My Christmas List for Mom

I just had a ball writing this email to my Mom. She asked me for Christmas ideas. Feel free to take anything here and run with it.

Hi Mom,

Yeah, I'm fine. Patrick's right about the phone. That's one thing I need, a new battery.

I know what you mean about time.

I cashed Grandma's check a week or two ago. I got a Christmas card from her in the mail today. I send out a card for her yesterday.

For Christmas. . .how about a little drum machine that I could plug into the computer? I just thought of that. I really don't know. I asked for some photography stuff from Cormac and Patrick. Toy Camera kinda stuff. Lomo is a good name. So is Holga. I could also use I new photo album. I want something fun this year.

I could use some new Ipod headphones, because the dog chewed up mine. The apple store has some "in ear" headphones. Is there an apple store in Charlotte? I have some radio shack jobbies that don't really stay in too good.

Backpacking stuff, like a new pack, or a wood (as in "stick")-burning stove if you can find one. If I was shopping for me, my stops would include Guitar Center (or other music store) photography shop, camping/outdoor shop. I'm up to my neck in books, but there's a new Gabriel Garcia Marques book out, and also a book called "Misquoting Jesus" that I'm interested in. Or maybe Zadie Smith "On Beauty." I'd like to read that.

Patrick asked me for a cookbook. That's a good idea. A good vegetarian cookbook. I don't cook enough.

This is fun. I haven't really thought that much about what I'd like to have. I try to avoid it. There is a website called "www.turntablelab.com" that has all kinds of books/dvd's/toys/cameras that I'd like to have. Too late to order I'm sure, but maybe somewhere to go for an idea.

Oh! here's one thing that you could find at an outdoors store. An LED headlamp. The kind of thing that you wear on your head when your hands are full and you're trying to walk around in the dark. Three little blue LED's. Those are great. And also you can find little inflatable chairs (no legs) that are very comfortable for camping trips.

I want to be able to take great photos/read great books/comfortably listen to great music all in the middle of nowhere.

Maybe a camping cookbook!

I want gifts that inspire action! creativity!

A subscription to the Sunday New York Times.

Those little LED headlamps are good for nighttime reading while camping too.

A good bike jersey!

A how-to repair/tune up your bike book.

Snowboard things.

Some good gloves, the kind that have the mitten part that folds back to reveal gloved finger - good for shooting video. (Not too thick!)

A new set of hospital scrub bottoms (mine a a little raggedy and I wear them every day in the winter - much more comfortable than long underwear).

A homebrewing kit! (probably too big for the plane trip home).

I'm 6'1" slim build, 34ish waist, large (trim fit is available) shirt size. Size 12 shoe.

Okay, that's all I got. Your turn.

Love,

Joseph