AVECHAT: I ramble, therefore I am

By Howie LevitzPrint Story | Email Story
Our typical middle class home did pretty well in the gadget and appliance department. Mom even had a dishwasher, which I remember as being so noisy that one couldn’t use the phone in the kitchen when it was on. Nevertheless, it was the envy of our neighbors. We also sported the block’s first electric lawnmower, silly because that Brooklyn lawn was about the size of my present living room. Sis and I each had black-and-white televisions in our rooms, and a big console entertained the entire family in what we called “the TV room,” as this was its only purpose. Eventually, the time came to trade in the monochrome for polychrome, but Dad was reluctant. He was sure that given enough time, the color process would perfect itself and, concurrently, become more affordable. Today, we still think in those terms — sometimes not purchasing a new automobile style until the manufacturer has had a year or two to work out the kinks — and sure enough, a little time is all that’s needed for a technology to improve, and the price to go down. I remember my first computer had no speed, no hard drive, no memory to speak of, primitive software and a price tag of $2,499. You can purchase infinitely more power only a decade later for a fraction of the cost. Go figure! Always a good value is handmade crafts. How nice it was last Sunday to see shoppers emerging from the Towne Field House with bags a-bulging. A scarf, hat, table runner, necklace, fudge sauce, candle, CD rack, stuffed animal, ornament, art, photo note card — anything locally produced — conveys twice the love as do mall and mail order gifts. Several weeks ago, I promised to mention some hopefully useful gift ideas. Here goes: First of all, consider gift certificates. Instead of forcing your recipients to feign surprise and glee at another year’s unsuccessful attempt at heartfelt cleverness (or a sweater), why not give them the foolproof opportunity to shop for themselves? The added bonus here is that minutes after they’ve received this present, stores will have put everything on sale, so the value of your gift surpasses what you spent. (Dale knows that the Valentine chocolate and the edible Easter Bunny weren’t forgotten; they’ll show up in twice the quantity for the same price, the day after!) How about thinking in terms of services rather than material items? Who would not appreciate a massage, manicure, pedicure or some other form of personal pampering? Even better, consider things you can do yourself. You may not want to paint a whole house or clean out an attic or basement, but perhaps cleaning windows or repotting plants, garden work or shampooing a rug or two would be appreciated. Remember a few years ago, when you upgraded your computer and thought it would be a great idea to give the old one to your folks so they could receive e-mail pics of the kids? Well, they took to the technology pretty well, but you know that some basic maintenance is probably long overdue. Offer to spend a rainy afternoon making backups of critical files and photographs. No backup capabilities? Installing a CD burner to facilitate this would be perfect! (It’s really easy and affordable.) While we’re on the subject of cleaning Windows, if I didn’t know how to run Scandisk and Defrag or how to download OS and virus-protection updates for myself, I’d be thrilled if someone made a gift of these services to me. And another thing: batteries. What home doesn’t go though loads of them? A couple of years ago, I never would have said this, but rechargeable batteries have come a long way in solving — um — the problems that rechargeable batteries had in their infancy. Still, they don’t belong in smoke detectors and the like. If you please, stick to name brands. Extra-specialty batteries and memory cards for the digital camera mean no lost opportunities, so stuff a few stockings with storage and energy. In the Nov. 24 issue of the Advocate, Dr. Jeffrey L. Kaufman made some wonderful gifting suggestions, which bear repeating. Falls are the number one cause of fatal injuries among the elderly, so why not install better handrails in the tub or around the toilet. A pair of sports shoes with good, non-slip soles will help mobility and reduce the risk of slipping. Is your imagination starting to kick in? What house doesn’t have a catalog of small repair projects that never get taken care of? Improving someone’s quality of life? Priceless. Howie Levitz runs TGL/Traits by day and composes, plays and tunes pianos by night. In either case, he spends too much time in the dark talking to himself. Readers are encouraged to reach him at AdvocateAveChat@aol.com.
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Friends of Great Barrington Libraries Holiday Book Sale

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Friends of Great Barrington Libraries invite the community to shop their annual Holiday Good-as-New Book Sale, happening now through the end of the year at the Mason Library, 231 Main Street. 
 
With hundreds of curated gently used books to choose from—fiction, nonfiction, children's favorites, gift-quality selections, cookbooks, and more—it's the perfect local stop for holiday gifting.
 
This year's sale is an addition to the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce's Holiday Stroll on this Saturday, Dec. 13, 3–8 PM. Visitors can swing by the Mason Library for early parking, browse the sale until 3:00 PM, then meet Pete the Cat on the front lawn before heading downtown for the Stroll's shopping, music, and festive eats.
 
Can't make the Holiday Stroll? The book sale is open during regular Mason Library hours throughout December.
 
Proceeds support free library programming and events for all ages.
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