The Tease of Things I Don't Need

Christmas Day!

We did the opening of gifts late last night, rolling past midnight. By the time we were done I was more than ready for bed, as it's been a wearing run-up to the Christmas season.

Mixed, conflicting emotions, I haven't been feeling very communicative at least in part because I'm not sure what's going to come out. While some breakdowns can be strangely entertaining to watch I'd rather not make a bid to be the center of attention that way.

Apologies for not getting to this earlier in the day, but after a very slow, late start to the day we had to be off to make some visits. Now I'm back home and back to being at liberty.

Most of my shopping (aside from that which was for the kids, as that still always comes first) was late to arrive -- some of it arriving only late Tuesday -- so I didn't get to mail anything out as yet aside from some cash I e-sent in one case. Saturday's set to be my day for dispersing what's left to be given -- a trip to the post office in the morning and a get-together at a friend's in the afternoon and that should pleasantly wrap the holiday gift-giving.

I was able to give some things to my assistant at work and another friend there on Tuesday -- none of us would be in Wednesday.

Me? I made out fairly nicely this year.

Darren and Tammy (who, especially under their economic circumstances this year really shouldn't have) sent me The Marvel Vault: A Museum-In-A-Book, a large, album-like archive of the history of Marvel comics running back to even before it was named Timely, when it was publishing in the Pulp era.

It's packed with high-quality reproductions of very special items, starting with early sketches of the Sub-Mariner and rolling up through the decades. The reproductions are there in plastic sleeves and the book -- album -- itself is spiral bound, giving it a wonderful scrapbook feel, though such a scrapbook as only a long-lived insider could possibly compile. Comics writer and editor Roy Thomas and comics historian Peter Sanderson put it all together, and as best I can tell so far did a nice job of selecting the materials and spreading attention over the eras.

I've only barely spent any time with it yet but will be soon, I want to settle in with it. Thanks, you two!

Stalwart comics convention & lunchtime companion and person who's been most willing to stay up all night playing Heroclix with me, Eric G., gave me a couple things.

One is an Aquaman figure from the Kingdom Come line, which is probably the best product line to come out of Wade and Ross' tale. While some wax rhapsodic about the original comics work - projecting into a possible future where a new generation of heroes has taken over and gone seriously awry, and various members of the old guard have to return to step in and try to set things straight - I've always found that it was almost entirely held aloft by the basic (and terribly easy - both conceptually and dramatically - plot/concept are such that even a very minor talent couldn't help but extract some drama from it) and Alex Ross' inspiring artwork. As a work of fiction it's so-so, but its visuals are solid, making these pieces the ideal remembrance of the series. This future Aquaman's given his best shot at achieving a look of majesty, trading on an Arthurian look.

The other was a trade edition of Rick Remender's Tales of The Fear Agent, tales of alien exterminator Heath Houston. This is a collection of short tales from a range of creative teams, as creators Rick Remender and Tony Moore allow others to expand the adventures of their frequently drunk, two-fisted anti-hero. I've caught mentions of the series here and there along the way but hadn't taken the time to seek any of them out. Now some of it's come to me. Thanks!

Closer to home, I received a black leather jacket - which I received several days early out of a mixed concern that it was the right size (it was) and because our local temps (so completely unlike today's sunny warmth) had plummeted. I've never owned a leather jacket before, and now I'm beginning to wonder why.

Also, though considerably less practical, coming my way this season was a dragon-headed sword cane. It's fairly handsome as such things go, and is a solid, sturdy item that's likely very deadly even if just wielded as a club.

The handle and the cane/sheath are screwed together, which is good in terms of being able to use it as a cane, but also means there's no casual un-sheathing of the sword... which is a good compromise.

Of course, if my recent physical deterioration continues on the same arc I've seen this past year then a cane may prove to be a timely addition for 2009. In the meantime it's an eye-catching piece.

Nick came up with a 2GB USB flash drive for me. It sometimes amazes me how information storage capacity has so skyrocketed. I can too easily recall when the concept of 1 GB for full system resources seemed fanciful. And you could buy a whole steak dinner for a nickel, by gum!

A boxed set of the complete 1964 run of Johnny Quest made it my way, too. As I'd seen the cartoons here and there both as a young child and up into the seventies and even scattered along the way beyond that -- rather than, say, once when I was five years old (possibly under the influence of LSD*), and so avoided building up unnatural expectations -- I know what I'm getting into here and am looking forward to gradually working my way through all of them again, silly warts and all. I knew Bandit was an unnecessary, shit addition when I was six years old, and didn't think much more of Hadji's mystical powers. Additionally, having so greatly enjoyed the first three seasons of Venture Brothers - a show that is so strongly based on Johnny's adventures - there's another level of appreciation added to these originals.

Around the house I'd mentioned that while I'm trying to steer clear of sugared sodas at home but am not enjoying those with artificial sweeteners (which we always have on hand) and so would prefer to have plain, unsweetened ice tea on hand. This let wife and kids to come up with a Mister Coffee Iced Tea brewer, which I am compelled to refer to as Mr. Tea despite that being a separate brand name. It does a nice job, but I believe I'll be picking up some honey tomorrow and try to achieve the best compromise; I'd like a little sweetness.

The most recent collection of short stories by Stephen King, Just After Sunset, also made it into my (well, our, as at least three quarters of the human household here will eventually read it) pile of presents.

Also in the mix were several pairs of underwear, which is always useful. No. No pictures necessary on that front.

If I remember something else a little later I'll add it to the list.

Thanks, once more, to all responsible! I hope you all had (and are continuing to have) the best Christmas possible at the time.

* That's something I did with the too fondly mis-remembered Fantastic Four cartoons from '67, which is odd considering that I first saw those later than I did the Johnny Quest ones.