I went shopping today to replace a few things at home that were either obsolete, broken, or lost. Today I picked up a Brother MFC-7860DW 5-in-1 (fax, copy, scan, print, wireless) to replace the old Epson 3-in-1 that hasn’t had ink in it for a year or so. I got a pair of Phonak Audéo PFE 112s (in-ear-monitors) to replace my old Shures that were starting to crackle in the left earpiece. The last thing I picked up today was a Nikon D5100 to replace the D60 I lost in Winnipeg after Conference.

In the last year I’ve picked up the philosophy of buying quality and buying less. I realise that comes at an added expense but my argument has always been thus: I would rather spend, say, $150-200 for a pair of excellent earphones once every three to four years than spending $50 every year on something that will likely give out sooner than later. I’ve applied that to my wardrobe as well as my electronics. While it may sting my wallet initially, the savings add up when I’m not constantly buying new things every few seasons (wardrobe) or years (electronics). That isn’t to say these goods are indestructible—they’re not—but care is something that should be extended to possessions regardless of cost. As anti-cutting edge as it seems, I want to have the same set-up (more or less) when I graduate from university as what I have now. If that holds true then I think I’ll have proved the benefits of my ideals.

(September 17 for August 17, 2012)