A lot of people experience mental blocks when they think about what to buy Mom for Mother's Day. They tend to get her the same sort of things year in and year out. such as flowers or candy. Now, there's nothing wrong with flowers or candy, but has it ever dawned on you that Mom's just a tad bit sick of of getting the same old same old every year? Well, if not, consider this article a wake up call. (Not for nothing am I America's most celebrated holiday e-book author!) Yes, this year, let's try something different. How about a nice electronic present for Mom? And don't worry, man; you can trust me when it comes to gifts for Mom, because I live in my Mom's basement! Here are some great ideas.

1. mp3 player. You may not know it, but if your wife or mother doesn't have her own mp3 player, she's at very high risk of becoming a social pariah. You've got to solve this problem ASAP!. Do you want everyone in town pointing and whispering when she walks by? Hearing her called things like "weirdo"? Yeah, well, maybe you wouldn't mind, but I guarantee you Mom will mind. Don't let it happen to her. Don't let her walk out the door one more time without owning her own mp3 player. That way, when people talk about her, it won't be about how behind the times she is, but how thoughtful her son or daughter is!

2. High Definition TV. Do you really love your Mom? Of course, you'll say you do. But do you really, really love her? If so, then you'll do whatever it takes to make sure she doesn't get arrested for rampaging in the streets next year. What am I talking about? Here's what - early next year the new law kicks in making all TV stations switch to digital only programs. If your Mom isn't ready for the change, there's likely to be a bit of unpleasantness. Don't let that happen. For this Mother's Day, get her a new HD television or a converter box for her old one.

3. Satellite radio. Unless your Mom speaks Spanish, or enjoys teeny bopper music, or gets off on 15 straight hours of some blowhards foaming at the mouth about politics and how America is going to heck in a hand basket, there's probably not much for her to listen to when it comes to local radio. There might be one or two stations, but that's about it, and that's not much choice. But with a satellite radio receiver, she can choose from hundreds of genres and formats, most of which are commercial free. And you can get her a receiver for the car, for the home, or a sport receiver for jogging, etc.

4. Get her a nicer computer. Hey Ma, welcome to the 1990s! Ha! Just kiddin' a little there. Just about every adult in America has a computer and uses it these days, and I assume your wife or mother is no exception. But both hardware and software become superseded by better, faster, more powerful versions at a very rapid rate. If her computer is more than a couple years old, she probably needs an upgrade or a whole new system. More memory, more storage, a faster processor, etc.. And if she's got one of those old style monitors, she'd love to get one of the newer flat screen ones. They're so much nicer, and they get cheaper all the time. So what are you waiting for?

5. Get Mom a nice compact home stereo system. The advances in audio technology the past few years have been absolutely incredible. You might've grown up thinking that small meant low quality and poor sound, and back then you were right. But not anymore. Forget the huge component systems and speakers the siize of a recliner. That stuff is history. Now good audio comes in small packages. Check out names like Klipsch and Henry Kloss if you doubt it. Not only is high end audio much smaller than it used to be, it's also much less expensive. So no excuses, cheapskates!

6. Digital camera. Like most Moms, I'm guessing that your mother has one or more children? Am I right? I thought so. And, if she's like most Moms, she loves to take pictures of her kids and/or grandkids. (Not my Mom, though. For some reason, she seems to think she has plenty of pictures of me and doesn't want anymore. In fact, no matter how many photos of me I give her, she always says no thanks. Go figure.) Well, how about getting her a snazzy new digital camera? Like everything else, they're getting better and cheaper every year, so if she already has one, you might be able to give her a much better one.

7. Gourmet coffee machine. Is your wife or mother a big customer of these fancy coffee shops that are springing up everywhere these days? And I do mean everywhere - some churches now have Starbucks! They're taking over the planet! (Heck, I wouldn't be surprised to see one the next time I visit the county probation office.) No doubt these shops make great coffee. But with a gourmet coffee machine of her own, your wife or mother could do the very same thing at home for a lot cheaper. You can find these machines at wholesale clubs, specialty stores, online sites, etc.