Fischer: Wants and needs

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Thanksgiving has come and gone. The leftovers are dwindling down in the fridge. The Christmas lights are going up. There’s even a gentle dusting of snow to usher in the holiday.

So, once again, it is time to figure out what I want for Christmas gifts.

As noted in last year’s column, I’ve become somewhat difficult to shop for in recent years.

Traditionally, movies, video games, and books have been the go-to option for me. However, an overly large availability of streaming services means there’s more to watch than I could ever reasonably view, largely eliminating the need for all but the occasional blu-ray release.

Likewise, as noted last week, my gaming backlog is already so backed up that new games aren’t a high priority, especially physical releases.

In fact, in an increasingly digital world, I find myself purchasing far fewer physical goods in general. But while digital media has many advantages, the ability to wrap it up and put it under a tree is not among them.

That pretty much just leaves books, figurines, and other collectables as the best go-to options for gifts. Even if I’m just as bad about reading new books as I am about playing new games or watching new shows, I’m still always a fan of things that I can put on display on a shelf.

However, that comes with its own complication. For the last six months or so, shelf-space has been at a high premium as a result of moving from my old house to my current apartment.

I still have an entire wall worth of bookshelves under the care of my former roommate and the books I do have up here remain packed away, awaiting the day they can be freed from their confinement and go back to their destined role of collecting dust and making me feel bad about leaving many of them unread.

That day will, hopefully, come soon, but in the meantime it’s difficult to say exactly what I’m going to want or need between now and Christmas.

On the “wants” side, my typical strategy for Christmas ideas has been to leave some of the comic series I follow un-purchased, making for an easy and inexpensive gift option. The problem is, my books have been boxed away for so long I don’t remember where exactly I left off in any particular series anymore.

Until I get moved and settled in, I literally do not know what I want.

And, to the same extent, I’m not all that sure about what I’m going to need either.

Moving is always going to require a range of new odds-and-ends. I’m certain there are going to be several trips to the hardware store in my future for this and that. But again, it’s difficult to know what will be needed now and what can wait for the Christmas tree.

In the meantime, I’m stuck in this holding pattern, unable to know what I’m going to need until I need it.

I do know one thing. I can always use more shelves. Then I’ll have empty space and thus, more incentive to fill them with stuff I don’t really need.

— Travis Fischer is a news writer for the Charles City Press and should really just start asking for gift cards or something.