What's a good D&D related gift for about $40?

Any D&D rule/supplement book, as that's about how much one of those books will cost.

Which book? Well that all depends on which books the giftee in question doesn't already have. Just going by my own wants, and the wants of others, it tends to be very individual and specific, meaning it's probably not possible to surprise them as to really find out what D&D gift would be best for them, you'll want to just flat out ask them. It's otherwise just too likely that you'll either duplicate a book they already have, or get them something they weren't really interested in (though getting a book they weren't planning on buying, they'd probably like and keep it anyway, since they got it free, but one or two of the books are pretty lame).

Seriously though- how sick am I that I'm envious of Chicago buried under a blanket of snow?

Laga, it looks like there's a good chance we're going to get hit by more precip next week (though I don't know if it'll be cold enough for snow, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is) according to the long-term forecast over at the Tribune. They were predicting a higher-than-average-snowfall for December back in mid-November, so you'll have lots to be envious about!

I'm going out and getting my boots after payday this Friday (as well as a new pair of gym shoes, finally replacing my nearly year-old Payless pair that I've worn just about daily since buying them), after getting all my Xmas shopping done.

Timelies all!

It's very quiet here, as G is away on business.

Connie -- which online toy is this?

The home page of this [link]

I was wondering where they got their list of books to compare with, and they use the libraries that people enter.

The partner in the office next to me just roused me to have a look at the moon out of his office window. I think that's odd, yet sweet.

It is a beautiful moon tonight.

What night was it that it was mad windy? A few nights ago, anyway. I was walking home, and the clouds were just whipping across the nearly-full moon, and it was good times.

How were there only three posts in the three hours since I left the office? Falling down on the job, people!

I'm wondering that myself.

There's a new Dirty Jobs on tonight! And I've just ahem'd a certain episode shown on Canadian TV last night....

So, I'm rolling along, watching Studio 60, not upset about anything, my eyes in their proper forward-facing position, until... "I'm from New Orleans." Fucking Sorkin.

Oh, Jesse, your eyes were working undertime.

• There's no snowblowers in fucking Hollywood, Cali-fucking-fornia? And the best thing to do is engage a bunch of staffers who work for a live, weekly, 90 minute show in making coconut shavings? (Good thing 20 years passed without any need to have falling snow in a scene, right?)
• The FCC thing. Just, damn. I'm willing to suspend disbelief about them going after the network for a dirty word. Just increasingly annoyed that not a single solitary fifteen minute period can pass in this show without talking about politics.
• One of the most powerful women in Hollywood finds it unremarkable to take one of her employees in to see her va-jay-jay. Just...think about doing that for a second with your boss or subordinate.
• You're right about the New Orleans thing. That tribute was eye-poppingly bad, over a year late and on a comedy show.

The Santa sketch was inspired, however.