birthday present." He wouldn't

My Best Birthday Present - Timothy Leary My Best Birthday Present I haven't celebratedmy birthday in decades. Sure, when you're a kid it's exciting to add ayear to your age, have your parents gather your friends, blow out the candles,and get presents, but today I turn 49 and the last thing on earth I feellike doing is celebrating, much less blowing out a fire. Nothing very specialabout November 10th other than it is the day that Stanley found Livingston.Okay, I wouldn't mind a present or two, but that's more a matter of actuallyneeding stuff than thinking I deserve any sort of reward just for havingsurvived another year. I've always felt it was a wee bit egomaniacal tothrow yourself a big birthday party. Nothing wrong with celebrating others,but when it comes to celebrating yourself, it shouldn't be in public. Fifteen years ago todayit was also my birthday and, as normal, I was doing what I always do, whatI still do, what I'm doing right now, writing at my computer, with absolutelyno plans for the day. When you don't have a plan, there's nothing to deviatefrom. You can do whatever you want without fear of failure because howcan you fail when you don't have any goal in mind? Whatever happens, happens,and it's good or bad on its own terms. The higher you get your hopes up,the further you have to fall, so I never count on anything. If somethingbad happens, too bad. If something good happens, it's a gift. There was a knock atthe door. I opened it and there was Timothy Leary who said "Hi, I'm yourbirthday present." He wouldn't explain how or why this came to be, or whoin particular was bestowing him upon me. He was simply there, and he wouldhang out for at least an hour. All he would tell me was that he was toldI was someone he should meet. Whenever you meet someonefamous in a personal situation, it's hard to know how to behave, particularlyif they're enormous media stars. After all, you've spent hours gazing atthem, thinking about them, perhaps days or weeks staring at their image.Imagine the hundreds of hours you've spent with certain stars broadcastregularly into your living room. They feel like a friend, like you actuallyknow them. They're not and you don't, but it's a hard feeling to shakewhen they're standing right in front of you, coming into your house, sittingon your sofa, checking the place out while waiting for you to bring thema drink. No matter how many memories you have of them, they have none ofyou. To them, you are a total stranger. Treat them like a fan would andyou risk becoming part of their teeming crowd of lookie loos. Treat themlike you don't know who they are and they could get insulted. No way tomake a friend. Friendships deserve an even playing field, so it's hardto think of yourself as the friend of a celebrity until they know as muchabout you as you know about them. Which is why celebrities are SO interestedwhen you interrupt them somewhere in public and tell them about your uncleSid's gall bladder operation. I wanted to be friendswith Timothy Leary so he had a hell of a lot of catching up to do becausehe knew nothing about me and I knew a lot about him, or at least I thoughtI did. I shifted into show-and-tell mode, whipping out a book of Polaroidsfor him to peruse. He enjoyed my madness immensely and I proceeded to tellhim something I'm sure he heard a million times. My life was profoundlychanged by his research into psychedelia, combined with reading Tom Wolfe's"The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test," the Beatles, and meeting a guy namedMario in 1970 who claimed to be the husband of the actual Alice that ArloGuthrie sang about but who supported his acting habit by selling acid atLee Strasberg's studio where I happened to be studying at the time. But I digress. Thefirst and foremost influence that Timothy Leary had upon me was my art,which simply didn't exist. Before my first acid trip, I wasn't an artist.I had never played guitar, had certainly never created any impressionism,and hadn't written a single word other than school assignments. Maybe Iwould have discovered these talents on my own, but if my Polaroids remindyou of acid flashbacks, welcome to the club. On acid, what I do to my Polaroids,you can do to reality. Move it around a little. Make big things look small,small things look big, marvel at the infinite depths you're capable ofperceiving, as though reality were a 3D comic book and for the first timeyou were looking at it with the red-and-blue glasses. Pre-acid, I was onlyinterested in being an actor, moving to New York to study with Lee Strasberg,and getting in a Broadway play. On acid, I actually attempted to give aperformance from Spoon River Anthology in front of the man himself, a performancehe declared "interesting," a performance that convinced me that actingwas a very strange profession. While personally communicating with theinfinite miracles of the universe, I had a very hard time convincing myselfthat the most important thing I could be doing was pretending to be a fictionalcharacter while reciting dialogue written by a writer I'd never met. Post-acidI walked home from the Village to my boarding house at 39th and Park, pickedup my roommate's guitar and started playing. It wasn't long before I wasa better guitar player than actor, and I ended up composing music for severaloff-Broadway shows. Way off Broadway. The Company Theater at La Cienegaand Pico in Los Angeles to be precise. Other acid trips wereless eventful and I stopped taking it, but not before playing with my firstSX-70 Polaroid camera and discovering I didn't need acid to change realityto my own specifications. We talked and talked.He wasn't a drug addled guru and I wasn't an acid burnout. He was extremelyintelligent. My vision of Leary had been fogged by his media image, andI had forgotten that he was a Harvard professor. Luckily, some others forgottoo and that's how he escaped from prison. The most amazing story he toldme was this one... When he was bustedby the Feds for possession of one single joint of pot and sentenced to20 years in a Federal penitentiary, the prison officials did what theyalways did with new prisoners, they gave him a psychological test to determinewhether he would go to a minimum or maximum security prison. He passedthe test with flying colors and was sent to minimum security where he promptlyescaped. What the officials didn't know was that Leary himself wrote thepsychological test for the Federal prison system when still at Harvard,so he knew exactly what answers to give. After a couple hours,my birthday present had to leave, but in his new life as Hollywood gadflyI kept running into him over the years at video shows and art galleries.I'm glad he lived long enough to experience the Internet, and if you haven'tseen his site, it's still up at http://leary.com/ and well worth a peek. Excuse me, there'sthe door. Emulsional Problems

golf gift baskets are

Sports & Golf Gift Baskets Gift Baskets For Golf & Sports Fans Know someone who can’t seem to get enough golf or sports in his or her life? Well, we have some great gift giving ideas for the jock in your life! At Cesta Gift Baskets we offer a huge selection of gift baskets that are ideally for any occasion, any budget, and any personality (including golf and sports fanatics). Our sports and golf gift baskets are sure to surprise, please, and satisfy on the golf course, in the stands, or at home. Golf Gift Baskets: Gone Golfing If golf is their passion, they'll appreciate this spectacular combination of golfing goodies! Golf Gift Baskets: Golf Cooler Novel golf bag shape makes this the perfect gift for any golf enthusiast. Golf Cooler features Thermal Shield Insulation. Sports/ Golf Gift Baskets: Sports Nut Bursting with all the essentials for a relaxing day watching the game... he may never leave his favorite chair while he enjoys this gift basket! Sports/ Golf Gift Baskets: Sports Backpack Fun, stylish backpack combines everything needed to go from the home to the outdoors in a flash! Cesta Gift Baskets prides in providing outstanding customer service and makes all of our sports and golf gift baskets at the time they are ordered. This ensures you are getting the highest quality, freshest products… delivered right to your or the recipient’s door with a 100% satisfaction guarantee! Order your golf gift baskets online , or call 1-888-236-3806 , or email info@cesta.net. . Toll Free: 1-888-236-3806 Order On-Line, Via E-Mail, Fax or Call Us! Cesta Gift Baskets Los Angeles, CA 90036 Phone: 323-935-8973 Fax: 323-372-3635 Home | Holiday Gifts Under $25 | Any Occasion | Special Occasions Fresh Fruit & Baked Goods | Just for Her/Babys First | Customer Service Contact Us | Request a Catalog | Contests & Promotions anniversary gift baskets | baby gift baskets | bath gift baskets | birthday gift baskets | chocolate gift baskets | cookie baskets | fruit gift basket | gift baskets | wonderful giftbaskets | golf gift baskets | thank you gift basket | romantic gift baskets | sympathy gift baskets | holiday gift baskets | wedding gift basket | corporate gift basket | gourmet gift basket | movie gift baskets | Christmas gift basket | Christmas gift baskets | Gift Baskets for any and all occasions -birthday, wedding, holiday, and more...

Baby Gift Suggestions Berkeley

Berkeley Parents Network: Baby Gift Suggestions Berkeley Parents Network Home Members Post a Msg Reviews Advice Join BPN Help/FAQ What's New Search Baby Gift Suggestions Berkeley Parents Network Advice Babies Baby Gift Suggestions What's the one ''must have'' item? What was your best baby shower gift for under $20? Memorable Baby Gifts Gifts for Twin Babies Present for New Family in Hong Kong Checklist for Baby Needs related page: Baby Gear what/where to buy Present for New Family in Hong Kong November 2001 My brother and his wife are about to have a new baby inHong Kong. I'd like to send them a gift that would be useful, and perhaps difficult to get in there. Does anyonehave any sense of an American item that would be usefuland harder or more expensive to get there? Thanks. Have you seen the Birthday Cakes that FTD Florists make up? All theingredients are things for the baby made up to look like a birthday cake.Or throw a shower for them with your friends and then send everything over.Hong Kong pretty much has everything we have so it would be difficult tofind something unique unless you want to go the antique route (earlyamerican cradle or crib). I don't suppose they have too many of those around there.marianne When I had my baby in Hong Kong my friends and family inthe States sent lots of clothes....probably because theyare light and easy to send. However, it was like sendingcoal to Newcastle....since HK makes a lot of baby clothes.What I appreciated most were parenting magazines, books for me (What to expect in the first year, travelling with children, etc.), books for the baby, music - especially a tape of lullabyes, the black and white infant toys- expensive in HK, the baby bjorn backpack - also very expensive in HK- but available, a cheap nightlight that can stick to the wall (with batteries). You also might wait until after the baby is born to findout what they need. US medicines - baby tylenol, etc. are expensive there and a medicine kit for baby would be a great gift. As would some bathing products thatare natural - try the Real Goods store next to Smith Hawkins. HK is very dirty and something 100% cotton, cuddly, or just non-toxic is great. Good luck! Amelia It's pretty easy to get mainstream baby stuff in Hong Kong, soyou might want to go alternative (Berkeley) stuff. We had lotsof success with a "boppy" nursing pillow, Sear's Baby Book, and "natural" baby wash stuff. My sister sent Tucks Pads andLasinoh, neither of which are readily available there. What was your best baby shower gift for under $20? Gwynne What was your favorite baby-shower gift for $20 or less; and where can you get one? I got a ton of great gifts, but the best thing is what I bought for us afterward (and what I now buy for new parents): a set of burp cloths. With our 5-month-old, our motto is "you never can have enough burp bloths." You can buy a set of really good ones on Baby Center (www.babycenter.com). It sounds really dull, and it won't get the ooohs and ahs at the party. But later your friends will thank you and remember you. And the burp cloths will still be in use long after Baby has outgrown the clothes. Fran my favorite gift for under $20 are packages of flannel receiving blankets from Target. I used them all the time for my newborn, and they made great (heavyduty) spit-up cloths too. Susan favorite baby shower gift for $20.00 or less: 1) diaper covers try barefoot baby catalog or biobottoms catalog for really nice ones 2) gift certificate to a used baby clothing store Dianna Baby gifts: My two best baby gifts were: a very large, colorful, translucent scarf. This was actually the wrapping for a tiny pair of booties which my son never wore. But I got more use out of that scarf that you would believe. I used it to shield me when we were breastfeeding in public, as a blanket, as an emergency changing or napping surface, to carry things in, to play peek-a-boo with, the list goes on an on. I'd bet this tie-dyed scarf was bought on Telegraph ave. for under $10 (admittedly, 11 years ago). Second was a gift from my sister of baby tylenol, pedialyte drink, and various things of that nature such as a dropper, and medicine measuring spoon. It's just the kind of thing that one, in the happy euphoria of having a baby, doesn't think of needing, and just the kind of thing you will need some morning at 2 am. Perhaps this last present is best coming from a close friend or relative, though. I felt we got the most use out of bath toys. Two, three years later, we were still playing with bath toys we got as a baby gift. Another gift that was billed to me as "guaranteed to put your baby to sleep" was a "Lullaby Light Show." It's a wind up musical light. I've seen them at Toys R Us. We didn't really use it until our son was closer to one year old, but then it became part of our bedtime routine until he was about 3. After my baby was born, my view of shower gifts changed quite a bit. I had always gone for cuteness when giving baby shower gifts, but after my daughter arrived, I found myself returning gifts we'd received. I exchanged several adorable but impractical outfits from BabyGap and gave away a number of gadgets that went unused, and I decided then that when my next pregnant friend had her shower, I was going to do something based on actual, real maternal experience. So I put together an assortment of little things that had each turned out to be perfect for their purposes -- the perfect teething ring, for example, was one that could be frozen but that had a small nonfreezing handle so the baby wouldn't have to grip ice. The perfect carseat toy was three plastic fish that hooked together and hung from the carseat handle. (They could be unobtrusively nudged to one end of the handle when not in use.) The perfect burp cloths were a dozen cloth diapers. The perfect newborn t-shirt was the type that snapped or tied on one side instead of directly over the umbilical cord. And the perfect baby toy (which was also good for a knowing laugh from the experienced moms when it was opened) was an empty paper towel roll. I popped in a board book because I always like to give kids books, and I wrapped each item individually and then placed them all in a cute gift bag. I've given these bags to perhaps half a dozen expectant parents now -- they're always a source of fun and, well, people seem to appreciate them. This is a gift that can be tailored to any budget -- how thoughtful the choice of items is will make or break the gift's real value. David A gift of a full dinner to be delivered on a evening sometime (first week or two) after baby is born. I got both the take-out pizza and chinese on paper plate variety as well as the full home cooked chicken dinner with homemade apple pie on nice dishes variety. Both types were wonderful. The meals were delivered on a previously agreed upon evening and then the generous givers promptly left us to ourselves. In the case of the chicken dinner, the whole meal was delivered in an ice chest with instructions to return dishes to chest UNWASHED for pick up the next day. A coupon from a local restaurant that delivers would be good too. Although I didn't fully appreciate these gifts until after the birth of my daughter, these were by far the best! I generally give a toiletries kit: For about $20 you can get the teeny finger nail clippers, shampoo, cheap washcloths, mild soap, A&D, tylenol, a little tiny hairbrush. I expand the gift for closer friends to include a cute hooded towel, a bathtub and some tub toys. tampine The best shower gift I got was a sort of receiving blanket with feet. I know you said under $20 and this is about $40 but go in on it with someone because it's truly great! Imagine a five-point star. The baby's head goes at the top point, the two side points fold across her/his body, and the little feet go in "pockets" at the two bottom points. It's perfect because it doesn't get all bunched up in the car seat and baby bjorn-type things since it sort of has legs. Hard to explain, but go look at them at Rockridge Kids. The one I got was long-john fabric but I've seen them in flannel too. Oh, and it comes with a little cap too. Hadley The Fisher Price Soothing Sounds Aquarium! But I think it is $25. It is my son't favorite thing and I think he will love it for years to come. Available at Toys R US. Fisher Price Soothing VIBRATING (this is key) bouncer about $25. Available at Toys R US. Sassy makes a fish shaped rattle available only at Target it seems, and that is far and away my sons favorite toy. Probably around $4 Mustella makes a great starter kit of their soaps and it is about $20. Available at Rockridge Kids. This was a great gift. Judy a very high quality set of childrens nail scissors. Great for when the baby is small, and i *still* use them on my 10 and 6 year old. I have to say that the ONLY shower gift that I am still using is my Diaper Genie. I LOVE IT. I have a "very sensitive" sense of smell and often gag while changing poopy diapers. I would not be able to live in our house if they were not sealed up in the diaper genie. (I remember baby sitting in houses that reeked of diaper pail. I could smell it as soon as I crossed the threshold.) I know that this is not a very "Berkeley" type gift, but I highly recommend it. The gift I give at baby showers is homemade receiving blankets. The moms just nod and say thanks at first, but a couple of months down the road they are very grateful, raving about them. In case you haven't noticed in the stores most commercial receiving blankets are small rectangles of cloth... 30'x36' or 36'x40'. These are usually 100% cotton and shrink up so that they are much smaller and often no longer rectangular. They make swaddling difficult, are thin, and get ratty looking very fast. Instead, I buy 100% cotton flannel and make square receiving blankets. (2 pieces of flannel sewn right sides together, then turned right sides out, and sew around the edge with a blanket stitch to finish. I usually pick one print for the top and then a solid in a complementary color for the back.) The first ones that I made were 36'x36' but as I started making more I began making them about 40'x40' (have them cut 1 1/4 yds of each fabric to do this) just to waste less fabric. These swaddle a little more bulky, but most parents I know give up on swaddling after the first two weeks... and use receiving blankets as regular blankets after that anyway. Because they are double thick flannel they are quite warm, and are good for use in the winter months. Linda Baby shower gift: I love the little mirrors that hook onto the rear-view mirror in the car so I can see my kid in the back seat without turning around. My kid is 9 now, and I still use it! I've seen them at various baby stores, usually with the childproofing things. Memorable Baby Gifts Feb 1999 Someone gave us a lovely picture frame with our baby's name engraved on it,which we really liked. They are easy to get at Things Remembered (in mallsall over the bay area), there are many styles to choose from, and they arenot expensive. Ann Quilts are always memorable gifts, but there is a catalog called"Exposures" which not only does a quilt, but it puts your pictures that yougive them on the quilt (as sepias or black/whites). I always thought itwould be cool to do a "family tree" quilt and put a picture of the parentsas kids/babies, and then their parents. I don't have Exposure's number offhand, but if you call the 1-800 operator, they'll have the number and youcan request a catalog. It is expensive though, as I recall. Around 250$.But it would be memorable and special! Hilary A really special and unique baby gitf is a DREAM CATCHER. A Dream Catcheras I understand it was designed years ago by the Native Americans and comein many sizes shape and colors. They are a type of hanging mobile that youhang on or over the baby's crib or in their room not just for the baby tolook at but legend has it that it catches all the baby's bad dreams so thatthey will never have a bad dream or nightmare. I have seen some reallybeautiful ones sold right on Telegraph and run anywhere from $10 to $65depending on size and complexity. They have always been received extremelywell by mothers when I have given them. Margie Someone had a horoscope chart done for my son. It was pretty cool to readabout how he would turn out (at least according to the stars!) Of course,this is a pretty expensive gift, especially if you have limited belief inastrology. Diana One of my favorite baby gifts is a music box. The music box that I wasgiven as a baby played the theme from "Romeo and Juliet" and to this daywhenever I hear that song I think of my music box. My Aunt and Uncle gaveme my music box when I was born, and in turn we gave my their daughter amusic box when she was born. I had comptetely forgotten about the musicboxes until I opened the gift from my aunt for my baby. It is so nice tothink that he will have a special connection to a song (His plays "ZipityDo Dah"). Rose I was given a memory box on the occasion of my baby's birth and have reallyappreciated it. I don't know where it came from, but it's basically like acigar box decorated with antique-y Winnie the Pooh figures on it, andentitled "a box to put thing in." It's nice because it can accommodatethings other than papers (like the hospital bracelets, etc) and you can useit in about one second--just open the lid and drop the item in--no need towait for time enough to write/glue/label etc. as you would with a regularscrapbook. Meg Gifts for Twin Babies Nov 1999 I would appreciate some advice regarding twins. I have friends whowill be new parents of twins next spring, and I want to get them a nicechristmas present. Any of you who've recently had twins - can you tell me what was a really useful and fabulous thing [not a service, but an item] that just made life so much better for you? And all of that for around $125 -$150?I thought about a comfy rocking chair, or one of those doublebaby-bjorn things [although that's not the brand], but I'm just not sure.Thanks. I have 9 month old twins and the most useful items so far were:bouncy chairs with toy bars, baby bjorns, snap-n-gos - you attach the car seat to them to make a strollerI found that two of everything was needed so two of one of the above wouldbe a great present. By the way - the double snuggly (like the baby bjorn)was really cumbersome - two baby bjorns are much better. We have 6 month old twins, and the best gifts we got were: a doublejogger (more than your budget but a great gift if you want to go inwith a few other people), a double stroller, and vibrating bouncy seats. Home | Reviews | Advice | Members | Post a Message Join BPN | Help | What's New | Search Please send questions and comments to Berkeley Parents Network . Last updated: May 20, 2004 © 1996-2005 Berkeley Parents Network The opinions and statements expressed on this website are those of parents who subscribe to the Berkeley Parents Network . Please see our Disclaimer for details.

Gift Ideas, Unique Baby

Baby Gift: Baby Gift Ideas, Baby Shower Gifts, Gifts For Baby, Baby Shower Favors, Baby Gift Baskets, Baby Gifts Personalized, Baby Shower Gift Ideas, Unique Baby Gifts, Baby Names, Baby Showers Area Rugs Baby Shower Goods Birth Announcements Blankets Clothing/Layette Dcor Diaper Cakes Family Gifts First Birthday Gift Baskets/Sets Gift Certificates Holiday Jewelry Multiples Noah's Ark Personalized Play Religious/Christening Silver/Pewter affiliate program store policies testimonials gift wrapping gift certificates specials & discounts wholesale/drop-shipping links & resources Gifts for Baby, Easy for You! BabyGiftIdea.com offers personalized and unique baby gifts and baby shower party goods to commemorate the special new baby in your life. Simply choose your unique baby gifts, and we will add a free baby gift card, package the gifts with care, and send them anywhere, without a receipt in the gift box! Little Princess Gift Basket Welcome the regal little one in style. "Your highness" will love the many unique and coordinating "Little Princess" themed gifts presented in this dazzling new basket. SAME DAY SHIPPING if ordered by 12pm eastern time. $84.50 each click for details Personalized Ornament These charming 6" ornaments come in 3 styles and are personalized and hand-finished with your child's name. The artwork is heat-sealed into each tile, ensuring a high quality finish. This adorable item takes 2-3 weeks to make, so order early! $31.95 each click for details space Personalized Baby Blankets Choose from 19 unique designs. Personalization included in the price. Satisfaction guaranteed. $44.50 each click for styles Site map space 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Baby Gift Idea Home page and border designs: Roger Hsiao Illustrations: Pam McNay

Valentine Gifts Articles Unique

Unique Valentine Gifts - Gifts BW gifts | gifts Resources | Add URL Wine Gifts & Baskets From the casual wine drinker to the serious enthusiast, we have a gift that will make them smile. Our selection includes premium wine, gourmet baskets, distinctive champagne sets & the very finest California and Northwest wines. Unique Valentine Gifts Articles Unique Online Valentine's Day Gift Ideas - Truly Different Valentine's Day Gift Ideas Those of you who hate shopping in stores will appreciate these internet sites with unique Valentine's Day gifts. And when I say unique, I don't mean the sites that have a pink teddybear instead of a red one!...( Continue Reading ) Valentines Day Gifts making valentine gifts A growing source for finding Valentine's Day craft projects that make great gifts....( Continue Reading ) Cheap Gifts Want to impress your date but don't have a big budget? Here are five cheap gifts you can buy that will keep your date in love with you....( Continue Reading ) Cheap Gifts Want to impress your Valentine but don't have a big budget? Here are five cheap gifts you can buy that will keep your Valentine in love with you....( Continue Reading ) I Just Love Boston. Gifts for Valentine's Day You say you are a last-minute shopper? Well it's time to start shopping now. It's better to be late than to totally forget, so get cracking....( Continue Reading ) Unique Valentine Gifts Directory Links bicycle baskets gift baskets in north carolina gifts to send 5 year anniversary gifts dbz animated gifts com potpourri gifts cookie gifts gifts for grooms men wine basket gifts wholesale garden gifts bath gift baskets creative irish gifts send gifts to usa gifts baskets india gifts online get well soon gifts send gift baskets gifts for men for valentines day wholesale baskets christian baby gifts easter baskets to make gifts for the bridal party international gift baskets macbirdie golf gifts three wise men gifts christmas craft gifts gift baskets holiday wine and cheese baskets great gifts in 30 minutes gifts for 40th birthday chocolate holiday gifts boyfriend christmas gifts gifts for a man thank you gifts wine and gifts gift baskets williamsburg personalized wine gifts gifts for mothers day digital photo gifts boy scout gifts free gifts online shaker hymn simple gifts great gifts for teens twin baby gifts graduation and gifts Popular Search Terms: Gifts BW © 2004 Gifts BW All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved. This site is not related to Brajeshwar or Brajeshwar.com in anyway, shape or form