Christmas - what's with that

Christmas - How mad do people go? As parents you of course like to show public largess to your children, and your closest friends. However the need to buy a couple tonnes of chocolates and assorted nuts, fruit and pastries, seems to have eluded me.

Since arriving in NZ we've spent every year at the beach, it's a simple time, away from the distraction of TV, Radio and only a daily news paper keeps us up to date with the world, it's an odd time.

This year will be a break with tradition, we're staying at home, due to work commitments of the daughter, and just because after so many years a change is as good as a rest. Menu is organized, and having pointed out that I don't get the over-indulgence, we will have at least 6 adults in the house, and then guests will arrive.

The children's christmas list, yes I know one is 20 the other 17, and you're smirking at the thought, is woefully small, or wonderfully small, depending on your view of things, I guess they appreciate having everything they need, and need for nothing, I think the youngest wants to gift a goat to someone, but has nevertheless provided a list of books that she'd like. It's all very simple.

As for MrsPdubyah well we'll have each other, I'll buy some bling as this is what I do, she'll hide it in the draw and never wear it, it's what we do.

There is no religious element to our festive time, it's family time, and time for relaxing and reflecting, I actually like the idea that in the north they call it Winterval.

I'll miss the beach though.

 

Waiting on a Macbook Air

I've talked myself into needing one. Just the entry-level one, despite them being 2 or 3 times more expensive than a notebook computer.

It's about weight, and in philipworld I'd use the Air to fabricate my blog, and things.

That there were a couple of 36 months interest free deals going on, and this is ike a red rag to a bull, at mearly a few dollars a month I could have the toy of the moment.

Except that they're not in stock, and I don't have one, and at the price they are I don't want to wait for one, I want instant gratification, I want it now, today, take home.

So I don't have one, but I did get a keyboard and a dock for the iPad, and today I'll get a magic mouse. perhaps.

After all I promised myself.

and then.............. I did some research, and whilst it's a ood plan, to use a mouse with an iPad it doesn't actually work. So to plan B then

The simple life.

We have a simple house. We don't have clutter, we have few trinkets and nick nacks. What we tend to have is less things that are slightly more expensive. Which sounds a bit pretentions, we have things that we can afford at the time, and we shop diligently in sales and looks for opportunities. We don't buy on whim, we find our need and then investigate the options and buy according to our wallet.

We don't carry any credit card or HP debt.

We had a bit of an open home thing, well it was a pre-ball gathering for daughter and her friends and parents, nothing at all flash, just a couple of hours of get together before the party bus arrived.

Many of the fathers of daughters found it pleasing that I had "all the gadgets "and daughter has had her friends tell her she is rich! as if.

The 'gadgets' then are; A 50" panel TV, a Cannon EOS SLR, and an iPad. There is a Tivoli Radio in the kitchen and an iPod Dock.

Like i said simple things and not exactly gadget land.

It's nice to have a simple household, it does not mean it does not get messy, I'm sure you'd be horrified if you visited at the clutter, but I like it like that.

Chasing the technology tail

Well so an I-Pad is just frippery then, unless I find one for say $600, and you know that's not going to happen any side of soon.

So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, as if I have money burning a hole in my pocket is perhaps and aPad, which is a 7" Android based tablet. Problem with that is that it's 7", and not an I-Pad. IT is cheap though, but at, say, $300, it's kind of nearly like half the price of an I-Pad,

So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, is perhaps and Android phone. Voda have one for $199 or DSE for $175. The problem with that of course is I have a work based BlackBerry that I use. It's not like I have friends or anything. So one of those would be sort of interesting and the a handbag filler for the wife.

I am then in a quandary as to what to spend money on, it's not like I need to or want to, but it's technology and I appear to be addicted to it.

Chasing the technology tail

Well so an I-Pad is just frippery then, unless I find one for say $600, and you know that's not going to happen any side of soon.

So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, as if I have money burning a hole in my pocket is perhaps and aPad, which is a 7" Android based tablet. Problem with that is that it's 7", and not an I-Pad. IT is cheap though, but at, say, $300, it's kind of nearly like half the price of an I-Pad,

So the next thing that catches my eye, of course, is perhaps and Android phone. Voda have one for $199 or DSE for $175. The problem with that of course is I have a work based BlackBerry that I use. It's not like I have friends or anything. So one of those would be sort of interesting and the a handbag filler for the wife.

I am then in a quandary as to what to spend money on, it's not like I need to or want to, but it's technology and I appear to be addicted to it.