birthday present." He wouldn't
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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
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Creative Gifts for Dads
Top Ten Creative Gifts for Dads for Christmas 2004 You are here: About > Parenting & Family > Fatherhood > Parenting Advice > Holiday Resources > Christmas Holidays > Top Ten Creative Gifts for Dads for Christmas 2004 Parenting & Family Fatherhood Essentials Dads Guide to Back to School How to Be A Super Dad How Fathers Find Money for College My Rights as a Dad Expectant Dads 101 Articles & Resources Fathers Rights New Dads Resources Single Dads Resources Divorced Dads Disciplining for Dads Activities Mens Issues State by State Resources Ages and Stages Working Fathers Stay at Home Dads Stepfathering Grandfathering Parenting Advice Dealing with Moms Articles Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Fatherhood newsletter! See Online Courses Search Fatherhood Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page Related Guide Picks Top Books for a Dad's Library Top 7 Gifts for the Do It Yourself Dad Top 10 Gifts for the Sportsman Dad Most Popular Wedding Dance Songs Money for College Rolling Backpacks Effects of Divorce on Children Father of the Bride What's Hot Talking to Your Kids About Sex Money for College Fatherhood - Articles What Teens Wish Dads Knew Teens and Cell Phones Related Topics Parenting of Adolescents Parenting of K-6 Children Pregnancy / Birth Single Parents Pediatrics Top 10 Creative Gifts for Dads for Christmas 2004 Guide Picks From Wayne Parker , Your Guide to Fatherhood . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Ever wondered what to buy for dear old dad for Christmas? Then look no further than About Fatherhood’s 2005 gift guide. Here you will find creative and clever gifts that are truly out of the ordinary. 1) Collectible Stadium Miniatures Have a dad who loves baseball or football and is a loyal fan? Or maybe he just has a fond memory of a great football or baseball game. Consider a scale replica of his favorite stadium! Makes a great conversation piece and will elicit lots of sports stories. Vendor's Site 2) Executive Punching Bag Some dads deal with stress by getting angry and violent. If your dad is one of those, consider an Executive Punching Bag. Put it in his office, his den at home, or next to his easy chair to work off that anger and frustration. Vendor's Site 3) Executive Sand Box If, however, your dad prefers to relax after a stressful day, then maybe this sandbox is just the trick. The box includes sand, sand toys, a beach umbrella and chair. It’s as good as a vacation day at the beach (well, maybe not…). Vendor's Site 4) Multi Tool Pen For the dad who has almost everything, consider this new gadget. It is an attractive writing pen that includes two screwdrivers, a knife blade and tweezers in the barrel of the pen. An easy way for dad to keep his tools handy all the time. Vendor's Site 5) Discovery Sky and Land Telescope A very user friendly telescope for checking out objects far away. A great gift for the dad with a natural curiosity. And the kids can enjoy it was well as they and their dad explore the heavens. 6) Make Your Own Opoly Love Monopoly? Who doesn’t? This game kit allows you to customize your Monopoly game. Make one using favorite family memories, dad’s hometown, or his college. 7) Talking Pedometer If your dad is walking for exercise or fun, this is a great gift. This pedometer not only keeps track of distances, but it will tell you out loud how far you have gone. It also plays seven electronic melodies to help dad stay on pace with his walking. Vendor's Site 8) Pro Thumb Wrestling Ring Did you ever do thumb wars with your dad? Then he will love the Thumb Wrestling Ring. This is a little device that fits over the hands of the thumb wrestlers to make thumb wrestling even more realistic and exciting. Vendor's Site 9) Water Ballet Dancing Desktop Fountain For the dad who will enjoy a little peace, the dancing desktop fountain is a real winner. This little fountain has built in jets that operate in time with music. It is the ultimate in relaxation for a harried or stressed father. 10) Talking Road Whiz Have a “directionally challenged” father? Does he hate to ask directions? Then the Talking Road Whiz is the perfect gift. This device has over 125,000 routes in the United States and helps your dad find directions as well as services like food, gasoline and more along the way. A fun gift for the traveling man. Vendor's Site Important product disclaimer information about this About site. 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Birthday Gifts - Surprise.com Find Gifts Across the Web Login / Sign Up 0 saved gifts View Gift List Home Occasion Birthday Gifts Birthday Gifts (157) Submit an Idea for this category Sort By: Popularity Price Show: All Types For Him For Her Toys & Games Gift Baskets Jewelry Subscriptions & Certificates Other Novelties Food & Drink Home Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 11 Next> 1-15 of 157 Goddess Kit Goddess Kit $38.00 - Abernook add to list » See more » Happy Birthday Movie Madness Gift... Happy Birthday Movie Madness $34.99 - The Obsession Box Company add to list » See more » Happy Birthday Message In A Bottl... Message in a Bottle $14.95 - Personal Creations add to list » See more » Birthday Newspaper Personalized Birthday Chronicle $7.97 - Creative Thoughts add to list » See more » Happy Birthday Starbucks Gift Happy Birthday Starbucks Gift $24.99 - The Obsession Box Company add to list » See more » Happy Birthday Give It All Gift Happy Birthday Give it All $49.99 - The Obsession Box Company add to list » See more » Birthday Kit Birthday Kit $38.00 - Abernook add to list » See more » 29 Again Bracelet 29…Again Bracelet $56.00 - Abernook add to list » See more » Working Girl Survival Kit Working Girl's Survival Kit $39.99 - Top Notch Gift Shop.com add to list » See more » Race Car Driver For A Day auto racing and high performance driving... $350.00 - Racingschools.com add to list » See more » Memory Lane Personalized Art Prin... Great moments are always remembered... over $100 - Yourmemorylane.com add to list » See more » On The Day You Were Born Print Birthdate History Watercolor Print $32.95 - PersonalizationMall.com add to list » See more » 21st Birthday Box 21st Birthday Box $50.00 - Satinbox.com add to list » See more » Chinese Zodiac Bracelets Jade Chinese Zodiac Bracelets From... $70.00 - RedEnvelope add to list » See more » Birthday Girl Pamper Kits philosophy birthday girl $35.00 - Macy's add to list » See more » See all Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... 11 Next> 1-15 of 157 See more gifts in... Baseball Fan Baking Bicyclist Bikes & Scooters Basketball Fan Bar Mitzvah Gifts Backpacker or Camper Bath Connoisseur Babysitter or Nanny Baby Shower Gifts Baptism Gifts Birdwatcher More Suggestions » Quick Links Last Minute Gifts Birthday Gifts Anniversary Gifts Special Her Special Him Keepsakes Gift Baskets See More.. Occasions Recipients Circumstances Likes & Dislikes Home | About Surprise.com | Contact Us | List Your Site | Merchant Center | Help | All Gifts | My Account | Login © 2005 Surprise.com, Inc. Your guide to the Web's top-rated gift ideas . All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy .
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Gift Baskets and Wine Basket Gifts by Wine Country Gift Baskets -- search: click here for advanced search Welcome Guest ACCOUNT SIGN IN ORDER STATUS SHOPPING BASKET Mothers Day -- Free Shipping Online Specials Gourmet Food Gift Baskets Wine Gift Baskets Gift Towers Theme Baskets Candle Gift Baskets -- Spa Gift Baskets Teddy Bear Baskets GHIRARDELLI Chocolate -- GODIVA Gift Baskets -- Wine Country's Private Cellar Wines By Family Kosher Gift Baskets -- Birthday Gift Baskets Coffee Gift Baskets Thank You Gifts Get Well Gift Baskets Sympathy Baskets Romance Gift Baskets Corporate Gifts New Baby Baskets Customer Service Catalog Request Corporate Sales Contact Us FAQ's Make Us Your Homepage Bookmark This Page Tell a Friend The #1 Gift Basket Website! Source:Alexa 5/2005 -- The Ritz Perfect for sharing, this large metal basket is generously filled with some of Wine Country's finest food. This deluxe assortme... $ 99.95 Pacific Heights Five individually boxed and beautifully wrapped surprises. Soft and chewy vanilla caramels, cranberry popcorn clusters, Belgian milk chocolate truffles, Mama Mell... $ 19.95 Crane Lake Duet Whether they prefer red or white wine, you can't miss with this terrific selection. Crane Lake Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are brought together w... $ 39.95 World of Thanks Express your gratitude with this fresh and enjoyable basket. Filled with Ghirardelli milk chocolate with almonds, Godiva milk chocolate hot cocoa, dried apr... $ 39.95 Spa Gift Baskets Wine Gift Baskets Corporate Gifts Gourmet Food Gift Baskets | | Wine Gift Baskets | | Gift Towers | | Theme Baskets | | Candle Baskets | | Spa Gift Baskets | | GHIRARDELLI Chocolate GODIVA Gift Baskets | | Wine Country's Private Cellar | | Wines By Family | | Online Specials | | Free Shipping Customer Service | | Catalog Request | | Corporate Sales | | Contact Us | | FAQ's | | Employment | | Links | | Site Map | | Privacy Policy 2005 Wine Country Gift Baskets. All rights reserved. (800) 324-2793 WCGB01