Girlfriends and wifes, how do YOU cope?

I always tell the truth and either get an approval or not. I did however tell my wife that "our" Bel Canto DAC was a computer for the stereo (which it really is, but this does somehow "glorify" it a bit). To this day she introduces new visitors, to our home, (who are interested in the rig) to "the computer" for our stereo. Fifteen year olds are very impressed with this "line". I (we) are in a no spend mode right now, but I just purchased $100 worth of tubes today (which we can barely afford) and all that I did was ask. As a thank you for my wife's approval, I stopped by a thrift shop on the way back from the post office and picked her up a little gift for a dollar, which is a Princess Diana "Mix 'N' Match, Magnetic Dress Up Fun Kit", still in the shrink wrap. She loves Princess Diana stuff. The other agreement that we have made is that I have to sell other stuff (I have a lot of stuff) to offset the expense of the Hi-fi system. So far, including the $100 today, I am only in the hole $200 on over $6K of expenditures in the past year and I have kept up my part of this bargain. With the exception of my blood pressure readings, I have never lied to my wife.

David99: Very funny and I had forgotten about the old laundromat ploy. Just make sure that you throw all the clothes (light and dark) in together on cold wash. This will get their attention more than anything else. I also used to wear a brown cartegan sweater with the buttons sewn on poorly with light blue thread (this worked like a charm as well).

Yes, David it's a bit warm now so maybe save the Chick Magnet sweater for later on in the year. I met a great girl friend when I was in school wearing that sweater. When she was gone (moved back the CA), I put the buttons back on with the same spool of lame light blue thread and then immediately met another love of my life. However I married the woman who told my to loose the sweater, period, because it made me look stupid. Now if I need a button sewn on I ask the 65 year old seamstress at the cleaners to do it.

Not a problem, not to worry: I sold my old "button" sweater to Arnie, but now that he has lost a lot of weight and has started working out, he no longer requires its use. Maybe it (the sweater) and its use would chill out that Brian character. As far as the sweater goes, it all depends on whether you are seeking the maternal "GQ" type or not.

PS: David, having privately discussed a few minor matters with the Audiogon staff, on occasion, they really are normal people (just like the rest of us) with a sense of humor. They are just not allowed to kick back as the rest of us, on a regular basis, as this is their place of business, which is understandable. What I mean is that if you offer yourself up, on the chopping block, as a willing successor to Alessandro Moreschi (who in their right mind would not follow through on this offer:-), but otherwise, as I have said in the other threads, I do not find the new forum guidelines to be restrictive, at all (just in good taste), even more so than this post.

My wife has started using the system more, when I am out (which is a good thing). I think that she was afraid of the tube amp in the beginning, but I told her that if anything goes wrong, we will just have it repaired, just like anything else. The only instructions that she has are to give it 15 minutes to warm up and in the event that sound stops coming from one of the speakers, to then shut off the source (on occasion one of our cats has clipped one of the speaker cables). She has even started to use the special CD mat that I made up with the Peter Belt Rainbow Foil as she likes what it does to the sound. I don't know if is more fun to share or if sharing helps to diminish some of the guilt for all of the money that I have spent, but either way I am glad that she enjoys it. I also get a kick out of my godson visiting and doing an antler dance in front of his friends when operating the system.

What a shame. I assume that at 14 years old he was at his prime hearing age.

Yes, Thank you for the insight Margrit. You have done well Jay, yet another instance of opposites attracting.