Anyone else just have to go out and buy more "toys"? Just went out and purchased a new .22 hangun (Ruger KP512 Target). I can't wait to go out and shoot it.

Some past toys:
- My first PC I purchased was from Gateway and of course had to get the most expensive which ran about 4k then. Now that I build my own, that price is a joke. Never again.
- Of course all my video game consoles. When I got halo I just had to buy another xbox and halo.
- Oh yeah, had to go buy a 53" widescreen tv for better video game experience.
- Have an 89 mustang and wanted to buy a new one for a while so I did in 1999, decked out of course.
- Got a new 99 yamaha bike YZF R6. Had it about two years. Got rid of it for my own good. Went way too fast on that thing.
- When I was into magic the gathering a while back, I had to buy the power 9.

There are more I'm sure..... Anyone else have "toys" they just had to go out and buy?

Spread the wealth dude!

Being single helps quite a bit. Can spend all my money on myself! Sharing bills with a room mate helps some too

I feel so... inadequate..

I buy and play with food, does that count?

You could spend it on me too. How about getting me a new lab computer?

Heh; I ain't that wealthy.

But I got a nice tax refund this year. Bought a Depth Charge recolor on a whim (would have prefered the original color scheme, but I'm amazed I found it at all). Bought Megatokyo T-Shirts, and GameSkin ones are in the mail. One of the MT ones was actually a good conversation starter at my church, where I met an artist who's big on MT, video games, and Transformers (seperated at birth!?), who also confirmed something I've been suspecting; my church is full of Homestar Runner fans. Buying online swag is a rather expensive indulgence though; won't be doing that again for a bit.

Lets see ... a bunch of books, a very comfy new bike seat, 6 new albums in the last few weeks, Megatokyo Volume 1 (found a copy by luck at the comic store. Last one they had; owner says they're selling like crazy). Guess that's it for recent toys, though I still have quite a bit of extra cash to burn. I thought of buying some video games, but I'm not stupid. I do that and TMS production will go back down the flusher ...

Yeah, thats a must on some bikes. Usually the regular seats are just painfull.

Yeah, we don't want that to happen

A what?

I would guess it's:

What Zaphos said.

Very cool character, but the recolour isn't too great.

My toys:
- Allegro
- AllegroGL
- OpenGL
- MinGW
- DevC++
- DJGPP
- gmax (version of 3D Studio Max for free!)
- Micrografx Picture Publisher
- MadTracker
- Starcraft/Broodwar
- some other games (partially from A.CC depot)
- things that I've already written
- some other progs

There is P133 laptop and bass guitar too, but toys above are much more frequently played with.

Toy:
Sony Ericsson P900 - but I'm too lazy to learn how it works.. I'm not really a 'gadget person'

I just got a new MS Internet Keyboard ($30cad, -$10cad gift card ) to replace the one my cat broke last week (one guess as to why I've been absent). Well, he didn't break the keyboard, just the DIN5->ps/2 connector, but I was just going to get a plain 10-15$ keyboard, and the converter is near the same price, and a spare keyboard is always usfull (ain't it? ).

I got myself a new computer this week - a C64

Gnolam... you suck
Raist... >:E

I'm waiting for a call. I hope they call me and say "yes! you can start Monday!"
If they do, i am no longer unemployed.
And after some months of work and savings, i would go and buy one of those new AmigaONE computers. And then just sit and wait for AmigaOS 4 to be released. ("really soon now...")

I just paid my taxes for 2003.

Arn't you a bit late? 12:00am the 16th being the latest you can send em off? (or was that 11:59:9999pm the 15th?)

My toys.. I only have one at the moment:

1989 Mitsubishi Lancer GLXi
Weitec Ultra GT sport springs
Weitec Ultra GT sport shock absorbers
Alutec Java 7.5x15" Wheels
Eurotyfoon 195/50R15 tyres
JVC head unit (can't remember model)
Ratho RTO Terminator GX-7004 amplifier running 1x150w for the woofer and 2x50w for the front end
SPL Dynamics Pro-4.2A component kit with diecast aluminum 4" cones and silk dome tweeters
SPL Dynamics V-12S 12" subwoofer in a custom 30liter enclosure
Alfatec cables and connectors

That precise enough for you boys?

My this summer's toy is going to be a Yamha FZR 600. (not that particular one)

Then i have also a PC, but it's not a toy...

edit:

I hate you. If you go too fast on an R6 it means you just don't know how it's used. One day when i'm rich i'll have a YZF-R1 and a Ducati 996 sitting side-by-side in my garage...

I got a nice return on my taxes.. over $700 dollars worth but where will I spend the money... paying off loans and first months rent on an apartment Guess that Nvidia FX 6800 will just have to wait longer

[edit]
I drive a stock neon... does that count
[/edit]

Last toy I got...hmm...

A $15 Cut Capo and some picks. And I bought Alone in the Dark 4 for $3.99 at Circuit City. Still haven't tried it. That's pretty much everything I've bought this year.

...I need a job.

me too. or else that FZR is going to remain as a distant dream.

I go on majorly stupid buying sprees when I get overly manic. 1 and a halfish years ago, I bought:

• ChenMing SoHo file server case

• PCI IDE controller card

• 2x80GB Seagate Barracuda (+ one I got for my Bday == 3)

• MSI KT7266 Pro2 RU

• 2x256MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM

• Evangelon DVD Boxset (Anime)

• Kiki's Delivery Service (Anime:Movie)

• Castle in the Sky (Anime:Movie)

• Megatokyo sad girl in snow blanket

• Megatokyo Volume 1

• Megatokyo Mug (the mug rules!)

• Sennheiser HD 497 Headset/Headphones

Last summer, when I moved to this apartment, I got:

• AMD Athlon 2400+

• DLink 8Port Switch

• 2x10/100BaseTX NIC

Just before Christmas I got:

• Morex Cubid 2699R Black Case

• VIA EPIA 10000 Nemiah motherboard

• 1x256MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM (which was fried on delivery, and I picked up a $60cad 512MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM chip to replace it)

• ATI TV Wonder Pro Remote Edition.

• Hauppauge WinTV 401 DBX

• 80GB Seagate Barracuda (thats 4 total now)

• Slimline laptop DVDROM to fit my slim case (bloody expensive things.. I should have spent the extra $30 or so for the combo DVDROM/CDRW unit )

• Slotload DVDROM (for my main machine)

And just lately:

• 3 domain names (cheap)

• 2x100ft CAT5e cables (cheap)

Note however that the only stuff that I'm/I've even come close to affording is the two items in that last list, and even then the first item has left me without grocery money for a little while

So yeah, stupid is me.

You are basically right on the button here. It was the first bike I ever touched. First time I got on that bike I scared myself half to death. First time I tried to do a "wheelee?" about crapped myself. First time going about 160mph I was like OMG, that was sweet! But looked back and thought how stupid it was since I was still an amature. So yeah, got rid of it for my own good. Was an awsome bike tho. Had many compliments from experianced bike riders when I let them ride it. Could only imagine what the R1 would of been like

The pic of the R1 you provided gave me memories of the R6 I had man that was a fun bike. Another reason I got rid of it was no friends to ride with. I was the only one with a bike...

I bought a nice little staedtler mars plastic...

Marcello

I hate you all.

(For those who didn't know, I currently have to save up the student loans I get every month if I'm going to survive this summer; summer means no student loans or aid, and I have no job. I have to survive entirely on two months worth of savings for two summer months.)

X-G: Why? because I'm $4000-6000cad in debt to my dad, and ~$8000cad to the student loans people (could have been $18000 if they audited my loan). And I've got little to nothing to show for it? Go ahead and hate me then

That's nothing. When I'm done here, I will be about US$24,000 in debt to the loans people - for starters.

EDIT: That's ~31,500 CAD

that $18000 was for an 11 month private college course that I didn't finish. Had I gone to university, It would be somehwere near that ($10000 ish) per year. Mainly just for tuition. But I didn't.

Look, You'll have an education, and maybe some people skills Me? Some computer parts, and a $6000 debt to my dad

edit: oh, I forgot, I owe my mom $2000 or so, I'd owe my sister $1200, but my dad picked that off of her).

With the job market in Sweden, that is in no way a guarantee I'll even get a job at all and when I do, 70% of my pay is instantly lost in taxes.

Stop buying stuff like that if you can't afford it. Pay off your debts instead.

Now, I'd like to do that, but it just happens, when I get into those moods (either, what the fuck does it matter? or I can handle it, this will be the start of a buisness!) I am totally convinced that I have no reason not to buy the stuff. And those lists are a bit moderate, its not like I maxed the credit card... Has a $10,000 limit. Could have done a ton of dammage.

Why do you even have a credit card to begin with? Here, I don't think anyone ever uses their credit; they just use them as debit cards. I know I do.

Anyway, sell off all your stuff and pay your debts. It's that simple.

Cool, a dispute about who has more things has become about a dispute about who has more debts

Here students don't get in debt. You're weird

Giner: I suppose where you live money grows on trees, or possibly materializes out of thin air?

Hah, the stuff I bought are hardly worth what they were. I'd be lucky to make $500. I am however occasionally working with my dad, and putting half or more of that towards the debts. Now, believe it or not, I actually do know how to handle money Hell, I survive on $507 a month total (well, sometimes a bit more, but then all I do is buy some better food).

Amateur. I survive on CAD$350 a month normally - that is, without buying any extra stuff.

No, people work. A public university costs no more than 1000€ a year. Any job will cover that. It's normal that parents pay it for you the first years until you get a job.

uhh... In edmonton? I doubt it, our economies are quite different. I could save some $30 by ditching cable, but then Id have no internet as well as no TV. $275 for rent, $100-$150 for bills, the left over is for food.

It's impossible for students to find work here. There just is no job market, period. No one mooches of their parents either; student loans all the way.

EDIT: Mööse: Rent not included.

Or perhaps college is funded by the country?

Do they also feed you, clothe you, and pay your rent and your bills?

Swedish universities have no tuitions fees, btw; we have to buy our own books and that's it.

here the Govt expects your parents to help pay for school, but that rarely happens, you'd have to be rich... with 3-4 years the minimum for university, and twice that or more for a "respectable" job (Doctor, etc).

Here, theres tuition, books, and all the rest...

Masters degrees are typically 6 years, aren't they?

4½ years here.

Our universities like to suck you dry. Every penny till theres less than nothing, like they are a black hole of money. Make you take meaningless courses, which you still have to pay for, stretch the course lengths out longer than is nessesary, etc.

Here it's normal that your parents help you. The university is founded by the country, but you can always go to a privete one if you have the money.

I currently live with my parents, as most people I know (older than me) do. There are also student flats, where 2-3 students live together, so it's not that expensive. This last usually happens for people that aren't from the city.

It's notvery hard to find a job for an informatic. Not the same for other careers, of course.

It's extremely hard for anyone to get a job here, especially part-time or seasonal jobs; if you're not interested in working 8 hours a day, no one will hire you. And even harder in the informatics business; since the dot com bubble burst a few years back, no one is hiring us any more. Lost confidence.

Really? Here 81 job offerts have been received at university for the last two months. And that's the usual. So about 40 new jobs every month (and this is only the job offers received by web form). You can find part-time jobs quite easily and even freelance. Most jobs are about software development. Quite a lot about net administration.

Where is "here" exactly?

EDIT: You know, I'm really starting to dislike you, alien boy.

If it comes down to it there is always the corner of 23rd and Broadway... in a couple of hours you could earn a couple hundred dollars

No "Guns are not toys!" comments?

That's the way it should be. I would never use my credit card unless I already had the money.

Some people just can't handle it though, and try to convince themselves that they can pay for it.. even though they know damn right that they can't.

Anyway, X-G, the unemployment rate in Sweden is far better than the unemployment rate in Canada. Keep in mind the very large population differences as well

It's not all that bad yet here, so it can't be as bad as you say it is there. You're probably just too picky like pretty much everyone else I know under 25..

Want to know how many free jobs I'm aware of? Zero. That's right, zero. Granted, this is discounting the jobs at Landvetter, but that's for a good reason - the travel fare alone would eat up 50% of my salary, and I would hate every minute of it.

Eric, you're one of the lucky ones that people hate because you get stuff for free. Don't push it.

Should also be added that the jobs in question aren't jobs that are available to me, and that students aren't in the unemployment rate calculations.

Excuses.
If you truly know of 0 jobs, you need to get off your ass and start handing out resume's.

You can't whine about not having a job and then do nothing to solve the problem. Saying you know of 0 jobs shows you've done no searching at all.

Then you tell me where to search because I don't have a single idea where to even start. I really mean that, I don't. And handing out resumés? Do you really believe that college first-years even have resumés?

RE: Jobs, we've been through this before in another thread a few weeks ago..

Anyway on-topic: I don't normally buy many 'toys'. I never got into the habit of buying loads of stuff because I never had any money!

If a high school drop out like myself has a resume, it shouldn't be difficult for someone in COLLEGE to create a resume.

Pick up a news paper, check your community's website, take a trip to the mall or a drive around town looking for help wanted signs. It's really not that difficult, but you need to take some initiative.

Drop off resume's even if they're not looking for employee's. Someone might get fired, and you might get hired in their stead.

Sweden does not have community business directories, and according to every company around, I'm so-called "uneducated workforce"; high school drop outs only get jobs like flipping burgers and carrying boxes around here. Same for college undergrads.

Yep. It's work, ain't it?

And we're back to "rather starve than do it".

But it is money. You could be 45, if you need cash, there is nothing wrong with fastfood if it pays the bills.

...now if I could just get off my lazy arse and apply for one.

Then why am I going to uni at all when I could just be a burger flipper for the rest of my life?

I'm still in Spain

Unemplyment rate here is quite bad. Around 13% I think.

Finding a first job is not the easiest think. You'll need to answer some offers before you get hired by someone. Quite a lot of people's first job here is at university. They don't pay much but it's good for your CV, so you can find a better job in the future.

Ah. You have universities that actually hire students. Guess what Sweden doesn't have?

Yeah the first thing is to never get discouraged when sending out resumes ... it's not like the first resume you send out will get you the job... it takes many many many resumes to get a job. I actually used up a 50 pack of resume paper until I finally got my first real outside job... and it is at a University. Granted I was getting very depressed and discouraged becuase all I ever got was "We're sorry" letters back in the mail and the interview that landed me this job didn't seem like a winner... but a few days later I got the phone call. Granted the economy isn't in the best situation and unemployment is very high. Even though you are a first year student you can still make a resume... even if you have to put down some of your own work to fluff it up. Personal projects go well on a resume. Hopefully now that I can say I have some experience in the "real" world, getting the job I really want will be easier.

[edit]
In high school I worked in a burger joint for THREE years... that's right THREE.
In college I worked at Wal-Mart for a year.
After that I worked at Office Depot for another THREE years.
[/edit]

Once again, where are you supposed to send these? And also, for emphasis, undergrads have done nothing worth putting on a resume and have no qualifications. I knowI don't.

X-G what kind of work are you looking for? There are people on Campus as well that can help point you in the right direction...

List all your special skills then X-G and send them to every computer related company you find in a phone book.

Anything that's not menial labor (warehouse work, flipping burgers etc). And what people are that?

EDIT: Phipps: Companies like that don't hire undergrads, and especially not for part-time jobs or just for two months. It's like, 8 hours a day, a year position at minimum.

Just get over the no job thing. We already discussed that, and have concluded that X-G has no chance to get a job and doesn't need any help determining that.

I sent them off April 15th in the morning via snail mail.

You're right Matthew. X-G is asking for suggestions then dismissing everything. You don't really want a job do you? You just want to complain about things..

Well we can all do that.

Wow; it's IRC in here ...

My mutual fund contributions were the difference between me paying over 700 and me getting back over 700. I dumped so much money into my RRSP the guy who did my taxes had to double-check to make sure I hadn't gone over some maximum I could claim.

I've thought of getting one of those drawing tablets too. If finances are good for a while, I might get a new mattress; this one is ancient. That'll drain the bank account real quick.

I did my income tax for the first time

It was cool! I wish I could do my taxes all the time!
I walked in, showed him my yearly income of $1,414 CDN, and he said that I'll get a cheque in the mail for $100 within a few weeks. Then later, I'll get a GST cheque for no apparent reason! Yippie!

Back on topic eh?
Ok, my new toys.
We took a trip to the dollar store a while ago.
I BOUGHT STICKERS!
Hearts, and exclaimation points, and question marks, and lightning bolts, and moons.. They are the awesome.

I traded Rob a moon for a bufferly.

I also bought some play-doh, and we made claymation.. but... it sucks. This duck swims around in a pond, and a dog comes by and bites him and takes him away.. but because play-doh isn't made for that, it got too dry and when the dog's tail wags it looks like it breaks apart

I also got a glow in the dark dinosaur, to put on my shelf with my Final Fantasy Action Figures. He's the coolest.

I bought a glow stick, too.. but.. it's dead now.

Then we went to Buck or Two in the mall, and I bought some more kid stuff for myself!
I got a Spiderman Coloring Book, and some markers and pencil crayons, and it's awesome! I also got some pencil sharpeners, and some contact cement, and stuck one on the bottom of my desk!

I felt like I was 10 again. It ruled.

Um... Derezo... ummmm maybe that car color really IS for you

heh, I knew someone would say something like that

I was contemplating getting some styrofoam swords as well. Me and my sister were fighting with them in the store.. they were fun, but got boring a little too fast... and Rob didn't seem too interested in them, so I don't think I'd have gotten much use out of them...

You can't go wrong with BB guns, as soon as I get money and a credit card, thats the first thing im getting, a fully automatic assault rifle BB gun.

well I started collecting bladed weapons. So far I have a samurai sword replica, ninja sword and a big sharp dagger
I guess they are more displays than toys

I seem to be a sucker for new games, I just got farcry from my brother for my brother and its awesome. I also have an evergrowing collection of ps2 games (most of which I don't ever play )

What kind of katana? Or maybe it's a wakizashi? And I assume that's a ninja-to you have?

The samurai sword is a cheap replica off ebay and looks a little like this only in red. My brother also got me a book on samurai swords which I haven't yet read in detail. I'm hoping to get an antique katana when I have plenty of spare cash
One day, in the future, when I've made my millions from my computer games I'll buy a collection of proper antique swords

You'd be surprised how cheap you can find swords at flea markets. Sure, some are just for show (you can usually tell by how thick the blade is).

But a bunch are rather legit. I mean, people still make swords for movies, reenactments, etc.

Heh; one fellow on GameDev is a swordsmith in his spare time. Just built a huge forge for personal use.

The problem is that a really good sword costs a bloody fortune. A usable sword costs only about 150€ or so, a usable and pretty good (but still fairly mass-produced) one maybe double that, but a really good one - expect 5000+€...

It's the same for japanese swords, only with even higher prices.

I just made a deal on some more car-hifi gadgetry. expect details tomorrow once mechandise and money has changed owners.

Well, I got a brand new Harley Davidson this year.

Also two helmets, lots of new clothes, and I put a order for a lower suspension shocks and some chrome parts, they should arrive from USA soon.

I will buy some new boots, probably the next week.
Also, I have plans for a really delayed tattoo, I never find the time to do it.

I really don't buy tech equipment, unless I really need it, I prefer to save money for going out, fuel, travels, etc.

I only buy new tech equipment when the one that I have becomes really obsolete.
And software, mostly old ; the new one that I'm using is all open source, or freeware or some sort of free.

I feel like in heaven .

As i promised, here's my new toy:

MTX RT-X03A 4-way elecronic active crossover
high channel: stereo line-level output with 30Hz-8kHz hi-pass filter
midrange channel: stereo line-level output with 30Hz-8kHz hi-pass and 800Hz-20kHz low-pass filter
center channel: mono line-level output with 100Hz-16kHz hi-pass filter and 800Hz-20kHz low-pass filter with option for individual input
sub channel: selectable stereo or mono line-level output with 30Hz-8kHz low-pass filter and 0-12dB booster at 45Hz

That'll help in getting the best out of that audio equipment.