Friday Fun: What Extravagances Do You Covet?

I love to write, which is why I’m an author.  As I said in my last post, this business can be really hard. If I was doing it for the money rather than for love of writing . . . well, I wouldn’t be doing it.

But that doesn’t mean that I am above crass materialism. Not at all.  Something that has been brought home to me in no uncertain terms this past week as I contemplate an upcoming birthday with greedy relish.  As usual, the problem I have in deciding what I’d like to get for my big day is not a lack of ideas.  On the contrary I want so much, all of it so extravagant, that I have no sense of where to begin.

Like what? you ask.

You sure you want to go down that road?  All right; you want this alphabetically or by expense?  If the latter, I might begin with the Hasselblad digital medium format camera currently listed in the B&H Photo catalog for a cool $35,000.00.  But that level of fantasy escapes even me, a professional fantasy author.

My actual want list is more reasonable than that.  Somewhat.

I’ve been playing guitar for 35 years now, and in that time have owned exactly two guitars.  The first is the starter guitar I learned on, which I had for all of five years.  The second is the Martin I bought in 1982, a beautiful rosewood guitar that has aged magnificently over the past 30 years.  It looks prettier and sounds more resonant and brilliant now than ever.  And yet, there is a part of me that wants a new guitar.

Why?  I’m sorry, are you looking for rationality?  Really?  All right.  Because as much as I love my Martin, I would like to play something sometimes that sounds and looks and feels different.  Now I have yet to decide if “different” means “electric” — a Paul Reed Smith Les Paul-style solid body electric might be just the thing — or if “different” means an acoustic with different body-type and wood, like maybe a Taylor Grand Auditorium made of Maple or Ovangkol.  Why yes, I have spent too much time thinking about this — why do you ask?

What else?  Well, as a dedicated amateur photographer and major camera gear-head, I am always looking for my next new lens.  And I mean always.  There is a 100mm macro lens that I have coveted for years, as well as an 85mm prime lens.  But why stop at lenses?  I’ve also been drooling over a Canon 5D mark II camera body for longer than I care to admit.  The price tags on these things?  I’d really rather not say.

But wait, there’s more.  I want an iPhone.  I have no use for one — I work at home, travel just barely enough to justify the Colonial Era cell phone that I own, and live in a rural town where coverage is spotty at best.  But they’re shiny and cool and fun, and I want one.

And I think I’ll stop there, lest I embarrass myself.  But now that I’ve come clean, you need to do the same.  What material goodies do you covet?  Do you like gadgets and toys, or are you a clothing and shoes person?  C’mon, spill!

And happy Friday.