My latest regret is burning my finger with my soldering iron. Did that tonight. :banghead:
My latest regret is burning my finger with my soldering iron. Did that tonight. :banghead:
Welcome to the club. I burned my hand pretty badly late last year when I just outright grabbed the hot iron. I'm still not sure what was going through mind at the time other than:
Welcome to the club. I burned my hand pretty badly late last year when I just outright grabbed the hot iron. I'm still not sure what was going through mind at the time other than:
Biggest single regret is not having made it 10 years ago.+1
Actually, (and seriously the only one i can think of): Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam. Its comfy, but i know it could be way better. especially for those extended play sessions. I've got another stool for my new build, so i have a chance to do better this time.
The only regret I think I would have had, I rectified it. On my first project, I built a 36 inch wide frankenpanel so I could play all 50,000 games in MAME and all those console emulators. I quickly realized that I thought it looked like ass (a frankenpanel, not the woodwork- I was actually quite chuffed with the actual box) and that it was better to play a subset of games the right way as opposed to everything sorta half-assed. Best decision I ever made.This! [Except for the looking like ass part - Cheers Yotsuya! LOL! (j/k)]. When I first started I wanted to make sure it played EVERY game in Mame. So I planned a 4-player panel. Truth be told it RARELY gets used. I've since built other arcade machines with simpler controls and I've never turned back! They get played WAY more than the Frankenpanel, to the point that I'm planning to eventually downsize it to a 2 player panel.
The only regret I think I would have had, I rectified it. On my first project, I built a 36 inch wide frankenpanel so I could play all 50,000 games in MAME and all those console emulators. I quickly realized that I thought it looked like ass (a frankenpanel, not the woodwork- I was actually quite chuffed with the actual box) and that it was better to play a subset of games the right way as opposed to everything sorta half-assed. Best decision I ever made.This! [Except for the looking like ass part - Cheers Yotsuya! LOL! (j/k)]. When I first started I wanted to make sure it played EVERY game in Mame. So I planned a 4-player panel. Truth be told it RARELY gets used. I've since built other arcade machines with simpler controls and I've never turned back! They get played WAY more than the Frankenpanel, to the point that I'm planning to eventually downsize it to a 2 player panel.
Simpler is better! Good luck!
Edit: Also, make sure the computer is the last thing that you buy when building:
A) It will be cheaper as time passes while you build your machine
B) You will get a lot more accomplished since you won't be playing it while it's "half-done"
DeLuSioNaL29
I think the term frankenpanel is thrown out there too quickly in these parts, sometimes for people who want ANYTHING more than a two player trackball panel.
There's nothing wrong with having an analog joystick, trackball, & spinner on your CP.
Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam.
Actually, (and seriously the only one i can think of): Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam. Its comfy, but i know it could be way better. especially for those extended play sessions. I've got another stool for my new build, so i have a chance to do better this time.
Your ass will eventually soften up and constipate over time. :cheers:
I think the term frankenpanel is thrown out there too quickly in these parts, sometimes for people who want ANYTHING more than a two player trackball panel.
What I am constantly thinking about while in progress on a cabinet is being patient enough to finish things the best I possibly can.
Marrying PBJ.
OMG, ewwwww, GROSS!!!Marrying PBJ.
C'mon, he's not that bad...
That reminds me, where the hell is PBJ? Did the moldy meat and bootleg hooch finally do him in?
Actually, (and seriously the only one i can think of): Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam. Its comfy, but i know it could be way better. especially for those extended play sessions. I've got another stool for my new build, so i have a chance to do better this time.
Your ass will eventually soften up and constipate over time. :cheers:
Actually, (and seriously the only one i can think of): Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam. Its comfy, but i know it could be way better. especially for those extended play sessions. I've got another stool for my new build, so i have a chance to do better this time.
Your ass will eventually soften up and constipate over time. :cheers:
Both of you, stop thinking about ---my bottom---.
(http://)That reminds me, where the hell is PBJ? Did the moldy meat and bootleg hooch finally do him in?
He's on a honeymoon with Jennifer.
Actually, (and seriously the only one i can think of): Not replacing the foam in the matching stool with memory foam. Its comfy, but i know it could be way better. especially for those extended play sessions. I've got another stool for my new build, so i have a chance to do better this time.
Your ass will eventually soften up and constipate over time. :cheers:
Both of you, stop thinking about ---my bottom---.
I feel violated. :hissy: :laugh2:I think the term frankenpanel is thrown out there too quickly in these parts, sometimes for people who want ANYTHING more than a two player trackball panel.
There's nothing wrong with having an analog joystick, trackball, & spinner on your CP.
To me, a 2 player panel with a trackball is a frankenpanel :)
I think the completely negative stigma that goes with the term "frankenpanel" is undeserved. There are classy eloquent "multi-control" solutions, everything from rotating panels, to proper placement. I have my 4 player panel, and when I get the scratch to spare I'll be throwing a GGG Turbo Twist spinner on it (with a hockey puck shaped top) to play some Arkanoid.
When people hear frankenpanel they think:
(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=59359.0;attach=198226;image)
(no offense mytymaus007)
and
(http://i42.tinypic.com/23szpt0.jpg)
(no offense zallax)
Curved button layouts ::) and thinking everything build needed 6 buttons per player. It frelt good to kill those things.
Curved button layouts ::) and thinking everything build needed 6 buttons per player. It felt good to kill those things.
And yes Yots' whiter then the whitest white. With red hair.
:dizzy: how many ---smurfing--- spinners does that thing have?!?
And yes Yots' whiter then the whitest white. With red hair.
(Enjoy that mental image)
How much $$ is in that control panel?
| Item | Qty | Each | Total |
| Wood (Lowes) | 1 | $20 | $20 |
| Control Panel overlay | 1 | $35 | $35 |
| T-Molding - cool blue (GGG) | 1 | $3 | $3 |
| Servo Stik (Ultimarc) | 2 | $39 | $78 |
| Servo Stik control board (Ultimarc) | 1 | $29 | $29 |
| LS-30 Rotary Joystick (E-Bay) | 2 | $40 | $80 |
| Flight Stick (Happ) | 1 | $131 | $131 |
| Replacement Tron Handle (GGG) | 1 | $25 | $25 |
| UltraStik 360 (Ultimarc) | 1 | $59 | $59 |
| 8-way competition Joystick | 2 | $15 | $30 |
| Ms Pac-man/ Galaga 4-way (TT) | 1 | $20 | $20 |
| 3" Trackball Translucent (HAPP) | 1 | $130 | $130 |
| 3" Trackball Mounting Plate (HAPP) | 1 | $16 | $16 |
| TurboTwist Hi-Low (GGG) | 1 | $130 | $130 |
| TurboTwist 2 (GGG) | 2 | $70 | $140 |
| Blue Dome Knob (GGG) | 2 | $10 | $20 |
| Energy Storage Cylinder (GGG) | 2 | $6 | $12 |
| 6" Mini Racer Steering Wheel | 2 | $35 | $70 |
| IL Concave Buttons - black player (Paradise) | 4 | $3.25 | $13 |
| IL Concave Buttons - black (Paradise) | 9 | $2 | $18 |
| IL Concave Buttons - blue (Paradise) | 34 | $2 | $68 |
| Versa-Micro switches (GGG) | 34 | $2.5 | $85 |
| I-Pac 4 (Ultimarc) | 1 | $65 | $65 |
| U-HID (Ultimarc) | 1 | $79 | $79 |
| GP-Wiz40 Max with Rotary (GGG) | 1 | $38 | $38 |
| Wiring/Connectors | $40 | ||
| Total | $1434 |
:dizzy: how many ---smurfing--- spinners does that thing have?!?
And yes Yots' whiter then the whitest white. With red hair.
(Enjoy that mental image)
How much $$ is in that control panel?
As it currently is, it is about $1400, minus shipping costs for items as well as hardware like screws, bolts, nuts, etc. There is also another $250 that was spent on parts that are no longer in use. For instance, I used to have a Blackhawk Push/Pull spinner in a previous version of the panel that I could not fit into the new one because of sloped top. The panel also used to have two UltraStik 360's. I replaced those with ServoStik's but I did disassemble one of UltraStik 360 for the flight stick mod. I had also tried numerous encoders for the LS-30 rotaries, the GP40 Max was the only one that worked consistently.
Control Panel price breakdown
Item Qty Each Total Wood (Lowes) 1 $20 $20 Control Panel overlay 1 $35 $35 T-Molding - cool blue (GGG) 1 $3 $3 Servo Stik (Ultimarc) 2 $39 $78 Servo Stik control board (Ultimarc) 1 $29 $29 LS-30 Rotary Joystick (E-Bay) 2 $40 $80 Flight Stick (Happ) 1 $131 $131 Replacement Tron Handle (GGG) 1 $25 $25 UltraStik 360 (Ultimarc) 1 $59 $59 8-way competition Joystick 2 $15 $30 Ms Pac-man/ Galaga 4-way (TT) 1 $20 $20 3" Trackball Translucent (HAPP) 1 $130 $130 3" Trackball Mounting Plate (HAPP) 1 $16 $16 TurboTwist Hi-Low (GGG) 1 $130 $130 TurboTwist 2 (GGG) 2 $70 $140 Blue Dome Knob (GGG) 2 $10 $20 Energy Storage Cylinder (GGG) 2 $6 $12 6" Mini Racer Steering Wheel 2 $35 $70 IL Concave Buttons - black player (Paradise) 4 $3.25 $13 IL Concave Buttons - black (Paradise) 9 $2 $18 IL Concave Buttons - blue (Paradise) 34 $2 $68 Versa-Micro switches (GGG) 34 $2.5 $85 I-Pac 4 (Ultimarc) 1 $65 $65 U-HID (Ultimarc) 1 $79 $79 GP-Wiz40 Max with Rotary (GGG) 1 $38 $38 Wiring/Connectors $40 Total $1434
pshhh.. Add rgb illuminated buttons and that cost will jump another $400+:dizzy: how many ---smurfing--- spinners does that thing have?!?
And yes Yots' whiter then the whitest white. With red hair.
(Enjoy that mental image)
How much $$ is in that control panel?
As it currently is, it is about $1400, minus shipping costs for items as well as hardware like screws, bolts, nuts, etc. There is also another $250 that was spent on parts that are no longer in use. For instance, I used to have a Blackhawk Push/Pull spinner in a previous version of the panel that I could not fit into the new one because of sloped top. The panel also used to have two UltraStik 360's. I replaced those with ServoStik's but I did disassemble one of UltraStik 360 for the flight stick mod. I had also tried numerous encoders for the LS-30 rotaries, the GP40 Max was the only one that worked consistently.
Control Panel price breakdown
Total $1434
Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnn...... I have like three full restores that didn't even run that much combined. :cheers:
pshhh.. Add rgb illuminated buttons and that cost will jump another $400+
pshhh.. Add rgb illuminated buttons and that cost will jump another $400+
Really? Teach me how to buy an ipac ultimate, 34 translucent buttons with RGB LED's, and a licensed copy of LED Blinky for less than $390 (before shipping) (More actually since you can only do 33 RGB buttons on a UIO). Sure, you could go Randy's less expensive buttons for $2 less per button, but you need over 100 channels of outputs and the UIO doesn't work with his LED's (unless you want to burn them out after a few months), and to do that you would need 3 LED-Wiz's at $44 each so it about evens out to the same money. I suppose if you really wanted to you could build your own controller with a few arduinos, program it all yourself, then get a hold of raw RGB LED's and custom make your buttons, but the extra 20-50 hours technically isn't free either (my time is worth at least $10 per hour to me, even if all I am doing is sleeping). So since you know "what the hell you are doing", how do you do 34 full RGB buttons on a CP and make them change with each game to the right colors for less than $400?
pshhh.. Add rgb illuminated buttons and that cost will jump another $400+
...only if you don't know what the hell you're doing.
Yeah, LEDs are cool, but not 4 bills cool.This is true.. But some of us are dumb enough to go "OOHHH, Shiny!" and then push "buy".. :dunno
Yeah. I'm interested too in how you got up past $400 for LED buttons....Like I want a price breakdown. Unless you wired them wrong and you had to reorder.
I'm tired of hearing how people insist their time is worth something to themselves. What a ---smurfing--- joke.
Do you charge yourself to take a shower? ---fudgesicle--- no. Then why the hell are you charging yourself to build something for yourself?
If you don't want to spend a boatload on RGB LEDs, then spend the time to save some money. Don't have the time? Then be prepared to spend the money to save some time.
I think my running tab for sketchup is getting near the $100K range.
(P.S. I only went the basic 4 player with trackball and spinner, no other controls and still had around $1250 into my cp with full RGB. By the time I added aimtrak's, bought pedals that I never put on (and an apac for the pedals) and completed the rest of the cab, I totaled in at $3k)
:o X 10
$3K That's more than every arcade project I've ever built.
The only reason I feel it would ever be worthwhile is to show what buttons are active in a specific game
Once you go flat, you never go back.
Once you go flat, you never go back.
The weirdo exception proves the rule
Total $1434 <--- that is ---smurfing--- stupid high.
The life of a Griff-Richer .... :dunno
Enjoy. :cheers:
Edit: how much do you have in the whole cabinet? If you don't mind my asking.
Anyone who thinks your time doesn't have an equitable value in money is fooling themselves. Money is just a conversion of time anyway. Everyone here exchanges their time for money every day.
What mattered was the smile on my kids' faces when they played.
Not that it should matter to anyone else but, I lost track of the total $ amount of Flynn's after the $4500 mark. I think all said and done its around $5000CAN (including shipping and unused parts). I could give a ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- how much the value of my time was because it was a labor of love and education. I chose to go all out and make it to my standards because I could and it matched my vision that I outlined from the start. It taught me a TON too, and the value of showing people what I'm now capable of making from the ground up can't be quantified.
Now I'm trying the "Restore and old cab" idea, and I went from LCD to arcade monitor, each have their own place.
This conversation has really become entirely subjective.
Now I'm trying the "Restore and old cab" idea, and I went from LCD to arcade monitor, each have their own place.
[/quote ]
Ultimately, I found this aspect of the hobby more rewarding.QuoteThis conversation has really become entirely subjective.
Aren't they all?
Now I'm trying the "Restore and old cab" idea, and I went from LCD to arcade monitor, each have their own place.
[/quote ]
Ultimately, I found this aspect of the hobby more rewarding.QuoteThis conversation has really become entirely subjective.
Aren't they all?
But your time only converts to money when you're doing work for someone else. You can't pay yourself for your time, thus you CANNOT put a dollar figure on your time spent on one of these projects. Because if you paid yourself out of one pocket, it's just going right into the other pocket, so your gain/loss=0.Semantics.. You are talking about what you ARE doing with your time and I am talking about what you COULD be doing with your time. You COULD be working a second job. Not trading your time for money is the same as wasting money. In both cases, you don't have the money you could have had. But it is semantics, you view it as already not making the money, so you might as well do something you like to do. I view it as losing out on money you could have had but instead you chose to do something that didn't make money. Both of us think that time is worth something, you just choose not to equate that to real money that is being lost.
Once you go flat, you never go back.
Not true. My first build was with an LCD. Every full-size build since has been a computer CRT. I wouldn't do it differently.
Once you go flat, you never go back.
Not true. My first build was with an LCD. Every full-size build since has been a computer CRT. I wouldn't do it differently.
Every fullsize build I've ever done has been CRT. I've only used LED on my minis and that weecade thing I built one.
Viewing angles on an LCD are only bad if you buy the wrong type of LCD.
Scanline generators make up for a lot of the classic CRT effect, depending on what your level of acceptability is for getting it close enough to the oldskool thing.
Now I'm trying the "Restore and old cab" idea, and I went from LCD to arcade monitor, each have their own place.
[/quote ]
Ultimately, I found this aspect of the hobby more rewarding.QuoteThis conversation has really become entirely subjective.
Aren't they all?
Oh dude. Seriously that $200 i spent on my cocktail a couple weeks ago equally compares to my FLYNN's investment. But for whole different reasons. My eyes are increasingly being opened as to why so many subjective viewpoints are made in threads on this forum. This is why i chose to change my DKU project from a "Lets build a cab" to "lets restore and retrofit an old cab".
Look, i'm 30. Most of these games are older than me, but i've found a crazy respect and admiration for all of them that i've played (yes, even BurgerTime, ...stupid pickles!). I'd consider myself pretty damn good at anything with the Halo trademark. But man, Donkey Kong continues to mop the red scaffolding with ---my bottom---. And i still keep coming back for more. The games are equal parts hard, and fun. And most of them don't have some crazy abrupt cliffhanger ending that makes you want more from the eventual sequel or downloadable episodic content that you need to shell out another $60 for. Just a kill screen i'll probably never see outside of a youtube video, or a High Score of my own i'll be forever trying to best. Isn't this in part what this is all about, and one of the true meanings of this?
This all makes me want to write a thread on my experiences over the last year and change. For other newbies coming into the hobby. Something about joysticks, large frankenpanels, the difference between rolling your own wires or buying a pre-made harness, etc. (again, my experience. Totally subjective.) I figure my Flynn's build has helped a few people, why not see if i can expand on that?
I started a notebook that kept track of my hobby expenses.... Last updated circa 2005.lol, after my "summer of arcade" I had to get a new card, I melted the old one.
:lol
It's just money, quit counting it.
All said and done, I'd bet I've got a grand in turtle box and it's not in the same league as many builds around here. Just close your eyes and slide that card until it burns.
Viewing angles on an LCD are only bad if you buy the wrong type of LCD.
Scanline generators make up for a lot of the classic CRT effect, depending on what your level of acceptability is for getting it close enough to the oldskool thing.
Really? that's very interesting, I ignorantly figured that ALL LCD's had crappy viewing angles. Good to know.
But your time only converts to money when you're doing work for someone else. You can't pay yourself for your time, thus you CANNOT put a dollar figure on your time spent on one of these projects. Because if you paid yourself out of one pocket, it's just going right into the other pocket, so your gain/loss=0.Semantics.. You are talking about what you ARE doing with your time and I am talking about what you COULD be doing with your time. You COULD be working a second job. Not trading your time for money is the same as wasting money. In both cases, you don't have the money you could have had. But it is semantics, you view it as already not making the money, so you might as well do something you like to do. I view it as losing out on money you could have had but instead you chose to do something that didn't make money. Both of us think that time is worth something, you just choose not to equate that to real money that is being lost.
So relate it to something that has more value to you, like your kids. If you have the choice of spending time building an LED controller you don't want to build, or spending a few extra dollars to buy one so you can spend that time with your kids instead, which would you prefer to do? Either way you answer you are comparing the value of money to the value of your time..
Not going with the coin door from recroommasters and opting for the cabinet door and coin door sticker...so I ordered the replacement panel and coin door and just took apart the whole thing! Plus I'm not even done configuring...I keep adding more games and still find missing video snaps. I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I am disappointed the bezel I ordered doesn't hide the bottom of the monitor because you can look down behind it. I suppose I should have put black electrical tape over the monitor logo.
I'd say the majority of people spend too much on their first cab, but it ends up being a good learning experience and you'll probably have a lot of parts you can re-use on the next build.
Not going with the coin door from recroommasters and opting for the cabinet door and coin door sticker...so I ordered the replacement panel and coin door and just took apart the whole thing! Plus I'm not even done configuring...I keep adding more games and still find missing video snaps. I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I am disappointed the bezel I ordered doesn't hide the bottom of the monitor because you can look down behind it. I suppose I should have put black electrical tape over the monitor logo.
You didn't like the coin door sticker?
Maybe the problem is I can't fathom having 32 buttons on a control panel that would need to be lit three different ways anyway.... >:D
...mine's a cocktail table with three CPs. Mine's not a giant frankenpanel!
I'd say the majority of people spend too much on their first cab, but it ends up being a good learning experience and you'll probably have a lot of parts you can re-use on the next build.
Yeah my first MAME cab was a disaster and I spent way too much money on it due to lack of patience and being ignorant of what a "normal price" was. I bought a gutted beat to death cab with a dead monitor for like $400 (this was like 17 years ago) , then bought a brand new TV for it, and a ton of other junk, like that ever so sexy white marble contact paper. Seriously, my first cab was bonafide CrapMAME material.
...mine's a cocktail table with three CPs. Mine's not a giant frankenpanel!
I'm not hating. More than two CPs on a cocktail is a frankenpanel. You've glugged together additional controls to expand the unit's capability beyond original design. You, my fine feathered friend, are the proud owner of a frankencab.
Maybe the problem is I can't fathom having 32 buttons on a control panel that would need to be lit three different ways anyway.... >:D
Well, to be fair, mine's a cocktail table with three CPs, so they're spread out. Mine's not a giant frankenpanel!
The light up buttons are nice on mine for two reasons -- its in my home theater, which is light controlled and tends to be dim so the illumination is nice, and its pretty neat how LEDBlinky knows what the original cab's button colors were and matches them for most games. Could single color LEDs have worked? Sure. It wouldn't have looked as nice, though.
...mine's a cocktail table with three CPs. Mine's not a giant frankenpanel!
I'm not hating. More than two CPs on a cocktail is a frankenpanel. You've glugged together additional controls to expand the unit's capability beyond original design. You, my fine feathered friend, are the proud owner of a frankencab.
I guess we can all have a different idea on what time=money thing means to each of individually. We are are different ages, different experiences, different stages of life. For me the experience of my wife going through her illness and her ultimate death because of it almost 8 years ago now (damn time flies) made me realize that time is the most valuable commodity; you only have so much, and can't buy or earn any more of it. Money is an unfortunate necessity for most of us. For me this translates into making sure I enjoy what I am doing, yes I am qualified and have worked jobs that pay a lot more than what I am doing now, but honestly I didn't really enjoy them, and the money didn't make me any happier, just had more crap. I now really enjoy what I do, have cut back on what I "need", and spend the extra time my job allows me to have to do the things I enjoy doing, spending time with family and friends, relaxing doing nothing but enjoying a good beer and the sun on the mountains, and for me my favorite hobby.. making things, some of them cost a lot of money, some of them are virtually free. As long as you are happy the other crap will take care of itself.
Yeah my first MAME cab was a disaster and I spent way too much money on it due to lack of patience and being ignorant of what a "normal price" was. I bought a gutted beat to death cab with a dead monitor for like $400 (this was like 17 years ago) , then bought a brand new TV for it, and a ton of other junk, like that ever so sexy white marble contact paper. Seriously, my first cab was bonafide CrapMAME material.
Man, I farted one out 10 years ago that should have been on CrapMAME. Decased 19" TV from a dumpster, cocktail glass from a picture frame, the composite -> coaxial conversion was handled by an early 80s toggle switch VCR that was enormous and filled the bottom of the refrigerator sized cabinet.
Thing played Donkey Kong pretty legit, though.
Viewing angles on an LCD are only bad if you buy the wrong type of LCD.
Scanline generators make up for a lot of the classic CRT effect, depending on what your level of acceptability is for getting it close enough to the oldskool thing.
Really? that's very interesting, I ignorantly figured that ALL LCD's had crappy viewing angles. Good to know.
This is the best 4:3 your money can buy:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-SyncMaster-213T-21-3-LCD-Monitor-/251811476604?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa122347c (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Samsung-SyncMaster-213T-21-3-LCD-Monitor-/251811476604?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa122347c)
21.3" big, 4:3, and great viewing angles. You can get a good price on one if you are patient.
I think I paid 75 shipped a few years ago. Anywhere from $50-$100 shipped would be a good deal. It's a great monitor.
And look at the cost of that wisdom. There sure isn't any free lunch.I guess we can all have a different idea on what time=money thing means to each of individually. We are are different ages, different experiences, different stages of life. For me the experience of my wife going through her illness and her ultimate death because of it almost 8 years ago now (damn time flies) made me realize that time is the most valuable commodity; you only have so much, and can't buy or earn any more of it. Money is an unfortunate necessity for most of us. For me this translates into making sure I enjoy what I am doing, yes I am qualified and have worked jobs that pay a lot more than what I am doing now, but honestly I didn't really enjoy them, and the money didn't make me any happier, just had more crap. I now really enjoy what I do, have cut back on what I "need", and spend the extra time my job allows me to have to do the things I enjoy doing, spending time with family and friends, relaxing doing nothing but enjoying a good beer and the sun on the mountains, and for me my favorite hobby.. making things, some of them cost a lot of money, some of them are virtually free. As long as you are happy the other crap will take care of itself.
Excellent post, now THAT is wisdom.
You COULD be. But you're not. Just like I COULD be banging a super model right now. But I prefer to not live in a fantasy. When I was married and had stepchildren (none of my own), I would rather save money to provide for the kids than drop $400+ on LEDs.