the complete gift guide, abridged

I was escaping the early May heat in the air-conditioned comfort of the mall when I spied that banner. The one that reads ãDads and Grads.ä

Just when I thought I had more than 180 shopping days till Christmas, I remembered that I have less than two weeks until graduation day.

I fled the mall for the safety of my computer, hoping that, as usual, something brilliant would occur to me online, and be on sale, and be express mailed.

My two favorites, Target and Amazon, procured mixed results.

Target.com has some good gift ideas. I followed the links on the Web site from ãsummertimeä to ãdads and gradsä to ãgraduation.ä Target.com at least gets points for separating dads from grads, because putting them in one category just because the words rhyme is stupid.

Target.com has some predictable but classic gifts, like a picture frame and a travel clock, as well as some truly inspired gift ideas like a personal DVD player and a Leatherman brand Super Tool 200 (it is really called that, really).

For the didnât-quite-graduate, Target.com also has gifts that would be great for a ãHappy Fifth-Year Seniorä party, such as an 8-in-1 Combo Game Table, and a set of pub-style glasses.

For book gift ideas, Amazon.com recommended a total of 115 books, including all varieties of compilation books that have the word ãgraduationä somewhere in the title, like ãCongratulations on Your Graduation,ä compiled by Esther Beilenson.

If your grad memorized that mock graduation speech from Baz Luhrmann about wearing sunscreen, theyâll appreciate ãGraduation Day: The Best of Americaâs Commencement Speeches,ä edited by Andrew Albanese and Brandon Trissler. And there is always ãOh, the Places Youâll Go!ä by Dr. Seuss, for those grads who think Pooh practices Tao and there is a Zen to motorcycle maintenance.

But if you donât feel like braving the mall, or surfing the net, or just have no clue, University of Arizona graduating seniors have one final, specific suggestion.

ãMoney,ä said Yvett Linn, a senior graduating from the School of Agro-Economics.

ãMoney,ä said Angela Check, a senior graduating from the School of Dance.

But how could anyone pass up the Leatherman brand Super Tool 200?