Have Your Say

Recently, I realized that one of my good friend’s birthdays was coming up, and I had no idea what to get him. I wanted a gift that was thoughtful and showed that I knew him well, and I wanted a gift that he could use and enjoy. I also had a budget, so getting him something expensive like a laptop or new cell phone was out, even though he would obviously benefit from those things. Stumped for ideas, I started surfing the internet. There were almost too many choices, and I quickly became overwhelmed. I found lots of electronics, but since I don’t know enough about the latest and greatest technology, I didn’t dare get him any of them.

In the course of my search, I found a blog that mentioned stuffed animals as a good present. I figured he was too old for toys, and so continued the hunt. But for some reason, the idea continued to stay in my mind as I fruitlessly searched, and I soon decided to re-examine it.

After all, who says toys are only good for kids? Not only do they evoke a certain nostalgia, but there are plenty examples of them being appropriate. Just look at cartoons. Once exclusively for kids, they have evolved into something suitable for everyone. Just look at the popularity of such shows such as Family Guy and The Simpsons, which is definitely marketed for adults. Or consider the superhero genre. Big screen movies based off of various popular superheroes has built interest in these types of merchandise to the masses. There’s no reason stuffed toys couldn’t be enjoyed by adults as well as children.

Once this occurred to me, I set out to search for a plush animal that my friend would enjoy. Unfortunately, he wasn’t an established toy collector, so I had to make sure that the stuffed animal I got him was relevant to his personality or history. Luckily, there are more plush animals available widely today than just the teddy bears of the past. There’s a toy version of practically any animal you can think of, so then I just had to decide what animal would work for him. I looked back at our shared history, and soon found some inspiration.

During our childhood, we used to watch the movie the Wizard of Oz together all the time. In fact, my friend was such a fan that he played the part of the Cowardly Lion in our school play. This was his first acting gig, and soon paved the way for his current successful acting and modeling career. The lion was definitely a meaningful part of his history, and so I began to look for an appropriate plush lion for his birthday gift.

Luckily, there were many available, in tons of different sizes. I picked the one that I liked the most and gave it to him with a nice card that explained the meaning behind it. He loved it! It soon found a place on his couch, facing the TV and keeping him company. Together, they now both can see his achievements whenever one of his ads or movies plays on the television. So as you can see, stuffed animals can be a fantastic gift for adults as well as children. Remember, if you are ever having trouble finding a nice, personal gift for someone, consider getting them a stuffed animal.

Alan Stutts writes a desert oasis is generally a lush, water-rich area in the middle of the desert.  There might be a pond that captures water after a rain, or something a bit more permanent like Montezuma’s Well in Arizona.  People have that image from the movies of a hallucination giving travelers false hope. 

Richard J. Hintin first spoke of Montezuma’s Well in his Handbook to Arizona published in 1878.  But there’s evidence someone else beat Richard to writing about it.  Mention was made of a pond near a Pueblo, by a Spanish explorer in 1583.    Some people believe this described Montezuma’s Well.    1,000,000 gallons of water flows into this well each day.  The source of all this water is unknown.

Oases have lent their name to other places where people rest.  Idaho’s Desert Oasis RV Park is an example.  This park is only open from May through September.  It has 72 campsites and miles and miles of sand dunes where people dune ride, snowmobile in the winter and explore the many caves found near the property.  72 campsites and miles of sand dunes make for a fun and exciting combination.  People visit from all over the country to go dune riding in the sand, or to explore nearby caves. 

Alan Stutts says the caves near the Desert Oasis RV Park are quite interesting in themselves.  The caves near the Desert Oasis RV Park have a remarkable originSome caves have their own interesting story.  They are tubes formed from cooling lava.  Lava cooled into tubes to form these caves.  They were formed by cooling lava.  They snake underground for miles and miles, going wherever the lava was able to flow Wherever lava flowed, the caves now reach.  These caves extend for miles and miles underground.  A little known fact is that lava is a great insulator. Lava insulates very well. A great amount of insulation is provided by lava.  So these caves are cool even on the hottest summer daysThat keeps the caves cool even in the summer. Thus it’s cool inside the caves even on the hottest days.  Visitors are reminded to bring jackets.  Take a sweater if you visit.  It’s a good idea to wear a jacket there. 

Alan Stutts also writes that other popular recipients of the oasis name are hotels.  Many hotels also have the oasis name.  Oasis is also a popular name for hotels.  One such is the Sheraton Desert Oasis in Scottsdale Arizona Arizona’s Sheraton and Desert Oasis for example, One of these is in Scottsdale, Arizona – the Sheraton Desert Oasis.  It’s located in the Sonoran Desert which provides a beautiful backdrop for the hotel That’s in the Sonoran desert.  The Sonaran desert is its home.  The area is hardly barren. There is a lot to do there. It’s hardly bereft of life.  There are activities such as rodeos and horse shows nearby, as well as art galleries and museums.  And of course there’s the desert to explore.  People can visit nearby art galleries, museums, or even take in a rodeoExplore the desert, or even visit a horse show.  But bring plenty of waterMake sure to bring waterDon’t forget to drink when you visit the desert.

Alan Stutts concludes that a desert oasis can be a life saver for someone traveling under the hot sun and over the hot sands.  It can also be a hotel, park, or rest stop in the modern world.The modern world has certainly changed the definition of oasisSo it seems an oasis can be many different things.