I’m going to seriously geek out for a minute here, so please bear with me. For my birthday this year, I got a gift from a friend who was determined to get me something a little unusual, while indulging me my passion for British sci-fi TV programs. Specifically, the original BBC Dr. Who series that aired from 1963 to 1989 (though I have to admit that the new series, currently starring David Tennant as the Doctor, is worth geeking out over too).
Anyway, said unusual gift arrived via messenger in a big box marked "fragile." I opened it, and among a blitzkrieg of packing fluff was the neatest thing I’d ever seen — a giant porcelain Dalek cookie jar.
Oh my yes. It’s got really nifty-looking gold-colored knobs all over it and a telescoping robotic manipulator rod, and the head twists off and everything. (It doesn’t scream "EX-TER-MI-NATE!!!" when I walk by in the morning to make coffee in the kitchen, but hey, nobody’s perfect). And no worries — nothing so messy as a COOKIE is ever going to crumble and muck up the innards of The Coolest Thing I Own.
But my friends don’t get it. At best, they dubiously eye myliving-room mantle where the Dalek occupies a place of distinction,having recently displaced a photo of my grandmother. I can almost hearwhat they are thinking: How much could I get for this totally weird thing on eBay?
How about you, PopWatchers? Have you ever gotten anentertainment-related gift that blew your gourd but left your friendskinda baffled? Or how about the worst pop culture gift you’ve ever received? Now is your time to ‘fess!
I haven’t gotten one yet, but I so very much want to own a bustedtees.(com) t-shirt. They are the best at pop culture statements.
Worst-my dad got me a huge model of the Enterprise (1701D) with about 10,000 parts. I may be a geek, but I’m a lazy geek and there’s no way I’m putting together 10,000 of anything.
My step dad got a Star Trek TNG phaser remote control from his cheap sister about 20 years ago. I inherited the gift, as he hated it (and he’s a bigger trekkie than i).
About two years ago I got a Force FX lightsaber for Xmas. I love that it makes swooshing and clash sounds, but my wife hates the way it takes up so much space.
But the best pop culture gift I ever got is my replica “Warriors” vest. My mom hooked it up for my birthday two years ago, and it was used for my halloween costume a few days later. My wife hates the vest, but to me it’s a prized possession. I wear it every time I watch the warriors, play the warriors ps2 game, or go out in central park to fight with those baseball gang guys.
Seinfeld was a “Show about Nothing”.
This is an “Article about Nothing”.
I spent about two minutes looking around this page for the link to next page – to see how the story finishes. NO SECOND PAGE… no amusing saga. I re-read the article, twice. In my best Costanza voice, “It’s an article – about nothing!”
Lazy… geek… we get it. Not too lazy to write a story – ABOUT NOTHING – tho. I could do that.
[apparently I just did]
One day, out of the blue, a package arrived for me at boarding school. Inside were Shock, Lock, and Barrel dolls (from the Nightmare before Christmas) sent by my dad. It’s still easily the best present I’ve ever received. Although these days, I’d love a little mini Tardis…
Hey tia, if you like bustedtees.com, check out luckythreadz.com as well!
Here’s my personal favorite, a visual explanation of the term “butterface”
http://www.luckythreadz.com/images/placeholder.gif
Sorry, bad link. Here it is:
http://www.luckythreadz.com/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=299&name=Butterface
A couple years ago, my sister got me an 8×10 replica of the Shaun Cassidy poster I had hanging in my room as a kid in the 70s (you know the one, where he’s all backlit wearing his powder blue satin jacket). It has proudly adorned my walls (currently my refrigerator) since. Whenever someone new comes to my apartment, at some point I get a question asked incredulously “Is that Shaun Cassidy???” I am very proud that it is!
@Sad_Geek: Wow, you are sad! I’m sorry Santa put an authentic replica of Rudy’s Notre Dame varsity jacket under your Christmas tree. But I don’t think you’re a real geek, cause any real geek would have to admit that an imperial Dalek cookie jar is just about the coolest thing on earth.
My own best entertainment-related gift: fishing lures shaped like Homer Simpson.
And a runner-up to the imperial Dalek cookie jar:
http://www.earthlab.net/notes/?p=12
Best entertainment related gift? Well that could be any of the Star Wars toys I had between 1977-1983 and I was lucky enough to have most of it. But my favourite of those would be the remote controlled R2-D2.
I also really dug the Six Million Dollar Man dol…uh…action figure. It had the “bionic eye”, it was some kind of tiny binocular lens and if you looked through the back of Steve Austin’s head, you could see things up close.
Sweet cookie jar! I own a Sonic Screwdriver which I adore. It’s got the sounds, the light AND the extending thing.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/cubegoodies/8cff/
@Ford_Imperfect… haha… lump of coal… LUMP OF COAL!… my fellow geek. No nasty gifts here – given or received. Worst ever two minutes – holiday gift – holiday morning – a signed/autographed
Bobby Sherman poster – Mom got it for big sis – but, due to excessive alchohol consumption the night before (hangin’ w/ Santa) she plopped a “Sad_Geek” nametag on it. Sis cried, Mom sobbed… I gave a feral 8-yr/old sneer and miracle of miracles – sis had the best gift ever – I haven’t spoken to Mom since…
Oh Boy! I am the one who usually gives pop culture gifts!! Just sent a buddy a set of dog tags from BSG! All my kids were given a personalized Stargate Clock, they would groan everytime it was on-I love that show! The list goes on and on
I however recently received a sterling silver ring with two cylon raiders on it! (re-imagined) I wear it proudly!!
That’s pretty cool. I confess I desperately wanted the Face of Boe action figure, but it has sold out. I can only hope I’m getting it for Christmas.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/313ighmeeiL._AA227_.jpg
Forgot-how pathetic is this? my car is painted to look like a Ga’ould death glider!