As a way to countdown to my upcoming birthday (August 18!), I thought I would share with you some of my absolute favorite items in the world. All are items I personally love and recommend, so whether you’re looking for a gift for yourself, or someone else, or just need some inspiration, consider this my personal Birthday Favorites Gift Guide.

So without further ado…

Birthday Favorite #1:

True Blood: The Complete First Season

I’m not going to pretend that True Blood is for everyone. Because it’s not. There are incredibly graphic scenes of violence, sex, and drug use. This is no Twilight. And this show is definitely NOT for kids.

But in terms of addictive TV, True Blood, like many HBO shows, cannot be beat. I watched it last season on a whim and then I couldn’t stop. 6 episodes were available OnDemand at that time and I kid you not, I watched them all in one day. And then I counted down the days until Season 2 began (just a few weeks ago).

True Blood is based off of the Sookie Stackhouse book series by Charlaine Harris. Both the books and the TV show follow the life of Sookie Stackhouse, a lady that can read minds in Louisiana. Her life changes when Bill, a vampire, enters the bar where she works.

The show is fast-paced and enthralling. I cannot recommend it highly enough. (But again, I warn you – if you don’t like graphic TV, this show is NOT for you.)

The cheapest I could find a NEW copy of True Blood: The Complete First Season was at Amazon, where it is currently selling for $35.99.