Help! It's Valentines Day! What do I get for my guy?

There have been many Valentine's Days *cough*and birthdays and holidays*cough* that have left me clueless about what to get my guy, and the resources I was able to find left me helpless. It took a lot of learning and unfortunate gifts, but I believe I've achieved a great sense of what my guy likes. Let's see if I can help you figure out yours!

• Is He A Smart Guy?
• Mini-microscope. I'm not kidding. Hours of entertainment for five dollars or less depending on the sale price. I let my boyfriend open his early because I knew he would love it, and he was absolutely tickled. Just be prepared to offer your freckles, hair and even places where you have a little stubble for scientific scrutiny. It's seriously cool and you can enjoy it together!
• http://www.amazon.com/SE-MW10087L-Brass-Microscope-Illuminator/dp/B002E0MU70

• Is He A Gamer Guy?
• If he already loved his video games and then you came along, the love of the games remains, and you have to love him for it. So find something for you two to play together. Let his expertise on the topic guide you. Even though we may get hung up on trying to make a surprise happen, it's okay if not everything you ever get for him is a surprise. Ask him what new things you might be able to play together, then go get it! Or get a GameStop gift card and put a note with it that says you two get to pick out a game together. He'll take care of you and bring you into an activity that is very special for him. ;) 
• In the case of me and my guy, he's waiting to get me the HD re-release version of Final Fantasy X. There's a PC and a Playstation version, so we can play it together in the same room. It's a really beautiful game, and having him on my team means that even though I'm not a skilled gamer, he can take care of me in the game :)
• http://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/12/16/final-fantasy-x-x-2-hd-collectors-edition-detailed-vita-release-date-2/
• http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-X-2-Remaster-Limited-Edition/dp/B00BY0G0YU

• Is He A Lefty?
• Perfect! You might have no idea what gifts are out there for us in the minority of left/right-handedness. Trust me, these are excellent gifts! Just remember if you drink out of his mug, you'll get inexplicably spilled on. ;)
• http://www.leftyslefthanded.com/lefthanded_mugs_s/68.htm

• https://www.leftyslefthanded.com/Left_Handed_Executive_Leather_Padfolio_p/904017.htm

• https://www.leftyslefthanded.com/Lefty_Five_Subject_College_Rule_Spiral_Notebook_p/605755.htm

• What Does He Need?
• If my guy had a phone (Ugh, don't get me started), I would get him a phone case. We are all inherently clutzy with our most expensive possessions. I HIGHLY recommend Otterboxes. My phone has survived falling from my bike basket and on to the road because of an Otterbox. My phone before this one didn't survive falling out of a bike basket because it wasn't in an Otterbox.
• http://www.amazon.com/OtterBox-Defender-Case-iPhone-Frustration-Free/dp/B008O5BHN2/ref=sr_1_10?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1391556717&sr=1-10

• Anything Broken Lately?
• Whoops. My guy has a broken Alarm Clock that has made him late to work a couple times. Fortunately it wasn't a big deal, but he has had the same alarm clock all through college and he's sad to see it broken. Sound familiar? I personally, am happy to see it go! It's clearly from the 90's, but when he was telling me about how sad he was that it broke, he explained that he just doesn't like complicated alarm clocks. Then, magically, the next day when I dragged him to the mall and let him run free in his favorite shops (basically just Lego and Gamestop), he picked up something that tickled him. All of a sudden, I have a new gift for him for Valentine's Day ;)
• http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Red-Brick-Clock-2856236

I think its important to remember that maybe this gift might be a little old for him. He was tickled to see such a cool thing, but maybe he doesn't have any vision of it being in his room. And that's okay. I'll take my best guess, at a reasonable price, and I think he will like it because he was a huge fan of Legos as a kid--he has even picked up History of Legos type books at Costco that I have on my list for future purchases too. The things that he loved as a kid are still there. And the laughter he will get opening this gift is special.

Oh, wait. I just found something cooler ;)

• http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Legends-of-Chima-Cragger-Minifigure-Clock-5002417
• http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-DC-Universe-Super-Heroes-Batman-Minifigure-Clock-5002423
• http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-DC-Universe-Super-Heroes-Batman-Minifigure-Clock-5002423

• What Does He Like?
• Nintendo stickers or patches of Star Trek insignia become very valuable when combined with an excellent electronics case. I'm still on this electronics thing because guys like their toys, and just because we can't always afford to buy him something new doesn't mean we can't get an accessory to upgrade it. Does your guy like the Emperor's New Groove? How about a favorite sports team? Now get a patch and iron or sew it on to a tablet case, or get a sticker and put in on the new phone case :)
• http://www.amazon.com/Super-Mario-Bros-Embroidered-Patch/dp/B00BPRZ0T8
• http://www.amazon.com/VanGoddy-Light-Universal-Neoprene-Sleeve/dp/B00GP0UWYS/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1391557417&sr=8-14&keywords=tablet+case+blue+soft

• Is he Disney Classy?
• My guy told me once long ago that his professor in his grad program recommended Mickey hand watches for any interview because it shows creativity and class. This may be unique to the views of video game designers, but nonetheless, my guy loves his Mickey watch. Watches are always a good idea; the only problem is you really can only give a watch as a gift once every five years or until the old one is broken. But I recommend this for clever dudes or Disney fans. :) Just beware, there are many different Mickeys and sizes! Pick one that works for your budget and for your guy!
• http://www.amazon.com/Disney-MCK619-Mickey-Mouse-Black/dp/B003DIRJSM/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_1



• Is he a Sound Guy?
• Warning: this will hurt your wallet. : / My boyfriend loves his headphones to the ends of the earth, but they get little flakes of rubber everywhere because they are old and falling apart. He has expressed to me that there is only one great headphone manufacturer, and they are Sennheiser. Go to their website if you dare. If you have the money, this will be something your sound-addict will love for eternity--but you should probably be married before you give him something like this (The picture below is of HD 800, which I remember my BF being quite excited about, to the tune of $1500).
• http://en-us.sennheiser.com/headphones 

• ........... Okay, I'm starting to breath again after seeing that price tag. So he still needs headphones? Get those stickers out because you might make a cheaper pair pretty cool with a Yoshi on them! Start with what you know is essential to him because there are a few different kinds of headphones.  
• Earbuds: great for runners and if your guy likes music at the gym. Uncomfortable for people with small ears (like me). I don't have any good personal experiences with this, but there are many kinds, and if this is what he needs, happy hunting!
• On the Ear: this is what I currently have. My beau and I grabbed this at Best Buy while he was trying to pick something more expensive for me. I went for the pretty color and the $20 price tag. (Just a note though: my BF insists this are considered "on ear" because they don't 'suction cup' over your ear, they press onto the cartilage. But these are definitely my headphones, so I guess they are mislabeled.)
• http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-zx-series-outdoor-monitor-over-the-ear-headphones-blue/8896062.p?id=1218936716177&skuId=8896062

• Over the Ear: This is what my boyfriend prefers. There's an introvert security blanket quality to it that is very comfortable to him. 
• Gamer Headsets: Add a microphone. If he's a gamer, you know he'll want it. And plus for you: great sound quality for your Skype dates. Plus he might look like an adorable aviator.
• http://www.geeksugar.com/Headset-Online-Gaming-Skype-7635178

• Noise Cancelling: Very, very quiet. Creepy effective. You could say it might backfire on you because he won't hear you over his music, or at all. Plus side is you get to go touch him on the shoulder or give him a neck rub to get his attention. Before you front money for this feature though, or any of the fancy headsets, make sure you visit Best Buy or a Radio Shack to try on different headphones. My beau likes the noise cancelling, but I think it's a little disturbingly quiet (once again I see the different between introverts and extroverts lol). Let those discoveries guide you!
• Is He Beyond Belief Difficult to Shop for?
• Well he, probably isn't, but brain farts and limited time means you can get him a mug.
• Sneaking Discoveries
• Maybe none of these ideas are perfect for him, but if you take him to a mall and he'll tolerate it, go with him into his favorite stores and watch carefully. Tell him its only fair that you go with him into his stores because he's sweet and goes with you sometimes into yours (this is fair and appropriate anytime and it will make your spy work easier). He may not even realize you're collecting information! And if he does, he'll think its awesome for you to do. :)
• Honing our Observation Skills
• Our big problem with figuring out gifts I think stems from not writing down our ideas when we have them. Get a secret place on your computer or phone and keep a list year round of what your guy is waiting for. He may not realize it, but he is dropping hints all the time! Whenever my guy is on imgur, he is seeing things that get him excited, and I am quietly writing them down. The beautiful thing about that is he never remembers these things that got him so excited, but he still gets his mind blown when I give it to him later. Check this out:
• http://www.etsy.com/listing/127552315/legend-of-zelda-songring-sizes-6-13?ref=shop_home_active&ga_search_query=zelda%2Bsongring

When I give him this sometime down the road, he is going to have his brain explode. He's not a jewelry guy, but this ring has video game controls on it from his favorite Legend of Zelda song. With a ring like this, no matter what happens to us, he has something he will love and use for the rest of his life, and I think that's the point :)

Do not discount the powers of online shopping to help you figure this out! And if you want some help, please comment with some details about your guy and maybe we can brainstorm something up for him :) I'll be adding more ideas if I come up with them, too. Good luck this Valentine's Day :)