SMV 2015: HSQB's Secret Santa - Send your gifts!

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Tue Nov 17, 2015 10:13 pm

This is our ninth year of "Secret Santa," renamed after everyone's favorite formerly really angry quiz bowler.

This is open to everyone on the forums. If you're under 18, get your parent(s)/guardian(s)'s permission to participate.

There are only three rules:

* Buy your partner a gift, preferably costing no more than $20. Make sure it's a good present; "comedy" bad presents are, almost always, just terrible presents.
* If you sign up, give your partner a gift. Failure to do so will result in open mocking of you.
* Don't give your partner an inappropriate gift. This is a site that is, in large part, aimed towards high schoolers. Don't be stupid.

When you sign up, include 3 to 5 presents you'd like - I'm going to advise that you be somewhat general with this. "Video games" isn't too useful; "PS4 games" is better; "PS4 action RPGs" is also better. I'd say "Fallout 4" is less than optimal, because of possible issues with this and the lack of creativity it allows for.

If, for some reason, you don't want to be partnered with a person you really don't like, email me about it (don't post, because if there's drama in this thread, then I'll hate you). My email is [email protected].

FOR EASE OF USE: Use the following template to sign up!

Name:
Email:
Present requests:

So, for example:

Name: Matt Jackson
Email: [email protected]
Present requests: 1) Copy of "Boom!: Talking About the Sixties: What Happened, How It Shaped Today, Lessons for Tomorrow" by Tom Brokaw
2) Sountrack for Hamilton
3) Extra fingers

ALSO - in a repeat for last year, and for everyone else's enjoyment, if you would like to post a short story about a memorable holiday incident you had with a past winter holiday, please feel free. If it's wacky present, bad present, the time your wacky cousin kidnapped your boss in a confused but well meaning attempt to help you out, etc., go for it. This is currently in the high school section, so keep that in mind.

That's it! Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas/Happy Hannukah/Happy Kwanzaa/Happy Festivus/Happy Decemberween!

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Tue Nov 17, 2015 10:16 pm

Also, please be sure to sign up by 11/29. I will absolutely have to send out assignments by the end of this monht.

1992 in spaceflight · Tue Nov 17, 2015 10:35 pm

Jacob O'Rourke
jacob.orourke.7 at gmail.com
1. An audiobook of something you'd think I would enjoy. I don't own any of the Great Lectures series, for example. The only thing I own in audiobook form are a few David McCullough books and Don Quixote.
2. A biography of someone you'd think I'd find interesting. I own biographies of Charles Darwin, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Ivan the Terrible, Harry Truman and Jesse James. If it's people other than them, chances are you are golden (you can also ask me if I own something).
3. A movie you think I would enjoy. I haven't seen most of the classic film canon, and the only thing I own that's close to that is Lawrence of Arabia.

Story time: Before she passed on earlier this year, my great-aunt had a definite sense of humor when it came to giving gifts for any occasion. For lots of christmas presents throughout my late teens and 20s, all she ever gave me was cologne. Without fail. I think she was trying to tell me I needed to meet girls or something.

Mike Bentley · Post by **Mike Bentley** » Tue Nov 17, 2015 11:10 pm

Name: Michael Bentley
E-mail: [email protected]

Present requests:

1. Prize-winning history books. For instance, any of the 2014 or 2015 history books here: http://www.hup.harvard.edu/news/recent-awards.html
2. One of those "Best American X Writing of 2015" books
3. A DVD or Blu-Ray for a 1940s or 1950s Hollywood musical that's not available on Netflix or Amazon Prime Streaming

Tue Nov 17, 2015 11:54 pm

Name: Dylan Minarik
E-Mail: [email protected]

Present Requests:
1. A book about Japanese or South American history.
2. Any Booker Prize winning novel(s). I don't believe I have read or own any of them.
3. A book about any sort of visual art.
4. A 2016 wall calendar with a theme you think that I would like, if for some reason you don't want to give me any books.

dtaylor4 · Post by **dtaylor4** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 1:12 am

Donald Taylor
[email protected]

1) A good horror movie. I love the Hellraiser series, but want to branch out.
2) A collection of short poetry.
3) A unique/strange coin. Does not have to be currency, but should have two distinct sides.

Fado Alexandrino · Post by **Fado Alexandrino** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 2:03 am

Joe Su
[email protected]

Present requests:

1) A (web)comic/cartoon-derived book that has quizbowl relevant content that's not the XKCD ones (I have all those already).
2) A game in the style of those found in board game cafes (but could be obscure and not actually carried by most board game cafes), but is not Set, Love Letter, or Quiddler.
3) A classical music CD that's a good intro/overview to the Romantic era

I am a boring person and already mentioned one of my only cool stories last year. Here's another story, which I remember posting on the forums but not in previous SMVs. Back in high school, we went to this competition in the fall, which aired our matches during the last few days of December. Watching it was always a holiday treat. Now, my high school team finds better use of an overnight fall trip and attends Brainbusters Fall, which unfortunately does not bring the joy of reliving the matches on TV over the holidays.

Peter13 · Post by **Peter13** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 3:28 am

Peter Cordeiro
[email protected]

1) Collection of classic/well-regarded works of literature (i.e. Things that come up in academic quizbowl). I don't care if they are used, but please make sure they are in good condition.
2) Trivia books (of the more academic variety).
3) Fiction or Non-Fiction works that are about or relate to a recent revolution, however defined (i.e. Copy of Gandhi, July's People, or A History of the Dirty War)

Panayot Hitov · Post by **Panayot Hitov** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 3:53 am

Paul Kirk-Davidoff
kirkp @ carleton.edu

Desires:
1. a cool coin would be cool
2. a map of trains and/or mountains
3. A lucha libre related item, like a DVD from slambamjam.com (preferably 90s or early 00s)
4. A good book about the Middle East, fiction or nonfiction
This happened in the summer, but one time I went to my XC team's camp only to realize that no one had brought a fan to the super hot room at the scout camp we were at. My mom, who was going to come up later to cook, said she found one and would bring it. When she got there I ran all excited-like because it was super hot in there only to realize that she was holding one of those small electric hand fans and I was like

Cody · Post by **Cody** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 6:00 pm

Cody Voight
[email protected]

List:
1. books about film. Preferably more serious things like "The Czechoslovak New Wave" (Hames) rather than something like "Immoral Tales: European Sex & Horror Movies, 1956-1984"; avoid film noir since I was given a great book about it last year.
2. Criterion DVDs or Blu-rays of French/Soviet/other art/classic film. These are usually over $20, but it seems like there is always a deal on these somewhere or another that drives the price under $20. Avoid Godard; anything else should fly.
3. Books out of which I can write science questions.

merv1618 · Post by **merv1618** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 6:50 pm

Adam Sperber
merv1618 @ gmail.com

1) An album of good modern folk music. I love Chris Thile/Punch Brothers, Allison Krauss and Steve Martin are always nice, but if you're really out of ideas I'd never say no to the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou. (I already have Inside Llewyn Davis.)
2) A biography of a talented comedic actor or actress.
3) I like William Blake.

When I was a kid, my folks got me one of those small sound-activated gorillas which played the Macarena. A few days later come one in the morning or so, my Steve McQueen of a hamster managed to zip through the tunnels of his cage and pry off the whole top. It fell and crashed onto the floor, thus activating the gorilla and waking the whole house. We laughed heartily.

Charbroil · Post by **Charbroil** » Wed Nov 18, 2015 8:37 pm

Charles Hang
[email protected]

1/ The ideal gift would be an audiobook through Audible that that's not on the list of Audible books I already own. I've been reading novels in the quiz bowl "canon" through Audible, and I'd enjoy another novel from a well known author (ex. Edith Wharton, Henry James, Don Delillo, Graham Greene, etc.). A lot of these works are really cheap on Audible, and delivery would be really convenient since you wouldn't even have to put my address in anything, so I think this would be the easiest option for my gift-giver.

2/ If you'd prefer to send me a physical object, I really like historical fiction, having learned a lot from the works of Lindsey Davis, so if you'd like to send me historically-accurate historical fiction along the same lines, that would be enjoyable.

3/ I don't have any good funny story ideas, so if you'd like to surprise me with something interesting that I could use as the funny story for another SMV a few years down the line, that would work too.

at your pleasure · Post by **at your pleasure** » Thu Nov 19, 2015 4:59 pm

1. [email protected]
2. Books, surprise me please.
3. A scarf; I could use one or two more.
4. A poster of some kind, preferably of art.

Tejas · Post by **Tejas** » Fri Nov 20, 2015 7:38 pm

Tejas Raje
[email protected]

1) Any good history book, I'll copy the list Mike posted of award-winners. http://www.hup.harvard.edu/news/recent-awards.html
2) Any work of 20th century literature

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 10:36 am

Reminder that you have less than a week to sign up! This is open to everyone on the forums.

Also, if you don't want to deal with shipping outside of your home country, let me know one way or another.

tktennis · Post by **tktennis** » Mon Nov 23, 2015 11:01 am

1. Really any history book about any time period.
2. Something a Beatles fanboy would appreciate (I already have all the albums, but if you can tie it back, it's awesome.)
3. Poster of a famous painting or other work of art. (Also acceptable: a poster of Matt Jackson on jeopardy, preferably with a meme)

Email: [email protected]

Rococo A Go Go · Post by **Rococo A Go Go** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 9:00 pm

Nick Conder
nicholas.conder[at]louisville.edu

1. An interesting wall decoration. Could be art, a poster, whatever. Just keep it tasteful, and I would prefer something academically themed in a broad sense.
2. Nice, warm blankets. With winter fast approaching, you can never have too many blankets.
3. History books are a nice fallback. If you know of a cool book on the history of your state/province/city/whatever that maybe I wouldn't come across otherwise, that would be awesome.

One Christmas my family was playing darts in my parents basement, which unfortunately ended with my oldest cousin having a dart stuck in the side of his head after my youngest cousin missed the dartboard entirely. We never played darts at Christmas again.

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 9:20 pm

Tomorrow is the deadline to do this by!

Muriel Axon · Post by **Muriel Axon** » Sun Nov 29, 2015 4:38 am

In no particular order:
1. A CD of music by a contemporary composer, preferably under 45. Doesn't have to be "classical" -- I like Vijay Iyer as much as the next guy.
2. Something that might be useful to a field scientist. For example: A weatherproof hat, wool socks, a decent pocket knife, or a good-quality thermos.
3. Any oddball late 19th/early 20th century European literature.
4. Useful but little-known cooking tools. (I'm vegetarian, so nothing exclusively meat-related. No egg things either, just because I hate eggs.)
5. Is there something you've discovered that you find cool, or useful in your own life? Try it out on me. The worst-case scenario is just that I don't like it or use it very much, which isn't too bad.

I could also use Quest Diagnostics stock, a grow-a-small-fern kit, a book of carpet samples, or a gift card for alterations.

Email: [email protected]

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Sun Nov 29, 2015 11:30 pm

Last day for signups! Though really, it's through tomorrow afternoon.

Post by **Auks Ran Ova** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 5:22 am

Almost forgot to sign up!

Rob Carson
[email protected]
1. A recent movie on blu-ray(/DVD?). There's like 40 films a year about which I think "oh man, I really want to go see that", and maybe one where I actually do (so don't get me Jurassic World!). My tastes run towards "funny" and "action" but I'm also interested in most other things.
2. Art posters. Bright and colorful is a plus, non-abstract generally preferred to abstract but again, I'm flexible.
3. I'll never say no to more books. You'll have better luck with (engaging!) nonfiction or history, since you're more likely to hit something I don't own.
4. Gamecube games from major Nintendo franchises, especially Zelda or Mario. Don't get Super Mario Strikers--but if you divined between the last sentence and this one that I'd love that game, we should hang out.

Urech hydantoin synthesis · Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:08 am

Ben Zhang
[email protected]

1) A moderately to highly challenging model kit of something functional (e.g. a balsa wood airplane that can fly, or a Stirling engine)
2) A compact utility thing of some sort (that's not a Leatherman Wingman, Victorinox Huntsman II, or credit card knife)
3) Something gadgety and/or might make a good office toy

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 8:17 am

I just looked at what my next week is going to look like and realized it's a bad idea to do pairings in that time. So I've extended the deadline to 12/8. SIGN UP SOON LOSERS

rxailagan · Post by **rxailagan** » Mon Nov 30, 2015 8:41 am

Oh yay I want to participate in this!

Roxanne Ilagan
[email protected]

1.) I'm REALLY into food. So maybe a food or snack item special to your area, it really doesn't matter what. I have no food allergies and will eat practically anything. Shan mentioned useful, little-known cooking tools and those sound super awesome too (I cook a lot).
2.) Also really into techy gadgets for phones and whatnot (I have an iPhone 6s). Super obsessed with my fitbit, not sure if that gives you any ideas.
3.) I'm trying to get into board games. Your favorite board game would be cool. I already have Settlers, the 5-6 player expansion, the cities and knights expansion, Munchkin, and Bananagrams sitting around my apartment so none of those.

Alejandro · Post by **Alejandro** » Wed Dec 02, 2015 12:32 am

Alejandro Lopez-Lago
alopezlago [at] hmc . edu

Present requests:
1) Some Criterion Collection DVD. I generally like the Melville/Sautet movies or Japanese ones like Hara-Kiri.
2) MST3K or Rifftrax
3) An indie game for PS3 or PC. The Swapper and Gunpoint are games I've really enjoyed.
4) A quick, card-based board game similar to Coup.

alexdz · Post by **alexdz** » Wed Dec 02, 2015 9:49 pm

Name: Alex Dzurick
Email: alexdzurick /at/ gmail /dot/ com
Present requests:
1. A book that won either the Stonewall award or Lambda Literary Award that you think I might like. My research interests are in the experiences of LGBTQ+ people in schools and/or in athletics. I don't mind if it's a used copy as long as it's in decent shape. (note: I already have the Volpert poetry book on teaching from 2013)
2. Some kind of office supply/organization helper that you think a grad student might benefit from having. Other than a journal/notebook (I have way too many of those) or planner.
3. A nerdy holiday ornament/decoration, in the vein of the things they sell on ThinkGeek.com but not necessarily from there. Especially science-y things, but not really fandom things unless it's Adventure Time.

no ice · Post by **no ice** » Thu Dec 03, 2015 3:44 am

Okay I'll bite.

Name: James Zhou
E-mail: jamzhou.13 (gmail)

1.) An introductory book teaching a non-Indo-European language.
2.) An introductory book for a non-Latin dead language or a non-Esperanto constructed language.
3.) A Dutch-English or Swedish-English dictionary would also be greatly appreciated.
4.) Something a middle-aged man is unlikely to already own but would find very useful.

RexSueciae · Post by **RexSueciae** » Sat Dec 05, 2015 11:02 am

Vasa Clarke
vasa.rex.sueciae[at]gmail.com

1. Something with a tangential relationship with quizbowl knowledge
2. A nice book of poetry (besides the complete works of Auden, Cummings, Larkin, or Plath, which I've already got)
3. Foodstuffs, confections, or ingredients

Nothing much interesting happens at Christmas in my family, so as with last year I don't really have a story to tell.

naturalistic phallacy · Sun Dec 06, 2015 2:23 am

Bernadette Spencer
[email protected]

1. wool socks or other extremity-warming implements
2. nonfiction (especially true crime) books
3. easily-shippable local food specialties, or food/food-related items that you like

That DCC guy · Post by **That DCC guy** » Sun Dec 06, 2015 2:22 pm

I just realized I don't have the money to do this so nevermind

The Stately Rhododendron · Sun Dec 06, 2015 5:10 pm

Isaac Kirk-Davidoff
isaac.kirk-davidoff[at]yale[dot]edu

1: A book about some fringe religious/political movement
2: Some book related to Environmental Anthropology (aka how people interact with nature)
3: I like tchotchkes of all shapes and forms.
4: Something related to gardening, something that can be used in a dorm environment.

Ike · Post by **Ike** » Mon Dec 07, 2015 4:05 pm

Ike Jose

[email protected]

1.) A book you think Will Nediger might like but he hasn't read. Remember that Will Nediger claims to have read "60% of the canon."
2.) Any kind of nonfiction book about the Premodern era (Renaissance or earlier)
3.) Some kind of soundtrack to a video game known for its good music.

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Mon Dec 07, 2015 7:18 pm

Deadline's tomorrow! Sign up!

Post by **theMoMA** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 3:35 am

Andrew Hart
[email protected]
* something related to arts/literature/history/academics that could be a knickknack on a desk or shelf
* something related to arts/literature/history/academics that could be framed to hang on a wall
* something related to arts/literature/history/academics that doesn't fit into either of those categories but is nonetheless an object that is not a book, movie, video game, etc.

Basically, I'd like a cool little object of some sort that is somehow related to "academics" in a very broad sense. I'm fine with getting a print of a Van Gogh painting or whatever, but what I'd really like is something bizarre and totally different than anything I'd ever think of, so go wild with it. No worries if you can't think of anything like that; in that case, I'm perfectly happy to receive "easily-shippable local food specialties, or food/food-related items that you like," as Bernadette put it.

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:50 pm

Hey, you've got til 9 a.m. ET tomorrow for me to consider you entered.

women, fire and dangerous things · Wed Dec 09, 2015 12:19 am

Ike wrote:Ike Jose

[email protected]

1.) A book you think Will Nediger might like but he hasn't read. Remember that Will Nediger claims to have read "60% of the canon."
2.) Any kind of nonfiction book about the Premodern era (Renaissance or earlier)
3.) Some kind of soundtrack to a video game known for its good music.

60% of the core canon!

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Fri Dec 11, 2015 1:45 pm

Going to work on matches soon; finals and wisdom tooth removal got me slowed down.

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:47 pm

I just sent out an email to everyone asking for their mailing addresses. Please respond in the next 24 hours. Thanks!

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 8:47 pm

I need mailing addresses from the following people:

~~Alejando Lopez-Lago~~
~~Jacob O'Rourke~~
Trent Kannegieter

Please email this to me at [email protected] immediately. Thanks!

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 6:08 pm

Trent Kannegieter: I need your address immediately so I can send out assignments. If you don't get this to me by 8 a.m. tomorrow morning, eastern time, I'm going to have to remove you from the pool.

Match-ups, with or without Trent, will be sent out tomorrow morning.

AKKOLADE · Post by **AKKOLADE** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 3:48 pm

Everyone should have received an email with information regarding the person you're giving a gift to. Please get gifts out as soon as possible. If you have a question about your partner, PLEASE CONTACT ME DIRECTLY. The idea is that your recipient does not know you're who gave them his/her gift until he/she receives it, not before.

Happy holidays! I hope everyone has fun.

1992 in spaceflight · Thu Dec 17, 2015 10:41 pm

My gift should arrive by the 26th.

Muriel Axon · Post by **Muriel Axon** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 11:47 pm

My gift should arrive by the 23rd.

Peter13 · Post by **Peter13** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 1:19 am

My gift should arrive on the 3rd of January (+/- 9 days).

Rococo A Go Go · Post by **Rococo A Go Go** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 10:13 am

My gift is expected to arrive on the 24th.

merv1618 · Post by **merv1618** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 3:10 pm

Yawar Fiesta wrote:My gift is expected to arrive on the 24th.

Tejas · Post by **Tejas** » Fri Dec 18, 2015 3:19 pm

merv1618 wrote:
Yawar Fiesta wrote:My gift is expected to arrive on the 24th.

at your pleasure · Post by **at your pleasure** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 6:48 pm

Just got a mystery copy of At Least we Can Apologize, which I assume is from one of you unless there is some secret club dedicated to randomly mailing people avant-garde Korean novels.

Mike Bentley · Post by **Mike Bentley** » Sun Dec 20, 2015 9:59 am

at your pleasure wrote:Just got a mystery copy of At Least we Can Apologize, which I assume is from one of you unless there is some secret club dedicated to randomly mailing people avant-garde Korean novels.

This was from me. I read a review where it sounded interesting. Hopefully it will be enjoyable and keep you out in front of quizbowl's next big trend in world literature.

at your pleasure · Post by **at your pleasure** » Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:47 pm

Mike Bentley wrote:
at your pleasure wrote:Just got a mystery copy of At Least we Can Apologize, which I assume is from one of you unless there is some secret club dedicated to randomly mailing people avant-garde Korean novels.
This was from me. I read a review where it sounded interesting. Hopefully it will be enjoyable and keep you out in front of quizbowl's next big trend in world literature.

Thanks! It does look interesting.