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Time to go holiday shopping now.
Which mostly means a huge order at Australian Homemade, a stop at the wine shop, maybe a pop down to Dean and Delucca, just because it makes me happy and possibly a trip to Best Buy.

Mostly, I am trying to decide if I should get a DVD player for my parents.

My dad has been talking about getting one for months, but never does.
My mother always says she is too tired to watch films when she gets home.
The subtitle feature on DVDs would mean my dad could watch movies without driving my mother crazy (his hearing is poor).
The chapter feature on DVDs would give my mom more freedom to watch DVDs at her pace.
Film is important to me, in part because I was taken to lots of film, and lots of great film as a child (The New York Film Festival, lots of indie pics, movies when they still showed them at Radio City, Gandhi on the big screen, etc).

But I just can't decide if this is me trying too hard to find some common ground with my family, or me buying them something they would enjoy and use, but feel intimidated to deal with themselves.

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I think it's a great idea! Once they have it, they will realize how much they really like it and will use it. Also, it opens up a whole world of future gift buying as so many movies are out on dvd now ... even classics.

I am behind the curve and just got one myself in the spring, and I really wasn't looking for one at the time, thought I was perfectly happy without it. Now that I have it, though, I really use it!

A dvd player is a good idea. It seems like something they wouldn't buy, but could really enjoy having. As such, good present.

I just buy everyone books and soap. Such is life.

And queso. ;)

I ordered in Mexican food last night, and it was just sooooo dissapointing.

Notice, I still haven't managed to leave the house. It's war out there.

I just do not get why the Mexican food is lame up there. you would think with the massive cultural hodgepodge of NYC , you could get some real queso! I think Melynda has a really good recipe.

I'm about to venture out. I am afeared.

Heheheh, me too.

We don't even have queso -- we have like crappy spicey fake nacho cheese. It's the fucing Californians I tell you. And the Chinese Mexican places. Not okay.

damn, we get blamed for everything. [hangs head in shame]

I cannot get good mexican in the midwest either. And I didn't even try in Anchorage. Here it is all bland crap or "texmex", meaning reddish bland crap. That is the one thing I really, really miss about California. The food rocked.

Chinese Mexican is wrong. So wrong.

Queso at least is easy to recreate at home. I like to use the Mexican queso fresco cheese, but you could use most any you really like. Asadero cheese, some chedder, monterray jack... Melt until smooth, just a dab of milk to even out the consistency, add chopped tomato and jalapeno and onion or use pico de gallo.

Velveeta melts the easiest, and Rotelle diced tomatoes are good. And we usually toss in some beer too, which can only make things better.

And now I want queso...

Cuban Chinese is actually a real blended cuisine here which is good. But the Chinese restaurants that do Mexican takeout? Crimes against humanity.

I think a DVD player is a wonderful idea. The prices have hit rock bottom, with places like walmart offering DVD players for under $40 now. And soon, a DVD player will be essential for watching any films at home, as I hear that VCRs are being fazed out. Which is just smashing, since I will have and yet another piece of technology to add to my collection of outdated instruments like the laser disc player and DiVX player. Too bad we never had a beta machine, as then I could probably open a museum of strange and outdated modes of watching films. ;)

But seriously, I'm sure they would be appreciative of receiving a DVD player.

a DVD player will be good for all the reasons you list (subtitles, chapters, etc).

Now about your gift - do I have to come crash on your couch to deliver it? Wait, I STILL need your address to do that. Ok, do I bring it to your parents' place - I think I remember the building.... Please? :)

I posted it in a comment and deleted it, presuming it would be emailed to you -- did that not work?

No....drat. Hope this is the current cell # I have - I'll try calling.

It is, but I just burnt out the battery, am charging it up now.