On Wednesday it was my birthday, and I turned 26. I don’t feel old, but I feel like life is going by a little bit too quickly… But we’ll leave that for another post as I have a lot to say on that matter.
I had a really chilled out day for my birthday. I went to work in the morning, came home, and chilled out in bed with my boyfriend. I opened my cards and presents, and spent the rest of the day eating pizza, and playing on my PlayStation 4. It wasn’t anything spectacular, but just being with my boyfriend made me happy. We plan to go out for a meal when he gets back from holiday in a week, which will be lovely.
I went out with my family the day after my birthday for both mine and my mom’s birthday (hers is the day after mine! Weird, huh?) so that was lovely too.
I didn’t receive much for my birthday, but the thought was there, and some of the gifts I received were money or vouchers which I am still to spend and use. So when I do that, I can do a little haul then and there, but for now I shall show off what my boyfriend bought me for my birthday.
The first thing that my boyfriend gave me was a notebook, this cute Spirited Away related notebook, which is covered in Soot Balls from the movie. He remembered me showing him a post over on Buzzfeed that showed great present ideas for Studio Ghibli fans, and of course this notebook was on there. He got it from a seller on Red Bubble. I hate getting nice notebooks as I never wish to use them, but I’ll be using this one for blog related stuff. I can’t wait to be honest! I’m using up my other notebooks first, and then I shall start to use this one.
As I mentioned in my Boxing Day sales haul (you can read that here) that I knew my boyfriend had bought me a Yankee Candle for my birthday, and he bought me Snowflake Cookie, a Yankee Candle scent I have been after since it came out a couple of years ago. It reminds me of Christmas Cookie but a little stronger, and sweeter. I can’t wait to start burning it now!
I knew I was going to get Lush for my birthday as my boyfriend bought me a gift set whilst we were out and about shopping before Christmas. I had put the huge 1kg bottle of Snow Fairy Shower Gel on my Christmas wish list and alas my boyfriend bought me that for my birthday, as well as the Festive Friends Gift Set. I can’t wait to try out some of the goodies that came inside of the gift set, as well as the massive Snow Fairy.
I don’t know if this is classed as a present or not… But seeing as he bought it me not long before my birthday I imagine it kind of is. I was lusting after the Darth Vader PlayStation 4 controller, but it was sold out EVERYWHERE and if it wasn’t sold out, it was damn expensive. My boyfriend offered to buy me another one, that was just as cool and a little cheaper. One being the 20th Anniversary Edition which is to celebrate PlayStation being around for well… 20 years! It brings back a lot of nostalgia using this controller and I love it a lot! It also means me and my boyfriend can play together, we’ve been playing Little Big Planet 3, and Fat Princess together.
The final present my boyfriend gave me for my birthday was an adorable Eevee plushie from the Pokemon Center in Japan. He bought me a little Mew one, so the fact he got me Eevee too makes me so damn happy. He’s meant to be asleep, and these little plushies remind me of Beanie Babies… Remember them? I BET YOU DO! They’re just like those, and it really does take me back and bring all those nostalgic feelings back too. He was lovely to place on my chest whilst I played PS4 games, and I ended up cuddling both the Eevee and the Mew when I had a nap. Cute, much? Hell yeah!
So that’s the goodies I received for my birthday from my boyfriend. His parents bought me the amazing Lush Sweet Christmas gift set which was full of yummy goodies! My mom gave me some money, and my brother gave me some gift voucher for Debenhams… Think that will keep me supplied with lipstick for quite some time. š
My birthday was really nice this year, but it came and went in the blink of an eye!
What do you think of the gifts I received? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below.
Until next time, take care all and I hope you’ve had a great weekend!
Is it my birthday in three days… I’ll be turning 26 and this saddens me. I am getting older, and with the years not only do I gain another wrinkle, another grey hair, and a saggier body, but I also gain other things. But we will leave that for another post because I now feel inspired to write it!
Back to this post however… With a new year, and a new month, comes a new wish list! A birthday one with that. I don’t really feel like I want much after Christmas, but I will try my best to try and come up with some things that I would love to receive, or buy for myself with birthday money.
So, list time! I love making these. ^_^
Topshop Lady and the Tramp Pyjamas – Ā£28.00 (link)
As soon as I heard about these pyjamas being available to buy I instantly though “NEED IN MY LIFE!”. I love Lady and the Tramp, it’s by far one of my favourite Disney movies, so I’m a complete sucker for these of course. They’re pretty expensive for what they are to be fair, and whilst I have enough pyjamas to last me a life time, I may just treat myself to some more new ones, or ask for them for my birthday. We shall see.
Amazon The Hobbit Trilogy – Extended Edition Blu-ray – Ā£44.00 (link)
I LOVE The Hobbit… More so than Lord of The Rings, but I put this down to me going to see all The Hobbit films in the cinema, I was never allowed to do this with Lord of The Rings as a child/teenager. I own The Lord of The Rings Trilogy Extended Edition Blu-ray’s so I have been eagerly waiting for The Hobbit’s one to be released so I could buy them all. I intend to have a marathon of this as soon as I get them. If no one buys me this for my birthday, I’ll soon buy it for myself… Possibly whilst my boyfriend is on holiday so I can marathon them the weekend he’s due to leave.
Amazon Sword Art Online: Lost Song Playstation 4 game – Ā£24.99 (link)
As I mentioned on a post recently, I now have a PS4 and I love it so much! I really would love to get some more games for it, and this is one I have my eye on, out of many! Me and my boyfriend got to demo this game whilst we were at Hyper Japan and I really liked it! There are many more games out there I would have asked for instead, like Life is Strange, but this isn’t released for another 20 days yet! I love the Sword Art Online anime, and I really want to read the manga, so the game is right up my street!
I’ve spoken various times in the past about Nendoroid’s and how much both me and my boyfriend love, and collect them. I wanted the Animal Crossing Isabelle figures ages ago, but they sold out and go for a lot of money now. However, they’ve re-released one of the two, and I intend to get one before they go again! It isn’t expensive either, and AnimUK are a great place to go to for Nendoroid’s as they don’t charge you for the custom fees that the official Good Smile Company shop do.
Loungefly Star Wars Boba Fett Brown Wallet – $38.00 (link)
I don’t NEED a new wallet, but I would really like a new one… I love the fox one I have by Loungefly but I fancy a change for some reason, and this Boba Fett wallet is one I’ve had my eye on for a while. It isn’t cheap however, and is impossible to get hold of in the UK without paying through the teeth for it from America. I’ll have to see if I REALLY want it.
GAME Sony PlayStation DUALSHOCKĀ®4 Wireless Controller Darth Vader Edition – Ā£49.99 (link)
With my new Playstation 4 I’ll need another controller for it so that my boyfriend can play games with me! I really wanted the limited edition Darth Vader PS4, but 1. it was too much money, and 2. it was sold out anyway so… The controller is probably the nicest part of the console itself, so the fact you can buy the controller is pretty awesome! It isn’t cheap, no but it’ll be worth it! I’d use this one, and my boyfriend could have the normal controller… Because he isn’t special enough for the Darth Vader one, of course. š
So that’s my wish list for my birthday, and January! I can’t believe I’m going to be 26 in just three days. Damn I’m getting old. š
What’s on your wish list for January? Make sure to let me know in the comments down below!
I said before I left for my holiday that from the start of December, until the last Wednesday before Christmas I would be posting Christmas present idea lists up on my blog. I’m not going to do your casual present guides, instead something a little different, and quirky. For my first list my boyfriend is here to give me a hand with a geeky guy present ideas! Him being a geek himself, this is pretty much his wish list for Christmas. So I hope you enjoy his choices, and they help you get any ideas for those geeky men in your life!
Howdy everybody! Natalee is still away on her holiday, so she has roped me in to do another post. Itās coming to that time of year where we openly let a fat bearded man into our homes and steal our milk and mince pies. I never understood why we do that but that thought is for another day!
With Christmas coming up I thought it would be a good idea to give people ideas on what presents to get a geeky guy like me. I know Nat has some difficulty getting me presents as I tend to buy stuff when and if I need it, and I am pretty sure it is the same for a lot of guys out there. My dad in particular is pretty hard to buy for as he isnāt really interested in much. So to give you ladies, and even guys a helping hand with what to get any of the neckbeard* men in your life.
*www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=neckbeard
Xbox Elite Controller
Iām an Xbox loyalist; I will state that straight away so forgive me if your man has another console or belongs to the master race (PC). I donāt believe there is an equivalent for the PS4 and the master race will always praise using mouse and keyboard so this is not for them. This is one thing that I am really looking forward to getting. The customisation, the responsiveness… It just looks cool, and so on. Just watch this official video:
The only drawback is the price, at Ā£120 it is pretty steep for an accessory that most people probably donāt need. That is why I have asked for assistance with getting mine for Christmas, I could get it but I canāt justify buying it myself for the full price.
Star Wars Battlefront Special Edition PS4
I suppose an alternative is the Star Wars Battlefront Special Edition PS4. It just looks tasty with the Darth Vader print on the front, funky looking limited edition controller, and general presentation. It also gives me an excuse to be a double agent in the console wars. It is more expensive than the controller so it isnāt really an alternative at all, plus it will never beat the limited edition R2D2 Xbox 360 with sounds and lights. However, for those that want to splash the cash, for those who may be into it, and for those without a PS4 it is a great present. I know Nat really wants one for herself!
Nendoroids (and I suppose Pop! Vinyl Figures)
I am a bit of a snob when it comes to figures, even though I am new to collecting them. Due to this I donāt know names of other brands other than these two and could never see myself buying the proper expensive ones no matter how cool they look. They really would be too unfair on my bank account.
Personally, I dislike Pop! Vinyl figures. As the brand has grown in popularity the quality seems to have diminished. I donāt like the look of them, they are manufactured in greater quantity so the paintwork tends to be iffy at best, and there isnāt much to them other than theyāre a potentially cute looking figure. They are very easy to buy, popular, and cheap brand of figures so yeah, go for it if youāre on a budget, or there is a particular figure that will appeal. Older figures like Natās Wall-E are really decent, whereas newer ones like the Colossal Titan seem badly made. If there was one I would get it would be the Brotherhood of Steel Pop! from the Fallout collection, as I have had my eye on it for a while. Otherwise Iāll tell you about Nendoroids, a figure that I think will give you a hell of a lot more for your buck.
For those that like a bit more quality to their figures, Nendoroids are the way to go. I already own a fair few of them; nearly all the Attack on Titan collection (just missing Cleaning Levi), both Kirito and Asuna from the Sword Art Online collection, Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid, and the Star Wars Stormtrooper.
They are manufactured by a Japanese company called Good Smile so a lot of their products are based around manga and anime, making them the perfect gift for someone who loves that sort of stuff. They are incredibly well made, pose-able, and all come with unique accessories that reflect the character. Some examples being Solid Snake has a cardboard box, the Stormtrooper has a blaster, and Mikasa has her red scarf.
The drawbacks with Nendoroids are availability, price, and variety. You can see them at conventions (but be careful theyāre not fake!), and very rarely in places like Forbidden Planet but the best place to get them is online. Always use trusted partners (http://partner.goodsmile.info/support/eng/partnershops/) or shops other people recommend like Sushi Noms, Crunchy Roll and so on. Due to the way Good Smile release them affects how easy to acquire they are. You will find it difficult to find older figures outside of eBay and even then they have a chance of being fake or overpriced. Speaking of price, they can be on the expensive side. For example, I got Nat a Mawaru Penguindrum (Google it) Nendoroid which I would consider quite rare for just over Ā£20. That is good, right? On the other hand the Pokemon Red is priced up at Ā£160ā¦ Yes, that much! Then there is the trouble of bootlegs which there is a major issue with. Good Smile does bootleg warnings which are great and helpful, but you still have to be careful. I fell victim to it using eBay. It looked real on the pictures, but I could tell instantly it wasnāt when it arrived, and returned it straight away.
Even though these are some issues, I still recommend Nendoroids over anything.
Games (Fallout 4, SW: Battlefront, Just Cause 3)
Games are a simple easy present to get. They are released constantly and if it were me I would be happy to receive any game, hell even Viva Pinata! Just check out the hype for the upcoming games and maybe take a little look at their current collection and it should give you a good idea on what sort of games theyāre into. At the moment I am playing Fallout 4 and Star Wars: Battlefront and anyone would have a blast playing either of those. The problem with these though is they are out already and said person who youāll be buying for will have most likely bought them already (like I have), so what do you get? Well one idea is to buy something similar to what they have already, no harm in that is there? An older game I want is the Master Chief Collection, Iām glad I didnāt get it at launch because it was shrouded in problems but they have fixed them and it would be a great addition to any Halo fan boy. I already own the original Xbox and 360 copies of Halo 1,2 and 3 so I would love to be able to play them on my Xbox One.
You could even go retro, have they ever spoken about the good old days playing the Sega Mega Drive or the Super Nintendo? You can find them pretty cheap on eBay, I got hold of a Mega Drive for Ā£30 and it included 10 games. Mega nostalgia for any gamer!
What if you want to get something new for them? Or your partner has everything already? Or you donāt know the difference between Battlefield and Battlefront? Or you canāt work out why you shouldnāt get Duke Nukem Forever?
Well the answer to that really is Just Cause 3. Why? You ask. Because explosions. Every man wants to be Antonio Banderas and not look at explosions and this game gives you all of that with no risk of being branded a terrorist or creepy for trying to be Antonio Banderas.
Antonio Banderas isnāt actually in this but I think the character is based on his [film career] life. It is a silly game that you shouldnāt take seriously, but that is what makes it fun. I have played the two original games and they are beautiful and amazingly fun to play another game that anyone would love to play. I am actually looking forward to it coming out in December. That is why I am suggesting it as whoever you may buy it for wonāt have it just yet so it makes a perfect present to get. Just make sure they havenāt pre ordered it!
The best advice I can give for when buying games is to ask them straight up what, if any, games they would like. Then you have no trouble. It may ruin the surprise, but if they are anything like me I appreciate the thought that you want to get something I am actually interested in rather than having to feign happiness that you got me Ride to Hell: Retribution because you saw I liked Sons of Anarchy (FYI: It is a terribly bad, bad, bad, bad, baaaaaaad game).
If you really want to surprise the gamer, make the notes of what games they have and go into any gaming store. GAME staff in particular are incredibly helpful and although they want you to buy stuff regardless, I still feel like they want to help you.
GAME Gift Cards
When I say game store, I donāt specifically mean the chain of stores. You can buy vouchers for pretty much all the major game outlets. Xbox store, PlayStation Network, and Steam all have gift cards available, and depending on what system they use you can tailor it to them. If all else fails, get GAME gift cards. Anything that helps me buy more is always welcome.
Portal Board Game
I recently got this to play with Nat, but we havenāt got round to playing it yet. It took a while to understand the rules, we were tired and it was late so please forgive us for not being able to truly review it. Most gamers and geeks will know about the video game Portal, so this is a brilliant gift for any fan of the series. Valve, the creators of the series, are probably one of the biggest hitters in the gaming industry so you canāt miss what they have released. Not sure when it released but I had no idea about it until I randomly spotted it in a Games Workshop. It looks fun and I hope we get round to playing it soon. It would be a great gift to open on Christmas and play with the family.
Stormtrooper Costume
I donāt really know what to say to persuade anyone to buy thisā¦
A full PVC outfit of a Stormtrooper with holster and blaster would be fudging amazing! I have always wanted one, but that price is a bit painful on the soul, if I had oneā¦
Stocking Fillers/Novelty Clothing
These are awesome little ideas that you could buy someone. I know that I have largely focused on gamers with a heavy dosing of Star Wars but this is really for any geek. There are tons of websites and shops out there to get little presents and random bits of clothing.
Just look on the websites for whatever they are into and you can easily find something. If it is clothing I would recommend sticking with T-shirts as not all nerds and geeks are confident enough to walk around wearing a Naruto jacket, a Survey Corps hoody, or even like having to explain what their clothing is from. Most people donāt understand how adults can be into these āchildish cartoonsā. Not even when Lucy from Elfen Lied tears people in half creating a bloody massacre whilst strolling naked through a military complex. T-shirts allow people to express their interests, yet be able to cover up when visiting grandparents. There is nothing more awkward than having to explain over a cup of tea why the cake is a lie. Just donāt put them in that position!
Stay with me here and give me a chance to explain.
I donāt necessarily mean buying your partner a commode and letting them excrete into a bucket, unless you really want to. I mean giving them the gift of letting them zone out and enjoy their games. Book a day off work for them (and yourself), keep up their supply of Monster and Doritos (possibly with melted cheese), and take an interest in what their playing. I know it is hard to just watch someone play but having support from loved ones means a lot, itās the thought that counts. Hell, you could even empty the bucket for themā¦
I joke.
So there you have it, my quick gift guide for that special geeky person in your life. I donāt want this to be limited to just guys as Iām sure some women out there would appreciate the intricacies of a poop bucket. So if you have a geeky guy or girl hopefully they would appreciate some of these things that I myself would love to receive from the bizarro burglar know as Santa.
Ciao for now!
Thanks again to Dane for writing this post for me! The last present idea really did make me giggle! What did my readers think of his ideas? Make sure to let me know in the comments, Dane will be reading them whilst I’m away on holiday.
I’m away for another week yet so I’ll see you all when I get back! Take care.
There Might Be Coffee 