I got an email from Linda Frost, a relative of mine, asking for gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season. This is always a challenge because my birthday is right after Thanksgiving, so I have to pick a number of things at once in order to keep my family happy.

If you're interested in my complete wishlist, you are welcome to check it out. You can even buy a few things on it and send them to me. Keep your friendly neighborhood gadget blogger happy. :-) Here are a few recent additions:

• Cycling Gear
  • Rudy Project Kerosene Sunglasses: I wear a pair of these everyday throughout the year. They are the most comfortable, durable sports sunglasses I've ever used. Replaceable lenses and a number of different frame color options. I purchased my last pair over three years ago, and one pair is starting to fall apart.
  • Bellwether Drymax Long Sleeve Cycling Jersey: I've got one long sleeve cycling jersey. I need more. These are on sale in a color I will wear (medium blue).
  • Cannondale Vertex Shell: This is a cycling jacket that's breathable but water and snowproof. I have a winter cycling jacket from Specialized made out of Windtex. It's black and rather heavy. I need something brighter and somewhat lighter in weight.
• Electronics
  • Canon PowerShot A75 Digital Camera: This is a small digital camera (4" x 2 9/16" x 1 1/4") with a 3.2-megapixel image sensor and 3x optical zoom. I want a small digital camera that I can carry in my briefcase when I leave the office and in jersey pocket during rides. If I get one, you'll see a lot more photos on Operation Gadget.

  • Canon PowerShot S1 IS Digital Camera: This is a larger digital camera (4 7/16" x 2 5/8" x 3 1/8") than the PowerShot A75 that's capable of taking similar-sized images: (3.2-megapixel) . Why would I want to receive another 3-megapixel camera? The PowerShot S1 IS has a 10x optical zoom and that's an f/2.8 - f/3.1, 38-380mm lens in 35mm terms. This would make a good companion to my Nikon N50 35mm film camera for shots at family events.

    I'm not looking for a 6- or 8-megapixel prosumer digital camera because I don't think I'd use most of the features.
    

  • Apple 40 GB iPod Photo: I need an iPod. My wife has been kind enough to let me use hers much of the time when she is at work. I looked at the available options and decided that I don't need the iPod mini form factor because I'm not jogging as much as I was last year. I plan to have a lot of digital photos to show people, so why not go for the dual purpose iPod?

    One reason: price. I don't know if my father or another close relative would consider a gadget this expensive, even if they are particularly generous this year.
    

  • Apple iBook Notebook with 14" Display, 60-gigabyte disk, and SuperDrive: Every good wishlist has something big on it that's unlikely to be given unless a relative hits the lottery. I've got to many PCs and Linux servers in my life. I need a Mac with DVD movie creation capability. If the sky was the limit, I'd probably go for the 15-inch PowerBook G4, but that's probably more machine than I need right now.
    
  
  
• Entertainment
  
  
  
  • 2004 Tour de France 12-hour DVD: If you don't know why I want this, you're not an Operation Gadget regular.
    
  • The Flintstones - The Complete First Season: I used to watch the Flintstones every day after school. I have no idea which programs were produced earlier and which came later, except when I see obvious things like Pebbles and Bam-Bam not being in an episode. Seeing the first season in order would give me a new perspective.
    
  • Looney Tunes - Golden Collection, Volume Two: I am a big Bugs Bunny fan. Looney Tunes Volume One was great. I'm sure this series will be excellent as well.
    
  • Star Trek The Original Series - The Complete First Season: I put the original Star Trek series on my TiVo Season Pass list earlier this year and watched maybe two dozen episodes. I used to watch this show on almost a daily basis when I was in high school. I'd like to see the series in the order it originally appeared.
    
  
  

Yea, that's right-- no clothes. Just like when I was a kid.... Considering the things that I'm interested in, I think it's a pretty good list. I might make a couple of additions later, so check back. Do these products give you any ideas for your wishlist?