It’s 1 a.m. according to my watch. That means it’s officially Mother’s Day 2007. If you’ve waited until now to spend some dough on your media-inclined mother, here are five extremely last-minute gift ideas…
1. Reporting momma
How about a subscription to Columbia Journalism Review? You gotta get the dead tree edition if you want all the juicy articles. (Smart tactic, guys.) $19.95 at CJR.org. For the mom who has everything, including clutter, donate to Journalists Without Borders. Or, if your momma reports from dangerous places, how about some body armor?
2. Momma.TV kit
Perhaps your momma needs her own live 24-7 web stream, just like the Justin.tv guy. Get a backpack for her laptop, a Ustream or Stickam account, a modem card and she’s good to go. VioSport has helmet cams for hands-free operation.
3. Mommy blogger kit
Your mom still doesn’t have a blog? Blogging moms are the soccer moms of the ’00’s so she better get with it. Get mom in style with a vanity domain name at GoDaddy, then install WordPress or your blogging software of choice and she’s good to go.
4. Fitness membership
It’s tough on the body to sit at the desk all day, hunched over the keyboard. Ditto for those mommas who spend their time out in the field. Add child-chasing time to the equasion and you have one messed up momma body. A gift certificate to the YMCA (or yoga place or spinning place, etc.) can help undo all that.
5. Power Inverter
Mommas (and daddies) tend to live in their cars, shuttling between work, soccer practice, you name it. This is where the DC adapter comes in handy. This thingamajig turns any car cigarette lighter into a 3-pronged power outlet. Momma will be able to plug her laptop, iPod, phone and, so we’ve heard, even plug in PSPs for good children. About $40. Radio Shacks open around 10 or 11 a.m. Sunday, so you can sneak out after you’ve made her breakfast.
6. Best Gift: Love and support
Your love and support are better than any store-bought gift. Journalism is one of many careers that can compete with family time. The hours are unpredictable and often long. So, rather than getting things, most mommas cherish “quality time” with their families.
Happy mother’s day!