Let me get this right … for the cost of shipping of about, oh, 10-15 orders a year [at the two-day rate, mind you], I can get free two-day shipping and $3.99 overnight shipping?

Hey, what’s with this hook in my mouth? It’s making it hard to talk …

Back in October, Anil Dash pointed me to a great essay by Chris Anderson: The Long Tail. Anil has come through again, pointing to Anderson’s new project The Long Tail. Anderson is seemingly so enraptured by this phenomenon that he’s created as a follow-on resource to that article. He’s subtitled it “A public diary on the way to a book”, one that, if published, I would personally pre-order.

… is Ron Artest’s Punch Out.

Actually, no.

From: Doug Morris
To: Geof Morris

I should have this bookmarked — but what’s the web address for your wish list on Amazon?

I saw the new video game Ron Artest’s Punch Out — but didn’t think you’d want that.

I absolutely lost it at Ron Artest’s Punch Out. That just made me giggle for a few seconds.

But any how … Geof Morris’s Amazon Wishlist … for your gift-buying needs. [As if you need to buy me anything. This is posted for the three people who'd actually need it.]

I have made my decision. After consultation with Sean, I went towards a Yamaha. I did some looking at a Big Box, then came home and did some looking online.

I’ll be getting a Yamaha HTR-5760. I’m finding factory-sealed boxes for $375 or so on eBay. Soon enough.

I have also seen Sony’s 400-CD/DVD changer. That’s awful sweet, too.

Thanks for everyone’s advice on my home stereo upgrade.

From time to time, I have reason to burn many copies of one CD. [It's all legal. Really.]

I sure could use one of these: I/OMagic I5252DE.

Spifftacular.

[Hat tip to Will from the .net forum.]

I recently finished Lynne Truss’s delightful Eats, Shoots & Leaves last week, but I’m just now thinking to post anything about it. I’d heard about the book in a couple of places, but it was probably Mark Pilgrim’s post, “The apostrophe is the modern day shibboleth“, that most inclined me to read the book.

What I found that I apparently make a mélange of current British and American grammar use. I’d have to re-read the book to give you specific examples, but I know that one of the issues is my use of commas in a series: I just cannot abide not using a comma after the penultimate item. It was painful for me to title Truss’s book in this entry as she does for that very reason.

I do make my share of grammatical mistakes, but they are typically due to my first-draft-is-final-copy writing style. I have always been this way, and it drove every teacher that worked with me quite insane.

I’m like Magellan, I’m so gellin’.

Actually, I really am.

I’m disappointed to admit that marketing worked on me … I picked the Dr. Scholl’s gel insoles because I’d seen ‘em advertised, and I hadn’t seen the others.

That makes me a sad, pathetic man.

However, my feet are thanking me.

Have you ever picked out a product over others because it was well-marketed?

I’m trying to rid myself of all pirated software.

I think I’ve found the last bit: Adobe Audition, which replaces Cool Edit Pro.

That will put me to all purchased software again. I was there for a while.

Mom and Dad:

You wanted some ideas for Christmas? Here’s my Amazon Wishlist. I’ve been wanting XM for those trips back and forth to your house where there’s no radio to speak of.

I need the main unit before the accessories really work, of course.

Just throwing an idea out there. [And yes, there's a $1000 digital camera on there, and no, I don't expect it.]

There’s also plenty of “little stuff” ideas, too.

Just whatever.

[And if you're not my parents, and you're stupid enough to buy me something, that's cool, too.]

Whew.

I’ve been thinking about purchasing a new A/V receiver. It simply comes down to the fact that, now that I have a TV with S-Video and high-quality audio inputs, I should have an A/V receiver that handles those. My lovely little Aiwa has been a great little trucker for the last three years, but it’s just not up to my … well, not needs, but desires.

So, I’ve found what I want to get: a Sony STR-DE985. Sweetness, in a box. And hey, the old Aiwa doesn’t have to be chucked … the “second room” function could be used with that as a receiver. And yes, I actually have a way to use it.

Of course, this would still be pushing sound out through my bargain-basement KLH speakers, but one thing at a time. I’ve seen these on eBay for around $400, and found one place online selling them for about $350. Sometime soonish.

Well, I think I just got the last piece of the truck stereo puzzle: I found the CD changer that goes with my head unit. The subwoofer amplifier is on its way, and the speakers and subwoofer are already at home, waiting to be installed.

Big kudos to Sean for helping me find components on eBay. eBay rules my world.

This is going to sound oh so nice!

Okay, okay, but it’s all Todd’s fault.

We [being myself, Todder, and Blaker] were watching TV Sunday night as I was about to walk out the door. A Christmas commercial came on screen, and Blake just lost it about how stupid it was to start this early. I said, “Yeah, only four shopping months until Christmas. Woo.” Blake and Todd were like, “Awww yeah, four months, baby.”

Of course, I then remembered that my birthday’s even closer. Heh. So, to help you poor saps out that might be so foolish^Wnice as to want to by me something for that glorious day [which is October 1st, the first day of the Federal Fiscal Year], here are two links to help you out:

My Amazon.com Wish List

My ThinkGeek Wish List

Yes, there are some I’d-never-expect-my-parents-to-spend-that-much things on there. You can even be so creative as to infer what I might like and go from there from these lists. [Hint: Don't buy me a Clancy novel, unless it's a hardcover copy of Red Storm Rising; I have the rest in hardcover already.] You don’t even have to buy me anything. But I thought some of you might like some ideas. Yo, ideas be here.

Okay, in the midst of doing other things this week [like buying ball joints for my truck so my front wheels don't fall off!], I finally broke down and bought a DVD player. It’s an Apex AD703 that I picked up at Sam’s. It’s a good-but-not-great machine; I can’t wait to get home tonight and pop in something to give it a whirl.