The joy of getting
This season, I’ve busied myself for many hours fashioning my Christmas wish lists.
One list is for my siblings’ gift exchange. I’ve suggested four books that my designated giver may choose to buy for me. The spending limit for all the books together is $20.
The other list pertains to the gift exchange of Karin’s mother’s family. For this exchange, each giver’s spending limit is $50, and I’ve requested ten books.
(My in-laws on Karin’s father’s side provide no lists; everyone haphazardly buys for everyone.)
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The task of list making requires great care.
Items may not be placed on more than one list, and some that are all right for one exchange may be inappropriate for the other.
ISBNs must be specified. For some books, it’s important to include the caveat “new” or “used.” Used copies must meet certain conditions (e.g., spinal intactness).
At least, I feel I must spell this out for several of my in-laws. Such is my condescending attitude toward those who aren’t my blood relations. (I trust my own siblings to be familiar with the requirements of book buying.)
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
So far, two of my requests have arrived in the mail: Natsume Sōseki’s The Gate and Crawford Elder’s Real Natures and Familiar Objects (a book of metaphysics, much cheaper now than when it was first published thirteen years ago).
I also am grateful for two unsolicited volumes: Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a copy of which was discarded by the library at IUSB; and the second edition of The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, edited by Robert Audi, discarded by the tutoring department.
I lick my chops, anticipating further bounty.
One list is for my siblings’ gift exchange. I’ve suggested four books that my designated giver may choose to buy for me. The spending limit for all the books together is $20.
The other list pertains to the gift exchange of Karin’s mother’s family. For this exchange, each giver’s spending limit is $50, and I’ve requested ten books.
(My in-laws on Karin’s father’s side provide no lists; everyone haphazardly buys for everyone.)
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The task of list making requires great care.
Items may not be placed on more than one list, and some that are all right for one exchange may be inappropriate for the other.
ISBNs must be specified. For some books, it’s important to include the caveat “new” or “used.” Used copies must meet certain conditions (e.g., spinal intactness).
At least, I feel I must spell this out for several of my in-laws. Such is my condescending attitude toward those who aren’t my blood relations. (I trust my own siblings to be familiar with the requirements of book buying.)
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
So far, two of my requests have arrived in the mail: Natsume Sōseki’s The Gate and Crawford Elder’s Real Natures and Familiar Objects (a book of metaphysics, much cheaper now than when it was first published thirteen years ago).
I also am grateful for two unsolicited volumes: Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a copy of which was discarded by the library at IUSB; and the second edition of The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, edited by Robert Audi, discarded by the tutoring department.
I lick my chops, anticipating further bounty.