Why don't we have a no-confidence vote?

Phytotron · Post by **Phytotron** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 1:43 am

KamP wrote:Scope, you don't buy something every day!?
how a-mazing

No, I don't. Has that become such an odd concept that it's difficult to comprehend or believe?

The only exception, if one were to twist it as such, might be something like our subscription to the local paper, or the bills. I suppose those could be construed as ongoing payments, even though we only actually do the paying on a periodic basis. ::shrug::

Otherwise, I haven't bought anything since this past weekend, and that was groceries (hardly an example of conspicuous consumerism).

Fonkay · Post by **Fonkay** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 4:56 am

What about addictive substances?

KamP · Post by **KamP** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:08 am

Oscilloscope wrote:
KamP wrote:Scope, you don't buy something every day!?
how a-mazing
No, I don't. Has that become such an odd concept that it's difficult to comprehend or believe?
Otherwise, I haven't bought anything since this past weekend, and that was groceries (hardly an example of conspicuous consumerism).

has sarcasm?
ah whatever
congrats on not buying much, i don't buy many things either, and am basically immune to impulse shopping, and i say hallelujah for that

Post by **Lucifer** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:13 am

I won't say I'm immune to impulse shopping, but I've gotten better over the years. It helps that I turned over our finances to my wife.

She won't let me buy crap, and when I need something, I have to really need it to get her to give me money for it.

In any case, it's better that way. I could put my foot down and say "It's my money woman", and she'd get mad, but she'd let me have it. But I know if I do that, I'll spend it at a rate that is just slightly faster than the rate at which I earn it, which is a Bad Thing.

I need some cheaper hobbies. Computers and music are expensive.

subby · Post by **subby** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:53 am

I dont know about music but yes computers are expensive. So is photography. I've spent thousands lately on both computers and photography (notebook, digital slr, canon L lenses)

I too need cheaper hobbies

Post by **Lucifer** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:01 am

To give an idea, the soundcard I want retails starting at $300. That only gets me 8 digital inputs, though. I need expansion boards to push it up to 16 (which is probably all I'll ever need).

Base digital mixer comes in somewhere around $300 too, and I don't remember how many channels it had when I saw it. I'd need 16 channels to match the soundcard, of course.

Then, assuming I have those things, and I have 16 inputs, I need faster hard drives to handle the load. We're talking RAID here, and careful construction. And they have to be big, in part to handle the load, but mostly because manipulating sound is expensive.

When I have that, then I need better microphones and more. I'd like a bass mic, for micing bass amps. I'd like a really high fidelity mic for vocals (the ones I have are well-suited for live playing, and pretty indestructible, but don't sound as good as a mic intended for recording vocals). Then a preamp or something for my bass (haven't figured out what I want, yet, I just got the damn bass).

Let's see. Midi electric piano, midi keyboard (for all those sounds I want to make, I don't intend to play them, I intend to compose the music for them with RoseGarden). Then a midi pickup for my guitar (so I don't have to use RoseGarden). Of course I'd need all the midi cables and stuff.

I'd like an acoustic drumkit, but there is an advantage to using an electronic kit. I'll take either, but if I get acoustic, I need mics for that, and I have a strong preference for miking each piece. Then triggers on each surface, probably some pads for surfaces I can't put triggers on, and the $1200 head unit (so I'll have a hybrid acoustic/electronic kit). Acoustic kits start at around $500, but don't have much on them. I need 4 toms, a couple of cymbals (ranging in size, 3 would be about right), a high hat, a cowbell, and a snare. I'll take a double-bass pedal, but I'd prefer two bass drums. And I already know that if I don't put tough heads on the drums, I'll break them often. Been there, done that.

And I'm still using headphones at this point. So now add a couple of 4-channel PA amps, a few monitor speakers, some loudspeakers, and a subwoofer.

Damn, this stuff's expensive. When you feel like you're getting somewhere, and you look at where you're trying to go, feels like I haven't even started.

subby · Post by **subby** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:18 am

Yup, souds like a typical expensive hobby! It's always the way, you get one thing and once you have it, you need all the things that go with that and all the things with that in an infinite positive feedback loop

One Digital SLR Camera: $US 1000
One battery grip to go with Camera $US150
One 70-200mm F4 Pro lens $US500
One 400mm F4 Telescopic prime lens $US1100
Filters for Lenses US$200
Memory Cards (CF) for Camera US$200
Downloading Photoshop CS2: Free
Laptop Computer to see photsos: $US2500 (though i can salary sacrifice this and get 42% back)

then I want a good tripod, monopod, a good flash unit, a macro lens a faster lense .... eeeeeek what a hobby!

Post by **Tank Program** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:31 am

You gotta admit though, music, computers, and photography are good hobbies. My dad dabbles in photography, and I've done some there too. Of course I do computers, but I also do... Model trains... And you can easily spend as much on trains as on a computer... $500 for an engine here, $100 for a set of cars there... $300 for some more track... $400 for control units/power bricks... $10000 for a garage to put it in... Wait, scratch that last one...

Still, I could compare the value of the trains I have and the value of the computers... And it wouldn't be too far apart. Computers loose their value much faster than trains... Now I wish I had space to set up the trains

.

Post by **Lucifer** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:34 am

Model trains are fun. If I were going to pick up a new hobby, that one's definitely on the shortlist. Remote control cars, too. Luckily both hobbies are sold in the same stores.

Post by **Tank Program** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:38 am

The type I collect are relatively rare... Had to drive into a neighboring state when I was back in the US to find a shop, and I haven't gotten round to finding one here in Sweden yet either... They are great fun tho

.

Phytotron · Post by **Phytotron** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 6:17 pm

Yep, music and photography are my two main things (besides intellectual pursuits, which also require the purchase of books and stuff). But goddamn, I'm too poor for it. I haven't bought new musical equipment in forever and a day (excluding maintenance things like picks and strings). I need a new everything, would like to invest in a high-end custom geetar, but hellifiknow when or how I'll ever afford that.

I also have some kind of plan of eventually going back to school (which itself will cost an arm and a leg) and getting a BFA with a focus in photography, then doing something with that. But how will I afford all the equipment? I dunno. I know a chick who had to take out a loan to buy a medium format Leica. She'll be paying that back for life.

And I absolutely hate the very concept of debt. We have one credit card and we use it as infrequently as possible. We're also, besides our frugality and modest living, generally responsible with our finances (I let my lady handle most of that stuff too, heh). So, fortunately, we're currently debt-free. I don't know how long that will last. Thing is, massive personal debt has become the new welfare in the US. But I digress.

Addictive substances: I bought a carton the same day I went to the grocery.

KamP · Post by **KamP** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 5:49 am

I don't like credit much either. It has it's uses though, financially, the most straightforward being to let interest build up on your bank account before paying for things.

Also helps in large purchases.

Music is an expensive hobby, it's true. That's why, when i decided to learn a new instrument last, i decided to learn to play harmonica
picked a C Major harmonica up for five bucks, no problem.
on the other hand, Lucifer at least Linux and armagetron are free

Phytotron · Post by **Phytotron** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 7:56 am

Music is more than just a hobby to me. That's the problem.

If it were just a hobby I would already have all I would need. Likewise for the photography.

Post by **Lucifer** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 8:05 am

I split it up as either "hobby" or "profession". I started doing that when I learned that many people who pursue hobbies that looked pretty hobby-ish turned out to feel just as strongly about their hobbies as I do about music. From that I determined that "hobby" is not a superficial thing, it's not a pastime, it's not just something fun you do to kill time. It's deep and meaningful and when you pursue a hobby you have a very personal relationship with it. Therefore, music is a hobby to me, nothing more. And that's a wonderful thing for me. But it is not my profession.

DrJoeTr0n · Post by **DrJoeTr0n** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 1:50 pm

We do have no confidence votes lucifer, but we prefer to call them assassinations.