Valentine’s Day Gifts Guide

Christmas and Valentine’s Day are the most financially demanding holidays. And as such, they bring the best of family/relationship/shopping bloggers/columnists/advisors with numerous lists of Valentine’s Day gifts for him, Valentine getaway for hers; I even ran into a Valentine’s Day gifts for pets guide, with suggestion to send a Valentine card to a friend’s pet, signed by the pet, obviously. Sweet.

Following the success of my Christmas gifts posts, I thought I’d provide another reasoned gift guide for the upcoming holiday, but as I browsed the net looking for cool alternative gifts for your loved ones, I thought I’d shed the light on some of the most, well, interesting Valentine’s Day gifts ideas available online.

• Buy stocks or share your shares with your loved one (a thoughtful gift saying I’d love till stock market falls).
• Nintendo brain age (I love you but I wish you were as brighter as when we started dating)
• Luxurious backgammon board (“For couples with a competitive streak, challenge your wits against each other” in other words, for couples who need a fresh new reason to pick a fight)
• Vacuum (it was on the what not to buy list. What kind of people need to be guided not to buy cleaning devices on a traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other?)

At this point, I got tired, watered my computer budavase, took a bite of a chocolate wii avatar, and got into the love tub.

Daniel Craig in Defiance

Daniel Craig is famed mostly for his role as James Bond, but unrightfully – he played so much better in other films. Most recently on Defiance, the latest in the current World War II wave. The movie is based on the true story of Tuvia (Craig), Zus (Liev Schreiber) and Asael (Jamie Bell) Bielski, three Jewish brothers who escape from the Nazi attack to the forests of Poland. First, they run for their life, and later, under Tuvia (Craig) guidance they start saving more Jews, eventually 1,200 were saved by the end of the war.

The Bielskis, who are still alive, responded well to the movie, Craig said in an interview to the BBC News. The film was shot during the midst of the winter in the deep forests of Lithuania, and the actors had to wear thermal clothing, drink (alcohol, I presume) and huddle (in a non-sexual way) to keep warm and occupy themselves playing backgammon and other board games between takes to stay good spirited and united in front and behind the scenes.

“Nobody did this for the money”, Craig stated in the same interview, and admitted that playing James Bond helps him get leading parts such as this (and probably to pay the bills). Soon you will see Daniel Craig along with Ewan McGregor in I, Lucifer, as the devil itself.

Christmas Gifts Dilemma

On one hand, everyone is talking about recession and about the necessity to avoid unnecessary expanses. On the other hand, it’s holiday gifts time, so… The web is filled with advice and suggestions: best gifts under $15, worst gifts for girlfriends, top gifts for yourself, gadget gifts for geeks, gifts for gamers, golfers and even gifts for backgammon people!

Well these are all brilliant ideas, really. But looking back at the Christmas presents you recall the most, probably it will not include a digital frame right? In my opinion a Christmas gift has to be useful, but not in the simple sense of “hey, I just ran out of garbage bags, do you mind buying me a pack for Christmas?” And if not useful, at least let it be surprising, something that would bring a smile on the recipient faces, whatever their sports/board games preferences are. So, after deciding on these criteria and following a thorough research, I’m proud to bring the best of the best budget Christmas gifts for 2008:

As soothing as a spa treatment yet costs less: “Keep Calm and Carry on” T-shirt, available in variety of colors and sizes, price begin at £20. (via treehugger)

Talking about keeping calm, these cute looking furry creatures would take the holiday tension out of you in more than one way: they are soft and pressured and they spit out things you would not dare to say out loud like: “You’re a pencil necked bottom feeder” or “Eat crap you goofy looking pecker head!” (the exclamation mark is a quote too). Now on sale £3.49 (via find me gift).

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The kids might hate you, but their parents will adore you! Instead of buying another noisy plastic battery gulping toy doomed to be covered with dust before Easter, not to mention a real pet, adopt a penguin on their behalf! The adopting family will be able to choose a name for the penguin and they will get photos and updates from its natural habitat, somewhere in South America. Just like taking care of a real pet, without the mess, noise and the frequent visits to the vet. $49 via treehugger.

Multifunctional sponge for those who feel an irresistible urge to sing under a hot flux of water – it rubs off the dirt and poses to a microphone.
$6.99 via- insound.

More original than a sweater and more useful than a scarf – a USB hand warmer. No excuses for not sending thank you emails this year. $5.99+shipping via ebay.

Quantum of Solace

Last night I watched Quantum of Solace, the 22nd film in the James Bond series and the second with Daniel Craig as the British secret agent. Even though, the film continues where Casino Royale ends, i.e. at the beginning, yet at the same time at the present (camera phone is one of his gadgets). Yes, confusion is a key emotion. Disappointment too.

Not that I’m not a huge James Bond expert, but James Bond is an icon! And as such, he is expected to repeat some behavioral patterns: drink martini, shaken not stirred, say – at least once – my name is Bond, James Bond, be surrounded by dripping crazy chicks, use his famous thin English humor once in awhile… But nada. Quantum of Solace might have been any mediocre action movie.

All About Bond, James Bond:

- James Bond is the real name of an ornithologist who lived in Jamaica, where Ian Fleming wrote the James Bond series of novels.

- The origin of the secret code 007 is arguable. In some sources it is the number of the bus drove near Fleming’s house in others, it’s the name of a story by Rudyard Kipling, and the speculations do not end here.

- In the 22 movies, James Bond killed about 150 men

- About 30 women tried to kill him. He slept with all of them.

- In the Ian Flaming’s novels, Bond used to smoke between 60-70 cigarettes a day! He stopped smoking since the 1980s movies.

- Though vodka martini (yes, shaken, not stirred) is James Bond’s attribute, in his taste for liquor is far diversified and includes mojito, sherry, sake, mint julep among others.

- His favorite food is scrambled eggs.

- In most movies, James Bond played a French casino game called Baccarat. In the 2006 Casino Royale he played Texas Holde’m. In 1983 Octopussy, he played Backgammon. He won in all games.