Update October 31, 2016: I was listening to the radio the other day and someone said “You can’t buy anticipation” and it reminded me of this post.
April 26, 2013: A popular song would have you think that anticipation is the most difficult aspect of any soon to be fulfilled desire. It is to some, but to me it’s usually the best part, because the thing anticipated, lets say a recently purchased Alfa 1900C that’s currently in a trailer headed across the country, the thing anticipated once physically in the hand will never be as good as it is imagined in the hand. Why? That asymptotic creep toward ennui begins the moment the item occupies my precious garage space.
How’d you like to have this car headed your way in the back of a transporter? Similar color to Market 477’s Alfa Spider.
Asymptotic creep? You know… you never actually come to loath it, but you become more and more indifferent to its presence in your garage. Why? It’s not the next thing. Believe it or not, the most powerful force$ in the world have been conspiring to make me indifferent to the stuff I already have so I’ll go out and get some new stuff –even better if it’s the stuff they sell. If I was talking about getting tired of new-ish stuff, these forces would have me in their show room ready to give up my perfectly-good-but-can’t-stand-the-sight-of used car so they can sell it for me at a profit/as a favor, after they get me on the 60 month 3% drip (again) and so the asymptotic creep begins again. I am simultaneously three revenue sources lucky me!
Since this is about vintage stuff though, I’m feeling the itches of a phantom limb. The boredom can’t help but be felt, they’ve been training me to cultivate it since birth –the peddlers of toothpaste, breakfast cereal and ‘things I should ask my doctor about’, but they don’t have an outlet for me, nothing for me to purchase, so I’m left to my own devices to find the next thing I’ll get tired of. So it goes.
But wait you say, the divorce rate isn’t that high –isn’t it possible the romance will last through the winter? I never said it wont for some –I know guys who have owned the same 1960’s motorcycles since new, guys who know exactly what they want and wait and scheme to get it then hang on forever.  Different strokes for different folks the saying goes.
I suppose I could do both things –there’s no law against vehicular polygamy –I’ve had my Sprint for 13 years now despite a few threats to sell over the years, but there’s not much excitement to be had thinking about my dusty Sprint sitting next to my lawn mower, but that Austin Healey 100 4 ending on eBay in a few hours, that I can pay for and have on the back of a truck by tomorrow is sure exciting to ponder.
What about you all, anyone here susceptible to the excitement of the next purchase like me?