Five For Friday, Gift Guide Edition

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Photo by Samuel Holt on Unsplash

For too many years, I wrote for free. My blog was free. This newsletter was free. Even my articles in big magazines were more about prestige than the paycheck. But I’m moving away from the “writing for free” model with subscriptions here and on my autism newsletter. My autism business is chugging along nicely, so college admissions and therapy advice is no longer free either.

If you don’t have a paid subscription to this newsletter yet, you can still support this writer by clicking on one of the links in today’s Gift Guide.

You need to buy something on Amazon? Get there via one of the links on this page (any one works), and I get a small kickback from Jeff Bezos, who doesn’t need anymore money.

In the past, I’ve done a pile of gift guides in December. This year, it’s one and done. If you are new to this, I only link to items that I have or really want. I organize the list by things are important in my life at this time; I can't recommend good baby gifts at the moment, so I’m not going to try. In general, I’m opposed to meaningless consumption, but everybody needs some stuff. I try to keep things useful. (Here’s last year’s Gift Guide.)

There’s a bunch of sales going on at Amazon this week, so you might as as well getting that shopping done now!

Travel

I will never own a second home. For a while, I fantasized about having my own writing cabin in the woods where I pumped out words, went for walks, and made tea. I would be oh-so productive. My Pinterest “Cabin In the Woods” page featured isolated, minimalist homes with a Swedish-modern fireplace in the corner.

But time is ticking. I want to use our remaining years and spare cash to visit the world’s best remote, interesting places, rather than feel guilt-ridden to visit the theoretical cabin in the woods. I want to see as much as stuff as I can before I’m too decrepit to get on an airplane.

Last year, we went to Mexico and Spain. (Cancun pictures here, here, here, and here.) We visited family in North Carolina and Ohio. We took a million weekend trips with Ian. Next year, we’re talking about checking out the Shetland Islands, after getting hooked on the British detective series.

Because we’ve traveling more, we need new gear this year. We already bought hard-cased suitcases for the whole family and a new under-the-chair bag for me. We’re thinking about compression backpacks, too. Rather than lugging around a laptop, I’ve been using my iPad and with a foldable keyboard. I need a new portable charger with multi-cables. Our stocking stuffers are European adapters.

Outdoors

Ian is heading up to Vermont to go to college in January. Yay! He’ll be a full time student in a dorm and all that. We terribly proud of him.

So, Ian needs cold-weather gear for Christmas. It’s tricky because he has sensory issues and can’t stand clothes that pinch or bind. He pretty much lives his Hoka Sneakers, which won’t work in snow. So, we’re looking at LL Bean boots. They look soft. But a slip-on boot might be better for him. He’ll also need a new winter coat.

Steve and I both have Barbour waxed jackets. They’re warm enough to go through December. After that, I actually been wearing the Amazon coat for ten years. It still looks good, so this year, I’m going to get another one in a different color. Steve uses Salomon hiking boots.

Tech

This year, I started a new business and had to invest in equipment for Zoom calls, podcasts, and webinars. My standing desk is surrounded by a Logitech camera, a ring light, a lighting kit, and a Blue Yeti microphone. I’ve purchased a microphone for my iPhone and two external 2T hard drives.

We got the boys Apple Watches this year for their birthdays. Ian uses his to remind himself to take his epilepsy medicine. Jonah likes to track his workouts. I think I need one for Christmas, because it will be better than my Fitbit for connecting with Strava to track my runs.

Ian recommends Raycon headphones. Ian says, “It features an ‘awareness mode’ feature, which lets the user listen to people talking in the background.” [Ian pushes me aside and takes over the rest of this list.]

He also recommends the Nintendo Switch. It is the perfect gift for boys and girls of all ages.

He also recommends the Uni USB C to USB Hub Adapter. It is used for hooking up devices that have a USB C outlet, which is shaped like a small, thin cylinder. It is commonly used for Android devices.

[Now, he’s run off, and I’m back.]

Girlie

My running gear du jour: Goodr sunglasses, wrist weights, headphones, a water bottle, iPhone armband, iPhone, Fitbit, and Brooks running shoes. With things getting colder, I’m also wearing running gloves, a fleece headband,

When I’m on Zoom calls, my outfit is usually jeans, a jacket, and a bright shirt. When I’m writing and doing mom stuff, I’m usually wearing a Gap sweater, Doc Marten T-Straps, and a small sling bag from Anthropologie.

Kitchen

We cook a lot. I’m good at it, it’s a healthy choice, and it’s cheaper than going out. Last night, we had 18 people over for Thanksgiving. Pictures here.

I did some cheap upgrades this year with colorful cloth napkins, table cloth, and dish clothes. Our top used appliances are: the Zojirushi rice maker, the Ninja Air Fryer, the cheap Amazon electric tea kettle, and the coffee pot, of course.

I’m deeply devoted to my Cuisinart cookware set, but I’m starting to ogle other brands. I really like the Stanley Tucci set; Amazon has something similar. I want nonstick pans but without the Teflon brain lesions. The black plastic spatulas and stirring spoons may cause cancer, too, so we need new ones.