Alright, it’s that time of year…The Givers are playing “Meal or No Meal” today in honor of this being the day before Thanksgiving. They’re trying to provide a poor bum from the streets of Dallas with a nice weekend in a fancy hotel with all the trimmings.
It’s also that time of year when we all start really pushing our Christmas Lists on our family and friends, dropping “subtle” hints, knowing you’re not going to get much of what is on your list, but you’ll be happy and thankful either way. Well this year, I’m going to open up my list to the world, and if there is anybody out there who feels led to mark one of these items off the list, that would be fantastic, or if you’d like to contribute money to the cause, feel free to donate using the PayPal button at the bottom of the page.
So, on to the list! First of all, earlier in the summer, having crappy power at my apartment complex fried my motherboard on my desktop PC, so I’ve been limited to using my work laptop ever since. It’s a great laptop, but it just can’t handle PhotoShop, Vegas Video, other resource intensive programs, so it’s been difficult to accomplish my normal tasks. Of course I could just get an old used motherboard to put in there, but when it’s just as easy (and not much more expensive) to just get a new motherboard, processor and memory, why not? So, with that in mind, here’s what I have picked out:
An ASUS Motherboard
A new motherboard, this one from ASUS. This motherboard has an AM2+ Socket, and will handle the new “Phenom” processor. It can also handle plenty of memory at a dual-channel rate, it has 7.1 surround capability, and a pretty decent HD graphics card, with HDMI output, so I can output directly to my new Samsung HD TV. I can stream “The Office” from HULU all day with this motherboard. Not to mention, I will be able to more efficiently edit photos, create graphics, design webpages, etc.
The new Phenom core
The next part of what I will need for my computer to become functional is a new processor. I’ve opted for the new AMD Phenom—a true Quad-Core processor with a high clock speed and integrated front side bus. When used in combination with a good motherboard and a good kit of dual-channel memory, much work can be accomplished! I would love to be able to get back to making videos and editing more than one picture at a time in PhotoShop, because it’s really getting annoying having to open and close individual files just to copy and paste from one to another! I’ve always had good luck with AMD, they’ve never let me down, and for the price, you can’t beat it!
4GB of Dual-Channel Patriot Memory
What better way to cache the instructions than a bunch of memory? How about 4GB of memory, arranged in a dual-channel fashion? Sounds wonderful to me. I am a little disappointed that Crucial doesn’t make a 4GB kit of dual-channel memory in the Ballistix line, or any line for that matter, in the speed I need. They only have 2GB kits, and frankly, I want more memory than that. I’ve always gone Crucial, simply because they are the best, I’ve paid more to have them, but they just don’t make what I need for this scenario, at least not that I’ve seen anywhere. So this kit from Patriot will have to suffice. I’m sure it will run quite well.
Blast away wrinkles!
Alright, so like most guys, I use the dryer as my iron to de-wrinkle my clothes. Mainly because I do not have an iron, and I just don’t have the patience for it. So I saw our favorite advertising guru, Billy Mays, advertising this new product: The Steam Buddy. You can apparently blast wrinkles away with the quick shot of steam, while the clothes are still hanging up. It looks so easy on the commercials, I think even I could do it. This certainly would make my morning routine much easier.
Don't be fooled by imitators!
One other item I could DEFINITELY use around the house (and car) is a ShamWow. Please, go watch the short commercial, and then try not to buy one yourself! I have something called “The Absorber” which is an imitator, but it does work very well, but nothing like what the ShamWow claims to be. Looks as though it could save me half an hour at the car wash, which would be awesome, because drying it takes SOOOO long and it’s very tedious. With a ShamWow, I should be able to dry over half of it before I even need to wring it out! With the Absorber, I can do the hood, then I have to wring it out, so it takes a long time to get the entire car dry and spot free…Of course it’s worth it for the overall look, as it is a black car, but I’d sure like to spend less time doing it.
The most fun puzzles on earth
One more thing I would love to have for Christmas this year (something EVERYBODY can afford) are some Square Scramblers…also known as “Crazy Puzzles” to a few who remember the good ol’ days in Mrs. Green’s English/G.T. class. On these particular puzzles, there are usually 3, maybe 4 designs split between 9 pieces, and they only go together one way. They are so much fun, and very cheap, so they make great stocking stuffers for people of all ages really. Or if you have relatives who are teachers, they will come in handy. There are a wide selection of designs, from the hot air balloons pictured, to frogs, football players, hockey playes, and the list goes on. Go check them out, and get some!
Anyhow, that’s the most of it…I never ask for too much, so if you feel like making my Christmas Season more enjoyable, I do appreciate it! Thanks again, and everybody have a safe and fun Holiday Season!!
