Procrastinet

The Weekly WANT IT - Introduction

filed under: The Weekly WANT IT

One of my long-standing online obsessions which has not been discussed yet on Procrastinet: object lust.

At any given point in my life there are several items that I either don't need, can't afford, or both, which I'm totally and utterly consumed with hopeless longing for anyway. I usually find these things online, research them compulsively, and then bore Lisa for weeks at a time with my findings. As a boon to our marriage, I've decided to bore P'net readers with them instead.

My current obsession (and the focus of The Weekly WANT IT - Volume I) is with 50cc motor scooters/mopeds. In New York, you don't need a motorcycle license for an engine that small, which somehow in my mind I translated into "not as dangerous as a motorcycle."

Previous obsessions include:

Boats (including a once stunning but now rundown 30' 1973 Chris Craft on eBay which sold for a measly $7k);

A 1987 Porsche 944 ($2500 but sadly an automatic);

Guitars (this is a recurring one, undimmed by my steadfast refusal to actually learn to play);

Assorted Electronic Gadgetry (currently a rotating cycle of an Apple Powerbook, a Canon D10 digital SLR, and that refurbished Onkyo home theatre system at J&R).

There are a couple of key factors that go into the WANT IT:

a) the object in question has to have a disproportionately high cost-to-perceived-value ratio; for example, the Porsche above (only $2500? For a PORSCHE?)

b) the object can be something that I've always wanted but never thought we could afford, which now I've found an affordable example of;

c) the object should be WICKED COOL;

d) bonus points if the object is WICKED COOL in a slightly offbeat manner which makes me feel like I'm the only one who properly appreciates its full wicked coolness.

Past WANT ITs that led to actual purchases include: various Handspring pda's (Edge, Treo 270, Treo 90); a 1984 Subaru wagon ($500 on Loot - she's still going strong, now owned by a friend); a 1998 Saturn wagon ($2500 on eBay, a reminder never to buy a used GM car); our current 2001 Passat wagon (detecting a wagon trend?); a blue bass guitar, amp and effects pedals which I played religiously for at least 5 days; our digital camera; our camcorder; a portable DVD player; a Xootr kick scooter; two couches (eBay); and last but not least, our apartment (God bless you, Corcoran).

Seriously. I have a sickness. Which henceforth I will share with you.

Posted by rjt at August 19, 2004 04:08 PM