What's the stupidest thing you're lusting after right now?

[Morning Glory]

I recently had one of those filled pretzels with the peanut butter and thought it would be better if they were filled with Nutella instead.  Turns out such things are not widely available in the US. Back to getting my hands dirty by dipping my pretzels in the Nutella.

[Villanelle]

I know this thread has evolved into more enabling, but I've stupidly been lusting over new clothes lately.  I'm not sure why, but all of a sudden I just want new Everything To Wear, it seems.  I'm trying to explore what it is that has caused this unexpected yearning as surely there's something at play--some need or feeling that is manifesting itself as a desire for wide leg jeans and lilac cashmere sweaters.

Thanks for bringing it away from motorised things for a moment :D

Alrighty, what need do you think new clothes will serve?  Are your current clothes getting worn out/not fitting? Does your current life need a bit of a shake-up? What is different between Current You and Future You in a Lilac Cashmere Sweater? Where do you wear those wide leg jeans and fancy sweater? What do you see yourself doing in these new clothes?

Thanks for the thoughtful questions!

I think I'd wear them on errands and all the places I go, since I'm mostly eyeing fairly casual things. 

My old wardrobe is okay, but there's been little churn it it for the last few years, during which I've aged a bit and while the scale is about the same, my body is different.  Things still fit in the sense that I can zip the zippers and button the buttons, but they don't look as good as they used to and if I was buying new things, I'd buy different shapes and styles. 

I am going to start with 2 pairs of new jeans, and not limit myself budget-wise so that I get something that I feel great about.  (Well, there will be some limit because I'll never be someone who spends $200 on a single pair of jeans, but I'm not going to look at only <$40 pairs, wither.)  I've learned in the past that going too cheap on clothing leaves me wanting more clothing because nothing feels or looks quite right.  (Which is sort of the problem I'm having with most of my wardrobe right now, come to think of it.) Maybe some great jeans, mixed with all the sweaters I have--which haven't suffered as much around my shifting body as the jeans and other bottoms have) will help me feel less frumpy.  Walking around in semi-ill-fitting things just makes me feel slovenly.   So, I'm saying yes to possibly the wide-leg jeans, and no to the lilac sweater. 

I think I've also fallen into a rut, starting when we moved in 2019 and exacerbated by the pandemic, of just throwing on anything that covers my body, and want to get back to taking some pride in my appearance. 

We will see if a par or two of great jeans (or casual pants) makes me feel less unkempt and scratches the itch.  Hopefully so!

[mspym]

Disclaimer: I have spent more than one sabbatical Thinking About Clothes and just constructed a database to track outfits and cost-per-wear so YMMV.

My old wardrobe is okay, but there's been little churn it it for the last few years, during which I've aged a bit and while the scale is about the same, my body is different.  Things still fit in the sense that I can zip the zippers and button the buttons, but they don't look as good as they used to and if I was buying new things, I'd buy different shapes and styles.

 
OK, this is good. Things aren't fitting as well as they used to, a new silhouette or style would reflect who you are now.

I am going to start with 2 pairs of new jeans, and not limit myself budget-wise so that I get something that I feel great about.  (Well, there will be some limit because I'll never be someone who spends $200 on a single pair of jeans, but I'm not going to look at only <$40 pairs, either.)  I've learned in the past that going too cheap on clothing leaves me wanting more clothing because nothing feels or looks quite right.  (Which is sort of the problem I'm having with most of my wardrobe right now, come to think of it.) Maybe some great jeans, mixed with all the sweaters I have--which haven't suffered as much around my shifting body as the jeans and other bottoms have) will help me feel less frumpy.  Walking around in semi-ill-fitting things just makes me feel slovenly.   So, I'm saying yes to possibly the wide-leg jeans, and no to the lilac sweater. 

 
A good plan- it sounds like you'll get more bang for your buck with new jeans. I know we are all supposed to be smarter than fashion and to not care about clothes and wonder around in the same pair of cargo pants until they literally fall off us but that honestly makes my skin itch. I dislike feeling frumpy and unkempt and enjoy feeling like I am wearing a well-designed outfit - I just try do this in as Mustachian fashion as possible. Buying fewer but better clothes; buying secondhand or making my own; working out a colour palette and then mapping out a functional wardrobe which matches my lifestyle - these have all got me to slow down purchases so that what I do buy is not a mistake.

I think I've also fallen into a rut, starting when we moved in 2019 and exacerbated by the pandemic, of just throwing on anything that covers my body, and want to get back to taking some pride in my appearance. 

We will see if a par or two of great jeans (or casual pants) makes me feel less unkempt and scratches the itch.  Hopefully so!

 
Sorry if this just ends up enabling you but I think you're making a really good case here for getting some new jeans and [potentially] putting a few more things on a wishlist for more consideration.

Resources I used
- Orchids on Your Budget - Marjorie Hillis the original 1930s capsule wardrobe gal
- The Curated Closet - Anuschka Rees - a nicely structured approach to building a wardrobe
- Various slow-sewing advocates on YouTube because if you are sewing everything you wear, you want to plan this out first because the labour cost of making something that doesn't work for you? It's a lot [ask me how I know]

[Just Joe]

XBus Doublecab pickup. Is a medium speed utility vehicle, not interstate capable but that is fine and how I would use it anyhow. Not yet in production.

The reality is we'll just keep driving out 20+ year old daily driver. But its nice to dream. Can't wrap my head around spending $20K+ to do the same thing we do with a $1500 car.

[Luke Warm]

I recently had one of those filled pretzels with the peanut butter and thought it would be better if they were filled with Nutella instead.  Turns out such things are not widely available in the US. Back to getting my hands dirty by dipping my pretzels in the Nutella.

+1

[sonofsven]

New tires for a 1979 Ford van I don't drive.

[dandarc]

I recently had one of those filled pretzels with the peanut butter and thought it would be better if they were filled with Nutella instead.  Turns out such things are not widely available in the US. Back to getting my hands dirty by dipping my pretzels in the Nutella.

+1

At the grocery store they had dark chocolate hummus. I think I like it even better than Nutella and it must be healthier because it is hummus right?

[Catbert]

I recently had one of those filled pretzels with the peanut butter and thought it would be better if they were filled with Nutella instead.  Turns out such things are not widely available in the US. Back to getting my hands dirty by dipping my pretzels in the Nutella.

+1

At the grocery store they had dark chocolate hummus. I think I like it even better than Nutella and it must be healthier because it is hummus right?

So is the dark chocolate hummus made with a hummus base (chickpeas, tahini) with chocolate added?  Or more like some of the "pestos" that contain no basil, pine nuts or parmesan.

[dandarc]

I recently had one of those filled pretzels with the peanut butter and thought it would be better if they were filled with Nutella instead.  Turns out such things are not widely available in the US. Back to getting my hands dirty by dipping my pretzels in the Nutella.

+1

At the grocery store they had dark chocolate hummus. I think I like it even better than Nutella and it must be healthier because it is hummus right?

So is the dark chocolate hummus made with a hummus base (chickpeas, tahini) with chocolate added?  Or more like some of the "pestos" that contain no basil, pine nuts or parmesan.

Chickpeas yes, tahini no. According to nutrition labels, actually both this and Nutella have a 2 tablespoon serving size.  The "desert hummus" has less than half the calories and suger. Arguably is in fact healthier. now to figure out how to put this inside a pretzel.

[Morning Glory]

I recently had one of those filled pretzels with the peanut butter and thought it would be better if they were filled with Nutella instead.  Turns out such things are not widely available in the US. Back to getting my hands dirty by dipping my pretzels in the Nutella.

+1

At the grocery store they had dark chocolate hummus. I think I like it even better than Nutella and it must be healthier because it is hummus right?

So is the dark chocolate hummus made with a hummus base (chickpeas, tahini) with chocolate added?  Or more like some of the "pestos" that contain no basil, pine nuts or parmesan.

Chickpeas yes, tahini no. According to nutrition labels, actually both this and Nutella have a 2 tablespoon serving size.  The "desert hummus" has less than half the calories and suger. Arguably is in fact healthier. now to figure out how to put this inside a pretzel.

I have never tried dessert hummus, mainly because I'm generally skeptical of foods that are sweet and savory mixed together.  I'll have to try it if you say it's not terrible. The mess comes from pretzels breaking off in the Nutella, which should not be an issue if the dessert hummus has the same viscosity of regular hummus, so the need for it being inside the pretzel is lower. Plus it likely has more protein.

[Villanelle]

Disclaimer: I have spent more than one sabbatical Thinking About Clothes and just constructed a database to track outfits and cost-per-wear so YMMV.

My old wardrobe is okay, but there's been little churn it it for the last few years, during which I've aged a bit and while the scale is about the same, my body is different.  Things still fit in the sense that I can zip the zippers and button the buttons, but they don't look as good as they used to and if I was buying new things, I'd buy different shapes and styles.

 
OK, this is good. Things aren't fitting as well as they used to, a new silhouette or style would reflect who you are now.

I am going to start with 2 pairs of new jeans, and not limit myself budget-wise so that I get something that I feel great about.  (Well, there will be some limit because I'll never be someone who spends $200 on a single pair of jeans, but I'm not going to look at only <$40 pairs, either.)  I've learned in the past that going too cheap on clothing leaves me wanting more clothing because nothing feels or looks quite right.  (Which is sort of the problem I'm having with most of my wardrobe right now, come to think of it.) Maybe some great jeans, mixed with all the sweaters I have--which haven't suffered as much around my shifting body as the jeans and other bottoms have) will help me feel less frumpy.  Walking around in semi-ill-fitting things just makes me feel slovenly.   So, I'm saying yes to possibly the wide-leg jeans, and no to the lilac sweater. 

 
A good plan- it sounds like you'll get more bang for your buck with new jeans. I know we are all supposed to be smarter than fashion and to not care about clothes and wonder around in the same pair of cargo pants until they literally fall off us but that honestly makes my skin itch. I dislike feeling frumpy and unkempt and enjoy feeling like I am wearing a well-designed outfit - I just try do this in as Mustachian fashion as possible. Buying fewer but better clothes; buying secondhand or making my own; working out a colour palette and then mapping out a functional wardrobe which matches my lifestyle - these have all got me to slow down purchases so that what I do buy is not a mistake.

I think I've also fallen into a rut, starting when we moved in 2019 and exacerbated by the pandemic, of just throwing on anything that covers my body, and want to get back to taking some pride in my appearance. 

We will see if a par or two of great jeans (or casual pants) makes me feel less unkempt and scratches the itch.  Hopefully so!

 
Sorry if this just ends up enabling you but I think you're making a really good case here for getting some new jeans and [potentially] putting a few more things on a wishlist for more consideration.

Resources I used
- Orchids on Your Budget - Marjorie Hillis the original 1930s capsule wardrobe gal
- The Curated Closet - Anuschka Rees - a nicely structured approach to building a wardrobe
- Various slow-sewing advocates on YouTube because if you are sewing everything you wear, you want to plan this out first because the labour cost of making something that doesn't work for you? It's a lot [ask me how I know]

Thank you!

I'm really trying to be intentional, even though the instinct is to basically toss 90% of what I own and start over. 

I think I also need to do a brutal closet assessment and purge, trying on every last item, or nearly so.  I'm waiting until I find the prefect new jeans, so I can try on tops with them and see how they look and feel.  I have too much stuff, much of which no longer feels like it works for me but I've held onto because it is still perfectly functional.  That's not helping, and I think that looking at a pile of [insert item type here], half of which don't really work, makes my closet feel worse than if I just got rid of those things and didn't even replace them. 

[mspym]

@Villanelle I'd definitely recommend checking out the curated closet out of the library, otherwise her website could help you with a lot of the basics of wardrobe building - what's working vs what's not and why, what are the missing pieces, what your purchasing priorities should be and so on.

My big tip when shopping is to wear something that makes you feel good and then don't buy anything that doesn't make you feel better. Also dress in a similar fashion to the things you want to buy so when you try an item on, you are already wearing tops/shoes/bottoms that you would want the new thing to work with. 

[I just want you to spend significantly less than I did to get to a stage of wardrobe peace :D]

[Villanelle]

@Villanelle I'd definitely recommend checking out the curated closet out of the library, otherwise her website could help you with a lot of the basics of wardrobe building - what's working vs what's not and why, what are the missing pieces, what your purchasing priorities should be and so on.

My big tip when shopping is to wear something that makes you feel good and then don't buy anything that doesn't make you feel better. Also dress in a similar fashion to the things you want to buy so when you try an item on, you are already wearing tops/shoes/bottoms that you would want the new thing to work with. 

[I just want you to spend significantly less than I did to get to a stage of wardrobe peace :D]

Thanks. I'll see if my library has that book.  I really think I need to do a major reset--basically starting over, but doing so primarily with things in my closet--what works, what doesn't.  Once that is done, I'll know what pieces I need to fill back in and make everything else work.

It's a somewhat daunting task, but I really think that trying on every item I own (outside of PJs and work out clothes) is the best way forward.  I think I will try it in smaller, manageable chunks, like each category--dresses, pants, short sleeve tops, etc.  That's less overwhelming.

[jinga nation]

I recently had one of those filled pretzels with the peanut butter and thought it would be better if they were filled with Nutella instead.  Turns out such things are not widely available in the US. Back to getting my hands dirty by dipping my pretzels in the Nutella.

PB filled, and hand-dipped in Nutella. Best of both.
I prefer dipping in Nutella to control the amount, as I find it too sweet, and enhanced by the saltiness of the pretzel.
Getting your fingers "dirty" and licking them at the end is icing on the cake. The "Aah" after the initial
"Ooh, PB pretzels AND Nutella,
have I arrived in Valhalla?"

[sonofsven]

A $449 freezer at Costco: approx 30" wide and 5' tall, the inside was all drawers, like produce drawers in a refrigerator. My freezer organizing fantasy went into overdrive.
(I already have 2 outside freezers in addition to the one in my fridge).

[OzzieandHarriet]

@Villanelle - I’ve been going through the same thing, particularly since I decided to go back to college (at age 65). I’ve had minor panic attacks over having nothing decent to wear, so I did a serious closet-pruning. A lot of my clothes are pretty ancient (there are some things I bought more than 20 years ago!) and none of it was expensive in the first place, so I don’t feel bad about getting rid of a lot of it, but it’s still hard to do.

I realized that the only clothes I have that feel decent are jeans and black T-shirts, so that’s more or less what I’ve been wearing. I don’t want to be overdressed at community college, and this uniform fills the bill for now.

Every time I wear something and it feels crappy for whatever reason, I banish it from my closet. I’ll be making a dump run soon - I wouldn’t foist these rags on anyone.

[GuitarStv]

@Villanelle - I’ve been going through the same thing, particularly since I decided to go back to college (at age 65). I’ve had minor panic attacks over having nothing decent to wear, so I did a serious closet-pruning. A lot of my clothes are pretty ancient (there are some things I bought more than 20 years ago!) and none of it was expensive in the first place, so I don’t feel bad about getting rid of a lot of it, but it’s still hard to do.

I realized that the only clothes I have that feel decent are jeans and black T-shirts, so that’s more or less what I’ve been wearing. I don’t want to be overdressed at community college, and this uniform fills the bill for now.

Every time I wear something and it feels crappy for whatever reason, I banish it from my closet. I’ll be making a dump run soon - I wouldn’t foist these rags on anyone.

Don't throw them out.  Cut 'em into squares and use them as shop rags!

[Cawl]

Table saw. Cheap $180 one. Don't have room for it though so makes life simple.

[snic]

Storage cabinets for my tools and other DIY knick-knacks (wire, plumbing parts, etc). I've been keeping all this in cardboard boxes strewn throughout my workshop area (The Electrical Box, The Plumbing Box, The Random Hardware Box, The Bag of Sand Paper Behind the Door, The Big Tools Box, The Small Tools Box, The Needle Nose Pliers and Small Wire Cutters Repository on the Shelf, etc). Remarkably, as messy as it seems, I can actually find things pretty easily, so cabinets aren't really necessarily.

[sonofsven]

1984 Honda Ascot VT500, 4900 miles, $3900.
Yes, another Ascot.
Close the computer and walk away...

[jinga nation]

Honda e. RWD. (Size of the OG Civic.)
Sadly not available in the USA, AFAIK.

https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/new/honda-e/overview.html

Stupid because I have a Honda hybrid (for commuting to customer sites) that I'm not looking at replacing, and a Toyota RAV4 bought used, also not looking to replace.
But damn it, I want the e. So bad.
First car was a Honda (used Accord).
First hybrid was Insight 3rd gen.
First electric should be a Honda e.

[zolotiyeruki]

Honda e. RWD. (Size of the OG Civic.)
Sadly not available in the USA, AFAIK.

https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/new/honda-e/overview.html

You piqued my curiosity, so I took a look.  $37k EUR?  Wow, that *is* stupid.

I also don't care for touchscreens in cars, or the ubiquitous electronics creep that is infecting the entire industry, driving up both build cost and repair cost.  Apparently, not all of Honda learned from the uproar that happened when they removed volume knobs from their radios.

[dandarc]

Aptera's solar panels are in production according to email received today. I find it unlikely I'm going to sell wife on replacing our gas car with a 2-seat thing that is technically a motorcycle, but I can lust after one anyway, right?

[Metalcat]

My latest obsession is very stupid.

After spending nearly half the year in a place where good produce is impossible to come by other than root vegetables, I've become obsessed with peaches.

I'm having peaches every night since a huge Asian grocery opened up across the street and carries magnificent peaches.

Peaches are a healthy, nutritious, affordable snack? Bring on the benefits of more colourful fruit! So why is this dumb???

I can't digest peaches.

[Frugal Lizard]

I can't digest peaches.

That is beyond sad.  Peaches are my favourite food of all the food.

[YttriumNitrate]

My latest obsession is very stupid.
After spending nearly half the year in a place where good produce is impossible to come by other than root vegetables, I've become obsessed with peaches.
I'm having peaches every night since a huge Asian grocery opened up across the street and carries magnificent peaches.
Peaches are a healthy, nutritious, affordable snack? Bring on the benefits of more colourful fruit! So why is this dumb???
I can't digest peaches.

So, last year I won a tax lean auction on 12 acres near me, and if the current owners don't pay me over $25k in the next three weeks then the property is mine. My current plans are to focus on pawpaws with the land, but it is so tempting to put in an order of 25 trees at ACNursery to have amazingly fresh peaches from June through October. https://www.acnursery.com/doc/8/ACN-maturity-chart.pdf. Some of the flat peaches just look downright cool.

TangOs II

TangOs

BuenOs II

[Metalcat]

Great. Now I want more peaches.

[Frugal Lizard]

Now I am lusting after peach trees and I live in an area too cold for peach trees.

[Askel]

Investing in fruit farming might not be the stupidest thing.  If the western water woes continue, continuing to grow much of our produce where we do now may become much more difficult. 

Fruit trees don't start producing immediately.  A fun hobby could turn very profitable. 

Me? I'm currently lusting over the usual stupidest of things. An Argo 8x8.   

[Villanelle]

Halloween costumes for DH, me, and our dogs.  We plan on putting out a bowl of candy and staying in so absolutely no one would even see us. 

[mspym]

Look, if I am going to have the Peaches earworm, you all can too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvAnQqVJ3XQ

[zolotiyeruki]

We planted a couple of peach trees and a couple of apple trees several years ago.  Three years ago, I finally started pruning them properly.  The apple trees haven't turned productive yet, but the peach trees...oh, the peach trees.  There is nothing quite like a giant, perfectly ripe, juicy, sugary Redhaven freshly picked off the tree in your back yard.  The flavor exploding in your mouth, the juices running uncontrollably down your chin...

Early this year, we visited my dad (a couple hours north of us in Milwaukee) and I pruned his peach trees for him.  I also left instructions on how to thin the fruit.  The result?  Despite thinning a couple thousand peaches, he got close to 1,000 peaches off his handful of trees, and they were much larger than last year's crop.  He's widowed and an empty nester, so he had to ask for help from friends, neighbors, and folks from church to harvest and eat them all.  He made a lot of friends :)

[Dancin'Dog]

I didn't realize peaches grow so far North. 

[Sugaree]

The problem I've always had with my peaches is that early in the spring, February or March timeframe, we'll have a week or so of warm weather.  The trees will start breaking buds only for mother nature to be like "HA HA...just kidding" and have a couple of days of below freezing temps.  And the blooms all die off. 

[zolotiyeruki]

The problem I've always had with my peaches is that early in the spring, February or March timeframe, we'll have a week or so of warm weather.  The trees will start breaking buds only for mother nature to be like "HA HA...just kidding" and have a couple of days of below freezing temps.  And the blooms all die off.

That happened to us this year (Chicago area).  My dad was more fortunate, despite being further north.

[Sugaree]

The problem I've always had with my peaches is that early in the spring, February or March timeframe, we'll have a week or so of warm weather.  The trees will start breaking buds only for mother nature to be like "HA HA...just kidding" and have a couple of days of below freezing temps.  And the blooms all die off.

That happened to us this year (Chicago area).  My dad was more fortunate, despite being further north.

I've considered planting a few more trees with varying chill hour requirements.  My thought process is that if I have a tree whose chill hour requirement hasn't been met until after that last cold snap then I might get better results.  And by planting maybe 4-6 trees with 2-3 different requirements, I might get at least one or two trees that produce in any given year.

[afuera]

A very expensive induction cooktop.
We just sold our house and moved across the country and our new house doesn't have gas hookups at all (100% electric but has Tesla solar panels). 
We loved our old gas stovetop and are hoping switching our new house's stove from electric to induction lessens the pain of losing our gas stove.

[Just Joe]

Storage cabinets for my tools and other DIY knick-knacks (wire, plumbing parts, etc). I've been keeping all this in cardboard boxes strewn throughout my workshop area (The Electrical Box, The Plumbing Box, The Random Hardware Box, The Bag of Sand Paper Behind the Door, The Big Tools Box, The Small Tools Box, The Needle Nose Pliers and Small Wire Cutters Repository on the Shelf, etc). Remarkably, as messy as it seems, I can actually find things pretty easily, so cabinets aren't really necessarily.

I built shelves between the garage door track and the wall.

https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/best-diy-garage-shelves-attached-walls

https://www.ana-white.com/woodworking-projects/diy-garage-shelves-freestanding

It holds all my shop bits and pieces in Sterilite plastic tubs from the dollar store. My projects tend to have lots of little spare parts and so forth.

[Just Joe]

Honda e. RWD. (Size of the OG Civic.)
Sadly not available in the USA, AFAIK.

https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/new/honda-e/overview.html

Stupid because I have a Honda hybrid (for commuting to customer sites) that I'm not looking at replacing, and a Toyota RAV4 bought used, also not looking to replace.
But damn it, I want the e. So bad.
First car was a Honda (used Accord).
First hybrid was Insight 3rd gen.
First electric should be a Honda e.

I'm in the same place with a different EV. XBus. No need for it. Currently vaporware. Unlikely ever to available here in the "Land of the Free" b/c safety or something something.

[jinga nation]

Honda e. RWD. (Size of the OG Civic.)
Sadly not available in the USA, AFAIK.

https://www.honda.co.uk/cars/new/honda-e/overview.html

Stupid because I have a Honda hybrid (for commuting to customer sites) that I'm not looking at replacing, and a Toyota RAV4 bought used, also not looking to replace.
But damn it, I want the e. So bad.
First car was a Honda (used Accord).
First hybrid was Insight 3rd gen.
First electric should be a Honda e.

I'm in the same place with a different EV. XBus. No need for it. Currently vaporware. Unlikely ever to available here in the "Land of the Free" b/c safety or something something.

You could wait for the US version of the VeeDub ID.Buzz (https://www.vw.com/en/models/id-buzz.html)

[Car Jack]

Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing.  472 horsepower from a twin turbo V6, rear wheel drive and a proper manual transmission.  With all that, it's still comfortable and has 4 doors.

[alsoknownasDean]

A Pixel 7 Pro...I've got a 3 year old midrange phone that's just about to stop receiving security updates and I'd get by fine with another midranger at a third of the price of the Pixel, but there's those I wants. I'm still going to stick with my $25/28 days prepaid plan!

I've wanted a new laptop but my current one isn't all that old...just that it doesn't charge over USB-C and I keep getting screen flickering on the external display. Probably should have bought something a bit better in the first place instead of cheaping out.

I've been on/off wanting an EV for ages but the answer to a $300-350 per month fuel bill is not a $1000 per month car payment.

Another one is solar panels. It's not that expensive here (maybe $5000 installed) but I'm planning to sell this place in 2-3 years and my calculations indicate that it'll have a 7-8 year payback period at current feed in tariffs.

[Metalcat]

A very expensive induction cooktop.
We just sold our house and moved across the country and our new house doesn't have gas hookups at all (100% electric but has Tesla solar panels). 
We loved our old gas stovetop and are hoping switching our new house's stove from electric to induction lessens the pain of losing our gas stove.

Like I said in the other thread, you can just buy an induction element and not have to replace an entire oven.

I do a lot of bulk cooking, so I love being able to have something in the oven, and something simmering on the electric glass top, but then cooking on the induction element and not having to stand by the hot oven/stove.

[mspym]

A really reliable builder and some dry days in a row.

[GuitarStv]

Well, he offered it to me for 300$ . . . so I have another guitar now.

 :P

[Metalcat]

A really reliable builder and some dry days in a row.

How is that stupid?

[mspym]

A really reliable builder and some dry days in a row.

How is that stupid?

It's certainly very unlikely under current conditions :D

[Villanelle]

Well thanks to this thread, I'm now lusting after peaches.

Actually, one of the things I'm looking forward to about living in a home we own once again is planting fruit trees.  I have no desire at all to own significant acreage, but even am modest yard can have 3-4 fruit trees.  Type of fruit will depend on where we land, but that hardly matters as there are great options for just about any climate.  Limes and avocados? Great.  Peaches and apples?  Fantastic. 

[NaN]

$10k of furniture from Room & Board for living room.

Currently have two couches in living room, one was free from neighbor who moved away a couple months ago and other is a futon I bought in 2007 for $400. With a toddler I don't care what gets into either one.

On the other hand, I'm embarrassed having guests over, who kindly sit in clean director's chairs instead of the couch or futon.

[Arbitrage]

A Pixel 7 Pro...I've got a 3 year old midrange phone that's just about to stop receiving security updates and I'd get by fine with another midranger at a third of the price of the Pixel, but there's those I wants. I'm still going to stick with my $25/28 days prepaid plan!

Not trying to pick on you specifically, since I know most typical consumers are the same way, but what features drive people to spring for the flagship phones?  Kind of feels to me that there's nothing revolutionary these days, so a midrange phone is just a couple years off the flagship.  With merely incremental improvements, and maybe the occasional gimmick, I don't see the point.  My impression is that you get a slightly nicer screen, slightly nicer camera, slightly faster processor.  None of those have any particular impact in day-to-day use for 9X% of people.  Maybe slightly more "premium" materials or environmental resistance.  Battery life isn't any better. 

I just replaced my cell phone a few months ago, as the old one was acting up a lot and battery life had tanked.  I had a Pixel 3 - flagship but received free from a Black Friday deal - and replaced it with a Pixel 6a, free through a promotion and switch to a new, even cheaper carrier.  The 6a seems great, does everything a smartphone should do, and is the first time I ever remember being impressed by the battery life of a cell phone.  What would/should make me want to drop a grand on a flagship over a free midrange phone?