I know many of us are eccentric, enjoy fine instruments, and the feel of the finest materials. That said, what is the one luxury item you want the most, but havent got because you cant afford it, and/or probably dont really need it?
This luxury item cannot be something you drive, float on, or live in such as a car or a boat or a house...that is just too easy. My thread, my rules :p
I could blow this thread open in so many ways!! Other than a house or car etc.
I mean I really want a hot tub and a sauna.
But what I think about the most that is in line with what you are really asking is a particular hammer.
I'm a rough framer, and I hammer a lot.
My current hammer was $16 my last two hammers were $30 each and were really nice. I now have the cheaper one because it is just as good and wasn't on the market when I got the others. Back to the item I really want. It is a $200 titanium hammer it feels better than mine, is lighter than mine and would be easier to use. But it is just too much, too over the top for what I need. I still want it though.
Almost everything shaving related for sure!
I would love to have a brand new computer and laptop. I could build a killer desktop.
The biggest thing I want but don't need? A vacation. I would absolutely love to take my missus on a European tour, staying at the best hotels, eating the best food.
I knew it was titanium hammer the second you said hammer!Quote:
Originally Posted by Wildtim
My dad bought the Ti7 hammer from Deadontools for my brother-in-law (he works as a framer, and if you make a living doing this stuff you owe it to yourself to buy a titanium hammer. it really is something special)
http://www.deadonstore.com/tools.htm Retails for $300, though my dad got a deal by buying from another vendor. He put a lot of effort into finding THE best hammer on the market.
Funny thing is, the shaft broke at the head and the head flew off after about 2 dozen hits first day on the job. Turns out something was defective. My dad returned it to the vendor, who gave him the option to exchange for another hammer, which he did. He got a Stiletto hammer, which seems to be the hammer of choice among his fellow framers
Bowmore 1955 / 40yrs / 42% / Crystal Decanter
http://www.islaywhiskysociety.com/sh...alog/BOW24.jpg
Tasting Notes from The Distiller's
Price: about 4000 pounds
Colour: Its colour is bronze with warm gold highlights.
Body: Its body is velvety soft and smooth and amazingly light for such a mature whisky.
Nose: The nose is wave after wave of soft fruit with lighter unhurried oak and peat notes adding to the complexity.
Palate: On the palate it is astonishingly fruity, due to the double wood maturation. However its true Hebridean characteristics become more evident towards the finish.
Finish: A finish which is delayed, initially very gentle and then it happens and all the warmth of Islay comes alive.
I want one of those big old globes that sit in old libraries in their own wooden frame. Preferably old enough that the Australian coastline was just a couple of squiggles below South East Asia.
They have a couple at The Queen's College in Oxford - the globe itself must be at least a meter in diameter (probably more like 1.5 meters).
Completely useless, of course, but I'd love one (or two). :bow
James.
A bicycle (i hate walking to school, but at the same time in a months time i'll be taking the bus and i'll have no place to store it over winter AND i already a bike, but it's in the next province - damn brother in law!)
A crocodile skin wallet (my current wallet still has plenty of life left in it)
A nice leather duffel bag for travelling (i don't travel a whole lot)
A nice dress watch (I have $300 worth in timepieces already)
A desktop pool-table
Speedo Fastskin Jammers (i already have 3 sets of trunks and i only swim once a week...i don't really like swimming)
Unicycle
HandAmerican strop (I have have like 5 strops)
Custom razor from JC/RW/Mastro (one day my friends, one day...)
Shapton 30k (meh...just because)
German glass beer boot (i don't really enjoy beer all that much and don't drink all that often either)
Captains of Crush hand grippers
Derby/Bowler hat (actually i'll buy one the second i find one that fits my huge head)
Leather jacket (i have a leather motorcycle jacket that i'm trying to sell (www.geocities.com/eric_kluk/leather.html), but i want something a little more wearable for everyday)
Laser eye surgery (i hate glasses and contacts)
A shittier car (I drive a 98 pontiac sunfire, but I'd love an old Chevette - it's not often you find someone who wants a cheaper car than what they already have eh!)
A tailored suit (i don't have many occasions/reasons to wear a suit but love wearing them)
I've tried to limit it down to things that I could actually buy, but have made a conscious effort not to ATM
Once I'm married and have a house and kids the list will probably looks something, like this (assuming i've acquired the above)
Better house (when I say better, i don't mean bigger, but renovated)
Better car (Cadillac or Audi baby!)
Motorcycle (Yahama Warrior)
Sweet ass TV and home theater package
King size four-post bed
1200 thread count egyptian cotton sheets
My dream kitchen and everything that this entails (appliances, fixtures, pots/pans, knives etc)
My dream bathroom
A personal in-house gym
A woodworking shop
An office with a big ass desk and oversized executive chair, with wall to wall leather-bound books (it'll be a small office)
you get the idea...the stuff we all dream about
oh crap...what is the ONE luxury item...my bad
A mistress.
this of course does not imply that I actually want it. Its just the one luxury item that I REALLY cannot afford. I don't see how any man could.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mhailey
:roflmao :roflmao
A mistress is God's way of saying you have more money than sense. I can't even afford one woman, much less two. Not that I want to, but you get the idea.Quote:
Originally Posted by mhailey
I'd like to finish off my tools. I've got the basics, but I want a nice roll away box, big air compressor, all sorts of air tools, and a car lift. And as long as we're going big, I'd LOVE a CNC milling machine. I could do so much with one of those, it'd be unreal. I'd mill out an aluminum brush handle and put the best badger hair I could buy on it. Make it all shiny to match the Wapi:D
Mmm, CNC:hmmm:
Apart from what Matt said ;) :
2 or 3 years ago I solved a huge problem with a space project for a customer, and I was the hero of the day. The senior engineer told me to have a night out in Cannes, no expenses spared and he'd take care of the bill.
That night I had 2 glasses of cognac that had been on a vat for 75 years. it cost 75 euros per glass or something like that. It was the best stuff I ever tasted. I cannot describe it as anything else than divine (and I am an experienced cognac / whisky taster).
I'd say a couple of hideously expensive bottles of Cognac and Whisky like that the the only luxury item I can think off. (i.e. things that only cost money, and are purely for enjoyment)
And a rotation of razors made by the usual suspects :D , forged from pattern welded steel, meteorite, wootz, japanese tamahagane...
Raw ebonite fountain pen. :shrug:
We are not mentioning hand made razors, right?
Nenad
:roflmao :roflmaoQuote:
Originally Posted by mhailey
:OT Kinda makes one wonder about polygamy as well. Who the hell wants two mother-in-laws'?
If I had to pick one luxury item over all others, it would be an astoundingly well off college fund for my kids. If it was something for myself, it would be a really nice cabin in the middle of nowhere with a well stocked library, with no one to hassle me (other than the wife and kids). Now that peace of mind is one luxury item that usually can't be bought cheaply... But then again what is these days?
i would pick as my luxury item that i would like but dont need, a bottle of
glenmorangie claret wood finish at £394 a bottle, purely for medicinal purposes of course!!!
Do you regard college education as a luxury item?Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmyman
Just asking because I never thought of it like that. Don't know what it costs at your place.
It can be- if all his kids turn out to be mega professionals, Dad's living good:D
Sick of being sober are we?Quote:
Originally Posted by tonyspurs
You all knew this was coming......
a HK G3
NO !!
a... um....
Dan Wesson 1911 Commander Bobtail in 10mm !
BOTH !!
I'd give my left nut for a RPG-7 and some reloads.
NO
Ma Deuce !!!!!
and ammo, LOTS of ammo
APIT will do just fine
I want a Honda Goldwing. And since you ride one I think I can get away with it, technically you don't "drive" it. It would be a replacement for my already good enough VTX 1300 "toy".
Agusta 109
http://www.avolus.com/images/Agusta-109.gif
Its not much to ask for, is it?:shrug:
If I were to ask for a luxury item that I would want, but cannot afford, I think it would have to be a Cornelius Manz pipe - absolutely stunning, but well out of my meager price range. If you're at all into pipes, his stuff is definitely worth a look - pipe porn! http://www.cornelius-maenz.de/
Oh, and what Jimmyman said about the cabin in the woods and piece of mind sounds about right as well.
Mark
Well, I mean that mostly in the sense that "if" they had a really large coffer of a college fund (which is something I cannot afford) and all they had to do was "go" to college without me worrying about the books and tuition, room & board, etc. Then that would be worth everything else. It doesn't matter how much I save up, I fear by the time they go to college it will be ridiculously expensive.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
The following is from CollegeBoard.com and represents the average yearly costs:Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
"According to the College Board's Trends in College Pricing, the 2006-2007 average total costs (including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation and other expenses as specified in Table 2) were $12,294 for students attending two-year public colleges, $16,357 for students attending four-year public colleges and universities, and $33,301 for students at four-year private colleges and universities. Out of state students attending public colleges and universities pay an average total cost of $26,304."
:eek:
Wow that's insane.
There are no private colleges or universities here, though there is a difference in prestige between different schools, everyon can register anywhere. It is mostly a decision of practicality and preference of the student.
And it definitely does not cost that much.
When I did my masters, registration was 350 euros for a year.
Of course, with books and materials that went up to 700 - 1000 euros per year.
Add an additional 400 euros per year for my train pass and that is pretty much it,e xcept for things like eating etc.
That makes me think of the stat recently turned out in the British media: the average cost of raising a child (to adulthood) is estimated at £150,000 ($300k)!
So maybe children should be seen as unnecessary luxuries? :w
I'd love a fully tricked out .50 BMG rifle, with one of the new M110 SASS systems to keep it company.
Wayne
Lloyd Loar signed Gibson Mandolin. This was the mandolin Bill Monroe played. I had the opportunity to play Bill's mandolins sister. it was sublime... but then agian who needs a 300K piece of wood....
It cost me more than that to go to community college for a year for a specific certification class not even a full load. That was twelve years ago and was considered a steal as far as education per dollar.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
Speaking about luxury items:
A week at home with my wife but without the kids. In the summer, so I could wake up, have breakfast, sit outside in the shade with a book, and not having to stop reading except for things like eating, drinking, ...
Yes I know I'd miss the hellraisers after a day, but with 2 small kids in the house I sometimes yearn for the days when it was just me and my wife, and no mortgage to pay off.
I'm with you on that, Bruno! In fact, that's exactly what I'm doing next weekend (except the summer thing). Friends are coming to look after the kids at home while Katie and I take the first weekend we've had away together for, ooh, 5 years.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
It's been so long I'm almost nervous. :roflmao
:D That's hilarious!Quote:
Originally Posted by majurey
My classes here at Oklahoma State cost me $3,000 a semester just for tuition and fees. Tack on another $60 for parking, $300-700 for books. Luckily I don't have to pay for dorms, which could be another $400-600 a month!
OSU is considered one of the cheapest in the Big 12 too:cry:
I think this will pass as you technically don't "live" on it, but I would love to have a vineyard in Napa, CA. That is one of my favorite spots in the world - and I keep telling my wife that is where I want to retire...
I'd like to have everything that Taz has in his bathroom!!
Seriously, though, besides a Maestro Livi, RW , and a Joe Chandler razor, I'd like a very nice 42" HD Blue ray TV with all the bells and whistles.
Im looking for those right now as my primary residence....I cant wait, hopefully I will find it.Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmyman
CHEATER!!!! :nono: :DQuote:
Originally Posted by AFDavis11
As far as college, my sisters tuition will cost well over $200,000.00 US for a 4 year college (ivy league). My company is paying for my BS and a masters degree at any school of my choice with no limit, I think its important for kids to remember that a good company will pay for college and often help them get into to school as well.
And where exactly do you work? I think I need to give them a holler:hmmm:
lots of companies out there that do this kind of thing, you just have to ask before you sign your offer letter ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Quick Orange
I need to find them pronto. Sallie Mae is about to be knocking on my door with open hand and sharpened teeth:cry:
:OT School is such a huge ripoff. Granted, it's a great filtering method for companies selecting bright individuals, but I'm a little bitter that the Universities force most students to spend 2 of their standard 4 years learning material that is brutally irrelevent to industry or even their declared major. That's $50k straight into the school's pocket for nothing. Wait, not for nothing... one of my professors actually told us the purpose of his class and others was to beat the creativity and critical thinking skills out of us. Awesome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wildtim
And what about those who really want to be in the medical field? First you have to do 4 whole years of undergraduate studies, and then spend ANOTHER 2 years of a 4-year graduate program going over the same, irrelevent material, most of which does not have the slightest relevence to actual work experience. Just think how much more specialized our experts could be if Universities didn't waste so much of our time/money.
I consider myself vented for the night lol.
Perhaps not really a luxury, but I would love to have a dog. A siberian husky, to be exact. I'm very active and would LOVE one of these guys to run and hike around with, but in the near-future I will be apartment-bound and gone 9 hours of the day. I can only imagine what a bored husky would do to my apartment.
I mastered in Electronics, and indeed I did have a number of irrelevant classes.Quote:
Originally Posted by skiblur
But the thing is, people should know more than just what they major in.
otherwise you get a bunch of specialist who know nothing outside of their own little niche.
Having had a diverse package of classes helped me a lot as a consultant to understand the problem domains of my customers.
That ability counted for a lot, since most of my clients didn't want coders. They wanted engineers who can understand the problems at hand, and then add code to solve those.
I agree, I think you make an excellent point. Well-roundedness is very valuable. I guess my main gripe is about the way it is implemented. I would much rather see a university require maybe something like 2 independent-study-mini-theses every summer. Maybe this way they could eliminate all faculty involvement and simply publish each student's theses into a portfolio that accompanies' their final transcript. All of a sudden, each student saves 2 years worth of time and money on *another* course in US history, gym, and art (assuming those do not apply toward one's major) by doing these independently. Said portfolio would also be a great indicator of the student's abilities and interest level to prospective employers.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruno
In fact, an article was published recently (and I can't find it for the life of me - bugger) that predicted there will be no advantage to sending your kids to college by something like 2020. The article basically took into account the vast amounts of public information available to anyone motivated enough to learn from it as well as the increasing numbers of students entering into super-common undergraduate programs. It makes sense - when everyone around you has the same degree, your college education, which used to differentiate yourself, is now quite meaningless alone in terms of being competetive.
My point is there are better ways than those that are currently employed, but schools receive too much tuition money to change for the better, and now they're even pushing a 5-year plan to many freshmen, which to me is utter BS. So while a college degree is currently a great idea and very advantageous, I can't help but feel like I've been cheated a bit.
EDIT: I also wanted to add that a very influential man who we had the privilege of receiving during a club gathering once told us the principal upon which he conducted his hiring. He once was an operations manager for Oracle, and his hiring criteria had nothing to do with technical knowledge of software at all, but rather the ability to learn and apply oneself. I personally believe this is really what employers are looking for during interviews anyway, as it seems to be a key trait, along with leadership, in who earns the quality jobs straight out of school.