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- Jan 1, 2001
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Exploring New Possibilities: My Wishlist and Seeking Your Advice!
Hey there, fellow forum members! Welcome to my continued "two years journey into buying happiness"
I hope this message provokes you to an exciting discussion ~ I beg you, please participate!
Today, I wanted to share with you some items that have captured my interest recently, and I would greatly appreciate your thoughts, suggestions, and insights. Because I've had lists like this in the past, but never really shared them publicly. I feel "silly" that I get things I perhaps should already have, or buy that others frown upon, or because they're expensive.
Maybe with your help, I can fine-tune this list, decide to not get something, or maybe decide to change a preference I have.
Right, so, how do I afford this? Well, a- I've been saving up offline. b- I've been trying to budget for a few things for the future, and that future is now I guess, and c- after the loss of my parents and that whole ordeal, I now finally have that behind me a bit and a bit of savings to help me enjoy life a bit more. And d- a family member passed away and to my surprise, I get a bit of inheritance from that in the future. It all together allows me to not spend two years in doubt " Should I get this yes/no" and save two years, and then still feel guilty and regret it. I finally have a bit of "choice", and with that, I do use it to buy some happiness with it.
Some purchases will be for a hobby, some to improve the very outdated and old apartment (as an alternative to moving), and some just because I want it. And I envision it contributing to my overall well-being (or at least, I believe it would be a valuable addition to my life).
It's important to note that I'm not just seeking advice on what to buy but also looking for your thoughts on what I should avoid. Your insights will help me make more informed decisions and possibly discover alternatives I might have overlooked.
So, dear friends, I kindly ask for your assistance, suggestions, and knowledge regarding the items I'll list below. Have you encountered any similar products that you highly recommend or that have been disappointing? Do you have any alternative suggestions that align with my interests? Your participation in this thread would mean the world to me and would make this journey all the more exciting.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to read and contribute to this mind-rambling brain fart of a thought. Your insights and suggestions are highly valued, and I can't wait to gather up my Post-it notes, my Notion pages, and my Notes app scribbles, make a definitive list, and start my little money-spending, item-acquiring adventure with all of you!
Hey there, fellow forum members! Welcome to my continued "two years journey into buying happiness"
I hope this message provokes you to an exciting discussion ~ I beg you, please participate!
Today, I wanted to share with you some items that have captured my interest recently, and I would greatly appreciate your thoughts, suggestions, and insights. Because I've had lists like this in the past, but never really shared them publicly. I feel "silly" that I get things I perhaps should already have, or buy that others frown upon, or because they're expensive.
Maybe with your help, I can fine-tune this list, decide to not get something, or maybe decide to change a preference I have.
Right, so, how do I afford this? Well, a- I've been saving up offline. b- I've been trying to budget for a few things for the future, and that future is now I guess, and c- after the loss of my parents and that whole ordeal, I now finally have that behind me a bit and a bit of savings to help me enjoy life a bit more. And d- a family member passed away and to my surprise, I get a bit of inheritance from that in the future. It all together allows me to not spend two years in doubt " Should I get this yes/no" and save two years, and then still feel guilty and regret it. I finally have a bit of "choice", and with that, I do use it to buy some happiness with it.
Some purchases will be for a hobby, some to improve the very outdated and old apartment (as an alternative to moving), and some just because I want it. And I envision it contributing to my overall well-being (or at least, I believe it would be a valuable addition to my life).
It's important to note that I'm not just seeking advice on what to buy but also looking for your thoughts on what I should avoid. Your insights will help me make more informed decisions and possibly discover alternatives I might have overlooked.
So, dear friends, I kindly ask for your assistance, suggestions, and knowledge regarding the items I'll list below. Have you encountered any similar products that you highly recommend or that have been disappointing? Do you have any alternative suggestions that align with my interests? Your participation in this thread would mean the world to me and would make this journey all the more exciting.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to read and contribute to this mind-rambling brain fart of a thought. Your insights and suggestions are highly valued, and I can't wait to gather up my Post-it notes, my Notion pages, and my Notes app scribbles, make a definitive list, and start my little money-spending, item-acquiring adventure with all of you!
- A coffee cabinet for the kitchen (or where the kitchen meets the living room) of solid wood. I want to create a coffee corner. I want it to be high enough that I can stand in front of it and clean, prep, and make my coffee.
- Higher quality coffee machine. I want to finally acquire one of those fancy espresso machines like this: https://www.delonghi.com/nl-nl/producten/koffie/halfautomaat/c/manual_espresso_makers
Airtight/vacuum coffee bean containers that are small and larger, to store my (specialty) beans.- C
ollection of specialty coffee beans, and sample packages from around the world. - TV cabinet for my new TV I got last Black Friday. I want a stand of solid natural wood that's at least 40cm deep, 160 (180) cm wide, and 60cm in height (including the stand). I want to have the TV at a slight angle so I can control the flare/reflection during the daytime. I'm considering a floating solution or mounting it to a cement support wall if needed. https://gewoonsfeervol.nl/
- A wide two-seater couch for the living room that's not too high in the back but not too low to the floor. I want to be able to get out of it comfortably and lounge to watch two movies in a row. It should be wide enough to accommodate a guest but not too wide to prevent moving a chair from the living room to the balcony.
- A minimalistic-looking storage cabinet that's not too deep, maybe with two layers, to go behind the couch. It should provide space for decorative items, fake plants, and a dedicated spot for chargers. [mention of a photo on the phone for reference]
- Wooden bottle storage racks to lay flat in the inherited closet. Each rack should have space for up to 5 bottles, with room on the side to display pitchers, glasses, and cloths. The living room might have a coffee corner, and the darker hallway might have a booze corner.
- A new and easy-to-clean rug for the computer table, possibly a size bigger than the current one.
- A rug for the bedroom to add charm and comfort when stepping out of bed. Concerns about the vacuum robot's ability to clean below the bed and the added height need to be addressed.
Replacement for the old 2x boxspring bed that matches the new cabinets and wood-themed items in the apartment. A higher mattress with a strong steel frame, wood base/sides, and a cool natural wood bed head design is desired.https://www.mattsleeps.com/nl/metalen-bed- Two new bedside tables that are not attached to anything. https://www.wayfair.co.uk/furniture/pdp/mercury-row-monterey-1-drawer-bedside-table-u000316280.html
- Maybe a height-adjustable computer table that is less wide than the current one.
- A small coffee table for the living room area, matching the wood theme, with steel legs, a wood top, and a simple design without drawers or extra layers.
- A treadmill with a weight capacity suitable for a tall and overweight individual, preferably not too expensive.
Upgrade from iPad Air to an iPad Pro, potentially waiting for the M3 version.- Upgrade from iPhone 11 PM to a more modern version, possibly the upcoming 'ultra' version.
- Consider upgrading the Apple Watch to a more water-resistant and bigger-screen version.
- Replace the falling-apart iMac with a Mac Mini or Studio with M3 or better, potentially hidden in a storage unit behind the couch or near the computer table.
- Replace the current cheap 200-euro monitor with a 28" OLED monitor at a reasonable price.
- Once my bike breaks, I want an e-bike solution. I don't know what to go for. I tried to learn, and tall people like me who are also overweight end up with $2000 ones. So, I dunno... I've seen stuff like this in videos that are used by 190cm tall people, and the bike still looks massive: https://cyrusherbikes.nl/products/ranger, but whatever.
- Renovate the kitchen, either pick up the conversation with the housing corporation to replace the 20-year-old kitchen or figure out how much my rent will be if they do it but I pay for it (basically). This was brought up on October 22, and that's six months ago.
- An office chair that is sturdy, wheels don't break, and doesn't use hydraulics to go up and down, but a fixed height, for my tall, heavy body to sit on a lot.
- I want to figure out, once I can access all the electronics in all the rooms, what my options are for better utilizing the new fuse box and to replace all the light switches and wall sockets with higher quality and certified ones. Maybe have an electrician review and install it, so I don't blow the place up. Maybe it's the right time to see if there are any smart versions out there, so I don't end up plugging things in when I could have had them from the beginning.
- The living room has a hole in the ceiling for lights, but we have no clue where the switch is, and it's off (we tested), so it's a bit tough to figure out. We will have to do that. I want a smart light there for extra overhead light, but also 2% ambient light at night, whatever.
- I want to review the doors I have, see if I can fix up the door handles, or find a set of 12 and do all the door handles myself. This will also allow me to make sure each room can be 'locked', which makes me feel more comfortable.
- I want textured or accent-painted walls here and there, like maybe behind the computer, so it's more separate from the living room without taking up space. Or behind the bed, so it feels cozier and contrasts against planks with stuff on them.
- The floor has what we call in the Netherlands "splinten," which hide the gap between the floor (planks) and the wall itself. The ones I have are old, stuck on, falling apart, or already missing. At least the top layer is showing wear and tear. I kind of want to look more 'fancy' by installing something new, at least for the living room. Maybe use this opportunity to hide extension cord wires, Ethernet cables, etc. Optionally, it might be cool to have Hue light strips there, so I can have ambient floor lights as well. That way, I can see enough at night, but it isn't a bright light. But when there are people here or when I am cleaning, I can set it to white-100% and see everything on the floor clearly.
- The same for the ceiling. Those "splinten" could hide the L corner and have LED lights behind them for mood lighting. They can also hide electrical wires or Ethernet cables, making the apartment look more fancy. Optionally, do the same for the bedroom as well.
- Add an ambient light that syncs with the TV. Choose a high-quality one to ensure there are no latency issues and proper support. As the TV is flat, it's easy to install. Set it at 25% to achieve a cool effect.
- Install a light strip behind the TV cabinet where the TV sits, so whatever is on the cabinet shows better even when the TV is off.
- In the kitchen, whether old or new, install bright lights that don't cast shadows because of my body being in front of the light-source. Consider using magnetic or stick-on LED lights that are thin and wide. They can be placed below cupboards or anywhere else needed. They can be off all the time, and a single switch can turn them on. I can use a Hue light switch to control them.
- The windowsill in the living room is old, not straight, and not deep enough. Consider finding a light-colored pressed wood piece with a sturdy top that looks more natural. It can match the cabinet behind the couch. This piece is called the windowsill.
- Consider adding a soft/light wood rectangle with lights behind the TV instead of painting the wall. This can create a fancy look.
- Create a wooden-style wall with the appearance of solid planks that are easy to clean. Additionally, install two sturdy horizontal thick planks to hold kitchen appliances such as a water boiler, kettle, glasses, tea items, and bottles of spices. This way, I can easily see and access them while keeping them out of the way.
- Obtain a proper Marshall amp for my guitar.
- Acquire my dream Gibson guitar, regardless of the cost, before turning 50.
- Find a comfortable way to shield the balcony from the summer sun while still being able to store it away during storms and winter. As someone with albinism, this will allow me to spend more time on the balcony during the summer. Take control of this aspect.
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