as i started to write this, the sky almost simultaneously opened up and rain began to fall angrily from the heavens. this has me thinking about how santa’s red dolce suit and his bugatti sleigh deal with inclement weather. it’s got me thinking about how the image of a giant white man chillin in my crib while i sleep still seems cool to the greater public. more importantly i thought about the christmas gifts that i’ve received over the years. sort of like those lexus commercials i present to you the list of favorite christmas gifts everrrrrr

5. orange banana republic cashmere v neck sweater.
this was my first step to a much needed style upgrade. my sister got this for me. i don’t know if she was giving me a hint or help or both. regardless i wore this thing like it was a uniform. i rocked it jeans, slacks, ties, v neck tees, button downs, fitted caps, kangols, dunks, timbs, hard bottoms even basketball shorts on those slow days. the sweater is long gone and actually i recently purchased another one but its just not the same.
4. b- in literary theory course
the hardest course in my college career was literary theory. i took it with the department chair who was a brilliant man and let me say this: he was no joke. i was a young sophomore struggling mightily to understand derrida, deconstruction and différance (not difference). I knew a C was the absolute best i could get in the course. i took that final like it was a playoff game. i was sweating all types precipitation. when all said and done merry christmas to me mofo’s! b-!!!

3. talking thriller view master
now this was truly the gift and the curse. i was a youngin when this item first touched my eyes. if you were a child when this classic video came out then you knew the fear that it evoked. i loved view masters, still do for that matter so when i first saw this gift one could only imagine the excitement. it was like watching a car accident. the images pained me so much but i couldn’t take my eyes away. yo and the thing talked! imagine vincent price straight talking to you as child. see what i mean by gift and curse. i don’t remember if mike spoke but he didn’t have to. michael jackson plus view master equals visionary goodness!

2. my first bear bubble coat
the parental units were very protective of their youngest and only son. that meant no involvement in any activity of thuggery proportions. that included among many things bubble coats. it took a while but my folks finally gave in and copped me a bubble coat. only two bubble’s mattered at the time bear and north face. bear was more popular at the time if i recall and my parents got it right. i was in high school but with that coat i truly became a man.

1. nintendo
as if there was ever a doubt. i was late in coppin my nintendo. i was about 3 to 4 years late but did i ever catch up. i played my fingers to the white meat. i’m talking contra, double dragon, tetris, teenage mutant ninja turtles, duck hunt and tecmo bowl. till this day i am nasty on tecmo bowl. bo jackson is untouchable. i would sing that tetris theme song in my sleep. there were dreams about me and the duck hunt dog straight chillin on the block. still my favorite system to date. love at first site. when the game didn’t work i just put my lips together and blew! not if that isn’t love i don’t know what is.