Moral Support Please

[FredSnerd]

I know the scope I want and I’m retired so if I don’t buy one now I will eventually so it may as well be sooner rather then later right. SO WHATS WRONG WITH ME!!! Why cant I pick up that phone and place the order. Its all that $$$ that’s what it is. Not that, compared to what other people spend, its very much. How do I pick up that phone. I need help!!!!

[renormalised]

How do you pick up that phone??. You think "well, if I don't get it now, tomorrow it's going to be dearer because of the dollar, and I can see the scope I want, now. Yeah, it might seem expensive, but isn't anything worth the effort expensive in their own way. How do I put a value on it. So, instead of prevaricating over it and talking myself out of it, I'll just do it!!!!"

Pick up the phone!!!

[Astro78]

Unless you have 2 or 3 other hobbies that will suffer (make your own beer and grow your food if you have to), you buy that darn scope!

[casstony]

If you can make the purchase while still living within your means go for it - you never know when your health will take a turn for the worse.

[matt]

Buy it....or don't.

If you need others to legitimise or justify the outlay, maybe it's not a good idea.

Unless you are just naturally tight with money?

[PCH]

Go for it mate :thumbsup:

Ignore the pre-purchase remorse and make that call - provided of course that the necessaries don't have to suffer. I say do the things you want while you still can, cos you really don't know what's round the corner.

Get the scope :thumbsup:

[Waxing_Gibbous]

You have been culturally conditioned toward deferred gratification by decades and decades of the ideology of sacrifice and the idea that self denial, is of itself, a virtue, rather than a means to an end. You have allowed yourself to fall prey to that most insidious of ideologies:
The Puritan Work Ethic!!!
Or:
Personal gratification=improvidence/self-indulgence=low moral fibre & indolence=godlessness and poor hygene.
Its not your fault. Many of us are children of the children of the Great Depression. Saving for tomorrow was a tangible benefit and anything that didn't clothe, feed or house you was a luxury. If I ate to much fruit as a kid my father would bind on about how you couldn't get Bananas/Oranges/Pineapples during the '30s and how spoilt we were and when he was kid they had too steal bark to eat...yadayadayada.
I tried to point out to him that this was 1960s North America, far removed in time and space from depression-era England, and his job paid about 3 times the average, but still....
Now we have 120 days interest-free credit. It is our duty to spend. If we don't spend, others do not work.
We have no valid reason to carry guilt for indulging our harmless passions. It is our right & responisibility to seek happiness where it harms no others. We need bear no burden for spending on ourselves.
Indeed we should feel proud at having done so, knowing that we have benefitted the commonwheal, and made ourselves happy at the same time.
If we as ouselves are not happy, how can we be of use to others?
If we are of no use to others, what peace can we find and what place in society do we occupy?
Go ye therefore into the world and preach to every living creature:
"I have a credit-card and I would have a Takahashi" "Who amoung ye is with me?"
We are here but once and no man knoweth the hour...
Spend in peace, and spend well!!!
PJH

[jjjnettie]

I'll second this piece of good advice.

[lacad01]

Just do it, at the end of the day $$$ - you can't take it with you

[Robert9]

Claude,
Will anything suffer because of the purchase? No? Then, if not now, when?
Robert

[dugnsuz]

This purchase will give you immense amounts of pleasure far outweighing it's monetary value - dive in Mr Snerd!
Doug

[Bassnut]

Oh, Ive been through this dilema :P.

Its funny, I see posts firmly stating "Id never spend lots on just a hobby", or "its a bad investment", as if houses, cars and investment returns are critical to the pursuit of happiness. And hobbies are not worthy because.................well, because they are hobbies, no other reason other than some percieved, socially derived "importance".

Seems to me, a hobby, given the TIME invested in such, can give a greater return in general well being than a house or a car, or any other utility device. (given you have these of course, to some basic degree ).

Astrophotgraphy is a noble pursuit, forefilling, esoteric even, and can give more of a challenge and enjoyment than any mundane "utility".

Its an art, creative, satisyfing. Spend up I say, debt is just a passing irritation, easily forgotten, just eat less :thumbsup:

[dpastern]

+1.

Dave

[kinetic]

With all due respect, I think if I went out tommorrow and bought
my dream setup after reading Fred's great post....and my wife found
out about it.....my health would certainly take a turn for the worse! :)

Steve

[Bassnut]

Wooze :lol:

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi Claude

I have seen the equipment I would like. The problem is not paying for it. It is "Where am I going to put it". Like you I am retired. No debts and an indexed pension that is more than I need and a top up from the OAP, Just bought my new toy a G11 with Gemini. (thank you Mr Rudd for the extra $3000 I got from you this year but I still won't vote for you) I bought a 16" lightbridge recently (to use some surplus cash) but it is too big for me to use without help.

So my advice is Go for it! You only live once!

Barry

[Darth Wader]

Carpe diem, Fred. Go forth and purchase. Do what makes you happy. After all, the most important things in life are family and happiness.:thumbsup:

[Bassnut]

Barry, that would be "Claude", im not retired, that helps, a lot :lol:

[Barrykgerdes]

Sorry Fred

Yes I meant Claude. The Fredsnerd confused me.
(That's a problem of being old and why you should do it now while you can still remember what you wanted.)

Barry

[TrevorW]

Buy before you die

he who hesitates, just doesn't

I reiterate "you can't take it with you so enjoy it while you can"

"you may get hit by a bus"

Probably don't chase young women, indulge in drugs (recreational) or excessive alcohol so why not

Do you waste it on smoking (except the occasional medicinal cigar)

[DeanoNZL]

Go on and buy it Claude.
Canberra needs the cloud! :D

[Nesti]

Perhaps you really can't afford it in the first place.

Interest rates have just started climbing (0.25% today) and additional increases are expected.

Nobody knows what the interest rates or inflation will be next year or the following year.

The US dollar is still weakening and the Aussie dollar is forecast to keep gaining, thus making US equipment more affordable.

Spending large amounts of money if there are financial concerns may be a selfish, especially if there are others involved.

If this isn't the case, then perhaps it's just procrastination.

You could always wait for the post Christmas lull and see if anyone else is purchasing at that time also; ask for an extra discount.

Saying for you to just go for it might not be the best advice.

Perhaps somebody needs to voice a sensible opinion.

Cheers
Mark

[spacezebra]

Hey Claude - make it sooner - rather than later, you will not regret it.

Cheers Petra d.

[PeterM]

Claude,
Why not?
I assume you have worked bloo%# hard all your life, do you deserve this 'scope?
Rightly, only you know your position and only you can make that decision.
This passion, this obsession, that some call a hobby is far more than that to many here on this site, feed it and it grows. I know we will all look forward to reading about the incredible journey you and your new equipment will undertake.
It's now your call.

PeterM

[norm]

Hi Claude,

I procrastinated for a few years before committing to my scope and have no regrets. From a financial perspective, money was not so much an issue. I was always brought up to ensure your house was in order before indulging on luxuries. If you have done this and know you can sleep at night, then proceed with your planned purchase.

Not trying to be philosophical, but you do only live once. Buying the scope isn't going to be the end of the world. Once in a blue moon, its OK to treat yourself to something special. If its going to bring you enjoyment and inspire you to learn, then its not a bad thing. Some people enjoy gardening, fishing, reading books/magazines - over time these hobbies cost money too, maybe not in big hits like a telescope purchase, but they add up none the less.

Get your scope mate.:thumbsup:

Cheers norm

[Bassnut]

Seriously, how do you define "luxury", and "indulging", in the pursuit of a "balanced" life?.

[FredSnerd]

Hey everyone. Reading all your posts has been great. You're bloody nice people you know. Yeah the truth is even if I flushed the money down the loo it's not like it would damage me finacially (Dont get me wrong it would still hurt alot emotionally but it's not as though I wouldnt recover). Its just I'm not used to spending that much money for what is essentially a luxury and for what is really just for me. But thanks alot for your support. I'm gonna make that call.

Regards to you all

Claude

[Astro78]

:thumbsup:

You give to the needy mate, sorry BUT HE DOES

Splash out :P

[Astro78]

Mate how much equip could have old Carl bought but he ......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc

[FredSnerd]

yeah now theres a chart stopper if I ever heard one.

[Astro78]

My firsts thoughts too :P

It's grown on me big time for some weird reason...."Not a sunrise but a galaxy rise"...rockin' down here

[DavidU]

A year or two down the track you won't even remember how much it was.
Enjoy life. You have worked hard.

[DavidU]

For me things have improved some what, my wife and I can retire at 123 years of age ! Down from 148 years old 5 years ago.:D

[kinetic]

LOL Dave.
Just be sure to kick the kids out so you have the house to yourselves
for at least the last 20 years of it...about age 103 or so.:thumbsup:

Steve

[spearo]

DON"T DO IT !
the more people have telescopes, the more people get tempted into astrophotography.
The more people get into astrophotography, the more photons get captured.
The more photons get captured the less there is left over for ME to capture.

Don't be selfish, think of others, don't buy it, I need all the photons i can get!

Oh shucks...who am I kiddin'....go ahead and get the darn thing.
:lol:
frank

[FredSnerd]

OK Frank

Just so you get a sense of how much threat I am, Whats a photon?:rofl:

[DavidU]

I told the 9yo that she should find part time work and pay board ASAP.
The look on here face:lol:

[leon]

My friend you only live once, and you are along time dead, if you can afford it go for it.

Enjoy the experience, and if it dose not suit, some one here will get your funds back.

Leon

[FredSnerd]

Dave this remined me of an incident when my girl was about that age. The look of horror on her face when I said we might have chinese for dinner tonight

[FredSnerd]

Yeah actually Leon. The more I'm thinking about it the more excited I'm getting

[DavidU]

That's it ! I love it when folks get genuinely excited.
Claude........pick up the bleeding phone:D

[dugnsuz]

Jeez Claude wait till you get into astrophotography!!!
That'll be a very difficult labour!!!

[kinetic]

Claude,

when people ask us why we stopped at two kids and never had a third
we always tell them that statistics show that 1 in 3 babies born in
the world are Chinese and we have pushed our luck so far with the
first two......

[DavidU]

:lol:
I had 5. Makes me feel tired.

[spearo]

hahahahahahaha
:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Gallifreyboy]

Claude,
with respect to timing of purchase I suspect your fellow Canberrians may wish for you to wait until the next full moon for delivery.;)

[Octane]

Yeah, what Peter said. :shakes fist: