A few of my favourite things

I know this post is going to make me look shallow, so let me set things straight before I even start. There is nothing I love more in this world than my family, and especially my nieces and nephew. I would sacrifice my life if it meant saving even one of them.

So now that I've got that out of the way, lets get on with it. This post is about the material things that I love in life and some of the things I have missed most in the last three months. Or, just things that put a smile on my face.

1. My kick-ass plasma TV - Panasonic 42" Viera. For those of you who know me really well, you would know that I don't actually watch a lot of tele, in fact I can go days without even turning it on. But when I do watch it, I now REALLY enjoy it because of this beauty. And don't worry I did my research before purchasing, and I KNOW that plasmas consume far more power than LCDs, but I also am very very good at conserving power. My last electricity bill was $99.00 for the quarter. I chose viewing pleasure over the logistical stuff, because a tele is afterall about entertainment.


2. My Bose Sound dock - Such a sleek looking, powerful yet simple music system. It docks my iPod(s) and off I go. God I love technology, no need to change CDs ever again. And the sound, oh the sound... Now, there is a new version out, it is better because the cord can be disconnected so that the system is portable. I obviously want one but have no excuse to buy it yet.


3. My mattress - Sealy Posturepedic. You will have a mattress for at least 10 years if not more. You will use that mattress nearly every single night of those 10 years. So why oh why, would anyone skimp on something so important. My mattress cost $1,100 back in 2000 I think (on sale from $1,500), so if I have it for 10 years, then it has only cost me just over $100 per year. There are 365 days in a year, so what, it's costing me .30 cents per night? And the sleep I get in my own bed is nothing like what I get in other beds. And sleep is oh so precious.

4. My MacBook - I probably spend more time in front of my laptop than anything else. I love the internet, it has to be one of the top inventions in the world ever. Surely? I can while away hours and hours. It is an enabler for so many things, my favourite being able to keep in touch with friends, not to mention shopping from the comfort of my own home, as well as having a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips.

5. My iPods - I have three. My first was the first generation iPhoto, then I upgraded to the generation 5 (I think), as well as owning a shuffle. And yes, I actually do use all three. I love my music, it is the one thing I could not live without. In fact I would give up my kick-ass plasma before I gave up music. I wouldn't even have to think about it.

6. My CD rack/case - I had this specially made. I designed it, I haven't seen one like it before or since. It is a thing of beauty. My only regret is that I didn't get it made out of Jarrah or some other hard wood - but I didn't know it would turn out so great. It is beautiful.


7. My juicer - I truly believe that this juicer (and my use of it) has made a massive difference to my health. In fact, my lack of juices over the last three months have probably contributed to me being ill this week. Prior to this illness I had not been really sick for about three years (i.e. since I bought the juicer). No word of a lie. You can't actually eat all the fruit and veg that you can juice and drink. I reckon there are a few of you that might be cynical about this, but, whatever.


8. My car - Mazda 3 zoom zoom zoom. It is beautiful, it is quiet, it is smooth, it is sturdy. I don't actually believe in spending a lot of money on cars for many many reasons, but mainly because, they have one purpose - to get you from a to b, and also, because the second you drive out of the car yard, the value drops like a ton of bricks. No other big ticket item you purchase will de-value as quickly as a car. But, having spent a little bit more on this car than I normally would, I suspect I will never go back to buying a "$19,999" car again.

9. My camera/lens - Canon 400D and EFS 17-55, 2.8. Whilst I am dearly attached to my camera, you have no idea how much I love this lens. Because it has an aperture of 2.8, the photos I can now get in low-light conditions make it worth the money I spent on this lens (don't ask). And it shits all over the 17-85 I used to have, and I actually don't miss the extra zoom that lens allowed me.


10. My knives - Wusthof Classic. No kitchen should be without at least one decent knife. When I purchased mine back in 1996, I purchased a whole set and I have since added to the set and I regularly use every single one. But if you can only afford one knife, then you need the classic 'cooks knife'. I don't know which brands are best because I am no expert, but once again, never ever skimp on something so important because if you spend any time in the kitchen, a good knife will actually make your life a lot easier.


These are a few of my favourite things.