The Chronic Consumer

With spring on its way, Jerry is already counting down the days until he can take the bike out for a few hard laps around the local motocross track. He has also said that he needs a new helmet, and is looking at this Arai VX-Pro3 model in the Akira orange paint scheme. At a price tag of close to $600, it’s very expensive, but then again, safety is very important so a good helmet is a must. I figure better spend that money proactively on a quality piece of protective equipment than reactively on a motorcycle accident lawyer or hospital bills.

Anyway, it will take us a little while to save up this kind of money. We have maybe a third of it right now, so if no other unexpected expenses pop up in the next six weeks, I’m sure he’ll go ahead and buy this Arai helmet!

I was browsing for office furniture last night when I came across this beautiful leather desk chair. I have been searching for the perfect desk chair for a long time, and would love to get something in leather! I’ve tried out leather chairs at stores, and they are just so much more comfortable than the faux stuff that it’s not even funny. But they are expensive! The one in the picture retails for more than $1300, and even the sale price of $739 is still way out of my budget.

Even so, I can’t help but think that I deserve something luxurious like this chair! After all, I spend more than 8 hours a day at my desk. Shouldn’t I be able to do it in style?!

After 10 short years, my dishwasher is already on its last legs. I thought a major appliance like this would last a bit longer, but I guess not. I’m not really sure what’s wrong with the thing, but sometimes it simply shuts down about 5-10 minutes into the cycle. I might call in a repairman to take a look at it, or I might just bite the bullet and buy a new machine.

I’ve heard some good things about LG Steam Dishwashers. I’m not familiar with the brand itself, but these steam dishwashers apparently have separate cycle settings for the top and bottom racks, allowing you to attack stubborn pots and pans in one section while running a gentler cycle for your delicate dinnerware. There’s also a quick steam cleaning mode for when you want to shine up your dusty china for a dinner party or whatever.

Sounds great!

I don’t wear much jewelry, but I’m starting to develop a hankering for diamonds for some reason! The only diamond I have is in my engagement ring, and that’s just a tiny half-carat thing. It’s nice, but it’s not enough!

Recently I’ve been looking at certified diamonds from different online wholesalers and am thinking of buying a bunch of loose diamonds and have them set in a tennis bracelet or some kind of necklace. This might be cheaper than buying a pre-set piece, plus I can be sure of getting the setting I want.

My hankering for diamonds will probably just remain a pipe dream, however. At this point my finances simply won’t allow me such an extravagant purchase — at least not yet!

I’m getting pretty tired of our upstairs bathroom and wish we could remodel soon. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be a big remodeling job or anything like that. Just swapping out a new plumbing fixture or two would make a world of difference. Like if we had new sink faucets or maybe some new hardware on the cabinets… The place might look as old and depressing as it does now. Maybe we can look into this in greater detail over the summer.

I am not very good at organizing my suitcases when I travel. I have no idea how to pack well, so I end up just throwing everything together and hoping for the best. That usually doesn’t work out, leaving me with a bunch of wrinkled clothes wherever I go.

I’ve heard good things about Pack-It Systems from Eagle Creek luggage, though, so I’m thinking of buying a couple of these to try them out. Eagle Creek sells compressor bags, cubes, and folders to help keep suitcases neat and organized, and help keep clothes wrinkle-free. Moreover, Pack-It Systems help save space in your suitcase, giving you extra room for shoes, toiletries, souvenirs, or whatever.

I’m putting these on my Wish List for now. Hopefully I’ll get a couple pieces for Christmas this year!

For as much as I shop online, you’d think that I’d be extra vigilant about scanning my computer for spyware, adware, viruses, and other malware. After all, if some malicious bit of code made its way to my PC, my credit card number, bank account number, and important passwords could be compromised. But I actually got rid of my antivirus program because it made my machine so slow and laggy that I couldn’t stand it.

Dumb move, I know. Just because my old program was a resource hog, doesn’t mean every product on the market is. In fact, I was looking for some new antivirus software and came across something called Vipre from Sunbelt Software. Vipre has been hailed as the “next generation” in antivirus software, and is much better than what I was using before. Vipre will not slow my computer down, and its all-new technology will help uncover any vicious malware that happens to make it to my machine.

I’ve read some reviews about Vipre, and it has gotten raves from sources like PC Magazine, ZDNet, Download.com, and CNET. These are the biggies when it comes to tech product reviews, so if they like Vipre Antivirus, then I’m sure it’s awesome!

Anyway, I’m putting Vipre Antivirus Software on my Wish List for now, and I’m going to buy it as soon as I can. I think I’ve been computing without protection for too long already!

Winter is on its way, which means I need to start thinking about gearing up for the cold weather. I recently discovered how awesome Under Armour products are, and I think in addition to having a set of base layer shirts and pants for exercising outside, I’m also going to buy a set to wear under my clothes in the house just to stay warm.

For outdoors, I still have this jacket that I bought last year. It’s nice and warm, plus it’s obviously still in good condition since it’s only been through one season so far. I’m also thinking about buying a pair of UGG Bailey boots since I don’t have anything to protect my feet from the cold, snow, and rain.

I’m set with gloves and ear warmers, so it looks like I just have to save up for my Under Armour and Ugg Boots. Shouldn’t be too difficult!