I had a friend (still have the friend, though we don’t have regular access to each other anymore) who liked to “show off” how obscure some of his possessions were, possibly to achieve the “wanderlust effect” (i.e. the reaction of “how did you get these here”). Something about the anticipation that his inventory was alien to whoever he showed.

One day, he was asked to bring games and a console and he brought one of those extremely rare knock-off bootleg gaming consoles they sell in Asia, which we’re not even remotely near.

“What the heck is that” asked my other best friend?

“It’s the Mega Duck. I brought CFGP with me too.”

“Why can’t you be a normal Upstate New Yorker? We literally got Playstation.”

“What fun is that?”

It wasn’t some small quirk either. One day he took a long walk and came across a part of the area nobody had been to in decades and took pictures with my camera which he happened to have. Also having hyperthymesia, he came back and was all like “I took these photos of a place that seems like it was out of a fantasy painting and also recognized someone there who was on the missing persons list when I came back”. Like a boss.

In contrast, alas, ever since moving, my possessions have become overwhelmingly mundane enough you’d expect most of it to be in an 18th century post-colonial American home, the exception (if you could call her that), ironically, being my dog who is of a rare breed.

What’s the most wanderlusty thing you own, something that would be the absolute opposite of mundane if in your possession?

    • @Professorozone
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      315 hours ago

      I MADE a clock with nixie tubes. I gave it a friend who is notoriously difficult to buy for. It was the only thing I’d ever heard him express an interest in that I knew he wouldn’t buy for himself. We both talked about how cool it was.

      Now it sits on his entertainment center and every time I visit, I’m envious that I don’t have one. How stupid is that? I have to get around to building one for myself.

      • @200ok
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        212 hours ago

        Oh wow, how are they built? I want to make one!

    • @200ok
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      215 hours ago

      So cool! Did it come as a kit or already assembled? I want one!

      • originalucifer
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        fedilink
        213 hours ago

        it was already put together…but i do need to replace one tube. after 20 years of constant use a few filaments have burned out in one of the tubes

        • @200ok
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          112 hours ago

          Ooooh! Are they difficult to repair? That’s an incredible lifespan

          • originalucifer
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            fedilink
            111 hours ago

            its just a soldered on tube (with ~13 pins) , so im not expecting it to be terribly difficult

      • @Professorozone
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        215 hours ago

        They’re actually reasonably priced on AliExpress.

      • originalucifer
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        fedilink
        113 hours ago

        i got it as a gift from my brother ~20 years ago. im sure he bought it online somewhere