People of course ask you what you want for a gift this holiday season.  Generally speaking, I think you’re supposed to know, right?  Isn’t that part of the point?

But, in the interests of making things easier for people (and simultaneously bringing Meet The Press Mondays back into the post cycle, and also getting me to start blogging again), here’s some stuff I’m interested in owning, offered as an insight into Pat’s character.

#1 on my list, unattainable currently and would require major contributions and scheduling, is a roundtrip airplane ticket from LAX to Orlando, FL, on April 3rd returning April 7th.  Second-to-last shuttle launch is scheduled for the 4th, three days of leeway in case the launch is delayed.  (edited to add)  Missions have been shifted, according to the NASA web site (thanks, Kitty!)  I don’t think I can make it, and I’m really bummed about that.  You can always travel the world.  There’s only a couple more chances to see the shuttle launch.

On a much more practical scale:

Movies are always good.  If you’re reading this, you should have a good idea of what I like, if not what I have.  This, this, this, and this are all on the must-have list.  I don’t want to go another Halloween without proper cinema.  These two are of course most important:

Something from here or a similar site, in the skill level 1 bracket.  This would be a fun Dad & Jack project.  Launch kit would be necessary as well.

Gregory Benford’s Eater, Artifact, or Furious Gulf

Myriad things that nobody can afford, like a Sony Bravia 42″ TV, a fully loaded Alienware M17x laptop, a house with a backyard and a garage, a ticket on Virgin Galactic, piles of gold bars, that sort of thing.  Sorry, back off the practical scale for a minute there.  Unfortunately, many of the other things I want that are actually doable won’t fit in my teeny tiny house, so I can’t take ’em even though I want ’em.

Scotch is always a good option.  I’m running low.  Laphroaig 10, Balvenie 12 Doublewood, Lagavulin 16, anything by Arbeg, Springbank, the Talisker 12 year distiller’s, etc., etc.  I take care of those who give me good scotch, they get remembered in prayers.

Oh, I could really use one of these, Peet’s AirScape Canister in Bronze.  Actually, two, one for home and one for the office.  Airless storage for coffee beans makes a huge difference over the 10-12 days it takes me to use up my supply.

I’d kill for a ceramic coffee travel mug that will fit 18-24 oz of coffee (smaller is too small) and doesn’t have a freaking handle so that I can put it in a cup holder.  Not a metal cup, it has to be ceramic.  I doubt you can find one, I’ve looked everywhere.  If it has a handle, it would have to look something like this one (no luck, this thing is plastic, yuck), but even this one is probably too top-heavy:

All travel mugs are either steel, too small, wide base, or have a plastic inner liner for some Godforsaken reason no sane person would understand.  International communist conspiracy, for certain.

Not much else, really.  Vintage board games are good, but they seem to be in the rage right now so the prices are all high on eBay.  Some other games I’ve heard good things about (or have played and want) include Citadels and anything by Cheapass Games (particularly the classic Give Me The Brain).  I don’t have a copy of Awful Green Things, which is still published.

I’ll let you know if I think of anything else…