idfive's AttentionScan

No one needs a gift more than your boss. The person in charge is in such dire need that they probably don't even KNOW they need a gift. But think about it, they have to put up with you, and people like you, all day. It can't be good and if anyone needs a holiday reminder that retirement is indeed possible it is your poor, eternally suffering boss.

Voice Link radio (in case the boss gets stuck in the middle of nowhere)

thirsty light

numbers clock.

While it is difficult to
ascertain HOW evil your boss really is, you can apply a not so subtle test by giving him holy water to drink. here is the warning on the site:
"If you are a sinner or evil in nature, this product may cause burning, intense heat, sweating, skin irritations, rashes, itchiness, vomiting, bloodshot and watery eyes, pale skin color, and oral irritations."

Ok, well sometimes you just need a new toy. How about a wooden elephant?

Musical comb.

And so to wrap up a slightly odd suggestion. Ok, so I admit this is seriously odd - a super cool peeler. I mean, who peels? But if ANYONE should peel it should be CEO person, right? I mean it is so very "separating the wheat from the chaff" and pregnant with the "art of war" insight. Anyway, so I tried.

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posted by Sean Cohen @ 8:08 PM 0 comments links to this post

Designers are all snooty about darn near everything, so it is difficult to find gifts that would genuinely please them.

Here are some little things that tickle and will also quietly show them they need to be schooled when it when it comes to cool.

Tenori-on! Every designer thinks they are some sort of musical aficionado. Tell them to translate their images to music, and then you'll be impressed.

Made in Canada. A portable hockey rink is just what the dentist ordered.

Smushable pig toy from Japan. You really can't get this here in the states, but I think it would be perfectly therapeutic for the poor designer on her 12th revision.

Gearhead alarm clock. (they call it retro, I dunno about that.) I could imagine reaching over to try and find the "Sleep" button and getting a pinky chopped off.

Bulb table lamp. Sorta bewildering, but super slick.

Drop Glasses. Formed with a drop in the bottom, I honestly think these some of the nicest drinking glasses I have seen in a while.

To wrap up this giftlist, consider picking up the design emulation kit, a low-tech stocking stuffer that attampts to summon all that is nifty about some of the best lighting designers of the past and today.

Labels: gifts

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posted by Sean Cohen @ 3:29 PM 0 comments links to this post

Account Executives and Project Managers seemingly have it all: the glamour, the glitz, the 5 martini lunch dates, client rage, paperwork a mile high, conflicting timelines and a todo list that is impossibly long.

What could you get such a person? What could ever sooth their furrowed brow?

Here are some ideas:

A peaceful diorama.

Heironymus Bosch action figures.

Ah yes, the kittywig. (don't tell me your project manager doesn't need a kitty wig.)

Glitter Graphics! You can just steal these, but EVERY Account Executive needs this for their blog.

Vibrating bracelet. Not Dirty! Exceptionally useful for those of us who have deep pockets or who keep their phone in their purse - and can't afford to be interrupted with a loud ring.

A tape measure timer.

A mug for their daily stimulant intake.

A hedgehog paper clip holder from Moma.

To wrap this gift list up, consider this belligerent wine opener gun, because after all, who doesn't want to mix their alcohol with some faux gunfighting?

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posted by Sean Cohen @ 3:05 PM 0 comments links to this post

Walking through your office you may spy the elusive and hard to please programmer/coder/geek.

This person (often male) is one of the more difficult people to purchase gifts for since they are aggresively weird and prone to liking the wrong things (world of warcraft) excessively and the right things (deodorant) not-so-much.

So here are some quick ideas:

The geek poster.

Mini solar powered Car.

Lamplamp

A moon in my room.

New York City in a bag. I anticipate this won't be used for much other than a landscape through which the occasionally enraged action figure will romp and smash - but it is an important element to every desk.

And finally, to wrap up this here gift guide, we have the "here" hook, which I think existentially isolates all that is whack with our coder friends - they simply aren't here. Of course, we are glad to have them, where ever they may be.

Labels: gifts