A few months ago, Micah told me I should make a “wish list” of items I would like to buy in the near future. Micah was in the process of making his own, and it was very organized. He had it divided into four categories by estimated cost: under $50, under $100, $100-$300, and over $300.
I wish I could remember everything on his list. I know he had an electric guitar in the $100-$300 range. I am pretty sure he had a skateboard in the under $100 category. But there were so many other things too – things like windsurfers and kite boards and surfboards and stuff like that. There must have been AT LEAST ten things on this list. At least. Basically, if there is a piece of sports equipment that ends with the word “board” it’s probably on his list.
Then Micah told me his overall plan is to get the things on the list, but to try to get them in a lower price range than what he has estimated. For example, he bought an electric guitar a few months ago (and has used it about twice I might add…) and he was expecting to spend between $150-200 on it. Then he met a guy who sells random stuff at wholesale prices and he got a brand new guitar and an amp for $80. So he succeeded in getting one of his $100-300 items in the under $100 category. You get the idea.
Then Micah told me I should make my own wish list and organize it the same way. I thought about it for a little while and I couldn’t really think of ANYTHING I want right now. It’s not that I am anti-material possessions or something. In fact, I wish I desired the material less than I do. It’s just that I am not as organized about my spending as Micah is and I don’t plan, dream, and scheme about toys I want to buy. I just figure I will spend my extra money on cute clothes or something… I mean I’ve been looking for new white flats for a few years now. I guess I can put that on my wish list – if only some designer would FINALLY make some attractive white flats for me to purchase this season because the selection since 2005 has been pretty dismal! Yes, that’s how long I’ve been wearing the same white shoes. Thankfully, I still live by the no white after labor day rule (even though I know this rule doesn’t really exist), so I’ve been able to stretch their life span. But, really, it’s time. They are on their death bed.
Anyway, so I couldn’t think of anything I really wanted and Micah was disappointed. Then finally a few days later, I thought of one thing that I really want to add to my wish list…a new camera. A big, fancy digital camera with a big, fancy lens to replace my horrible point and shoot. That’s what I want. Like a Canon Rebel or something similar. This would definitely be in the (far above!) $300 category, but it’s the only thing on my list, so I figure it’s okay.
So I excitedly told Micah I finally thought of something to add to my wishlist – a camera – and he told me he didn’t believe me! What?! He said he thought I was just making it up to have something on my list and I don’t really want a camera and I won’t really use it, etc. etc. I made the point that I have run out of room on my hard drive because I have too many pictures on my computer, but he still refused to accept that I want a camera. It’s not like I’m asking him to buy it for me. I am just asking for him to acknowledge that I want one. But he won’t. Oh, and I’ve been asking for a turntable for probably the last bajillion Christmases and birthdays (or like five or six) and he refuses to acknowledge that I want one of those too. I guess I’ve been asking for a turntable for so long and been so blatantly denied that it’s not even wish list-worthy anymore. Apparently, only boys who like toys that end with the word “board” get to have wish lists…