Dear Santa ...

It just might be due to the season that's approaching. Although, I'd be loathe to admit it; perhaps, I really am affected by the end-of-year buying frenzy. Many products are positioned for sale at the year's end. Furthermore, I generally discover in December, after my charitable donations and forced savings, that I've got some extra cash in my pocket. These two forces have the power to unite in a dangerous combination. The final catalyst added is the ease and power of the Internet.

My morning started when I received my email from www.ncix.com and discovered a camera I like is on sale. Perhaps the SP-560UZ would make a nice replacement camera. After all, my present camera is two years old. I spent hours reading reviews and doing comparisons.

Then, in the afternoon, I spent time researching to see if the Blu-ray or HD-DVD camp is winning the battle for the chance to connect to my TV. With the Canadian dollar at around a US dollar, web site comparisons are simple. A trip to Bellingham, Washington would be quick and easy. The power of Wal-mart and its sub-$200 HD player and the deals on Toshiba models at Circuit City may tip the balance in favour of the HD-DVD format. If there was no format war raging, high-definition disc adoption would be substantially greater.

I did a lot of planning today but no actual buying.