Daniel J. Hogan's Blog

Wow!

I went to the local Goodwill store on a whim, looking for last minute stocking stuffers (I know my previous post re: Christmas may have made me sound a bit down on the whole gift thing, but I take endless joy in finding a 60 cent used book that one of my parents may actually like - it's fun). After picking up both volumes of [CENSORED] for Dad, a copy of [CENSORED] for my sister, and a hilarious copy of [CENSORED] for Mom, I went to look for anything I might enjoy for myself.

I skimmed the tall shelf, and to my shock I spotted a copy of Ian Flemming's James Bond adventure, You Only Live Twice - and I had just watched the movie version yesterday. Weird! The version I found was a 1960s book club edition (hardcover). I kept looking and I found ELEVEN more James Bond books!

So I ended up with (in no particular order):
Diamonds Are Forever
Casino Royale
Doctor No
Octopussy (with Living Daylights and Property of a Lady)
From Russia, With Love
You Only Live Twice (two different editions)
The Spy Who Loved Me
The Man With the Golden Gun (two different editions)
Goldfinger
Thunderball



So yeah, I ended up withs some doubles - but for 50 cents a piece, it is hard to say no (and they had a deal if you bought X amount, you got a price break). Especially if they are actually collectible - the hardcovers are all from the 1960s. I've never read any of the Bond books, but I've wanted to since Casino Royale came out last fall. If I don't like 'em, I'll just try to sell 'em online or donate them to the library's used bookstore. I don't have a problem spending money on used books. I'm going to start reading Casino Royale right away, and sadly put reading Out of Sight on hold (I've seen the movie already anyway, I'm sure Elmore Leonard would understand. I'll get back to it soon enough).

Looks like I only need Live and Let Die, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only and On Her Majesty's Secret Service to complete the James Bond series.

Today's Frazz comic strip sums up my feelings about most Christmas music. I'll be very happy on December 26th, because I won't have to suffer through countless versions of the same tired old songs until next November (or the way things have been going, I'll be happy if I make it through October).

I really just wish Christmas was more like Thanksgiving. I could rant about commercialism ruining the holiday and people going crazy about buying things they don't need (and don't even get me started on the whole Nintendo Wii thing -- brilliantly summed up here by the comic Dueling Analogs, read the blog post below the comic too), but I'd be beating an army of dead horses.

I'm being hypocritical, I know, because I've been doing what I can to get people to buy copies of The Magic of Eyri for presents - but I gotta do what I gotta do. Hate the game, not the player as the saying goes.

I think now that I'm older (in addition to being single and childless), Christmas just doesn't have the same magic as it did when I was a kid. Before it meant fun stuff, now it just means stress for me and those around me. Don't get me wrong - I'm very happy to see my family and I love that part of the holiday, especially now that I have moved away and my younger sister is married. And that's what I think the holiday should be about: family (and/or friends), not getting a ghastly shirt from your great aunt or trying to remember which season of Full House to buy your niece.

BUT - there is a new tradition that has popped up on my dad's side that I've grown to enjoy and that my mom's side has taken up as well: bringing a random $20 gift and drawing cards to see who gets to pick first (we don't do it where you can steal gifts though, which I think it is a good idea - especially on Dad's side. Trading after everyone is done is allowed though). I like this concept, it takes pressure off you because no one has expectations about what they are getting and there is an added touch of mystery and the always fun "AWWW Man - why didn't I pick that box?"

Merry Christmas y'all.