
It's not a bad gift. Not at all. Really, is there any such thing as a bad gift? My point is that those books are a gift designed to yank my chain. It's the kind of gift that really hits on "the joy of giving," and she certainly did enjoy giving them. The little shit.

And since the subject has been broached… yes, I like Hannah Montana. The tv show can be retarded, but I think she's as cute as a button (and Emily Osment is even cuter). Plus, the music is actually pretty good. As soon as you're done judging me over this, you should give it a listen.

Monday, January 1, 2007

So I'm not really dead

I'm just distracted. The past week has been… a little different.

The Chicken has been home for school for the holiday break, so he hasn't going to bed quite so early. Since I haven't had to get him to the bus stop, I've had extra time to sleep every morning, so I haven't been going to bed so early. Bunny has been home from work with a tweaked lower back. It's definitely out of the norm for us to have so much together time in the evening. It's been a lot like being on vacation, except I'm still going to work. So… not like a vacation at all, I guess.

Usually my blogging times are in the morning, after Chicken is on the bus and before I go to work, and in the evening after Bunny has gone to work. Neither happened all last week, so my blog has been very neglected. Whenever I've had time to blog, I've instead chosen to focus on my newest obsessions, Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero II.

These two games, along with two super cool video game chairs, are the Princess Sparkle Pony I'd been teasing Chicken about for a month or so before Christmas. Chicken definitely likes the games, but I'm the one who's really hooked on them. On Christmas day, I started out on the easy difficulty level. I've played so much in a single week that I'm almost ready to move up to the hard difficulty.

Aside from the fun of actually playing it, I'm having a blast just getting into the music. Before this, I'd listened to Incubus, but I'd never heard their song "Stellar." Now I can't get enough of it.

Before this, I'd never known the artist or title of that Pulp Fiction song that was raped so badly for that Black Eyed Peas thing. (Note to Fergie & Co.: your namesake legume is the black-eyed pea. Note the dash. Ignorant Philistines.) It turns out it's an adaptation of a Greek song named "Misirlou" and it's by Dick Dale and His Del-Tones. Hm. Nope. Didn't know that.

And before this, I'd heard of Buckethead (mostly because of his time with Guns 'N Roses), but never heard any of his music. His bonus track on the second game, "Jordan," is absolutely hypnotic. I tried to find an mp3 of this one because I imagine it's obscure enough that no one has heard it who hasn't played the game, but it turns out the version of the song I like was dramatically rewritten just for the game. If you're feeling adventurous, you can go LimeWire it or something. The first 90 seconds of the version I downloaded are very similar to the game, but everything else is completely different.

What's the deal with Buckethead, anyway? His public image is downright freaky. The Mike Meyers/Halloween mask? The KFC bucket?

Buckethead

I think it says a lot that the guy was too weird for Guns 'N Roses.

Friday, December 1, 2006

I'm so excited!

No, really, I am. Feel my nipples. See?

HBO is going to turn Vertigo comics' "Preacher" into a series.

"Preacher," which ran from 1995-2000, told the story of a down-and-out Texas preacher possessed by Genesis, a supernatural entity conceived by the unnatural coupling of an angel and a demon. Given immense powers, the preacher teamed with an old girlfriend and a hard-drinking Irish vampire and set out on a journey across America to find God — who apparently had abandoned his duties in heaven — and hold him accountable for his negligence.

Preacher was a cool, quirky and often challenging series. I'm really looking forward to what HBO might do with this. But there's one big problem. There's a fair chance I'll never get to see it. I don't get HBO so I won't be able to watch the shows when they're airing, and I'm not so sure I'll be willing to spend $6.32 per episode when the series comes out on DVD.

 

I've been having a blast the past week or so teasing The Chicken about Christmas presents. Any time he mentions the impending holiday, I tell him he's getting a Princess Sparkle Pony. He almost believes me. I'm having tons of fun watching him sputter "But Dad!"

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Scenes from a holiday weekend

Friday

Teenage goth kid #1: Is my ass digging into your hip?

Me: Yeah, but it's all good.

***

Me: All you're missing now is someone to pee on you.

The Bard: haha! Yeah, that's just what I need!

Me: So can I?

The Bard: Umm…

***

Me: Nice boots. KISS, Destroyer, 1978?

Teenage goth kid #1: Uh, no. Cradle of Filth, 2004.

Me: I really showed my age there didn't I?

Teenage goth kid #1: KISS?

***

The Bard: Hey! No fucking in the champagne room!

***

The Bard: Dude, what the hell were you two doing back there?

Teenage goth kid #2: Looking at cock rings on the internet.

The Bard: What the fuck?

Teenage goth kid #2: I can't take her to the sex shops with me.

Teenage goth kid #1: She's not 18 yet?

Teenage goth kid #2: Not until May.

Me: I really can't relate to this at all.

The Bard: How old are you anyway?

***

Sister: I feel so old.

Me: Shut up.

***

Hector: My crabs are huge! They're like lobsters!

(pause)

Hector: Wanna see?

***

Sister: Why is it I can never leave without you telling me something new about Pakistan?

Me: This will be a lot less painful if you don't struggle.

Saturday

Me: I should have bought a copy of Serenity while I was shopping today. Now I'm going to have to wait until Monday to see it.

The Bunny: I thought you said your mom was getting it for you.

Me: heh. Yeah. Wait.

***

Mom: If not for you, I wouldn't even get swiss cheese. And then I'd have to listen to the other two whine.

Sister: I'm not cool enough for my own cheese.

***

Sister: Wow! Look at all these goodies! I'm so loved.

Me: But you're still not cool enough for your own cheese.

***

Mom: Demon child #1, will you go in my bedroom and get Uncle RNB a roll of toilet paper? (giving directions) No, not that pile of stuff, the other pile. No the other pile. Third pile of stuff from the end.

***

Bunny: So what DVD did your mom give you?

Me: Cry_wolf.

Bunny: I didn't believe you. You should have bought Serenity today.

Sunday

The Chicken: Dad, are you done putting it together yet?

Me: No, not yet.

(three minutes pass)

Chicken: Dad, are you done putting it together yet?

Me: No, not yet.

(three minutes pass)

Chicken: Dad, are you done putting it together yet?

Me: No, not yet.

(three minutes pass)

Chicken: Dad, are you done putting it together yet?

Me: Yes! Here you go.

(three minutes pass)

Chicken: Dad, it broke, can you put it back together again?

***

Me: Do you want to watch a movie while Mommy naps?

Chicken: Yeah!

Me: Which one?

Chicken: Godzilla!

(I reach for Godzilla.)

Chicken: No, I mean Herbie!

(I reach for Herbie.)

Chicken: No, I mean Ed, Edd n Eddy!

(I reach for Ed, Edd n Eddy.)

Chicken: No, I mean Inspector Gadget Christmas!

Me: Ed, Edd n Eddy it is.

Monday

Chicken: Dad, will you make me waffles?

Me: Hell no!

Chicken: But Dad! Mom always makes me waffles!

Me: I'm not Mom.

(pause)

Me: Get dressed, let's go out for waffles.

***

Me: Ok, what do you want for breakfast?

Chicken: Waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage and toast.

Me: You're not going to get all of that.

Chicken: Ok, how about… waffles, eggs, bacon… sausage… and toast?

Me: Chicken, they don't offer eggs or waffles as a side item. And I'm not buying you two breakfasts. You have to choose eggs or waffles. So which do you want? Eggs or waffles?

Chicken: Eggs and waffles.

Me: You're not following. You can't get both eggs and waffles. You have to pick one or the other.

Chicken: Eggs and waffles.

Me: You might not survive the morning.

***

Waitress: Here you are. Enjoy your breakfast, fellas.

Chicken: Dad, she brought the eggs, but she forgot my waffles.

Me: You didn't order waffles, remember?

Chicken: Oh. Yeah. I want waffles.

***

Amy (lovely young woman at Sam Goody): On your Visa card today?

Visa card: No, no! I'm already bleeding! I can't take anymore of this! Help me, help me!

***

Chicken: Dad, can we go to the video store and rent PlayStation games?

Me: Sure. I was planning on that.

Chicken: Can we go now?

Me: No, first we're going to get haircuts.

Chicken: What?!?

***

RNB: I was never comfortable in that neighborhood. Lotta spics down there.

(silence)

***

Bartender: What can I get you?

Me: Bud Light, please.

Bartender: And for you?

RNB: Budweiser.

Me: You should really ask this young man for his ID.

(RNB hands it over.)

Bartender: Wow! Happy birthday! You want a birthday shot?

(silence)

Me: Yes, he'd love a birthday shot!

Bartender: What are you drinking?

(silence)

Me: We'll have Cuervo. And a salt shaker please.

RNB: Ugh.

***

Drunken Buffoon: Are you Filipino?

Bartender: I'm half Filipino.

Drunken Buffoon: So you're Filipino.

Bartender: No… I'm half Filipino.

Drunken Buffoon: So you're Filipino.

Bartender: Get you another beer?

***

RNB: Girls around here don't seem to be into rednecks.

Me: You sure they're just not into you?

RNB: Uh, thanks.

Me: I'm not picking on you. I'm just saying you're getting a reputation.

RNB: True. Yeah, maybe that's it.

***

RNB: Next weekend I'm bringing Jesse up here to move in with me.

Me: You're moving your girlfriend into Mom's house.

RNB: Yeah.

Me: I'm still amazed that Mom is ok with this.

RNB: Yeah, me too.

Me: Pat [our stepdad] know about this yet?

RNB: Sort of. He thinks she's just visiting during the semester break.

Me: Technically true, I suppose. But he has no idea she's staying?

RNB: Mom says we've got to have our own place by February 1st.

Me: You gonna make that?

RNB: I hope so.

Me: How much money do you have saved?

RNB: Uh, none.

Me: February 1st, huh?

***

Drunken Buffoon: Respect.

Bartender: What?

Drunken Buffoon: Respect.

Bartender: Ok.

Drunken Buffoon: That's the most important thing in life. Respect.

Bartender: Ok, sure.

Drunken Buffoon: You get one chance at that.

Bartender: Ok.

Drunken Buffoon: One chance.

(silence)

Drunken Buffoon: And now I see what you did with your one chance.

Bartender: Excuse me? I don't follow.

Drunken Buffoon: One chance.

(Drunken Buffoon stumbles out.)

Bartender: What was that all about?

Guy at end of bar: Ah, don't worry. He's always like that.

***

Bartender: More beers?

Me: Yes, please. It's all about respect you know.

Bartender: Don't you start.

Me: One chance. That's all you get. Just one chance to pour that beer respectfully.

Bartender (laughing): Shut up!

***

RNB: Thanks for the present. Thanks for dinner. Thanks for the beers.

Me: No problem. Happy Birthday.

RNB (smiling): Thanks.

***

Chicken: Dad, I don't have school tomorrow. Why can't I stay up late?

Me: You already have stayed up late. It's an hour past your bedtime. Now it's time for bed.

Chicken: But why can't I stay up late… er? Later.

***

Me (thinking): I'll be glad when this weekend is over and I can get back to my routine.

Tuesday

Me (thinking): "Back to my routine?" What the fuck was I thinking? Was I drunk?

(pause)

Me (thinking): Yeah, I was a little drunk.

Monday, December 26, 2005

Boxing Day…

…the day I box up shit to take back to the store.

You remember me telling you last week that my mother called looking for gift ideas for me? She suggested "Serenity." I told her I was planning on buying it that very day. She told me not to buy it, so that she could buy it for me instead.

Remember when I told you I'll lay odds I'd be buying Serenity for myself on the 26th?

It's the 26th. Guess what I bought myself this morning?

Sunday, December 25, 2005

What was I thinking?

The source of my agony

Why in heaven's name did I buy this for The Chicken? The whole point of Lego is building things. Yet he has no interest in building this. He just wants to play with the finished product. Which of course means that I assembled this for him. Actual Dad assembly time: three hours. Actual Chicken play time before first break: three minutes.

Note to self

For future Christmases, buy The Chicken presents that require less adult assistance, like a carburetor rebuild kit.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Last minute gift suggestion

If anyone was thinking of buying me a present this year, please consider getting me a mistletoe belt buckle. I've always wanted one of those.

A snippet

The Bunny: Have you given any more thought to what we should get Goat and Bird for Christmas?

Me: No, none at all.

Bunny: I should take a trip down to… umm… what's their nuts.

Me: Ah, yes, good ol' what's their nuts.

Bunny: Yeah.

(silence)

Me: Uh, ok then.

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

So my mom just called

She wanted ideas for what to buy me for Christmas. I really don't want any gifts, so I protested. She was insistent.

She prodded me through a list of recently released DVDs until she had several possibilities.

When she suggested "Serenity" I told her I was going to go buy that one today. She told me not to. But then she continued digging possibilities anyway.

I'll lay odds that I'll be buying Serenity on the 26th.