Top 5: Best and Worst Purchases

Top 5 Best Purchases:
Netbook $399.00

I am deeply, unflinchingly in love with netbooks. Not only was the idea of a truly portable computer amazing, but the realization of the idea was phenomenal. My netbook has connected me to family and friends, entertained me for months on end, and provided light to the dark room in which I sit tonight --- it has also inspired me. It has taught me about living small and editing what you hold onto in your life. I don't need the glitz and speed of a 17" laptop/desktop. Everything I need can fit into 3 lbs and a 10.5 inch frame.

Crockpot $4.00

My Crockpot was bought at a Goodwill. It's cord had been snipped; it looked brand new. It's most likely from the 1970s or 1980s. I saw one just like it at an art fair once. It was being used to keep brats warm. I asked the chef how long he had his Crockpot for, and he told me it was a wedding gift to his wife of 25 years. I use my Crockpot at least every other week and sometimes twice a week. I cook up chili, jambalaya, corned beef, beef stew... all sort of meals. She's not the fanciest of cooking vessels, but she is sturdy and true. (Man, I have watched far too much Firefly this week.)

Teapot $29.00 - Free

I have killed many teapots. I burnt through my copper teapot that had no whistle when I forgot that I was making tea. I panicked, took the teapot off the stove and put it in the sink. The spout fell off; it was horrible. From then on I only used teapots with whistles. My white teapot that I got at Goodwill now lives with Ciera, because I traded up to a teapot with cowspots that my Gram gave me. The valves were getting loose on that one, so Jared bought me one from Menard's on Black Friday. One afternoon, I went to make tea and noticed the telling white dust of calcium in the bottom of the teapot. I confronted Jared about this, and he admitted to accidentally leaving the teapot on to boil while empty. Generally this is fine if caught early enough. However, this was a $3.00 teapot (and not a second hand $3.00 teapot). The valve that made the teapot whistle was warped and rendered the teapot unusable. I was miffed. I resorted to retail therapy (which is cheaper than Type-A anger management). I bought an OXO white teapot for just under $30.00. I am very pleased with this teapot. If anything, the whistle in too loud, the lid is too tight and the teapot reaches boiling point too quickly. (I use the time it takes to boil water to clean the kitchen.) The price is justifiable on a cost per use basis; I make tea once a day. Drinking tea also saves me money (as opposed to soda). And, drinking tea is better for my health. (Although, Jared will claim I am too thirsty all the time.)

MP3 Player ($199.00 - $40.00)

I spent the majority of my high school graduation money on a 30 GB iPod Classic. I used that for 3 years until it only produced sound in one earbud. I'm planning on hooking it up to my radio in Minneapolis, which only has one speaker. Everything else still works, and it still has terrific battery life. I bought a Sansa Fuze 4 GB and put a mini SD card that held 12 GB in that. I used that for one year before that became touch and go. Then I replaced that with a 8GB Sansa Fuze. I like the Sansa Fuze, it's cheap, good sounding, and can hold all the music I have. (I edit down my music like I do everything else.) When I was in college, I listened to my iPod constantly. I would dance to Girl Talk or Big & Rich and render oil paintings. I would hum Belle and Sebastian and draw nudes. Music kept me from going crazy. It stills my brain. I'm planning on buying an iPod for myself once I get a job in the city. Much like the iPod of my high school graduation this will be a "congratulations, you're an adult" gift. (I'll hold out until September and get the latest. From the looks of things... I'm thinking nano.)

Insoles $340.00

Wow, that's a lot of cash. But, I use my insoles every standing moment of the day (or at least I really should). My doctor says that my feet are so flat that I should never go barefoot. Outside of that slightly restraining thought, my insoles have made my back stop aching, my knees stop swelling and ankles stop pinching. It's amazing what feet can do.

Top 5 Worst Purchases
Prom Heels $49.99

I wore heels for ten minutes at prom. I wore them to prom, took them off and then put them back on to leave. My dress was ten dollars less than those shoes. I really wish I just bought some fancy flats instead. I was limping from those things for weeks. Pulled my bones out of place. It taught me that I can never wear heels, and that's a life lesson to live by. Whatever that means. Secondly, I held onto these shoes far too long. I just now got rid of them last May. That's four years of rented closet space wasted.

Rollerblades ~$100.00 and my immortal soul

I don't know if I can take credit for this one. I mentioned once once to John that I was interested in learning to Rollerblade. The guy goes out and spends somewhere around $100.00 on Rollerblades for me. Maybe he should have taken me to a podiatrist with that money instead. For those of us just joining me on this blog, Holley has bad feet and puts weight on the wrong sides of her feet. It's physically impossible for me to use in line skates. The best part, years later when I wanted a bike he told me that I never use those Rollerblades he bought me. If only he knew I had a clubbed foot... oh wait he did.

Turkey Roasting Pan $9.00

Everyday I look on top of my refrigerator at the embodiment of my self-loathing (or addiction, whatever makes this more dramatic). I own a huge turkey roasting pan. It was mostly Jared's idea, but I went along with it. I hate turkey, and that pan is too large for standard lasagna noodles. I hate this pan so much.

Jones New York Pink Cardigan $16.00

I am an avid sale shopper. I have rules for shopping, but sometimes I break my own rules and end up regretting purchases. I used to own a Jones New York Cardigan that was hot pink with black floral print. The design itself was awesome, and I had been eying it up for months. But, by the time it was finally at an affordable price, it was only available in large. I wear a small, sometimes x-small, in Jones New York. I bought it anyways. I looked at it in my closet for over a year. I put it on consignment last month. I was happy just to have it out of my house! Every time I looked at it I felt guilty for owning it and never wearing it.

Mini-skirts and Short-shorts $... more than I want to think about

I don't know why I keep forgetting that I have jumbo thighs. Every two or three years, I put on my skinny-goggles and buy something way too short. I get it home, try the item on, think "this will be great for summer!" and then spend four months avoiding wearing it. Right now I only have one pair of shorts that I own and feel guilty about. I keep them, because if I don't move, they look great! If I walk five steps, they're migrating north and fast. The price of these short shorts/skirts goes beyond the monetary cost, they make me feel bad about me. They also cause me to feel guilty about owning something I never wear. Added up and short shorts/skirts are the Top Top Worst Purchases I've made in my young life.