Christmas 2009, a retrospective.

Hello there merry readers, onlookers and general passerbys!

I realised today that the question one is often asked on Boxing day is 'so what did you get'? Though those that ask do not really wish to know, they merely believe it to be the 'right' question to ask and perhaps, even possibly moreso, to initiate in conversation.
I answered this question today with a simple answer 'books and a voucher that I will never use'.
This answer was quite simple but indeed quite true!

As I write this, sitting next to me is a (quite sizable) pile of tomes which I recieved or have bought over the 'festive period'.

Firstly, was a gift to myself and the book I am currently reading out of interest. This book is 'Leviathan'. A 'young adult' book that is rather VSF in reading. Very simple, quick but great for VSF related ideas.
Secondly is a book that Ross very kindly gave me when we played Slaughterloo. It is Route 666, a compilation of 'dark future' related stories which I believe follow on from the actual route 666 story by 'Jack Yeovil'.
I also bought myself Michael Moorcock's 'Blood', 'The War Amongst the Angels' and 'The Revenge of the Rose'. I am a Moorcock fan and saw these in a charity shop in Oxford on the Cowley Road. It is an excellent Charity Shop, bursting at the seams with stuff. There are some excellent finds to be had in there. Also, from the same charity shop I found 'The Art of Discworld', a book I recall glancing in on a wander around Borders when it was at it's normal state.
I also visited Oxfam Bookshop in Oxford, quite a good one in my opinion, and discovered the illustrated version of 'Eric' for £2. I was very happy with that! Coventry Oxfam is the best I have visited for anyone concerned in the buying of secondhand fantasy/SF books. However, Astley Bookfarm cannot be ignored for anyone in that part of the country.

Hannah, my girlfriend picked up a copy of 'The Fifth Elephant' for me and my parents got me Unseen Acidemicals, finishing off my collection of Discworld Novels (not including the teen ones, I am only missing 'hat full of sky'). My parents also got me Dan McGirt's 'Dirty Work', based only on the illustration on the front being 'not too dissimilar from a Discworld cover'. Reason being it is Josh Kirby!
Hannah also got me Hellboy: Volume 1, a HUGE graphic novel which I really look forward to reading, and Watchmen, which is in fact signed by Dave Gibbons. A lovely and very unexpected gift!
Then another personal buy, today (from Waterstone's in Oxford) based on the judgement of Steve Blease I picked up 'The Chronicles of Conan' using the money my Grandparents very nicely gave to me. It is a wonderfully bound and presented book that will look excellent on my bookcase at home!

What of the useless voucher you all ask, well, the voucher is one for 'Burton', which I believe is a fashionable Men's clothing outlet. Anyone that knows me will know I am not the 'fashionable' sort, much preferring the band tee-shirt and jeans look. Anyone who would like this and would swap it for cash, I would be more than greatful!

Surprisingly, I got a few other things. A few DVDs were in store for me, the Starship Troopers trilogy set (yes, yes, I know), The Colour of Magic and Hogfather. Uponm watching Sky1 last night I discovered that Going Postal is also going to be released as a film very soon! Wonderful news I thought. I intend on watching the Colour of Magic today. I have only seen the first half.

Hannah's mum, very unexpectedly got me a 'make your own morph', after discovering I am sculpting little men to be made into tin soldiers... Quite a humourous present and I remember Morph in my childhood.

So yes, maybe it wasn't quite as true, but as you can see, had I told them the truth I may have scared them off!

I took Gavin Syme's (of Alternative Armies) advice as to yesterday. He told me to take a day off, relax and don't do anything related to 'the hobby'. I enjoyed yesterday, made sure spirits were high and had a really nice day.
I truly hope you all shared this experience and I would be more than interested to hear what you all got. Not just as a conversation opener or because it is 'what one SHOULD ask', but out of genuine curiosity.

Cheers!
Rob