He: My Birthday!!!

Birthdays are fabulous holidays, if you're the one that's having the birthday. I can't really say that in the last few years that they've really been all that spectacular. I think that part of that can be attributed to not being able to remember what happened. It's not that I was drunk, and that my brain was addled with alcohol, preventing me from processing the information as the celebration was taking place. I think that my birthdays just haven't really been huge events, which really isn't that big a deal.

This year seems to be another one that really probably won't be a big deal at all. Since we moved to California less than a year ago, both of us have only made a friend or two (we tend to make them very slowly...we're really picky), so it definitely won't be a massive to-do with a party and reckless debauchery. Also, it's been more than a year since either of us has had any negligible amount of alcohol, so it won't be a big drinking occasion either. It will be a day where the diet program will be damned, and we will eat whatever we damn well please (just how many calories are in the average birthday cake anyhow?).

Since the circle of friends on this coast is soo small for both of us, I thought that it would be smart to put up a list of all of the stuff that I'm interested in, and why. I figure this way, there's a chance for all of you out there to learn a little bit more about me. This is a chance to figure out what you want to get for me for this birthday. Lastly, this is an opportunity to see a little of what's available in the world of consumer goods, as seen from the mind of a guy that's about to turn 32.

First, the kitchen gear:
www.reusablebags.com has got these lunch kits by a company called Sigg. I'm interested in these mostly for my commute by bike to and from work. Right now I'm taking this insulated fabric lunchbox with me every day. It has worked fairly well for the last year and a half, but it's soft. The problem that I run into with that is that I can't carry anything fragile or crunchy in it....it all just comes out crushed. Also, reusablebags has got some shopping bags for groceries that I think are really cool.

www.cookwarenmore.com carries the irregulars from the factory for all-clad cookware. Before we moved from Atlanta we sold just about everything that we owned. Most of my cookware I sold to a very happy cook at TWO Urban Licks in Atlanta. We haven't replaced any of the stuff that was sold, because I want to buy cookware just once more for the rest of my life. Due to this stipulation that I've placed on myself, my options are a little limited. I could go with some really nice, very heavy French cookware like Le Creuset. Problem with that is that it's iron, and soo freaking heavy that it's impractical just for that. I could go with something like Calphalon, but it's heat transference leaves a lot to be desired(also, they're really picky about what cleaners you can use to clean them...not cool). I've used All-Clad in professional kitchens before, and they work brilliantly! They heat up faster than any other pans I've ever used. They have virtually no hot spots at all. Biggest thing for me, they're just about as indestructible as you can get(check my earlier post about the Dualit toaster to see my thing about indestrucibility. Really I'm just looking for gift certificates on this.

Kitchenaid 6qt artisan mixer(you can find these refurbished from kitchenaid) go to kitchenaid.com for the details and ordering. I'm very specific that I want the highest power 6qt mixer that they manufacture. Also, I want the pasta roller attachment as well(I really miss making fresh pasta...did it at many a restaurant)

k-tec blender(the most powerful blender that you can get for your home....that won't take up as much space as our 90lb. german shepard

Anything from King Arthur Flour(gift certificates preferred) www.kingarthurflour.com

Bike Stuff:
www.seallinegear.com they have a waterproof urban backpack that would be perfect for my commute.

www.castelli-us.com sells a waterproof high-visibility jacket that would be really handy for the commute home at night(just so that I can be more visible to the cars)

www.roadid.com they sell what is the bike equivalent of dog tags. Just in case I do get in a wreck and can't explain who I am or where my nearest relative is(Brandy is tops on that list). Also, they sell little blinking waterproof lights that couldn't be a bad thing to add to the bike for the night rides(hate those pesky cars).

I also could use a good bike pump. The topeak joe blow pro looks really good....but honestly I just need something with a pressure guage that I can use from home.

Random Stuff
Solar christmas lights http://www.siliconsolar.com/Solar-Christmas-Light-S-p-16351.html
hooray for the green revolution!

Brandy and I have been very much into fitness in the last year. We've done a decent amount of research into every aspect of it. One of those areas is supplements, and A1supplements.com is one of the best sites to buy your supplements from. I'd love a gift certificate from them. We buy from them every single month, but this GC would be so that we could pick up some stuff that we've been thinking about but unable to spend the money on.

www.half.com The ULTIMATE place to buy books. If you're good friends with me please email and I'll give you the password to my login. We've got an extremely long list of books that we want, that we haven't bought yet. Please help us support literacy.

The last big thing for me is Threadless.com They sell basically the only shirts that I wear anymore. Please, if you are thinking about getting me something from them, make sure that it's funnny(nothing like a little humor on you to help brighten someone's day).