AJZ (not Alex) Wish List

As of January 13, 2026

  • Go here for Alex list.
  • Go here for E.A.M. list.

High priority

These are things I would start using right away and keep using a lot, possibly daily.

Nerd

  • Air compressor. Yes, I want to blast out certain drainage lines, and also it can hook to a rapid can crusher maybe? Kind of want to inflate tires occasionally. I can give you a list of several recommended ones, or just like buy one that is for regular, non-professional people and not gigantic capacity or pressure.

  • Photo developing of several (ten?) rolls of 35mm film! I think Indie Film Lab looks good. I would get Process & Scan, C41, 35mm, Noritsu scanner, resolution L, change to Uncorrected, file type JPG. This is $12 per roll. (I have 6 rolls to do.)

  • Trip to Lone Star Flight Museum, or if you’re feeling fancy, a ride in one of their historic airplanes.

  • Cotton T-shirt, size large, with school logo or name of places I’ve attended. See neckties below for which schools. Keep it simple, such as: just one big MSU spartan helmet logo in white on a green shirt, or block letters “MICHIGAN STATE” in green on black, etc. Background colors: grey, black, blue, green, red.

  • Very long tree trimmer. Either a manual type (with a saw and shears, plus a rope that you pull), or battery-powered saw-type cutter.

Clothes

  • A new “clickabelt.” Belt made by “Slidebelts.” Something like a brown leather belt. The one I’ve had for a while is getting worn. Should be at least 36 inch strap. Often they are sold with extra-long straps, and you cut them to length.

Medium priority

Many of these are very fun, but either I don’t “need” them, or I would use them but not all that often. I would be very happy to receive any of them!

Clothes

  • Necktie or bowtie with repeating pattern of small logos. Preferably made of silk, and with embroidered logos, but those aren’t requirements. Logos of any of the following schools:
    • Spartan helmet for MSU: MSU tie
    • Block S letter for MSU.
    • The shield logo for Washington University in St. Louis: WUStL tie
    • Block H letter for Harvard (sometimes inside a shield, technically their athletic logo).
    • Plain “Veritas” shield for Harvard: Harvard bowtie Harvard bowtie, striped Harvard tie, striped Harvard tie
    • Shield with lion rampant for Harvard medical: HMS bowtie HMS tie
    • Mizzou
    • Saint Louis University

  • Necktie, solid green, black, grey, brown. Made of silk. Get “skinny” style, like 2 inches wide, without much “tapering” as it goes from the bottom to the top. Possibly with a blunt, rectangle-type end, instead of coming to a point.

  • Short sleeve button-front shirt, casual, all cotton. Usually size large. Solid color. (Example: Brooks Brothers regular fit (blue label) with button-down collar, although I don’t need that exact brand.)

  • Any short sleeve shirt from Criquet, criquetshirts.com, around $90. Size: medium.

  • Men’s suit. Could be “gift card situation” (the kind of thing that I would shop for myself but am not sure where)

  • Some kind of short sleeve polo shirt, not all-cotton, lightweight. Probably solid color. OK brands: Izod, Under Armour, Adidas. The kind I like are often sold as “golf performance wicking something something.”

  • Tie clip, a cool, classy style, so my tie doesn’t flop forward and drag on things if I bend over. Doesn’t have to be literally made of a precious metal. Don’t get the kind with a pin that pierces through things. Style ideas: fun but subtle pattern, texture, my monogram, anchor, key, rod of Asclepius, frieze pattern (do an image search for ‘frieze pattern’).

Other

  • Video games for PS5
    • Gran Turismo 7
    • MLB The Show 25
    • Halo: Campaign Evolved
    • Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
    • Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024

  • Old-timey “straight key” for Morse code. Search eBay for “navy flameproof” or “vintage straight key.” Ideally get one that has all or most of the parts. (Don’t buy just the knob, or a key without the knob. Key and knob without the base is okay. Without wires is pretty much okay.) These are fun gifts because it almost doesn’t matter what kind you buy. They are all different, and they all will work (almost impossible to be broken or defective) and all will be fun!

  • All items on the Amazon list are “approved by me” and look like they would work, if you are not sure about buying the “right” thing from the list above. Any of the Kindle books on that list. Completely fine to get any of these as a paper book, too (including used)!

  • Probably too crazy of an idea, but: Banjo ukulele (Rockin’ Robin has a used one for $200)? Mandolin? Bass clarinet?

  • DeWalt pressure washer, $300. Like model DWPW2100. Yeah, I kinda still would use this.

  • Semi-automatic “bug” Morse code key. This is probably the Morse code thing that I most want to try out next. Such as these Vibroplex models: Original Standard $250, Original Standard Upgraded $270, Blue Racer Standard $240, vibroplex.com. These can be found used, too.

  • Single lever paddle for Morse code.

    • search gigaparts.com for “single paddle”, about $43.

    • Bencher ST-1. $150. vibroplex.com. This is supposedly a lovely one to use.

    • Vibrokeyer Standard. $180. vibroplex.com

    • Begali “simplex mono basic” or “simplex mono”, i2rtf.com. These are pricey.