Beyond the basics of food, shelter, friendship and some kind of pride in one's self there is at least a tiny little to be said for materialism, as long as the materialism doesn't go to the forefront. And so then I must admit I still really get a bit of happiness out of this house. And the belongings we're accumulating.

Recently I got a:
-Wii, the two games are awful but we connected to the wireless internet and we're quickly watching netflix movies on the 55inch TV which, considering it was a christmas present, makes it unusually useful. ...I had forgotten how insane the beginning of The Toxic Avenger is, or that was a director's cut I hadn't previously seen.
-12 foot tall christmas tree with 1500 lights for only 100 dollars. Awesome!
-Kindle. (190+60 for carrying case/nightlight) I have a paper library of over a 1000 books, which is really nice. But actually the kindle is a superior reading experience imo. I can get books immediately. I keep my place better as it only shows an area perhaps roughly 1/6th the equivalent of the two pages a book will be open to. It's easier to hold and with the little carrying case, the light makes it so absolutely superior. Then of course the tons of free books. All the older classics. And I can download them anywhere. Was in the car on the highway in the dark. With the nightlight could see to read, and downloaded some stuff for free, etc. Just whatever my whim is at any given moment. Wonderful. Bye bye paper books. :(
-exercise bike. Finally! I've wanted a decent one for at least a decade. And I got a perfect one. It doesn't tell me the tension. It doesn't keep track of speed or distance. In fact completely unelectronic and it's exactly what I want though. Very durable and I can flip it on it's front and work my arms. I had been looking for such a thing and they looked to cost thousands while this works perfect. The type of resistance is perfect. (Some inertia.... hard to explain, up to heavier than my bodyweight.) And just 300 dollars. Perfect.

Next on my materialistic list...

I want to have one big building project each year I think. This first year it was the pond, which looks to be doing pretty good through the winter. Not sure though if the UV filter light is really a good idea though. (Kills the good stuff along with the algae.)
This year it's going to be a garden I guess. And with regards to that, the first important thing is making it so that I won't constantly be worrying about the deer eating everything. So then a fence? Or perhaps a large greenhouse? The latter because I think ultimately that would be very nice. I really like areas that blend inside with outside... But it's been decided that to start with, I'll just try a fence. Perhaps something very cheap and crude. Just some stakes and wire. Then blueberry bushes. Prefer low maintenance stuff. And I'm not sure what all else...

Anyway then, materialism:
1. Garden/garden fence
2. 12 CD changer (I prefer CDs and I'm lacking music in this house lately, will look online for one as I hear this technology is considered outdated.)
3. ping pong table (saw one for 129 dollars but it wouldn't fit in my car. :()
4. The big house project of 2012 may be remodeling an upstairs bathroom, moving it out into the very large side attic. And making it so I have a bathtube/(maybe a jaccuzi) I can actually fit in to.
5. Combined with 4, one or two sky lights. One in the attic/remodeled bathroom and possibly one letting more light in downstairs.
6. An extra freezer. Definitely have to push my wife on this one. I hate going to the store so often. It really sucks up time.