Flashlights, Wifes and guilty feelings

[DuncanHynes]

I told my wife that I bought the "ultimate" light and it will change color, size, and multiply at will.

HAHA love it...magical light of different shapes

 

[DuncanHynes]

Yeah guys, I had a "problem" with my Fenix L2D Q5, actually a real one. The turbo flickers...sorta fixed it at times but comes back when I need it most! So put the light out on my desk, openly worked on it so she saw it...

Then told her today that I had to order a new light that cost considerably more...A Malkoff MD3 body with a M60 drop in! AND a Pila charger...AND 4 18500 cells...and...teehee

 

[FAM]

My wife and I have separate discretionary budgets and I pay for my lights out of mine. But when I buy a new light I always buy two so when she needs one I can give her one just like the one I'm using. That way hers is always as good as the one I'm using. I've heard the "I always get the hand me down" story too many times. She still looks at me like I'm crazy when a package arrives, but she doesn't complain. Not too much anyways.

Fred

 

[kbohip]

Quite honestly this was posted for a bit of fun! No Im not a ***** and I dont wear panties. But due to a serious back operation that went wrong I am unable to work,(in fact can hardly walk) so my wife brings in the money and there never seems to be enough to pay the bills,so as much as I love flashlights they are not high on the list of things to bye around here.I thought this forum was better than some of the bulls..t some of you have written.

I guess it's true. A woman can't take a joke.

 

[Niteowl]

..........I know a lot of us hide the scope of our obsession from our wives; I did as well. When I came clean there were fireworks, ..........Did I have to slow down on buying lights? Yes - but I was really spending too much anyhow......

Oh yes the fireworks.

Mine came shortly after I fessed up to buying a new AR-15 last year. Managed not to lose any fingers and have since limited buying lights only when I've sold something else. That system has both slowed me down and caused me to choose my next purchase carefully. I was indeed "really spending too much anyhow".

If my PayPal account is empty, so is my PO Box.........

Honestly though, I've got so many lights around, a new one barely registers with my wife. My son, on the other hand, has an eagle eye. "Hey!, you got a new light, can I try it?" Go away kid, your going to get me in trouble......... :laughing:

This is what I did to buy a $6k road racing bicycle...........I started paying once a month....... I had the bike shop owner call the house when I knew my wife would be home and notified her that I had won a BRAND NEW BIKE! All I had to do was go pick it up.

That's great. I should be able to do that with a rifle.........

I guess it's true. A woman can't take a joke.

:shakehead

 

[ANDREAS FERRARI]

Some of the comments towards the OP are rude even by my standards.

Don't let those ret*rds get you down wirehair-I found your story amusing.:twothumbs

birdog-your story was pure genius!!!!!

 

[mvyrmnd]

My wife asked me this very evening how much I'd spent on lights...

My trick has always been to fudge the numbers. She doesn't know
a) what each light actually is
b) where I get them from

So I divide the real expenditure by 3.

She shakes her head, thinking even that's a waste, but the number isn't high enough to cause .

 

[scott2907]

Christmas presents that you haven't got round to wrapping yet. Oh and you need to test them as well...

Anyone that has a wife like yours knows how bad it can be, and how trapped a man can be. I have several friends in the same position and it's not because they aren't "a man" or anything else. Quite the opposite. And I'll +1 on everyone that's said if you add up her clothing and shoes and makeup it wouldn't even come close to the cost of your lights. Its your hobby, your thing, so do it and be proud. If she gives you s*it, walk into her room grab the most expensive looking pair of shoes and ask "and how much were these?" I know my wife's most expensive pair of shoes on their own would by 4 or 5 TK40's. :scowl:

 

[LUPARA]

I've found the replies really amusing and didn't think anything was really nasty. Wirehair; I bet you're having a hard time not working and being able to contribute to the household. The two most problematic things in marriage; hands down are: Money and sex.
Your wife (like most women) needs some security; and like it or not, that happens to be money right now. On the other hand; you do need to have a hobby, so that's good that you've got an interest. It takes a lot of guts to be really upfront with a wife; it would be good if you could communicate and explain your "error" thus far; then go out and buy another flashlight!!! Main thing is; don't get depressed 'cos it sounds to me like your getting close. If you read the stiches on the fast ball; there's already a lot of "man" wisdom being conveyed on this thread. So don't get too damn serious about the flashlight transgressions; worst that can happen is that she'll leave you. Relax and start thinking about the type of work you can do; given the limitations of the back problem. Flashlight dealer!!!! Importer!!!!

 

[amigafan2003]

I have 10 flashlights, she has 30 pairs of shoes.

I'm not guilty in the slightest.

 

[Winx]

I got a SMS from my lady that there's AGAIN a letter from abroad. She opened it and inside was a plastic tube, some string and some metallic circular thing. I think it is a bored C2-HA from bugsy714 packed in a tube . A few days ago I got a C2-HA head, body and a tailcap from ptolemy so I'm in a real trouble now. :green:

In principle a following story about a snowmobile is same as my flashlights. If I have bought something I don't tell about it in advance.

Now to the story:

I was visiting my parents about 8 or 9 years ago. It was winter and I noticed my dad has exchanged his Arctic Cat ZR 440 to a newer EFI model. Only major visual difference was a green belly pan which was black in older model. I went inside and talked to my mom.

- So dad has exchanged his snowmobile?
- What? What you mean? No, he hasn't.
- Yes he has. Didn't you know?

We walked to a window and saw dad was riding the Cat to a trailer.

- No, that is the same snowmobile.
- No it's not. The belly pan is green. The old one had black.
- Damn scoundrel! Perkele! <- pretty well known finnish swear word

Then she went out and started yelling to my dad .

 

[ab1ht]

- No, that is the same snowmobile.
- No it's not. The belly pan is green. The old one had black.
- Damn scoundrel! Perkele! <- pretty well known finnish swear word

Then she went out and started yelling to my dad .

That's just mean. :devil:

In some circles, you would lose your man card for that one... LOL!

 

[DuncanHynes]

I have 10 flashlights, she has 30 pairs of shoes.

I'm not guilty in the slightest.

30 pairs!? I have lost count at 75...I have what, 7 lights!?

 

[nfetterly]

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!

I am GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY. But as I now live 300 miles from home for a good job it's a little easier right now.

I've run into this more than once while selling lights - having PP sent from the person's brother. Or having 1/2 of the PP coming from the buyer, and the other half coming from a friend or brother. Both of the above occurred in the same week.

 

[Roger Sully]

I liken my lights to her Coach purses. She doesn't notice any of the new ones anyway....I did make the mistake however of showing her the SPY007.
If I ever get one I'm gonna have to hide it although this does equate to her Louis Vuitton purses that she snuck in on me!

 

[Ozgeardo]

I used to spend BIG dollars on my cars (6 figure sums over 40 years) but since I have got involved in my outdoors pursuits the "broom jockey" has got use to me spending:
$300-400 on a pair of boots
$500 on a sleeping bag
$1000 on a new back pack and accy's
$200+ on a compass
$200+ on a GPS
$100's on titanium equipment
$100's on multi-tools and knives (total about $1K)
$100's on a Flashlights (total about $1K)
She knows how much my neighbour spends on his 4x4 and caravan ($100K+) it makes my extra curricular activities seem cheap.

It is all relative but if she makes too much noise I just hit her up with the old "I could spend the same amount on booze and hookers" would that be more socially acceptable

 

[moses]

Wirehair,

I normally never make any comments when someone mentions how he pulled one over his wife in terms of purchase. I see such comments in all the different hobbies/interests I have whether it be flashlights, guitars, fountain pens, fishing, cycling, photography etc....you get the idea.

But since you asked, here are my honest thoughts.

First, I am grateful that you brought this topic up for open comments. Appreciate your transparency - truly. I sure understand the struggle. Sometimes, I want stuff in the worst way - I mean, if I'm not careful, I can spend hours shopping for just one item, comparing specs so many times that I can retain them in memory for years. (Check my join date on CPF and know that many flashlights have come and gone - and I remember them all!) It's not really even about the object as it can be a tiny flashlight or a seriously cutting edge laptop. It's really more about the wanting. You know, the anticipation of ordering it....then waiting...then opening the package....then the moment of comparing the new light with all our other lights.... You know the drill. Then, when that object's thrill wears off, well there's always the next object of desire.

For me, this topic, regardless of intended humor or not, carries a lot of weight because the implications extends far far beyond just flashlights. It actually touches on really deep stuff in me. (Below)

Second, I'll say that my wife is worth far more than all the flashlights and all the other physical possessions that I may ever acquire. If she is uncomfortable with a purchase and asks, I'll be straight and talk. If she remains uncomfortable, well, out goes the object. (To be fair, she's a woman of wisdom and grace so I don't remember the last time she got mad at any purchase. But yes, I've put off purchases because she'll be uncomfortable.) The issue of my character and integrity is worth far more than any pleasure a flashlight may provide. Who I am is far more important than what I acquire. And I find that my marriage and parenting is where my character is tested, tempered and proven the most.

So it's not even an issue of what she knows or not. It's what I know.

By the way, I mentioned my wife being a woman of wisdom and grace. Many of her friends have made similar comments. According to her, this has been cultivated because of the many years of a transparent and honoring marriage. She gives me credit which I know I do not deserve. So in the long run, the returns in our relationship far exceeds all the physical objects I could have given up. We've found that character is worth it for us. What's inside is worth more than what is outside.

So what I want for myself is not nearly as important as what 'we' want to be true of our marriage.

Finally, there's the issue of my two precious boys. It's true, I found out, that more is caught (by modeling) than taught (by words) though both are important. I really want my boys to honor the women in their lives. It starts with their mom, my wife. Well, I now see that as I honor my wife, my boys honor their mom. There's a direct causal relationship. (For whatever obscure reasons, my boys respect me as their dad so they want to imitate me - that's a real undeserved privilege too.) And then, I believe that someday, when they marry, this attitude of honor and transparent love will carry over into their marriages. So how I deal with my flashlights is not about just any one flashlight, but has serious implications that may last a lifetime in my sons future. Well, actually not just my sons but also their future wives. And possibly their children....and so it goes.

Who would have 'thunk' that how I decide to purchase a flashlight or not would have such long ranging impact. I sure did not in my early days but in hindsight...am really grateful to see the fruits.

By the way, I really don't think that I'm making too much of my decisions. The problem for me is that often, I make too little of them.
(I fail to see how my current troubles are sometimes results of many teeny tiny decisions made long ago. And long forgotten.)

I figure you have plenty of support the other direction so I hope you would not be offended by my responding honestly to your open question.

This is just ONE person's opinion - mine. We all have one so I thought I'd pitch in.....

Moses

 

[LUPARA]

While we're stroking our flashlights and our cars etc; a woman is always saying to herself, "And he said he loved me". It's just the way it is.
Answer: Simple; make sure you "stroke" yer wife as much as ya stroke yer flashlights; then; everything will be just fine.

You might be a flashaholic if you turn your flashlight on, more than you turn your wife on!! Ha!!

 

[LUPARA]

MOSES!
I concur wholeheartedly; and i'm sure that you'd agree that many posts are made with tongue in cheek.
By the way the quote you have; "Don't ask yourself...." is one of my favourites; it's a really uplifting quote and one that I've never forgotten.

MOSE KNOWS!!

 

[Search]

When she found mine she banned me from the internet and most stores. Keep hiding it! The consequences could be the internet. Luckily I hid that from her.