Gift giving, at least in my family, has gotten kind of sad. We all make a list, we all get exactly what's on it, and that's that. Not that it's not better than certain other alternatives, and not that I make a huge effort myself to do otherwise.... But anyway, registries are the worse. They certainly are convenient, but it's rather boring stuff to be buying. Wastebaskets? Flatware? Whatever. You need that stuff, but who cares? And then I realized today, when I was buying a present for a friend who's getting hitched soon, that I actually try and get myself worked up over these sorts of things, like my choice of cutlery or small appliances reveals something profound about my own character to the happy couple.

So a few months ago when I looked at the registry for the wedding shower, instantly I decided that I was all about getting a toaster. I was like, "It must be a toaster, nothing else will do!" I don't even really like toast that well, personally. But still, to myself, I was all, "A house isn't a home without a toaster! Your roof could leak, you might not have a kitchen table, but dammit! you WILL have freshly toasted bread products at the touch of a lever, my blissfully wedded friends! That, my friend, is what we're fighting for abroad! Long live democracy, freedom, and toast!" But I couldn't find the proper one, and had to get this cheesecake pan instead. Even I couldn't muster much excitement out of that one.

So today, I was shopping for a present for the wedding proper (girls are totally gypped, we have to give twice as many presents for weddings because of the shower), and bam! I became overwhelmingly convinced that the spice rack on there was the choice for me. Again, not something I'd use myself, probably. Even if I did cook, I have very bland, unimaginative tastes. But I got this image in my head of a spice rack as some sort of exotic James Bond-esque miracle gadget. BAM! Cumen, any time you want it, baby! Need some taragon? RIGHT THERE. Oh no! That sauce is too bland! Basil to the rescue! All in a day's work for the spice rack. Ah-thank you.