larry oneill Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 jimswinder wrote: lightzilla wrote: My wife wants me to take the Dune buggy out of the garage and put it else where, "like in some deep lake".Hey...just more room for Christmas stuff!!!thats what i thought the wife said lets turn one side of the garage into a room good idea i can set up my computer and lights so i thought now its her!!! workout room Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry oneill Posted May 27, 2010 Share Posted May 27, 2010 larry oneill wrote: jimswinder wrote: lightzilla wrote: My wife wants me to take the Dune buggy out of the garage and put it else where, "like in some deep lake".Hey...just more room for Christmas stuff!!!thats what i thought the wife said lets turn one side of the garage into a room good idea i can set up my computer and lights so i thought now its her!!! workout roombut at least she went with me on after christmas sells and kept saying wouldnt that look nice in the yard so i got what i wanted also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidPeterson Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 I've been lucky. My biggest "problem" is that every year she wants more elements, which involves at least one more controller. Last year she had a neighbor that was an out of work electrician install some new circuits and outdoor outlets. Now it's LEDs and some stars she bought from Darryl at Christmaslightshow.com.She even has done some programming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Ivey Posted June 2, 2010 Share Posted June 2, 2010 I never use our payday money to buy components. I find money somewhere. I sell stuff on ebay, usually get a bonus check in the summer for unused sick days, things of that nature. My bride doesn't mind that way, and she enjoys the show as much as I do. Besides, she goes overboard INSIDE, so it evens out.Where I do run into trouble sometimes is when I am buying extension cords. I get lights on sale after Christmas, and I get maybe one additional 16-channel controller during the LOR summer sale. Then it's November, and I have to hook it all up. A 16-channel controller requires 18 extension cords. It's pretty tough explaining why I need to make another trip to Home Depot for more cords when "we should be buying presents for the family.":?What do they think the light show is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim6918 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 I don't want to turn this thread into a "couch session" but I sure envy you guys that have supportive families. My wife essentially goes into hiding around Halloween, thru Thanksgiving when the lights come on. The only time you see her associated with the display is when we are out in public and somebody stops to congratulate us on the display. You would think she did most of the work; she is great at taking credit. And, don't even get me started on my 18 year old son. The only person who is willing to help without b*+#@ing is my 22 year old daughter. God bless her, she sat in front of the controllers last year, put on alligator plugs, numbered them and plugged them into the controllers for me while I was on the other end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcee Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 I understand, my sons are not interested and the two younger ones (16 & 17) complain the entire time while we put up the eave lights.My wife already knows that I am fairly far afield of the crowd, but she does get dazzled by some of the stuff I put together.Last year was my first animated display and the Mega Tree blew her away. I just built a sign for a church fundraiser that chases like the old Las Vegas style signs of the 50's and 60's, and again she admired in wonder.Maybe the Mega arches over the drive this year will do the same. (They are her idea).I ignore the griping because I enjoy the process as much as the results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale W Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Budget your purchases. In January of each year, tell her how much money you intend to spend. Then spend it. Tell her you get stuff on sale.In order to supplement your purchases, buy and sell stuff on ebay (for profit) to generate income to pay for your hobby.When the display is up, you and she should talk with some of the people watching it. The praise will make her feel better and may even get you more $$$ next year./ this is what I have done for the past years and it works for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cray Augsburg Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 DavidPeterson wrote: I've been lucky. My biggest "problem" is that every year she wants more elements, which involves at least one more controller. Last year she had a neighbor that was an out of work electrician install some new circuits and outdoor outlets. Now it's LEDs and some stars she bought from Darryl at Christmaslightshow.com.She even has done some programming.Sounds like a problem each one of us could live with, eh?Actually, I am in kinda the same boat. The problem part is that she says "I want this element." I say, "Well that element is gonna need another controller." She says,"There you go again wanting more controllers!" Sheesh. Oh, well. I am now planning on adding at least 6 more controllers this year. Darn! ()Our most recent binge has been blowmolds. With her blessing I picked up a blowmold nativity at Light Up Ohio. Since then she has been to antique stores, yard sales, etc. essentially doubling our storage requirements. Truly, the neighbors are starting to ask questions about why all these Christmas figures are congregating behind our house.Honesty IS the best policy in our house, but that doesn't mean I tell her about every purchase I make. Don't ask, don't tell. The other big trick is to get your sig.other involved. Let them make a few of the decisions, then find ways to make them (the decisions, not the sig.others) work.Cray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cray Augsburg Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Norm Ivey wrote: Where I do run into trouble sometimes is when I am buying extension cords . . .Norm:Every time you go to WalMart (or any of the big box stores), pick up ONE extension cord and drop it in the cart. WalMart always carries the green 40' lawn jobs for around $6.88. If ya need a bigger one or shorter one (no, I am not getting personal!), get that instead. But make sure it's just ONE. It'll become routine, and after awhile she'll probably see it as just one of your quirks. And usually a <$10 item isn't going to break any bank. Then the cords will be there come November.Cray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErnieHorning Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 Cray Augsburg wrote: Let them make a few of the decisions, then find ways to make them...Yep that's what I did and now I have to scrap the previous display and completely start over. Well, at least it was her idea.:?Oh this should be fun when I have to explain why I need more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Hurrle Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I was perfectly happy with 48 channels and was doing a pretty nice show. She saw an Elvis and wanted it in the show. I explained to her that 48 channels were already committed and if she wanted the Elvis I had to get one more controller. She said "Buy it on the next sale".Let them do the deciding if they really like the lights.Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cray Augsburg Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 ErnieHorning wrote: Yep that's what I did and now I have to scrap the previous display and completely start over. Well, at least it was her idea.:?Oh this should be fun when I have to explain why I need more.Ouch. :{Sometimes "Yes, Dear" backfires.Cray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I made a deal with my wife...every time I incorporate one of her ideas into the display, I get sex...hmmmmm...come to think of it, she has NEVER given me any suggestions or ideas!:shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cray Augsburg Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 I sure hate it when that happens!Cray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Simmons Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 jimswinder wrote: hmmmmm...come to think of it, she has NEVER given me any suggestions or ideas! Jeez Jim, I don't know what to say... she's given me a BUNCH of great ideas. You think she's trying to tell me something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted June 4, 2010 Share Posted June 4, 2010 George Simmons wrote: Jeez Jim, I don't know what to say... she's given me a BUNCH of great ideas. You think she's trying to tell me something?ROFL...No...I think she is trying to tell ME something!!! LOLWanna trade?? say...one controller? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddmoon Posted June 5, 2010 Share Posted June 5, 2010 Some times you can combine activities to accomplish what you both want. My wife wanted to change some of the landscaping in our yard to cut down on yard work and watering. Little did she know that everything that I agreed to do for her in the yard was only to become decoration elements for future light shows. LOL! We planted six new trees several new bushes and we are now in the process of getting large flat desert rocks that will have primitive art work reproductions hand carved into them by my son and then displayed as part of the new landscaping.In all of our efforts to hike and go look at different native rock art we learned of location where the Natives had made a drawing where the light shines Thu a hole in the wall and all four equinox's are marked with different drawings I am now trying to figure out if there is any way that I could reproduce this same effect in my front yard. I still have not quite figured out that one. Who knew that the Natives were into playing with light as well as marking the movements of the sky to track when it was time to plant and harvest. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryebred Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 We have a shared bank account but separate credit cards. So we can see the totals every month but not what items we bought to arrive at that total. Her credit card bills are almost always larger than mine each month so she usually does not question me much. Sometimes she does and I tell her the cost and she cringes. She might then ask if it is really necessary to spend that much money. I don't usually say much in reply and she drops it.Once I get the display set up though, I know many people will ask me how much it costs in front of her and I don't really want to tell them that I spent a couple thousand dollars. I usually put it in fuzzy math terms so it will be hard for them to add up on the fly. For instance, I will say each controller is $120 and there are 6 controllers plus the incandescent stuff I had from before and the LED's were about $1,000 (which is rounding down a bit). I don't add on the cost of the zip line and Cat 5 cable and the software and other things they don't know about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Ivey Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Great idea! I could even volunteer to run more errands for her... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Young Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 jimswinder wrote: I made a deal with my wife...every time I incorporate one of her ideas into the display, I get sex...hmmmmm...come to think of it, she has NEVER given me any suggestions or ideas!:shock:What a great way of limiting any unwanted spousal input into the display!Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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