Originally posted by Canada_Rockies Lucky you! Some of us aren't quite so lucky. Mind you, the budget in our house doesn't result in too much temptation in any event ...
Try not to have luck be a requirement to own the goodies I crave. Not always a budget issue. My business required quite a bit of photo work through the years and IRS audits agreed that I could buy photo gear for the biz (in my prior life I wrote fishing books and hundreds of magazine articles and commonly needed nice illustration images as well as those horrible victory shots of "angler holding fish"). I ain't proud, there's worse work out there! Also did lots of speaking engagements all over U.S. and Canada (more than 450 paid gigs). I made sure to have nice images flashing up there on the screen while I railed on about fishing or boating or even motivational/sport psychology (hunh? 8 years coaching a pre-Olympic wrestling program) so had to have quality photo gear. And gee, all those travel days...maybe ought to stay an extra day or two to shoot photos!
This wasn't a lucrative career, though comfortable, and certainly didn't set me up for a lush retirement. But I've always been a dream chaser and find a way to get by doing it. So wife for over 20 years didn't look over my shoulder...it was part of the business and legitimate! Though I'm glad to be divorced, she was great in that she never squelched my dreams or our son's dreams...best spousal gift ever! Been single for about 5 years so my terrible fiscal policies dictate which killer fishing reels I can find in Japan or what esoteric Pentax star lens I choose to shoot with and whether I'd rather follow a photo subject or try to catch some really fun fish. Note that all the photo gear has held value quite nicely, thank you...so what may have appeared to be a rash and childish expense was actually pretty sane. Wish I'd bought a half-dozen FA*200/4 Macro lenses! They are currently fetching 3-4 times the original new price! (and I am not selling!)
BTW this was not about me, but a cheerleading session...GO DO THE THINGS YOU LIKE DOING! I like Pentax...is that so wrong?