In order of arrival in my inbox:
Andrew’s List
5) snowglobe with pic of me and highschool sweetie inside. consequently, my friends now refer to her as snowglobe.
4) my highschool friends got me one of those little scooters as a joke, i booted around school at high speed for about 20 minutes before the principal took it away. oh they also got me an engraved flask one year,good kids they were.
3) seeing as how me and my roommate alicia had just moved out here and had no friends, my birthday was a little underwhelming last November, but she made up for it by getting messages from all my friends back home and posting them all over my bedroom door with pictures and arts n crafts touches.
2) a mix cd from a quasi-girlfriend entitled "original songs for straight weddings", which could well have dominated the worst songs ever challenge, it featured kc and jojo "all my life", michael bolton's "howam i supposed to live without you", dirty dancing's "(i've had) the time of my life", bryan adams "(everything i do) i do it for you", boyz ii men "i'll make love to you", that titanic song, aerosmith "i dont want to miss a thing", and other such gems. in unrelated news, that girl is now a lesbian.
1) teenage mutant ninja turtle themed birthday! tmnt clothes (matching sweatsuit), a tmnt video game, and an actual turtle! (most boring pet ever)
Ange’s List
Dana, this challenge was quite difficult. I don't seem to have a great memory for gifts that I have received.
One really sweet and funny one was from a boyfriend in highschool. It was an angel with a large A attached to her right side (Angel + A = Angela, get it?). It was made of pennies glue and Popsicle sticks, very ugly. There was a note attached to the back that said something along the lines of: Dear Ange, I wanted to buy you something expensive for your birthday, like a diamond ring or an ostrich, but I dont think you are old enough to take care of a diamond ring, and I don't think we are ready for a commitment like an ostrich, and you probably wouldn't like either of these things anyways, so I decided to make you something meaningful that you wouldn't like. Happy Birthday.
Ben’s List (in no particular order)
1. Joint Roller (really just any paraphernalia ever received)
2. Nixon Rotolog
3. Jet-ski for my 20th Birthday
4. Plane ticket to Cali to live for a while
5. Bone Crusher Xtreme (remote control Monster Truck that big enough to runshit over fo real)
Tracey’s List
5) arrested development from Archie, out of nowhere and unwrapped
4) matching bikes under the Christmas tree for my brother, sister, and I when I was a kid
3) random cards for no reason at all from Brad, all bearing relevant inspirational musings
2) the bong - so beautiful!
1) my belt buckle from Ben, who remembered from forever ago that I said I wanted one with a bull on it
Dana’s List
5. Snake in a box- Shawn gave me a small wooden box that when you pull back on the leaver a snake comes out and bites your finger. It is simple and unassuming but it still cracks me up. I love gifts that have no reason that are just suiting to the person.
4. Tea pot – for Christmas a few years ago, Dave – my step Dad picked it out and it is beautiful.
3. Tiara- When I was about 7, I was in the town next door – Trail where they had this great old mom and pop jewellery shop. I was there in the summer with my Mom and I found a diamond tiara that I wanted so so badly – yes I went through a princess phase in my early years. So I had finally convinced my mom and we went to buy it. (this was a serious tiara, rhinestones and imitation silver) The man behind the counter, who knew me by this time because I forced my mother to visit the tiara every time we went to Trail, had some bad news for me. Miss Trail had just come into the shop and purchased my tiara, and alas, I looked to the purple velvet pillow and it was gone. I was heartbroken. Fast-forward 4 months to Christmas time, I open an unassuming square box and within..... I wore it straight for 3 years, and still have a piece of it in my jewellery box.
2. Brontosaurus on a stick – Every year for my birthday Bradley gives me a personalised cd and something that he found out in the world. My favourite find is the Brontosaurus that sits on a piece of wood with an inspirational phrase on the back. When we moved last week I was putting the dinosaur into a box when I looked up at Ellisa and said, "Oh my god, where is the piece of wood?" to which she replied, "Relax, I already packed it".
1. The Hooka- Gift of all gifts, this gift was special for many reasons.
- It was a culmination of two other gifts that were rejected for not being perfect.
- Also it is the most beautiful Hooka I have ever seen, exemplified through the fact that I had to name her Opal because she is such a gem.
- Not only is it the best Hooka with the longest hoses perfect for lounging, it is also what the Hooka stands for, which is friends gathering around, great conversation, glowing candles, and a dizzy head. (All great aspects)
*** Honourable mention: the cherry pin the girls got me for Christmas last year. It is so perfectly Dana and I have worn it an absolute tonne - how well do my friends know me.
Ellisa's List
(In no particular order...I love them all equally!)
1. When I was thirteen my mom, her friend Margaret, her daughter Jen and I flew down to "the City" (Vancouver) for a girl's weekend. We stayed in a hotel on the water and went shopping in boutiques. I remember my mom buying a sculpture of a cowboy riding a horse made of iron that swung back and forth on a pedestal (I can't remember what it is called) for one hundred dollars!! I was astounded; could my mom spend that much money on one thing?! (I can only guess how much our hotel cost a night...) The highlight of the weekend (and reason for the trip) was a night out to go see Riverdance. We had dinner at a restaurant that was so fancy they pulled out my chair for me and placed my napkin on my lap. There was a live piano player and the most exquisite seafood dishes there. Riverdance was phenomenal and attending it fulfilled a childhood my dream. I left full of desires to be dancer and spend my life on stage.
2. Matt and I had only been dating a 6 months or so when I received the best gift he ever gave me; hair elastics. A few weeks prior I had been complaining about how my hair elastics pulled at my hair and the metal piece would get stuck and break off pieces of hair. I wanted the no-pull elastics, but didn't know where to get them etc. etc. It was really an off shoulder comment, so the conversation faded quickly from my memory. One day out of the blue, Matt pulled out a package of no-pull hair elastics. I was stunned. He said, "Oh I was in Safeway today and saw these and I knew you wanted some." He gave them to me and continued on telling me whatever story he had been recalling. I was stunned. For some reason, I was completely taken aback by his thoughtfulness. It was such a simple gift but it displayed his affection for and attentiveness to me in a way I can't remember ever having received from anyone else.
3. My Chef's Knife from my Mom. I love it. I would have never thought that I should buy a good knife if I loved so cooking so much, so when I received it for Christmas from my parents (aka Mom) I was stunned. She knew what I wanted when I did not even know what it was that I wanted. Her gift intuitiveness is astounding. Every year my Mom outdoes herself.
4. When I was younger, I loved reading. My absolute favourite books were Nancy Drew mysteries. I was never into the Babysitters Club, Goosebumps or any new series. It was all about the Classics. I remember my Mom giving me a few of her old Nancy Drew novels from when she was a girl. They smelled wonderfully of old book and the bindings were loose and some pages were creased. They were absolutely perfect. When I held them in my hands, reading furiously (or as furiously as a 10 year old can), I was reading a book; a real book.
5. For my 21st birthday I was stuck at home studying. But I received two superb gifts that night (I'm cheating Dana, sorry!). The girls made me a fabulous birthday dinner and dessert. The best part of dinner was the Barefoot Contessa Potatoe Salad. My recipes are chicken scratch with point form directions at best, so the salad turned out unique to Dana and Tracey. You could taste the effort and love in every bite! The second best gift of the evening was from my little brother Ben. He played a song for me on his guitar over the phone. He chose Blackbird by the Beatles. I started bawling like a baby listening to him strum away. That got my Mom crying and it was a very touching family moment. The fact that he chose that song just for me and then played it perfectly on my birthday touched my heart. I have to hold back tears every time I hear the song played.
Bradley’s List
1.Archie Comic from my brother - Me and my brother always got along, but we also fought all the time, and I had come to believe he was an insensitive jerk; but then one Christmas he bought me an Archie comic, without any push or reason, and it was just a great moment. At the time I was like “What the hell”? Yet, I now realize it was pretty awesome of him.
2. Cat from my Grandma and Grandpa -Me and my Grandma went harmlessly one day into a pet store. She of course a smoke in her hand, me; with the dream of owning my own cat. I had the plan to try and convince my Grandma to buy me one. So, I found the most hyper one, and I begged, and begged. We left without the cat, but I never let up. So, my grandma made me call my Grandpa to ask permission. He was too busy drinking his hooch and enjoying the day without me or my grandma, he said yes right away.
We went back to the pet store, and I finally had my first cat of my own. As we were walking out of the store I dropped him, and he almost got ran over, which was a premonition of events to come…
About a year later, Buster, got ran over by an asshole in a white jeep. When my grandma went to scrape him off the pavement, she put him in a bucket and then showed the dead cat to me.
Scarred for life.
3. Unicorn Horns from Dana -This is very depressing because we never used the horns, and it is one of my life regrets. Working at the BCGA was a hard and stressful time for me and Dana, and one thing we looked forward too was the drive home where we could sing Diana Ross, and make fun of bad drivers, hideous people, or ugly lawn decorations.
One of our favourite houses was the “animal house” which was guarded by various stone animals, a la Narnia. The front walkway had two very majestic looking mustang horses, and we thought they would look so much better with unicorn horns. So for my birthday last year I received impeccably made silver and pink horns.
Just stellar.
Too bad we never got around to the prank of taping the horns on.
2. Pictures in a frame from Tracey My soulmate, my true love, and my sexual fantasy in a past life; collected some of her favorite pictures and favorite moments of the three glorious years we had spent together, and put them into a standing frame.
The frame included a ticket from the Agrolites concert; which was an embarrassing night for me, and I was only helped through the morning by a chipper Tracey reading me the definition of “oaf” out of the dictionary. She of course paused while I was puking my guts out.
Oh, Tracey, how I love thee.
1.“Spirited Away” from Kim Me and my friend Kim went at random to a Japanime film Spirited Away, half as a joke. The movie was absolutely fascinating. We had such an amazing time, and could not believe what we just saw.
The following Christmas we got each other the exact same gift, the DVD of Spirted Away. It was a hilarious moment, and I still watch that movie in awe every once in a while.
Kevin's List
(not in order of preference)
1) back when i was 15 or so....i got my first set of dive gear. some of which i still have to this day. it came from the dive crew i basically grew up with so it really meant alot to me at the time!!
2) my gold chain. from my sister. it is not just a gold chain. its a symbolizes a brother/sister bond . i just have to think what i should get her
3) on my 18th birthday i received a "Fishes of the tropics" identification book from some close freinds of mine. it was a gift of thought. thats why it makes this list.
4) a mountain bike at age 17. it was a prized possession. and overall a sweet bike which gave me a greater freedom to go where i wanted to go on the tiny island i grew up on!!
5) my very first discman (portable CD player!!!) back when i was 13..is that a late age to get your first discman? i think so. but i had that same player until at least age 18.
Step 1: Brazillian Wax
George: 3 - Ape: 47 
"How Vancouver plans to end homelessness by 2010"
