Return of Greg's Gift Guide

For those of you who missed my first gift guide a few years ago here are the basics:

This is not one of those "this is what you should buy for others" recommendation lists - this is what you should by for me - the gifts for Greg guide. Also, I'll accept gifts for almost any occasion- I don't limit myself to Hanukkah this time of year- I will also accept other gifts: belated birthday, Christmas, Arbor day, Graduation, Thursday.

Books

• Then We came to the End - Joshua Ferris - This is one I keep hearing about. It's a comic novel about a company at the end of the dot.com bubble. Lots of firings and layoffs - hilarious.

• Beer (Eyewitness companion guide 2007) - Maybe one of the last works by renowned expert Michael Jackson who went to the great pub in the sky this year. Looks like a great book for beer snobs like me.
  

• The Looming Tower - Lawrence Wright - This is the book that has become the "book" on Al-queda and the terrorist attacks. Wright has become a go to expert and even wrote a screenplay to a scarily prescient film about terrorism back in 1998 called "The Siege"

• The Nasty Bits - Anthony Bourdain - One of the coolest guys on TV and a good writer about travel and food. this is a collection of his short writings from a few years ago.
  

Clothing & Housewares

• Almost anything "no-iron" as long as it's 100% cotton- or silk, or cashmere I guess. I wear this stuff to work all the time.
  

• Nice new belt - black. Cool buckle if you can find one, but remember I'm not a cowboy. But check out this too: http://store.dogfish.com/item/Belt-Buckle_Bottle-Opener/742/Belt-Buckle_Bottle-Opener/31/index.htm
  


• Blue Cable knit sweater - I'd just like to have one. Cotton is fine, with global warming wool isn't usually necessary any more.
  


• Goodgrips can opener (not electric) - really, I've never had a good one


• Mixing bowl set- the kind with the little metal handles on the side

• Electric Kettle - I still want one of these. Good for tea and alternative coffee preparations, but also for boiling water for pasta. Bodum and Chefs Choice make good ones.
  

• Good chef's knife - the one I have is still great, but another wouldn't hurt (no pun intended)


• Pepper mill - one of the kinds that you can use one handed. This comes up all the time when I have schmutz on one hand.


• Nice new cookie sheet


• Toaster oven - right now I just have a two-slice toaster and its just not practical.


• High thread count sheets / flannel sheets - I'm talking at least 600 thread count here, not 200 like my sister thinks is enough. Plaid flannel sheets would be cool.

Stuff I really Want

• Trunk for my Scooter - The old one fell off a few years ago when I was riding. No one was injured.


• Guitar Hero for the Nintendo Wii - Really, no kidding- this looks very cool. I sold my guitar on EBay a few years ago and this could replace it.


• Powered sub-woofer for my home theater system- Because I want to feel the bass. I got a new DVD player with digital-optical outputs and the sound needs an upgrade. It doesn't need to be a big one, my condo is small. My neighbors thank you.

• Tiger Woods Golf for the Wii - 2007 or 2008 version is OK I think. I don't know why I like golf games considering I've never played a round.

• Gadget to convert records and tapes to mp3's - I've got a ton of "old media" which I could transfer to my computer (ie: Grateful Dead bootlegs, Mahler symphony box sets) Check this out: http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/mp3/85fb/
  

• Flat panel HDTV set - You can pick the size and brand- I trust you.

This should give you a good start on buying things for me. If I see you I may have a few more ideas of things I forgot, or you may find something you know I would like- that's all just fine. Oh, yeah, and if you have any ideas for things you might want let me know. Thanks!