The Aerie
I realize that this isn't very politically correct, but...
I like Christmas shopping.
I know, I know, how materialistic!. How shallow! I... I'm just a pawn
of the merchandising machine. I'm part of the decline of the Western
world.
But I enjoy it.
When I have time. When I have a little bit of money (I've never had a
lot, but I have had none, and I like a little better than none). I
enjoy the process. Maybe it keys into some instinctive hunter-gatherer
instinct. Maybe I just like thinking about the people I care about.
And that's how I do it. I'm ridiculously inefficient. I basically take
one person and put them in my mind, and then I walk around and look at
things. I just walk around, thinking about someone, and looking at
stuff, trying to find something that "fits."
Now, I have to admit, I frequently find myself browsing bookstores
using this method, but that's just a cop-out, I just like bookstores.
But it works anywhere. I browse around, I look at stuff, I hold it up
to the person in my head, I see if it looks right for them.
That's what I was doing today. I was supposed to be doing a lot of
other things. I was supposed to be working on the corporate Christmas
card. I was supposed to be writing up a proposal. I was supposed to be
working on my book. But I needed a break. I've spent the last three
weeks working like an idiot. Even yesterday was idiotic, when it
shouldn't have been, it just turned out that way.
So despite the inclement weather
TITLE:the first significant winter storm in three years
TITLE:I trucked off to the bookstores, looking for something for a
friend of mine.
She's particularly challenging to buy for -- she lives an alternate
lifestyle. Bi. Married. Experimenting with foursomes with her husband
and another couple. The closest thing that Barnes and Noble had that I
thought might suit her was a book by Susie Bright, and I figured she
probably already had it. So I went to the Amazon Bookstore (not to be
confused with Amazon.com, they won that court case), and didn't see
much there that wasn't at B&N. Somewhat disappointing.
I even stopped by "Sex World," not really expecting to find anything
suitable, and I was right.
So what was I looking for? I don't know: "Couples Dating Couples"?
"Dating for Four?" Hard to say. Amazon.com revealed a few
possibilities: [1]Redefining Our Relationships, [2]Open Marriage, but
I didn't just want to pull something out of the Amazon.com, hat. I
wanted to see the book, look it over... hold it up to her picture in
my head and say "Does this fit?"
So I spent a couple hours trying to find the perfect gift for this
challenging friend. Not quite satisfied yet, but if I want the gift to
arrive on time I'd better find something soon...
And after her, I've got the rest of my list -- my birthmother, my
wife, my kids, my family...
My wife, she wants to do less. She wants us to make things for each
other, write stories, poems, sketches, etc. Less materialistic. More
touchy-feely.
But I like shopping for Christmas presents. I like finding the "right"
things. And I enjoy it, when I can.
Hopefully I'll have a chance this year.
[3]Last
Posted by Albatross at December 9, 2003 12:00 AM