My in-laws gave me a little bit of cash as an early birthday present, and I’m having trouble deciding what to do with it. It’s enough for almost half of the two things I am currently coveting, so I turn to you – the trusted internets – to tell me which of the two I should buy.
Thing One:
A second LCD monitor. I never really bought into the whole dual monitor setup thing, until my PC died and I started using my Macbook + monitor at home. I also have a dual setup at work, because I need to be able to see many things at once while monitoring the effects my nefarious chemicals are having on my Frankenvictims. Now that my PC lives and is excellent again, I really find that I miss having two windows to the world at home. I’d like a second monitor, at least 21”. It would be the main screen, and my 17” LCD would be the secondary.
Pros:
- two monitors means I can view two porns at the same time!
- No longer will I be at my keyboard but unreachable because I am too busy playing stupid little shockwave games and can’t be bothered to alt-tab out of it to see what you want
- A dual monitor setup is totally the future, and I am all about the future
Cons:
- Have you seen the size of my desk? It is tiny. I will have to work some heavy duty magic to make a dual monitor setup work in the space I have available (pro: I love reorganizing things!)
- I am not sure that my video card will support dual monitors, as it was made in Mexico sometime around 1969
- Will I stop at two? What if some day I think a TRIPLE monitor setup is the way to go? What then? Is a second LCD panel just a gateway gadget?
Thing Two:
A pair of Fluevog shoes. I’m thinking these, or perhaps these. They are so sexy I can barely breathe. It would be an utter splurge, but isn’t that what you’re supposed to do with birthday money? Sure, I could do something responsible like buy orphaned bread or double-paned windows, but that is boring. I don’t want boring. I want flashy. I want exciting. I want passionate whirlwind romance atop the Eiffel Tower with tall handsome men or women with thick accents and a bow tie. Those shoes would get me closer to that, I am sure.
Pros:
- Sexy shoes!
- Whirlwind romance!
Cons:
- I don’t know that I can honestly bring myself to spend that much money on a pair of *shoes*
- Flying to Paris for romance would ruin my whole “no flying in 2008” thing, and I would feel guilty the entire time because I warmed the globe with my emissions
- No double-paned windows means my heating bill will go up in the winter
- All my pants are so damned long you would never see my sexy shoes anyway
I’m torn. Help me, internet! Which frivolous purchase reigns supreme?
VS 
delicious juice dot com 
I’ve gone the 3 monitor route both at home and at work. I can’t imagine going back. I’ve got 2 monitor arms that clamp to the rear edge of the desk to save desk real estate and also to allow me to swivel a monitor around so I can use it as a TV screen for the rest of my apt. An ergotron arm might just be the thing for your desk.
I got the idea from Jeff Atwood’s blog and here is the relevent posting, with pics:
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000959.html
Hey, maybe put it towards a new desk then you could fit a new monitor or two and also fit your shoes under it. If I’m the thief, within family it’s called sharing not stealing.
monitor obviously :) you are truly living in the dark ages if you aren’t running a dual monitor setup ;) anything 19″+ is sufficient.. our samsungs are seriously awesome if you can find em on sale.
Shoes. My goal last year was to get myself a pair of Fluevogs and it didn’t happen and I’m still sad about it. They are so fabulous. And I think the fact that you’re in such close proximity to the actual Fluevog store, rather than a terribly serviced knockoff like Gravity Pope, where you’re ignored if you’re not wearing your money on your face, is like the universe telling you to go get them. Do it. Do it now!
Which is easier to justify in your world? Which would you eventually buy if you didn’t get the birthday bonus? Figure that out, then buy the *other* one.
That way you end up with both!
(if that fails, I vote shoes.)
Monitor. Seriously, it totally is the future. Plus it means you can upgrade to a third later. At work I use three monitors (which is funny since I don’t have a job to do except surf the internets!) and I wouldn’t have it any other way. One guy in the networking group…he has FIVE. Plus his laptop monitor. That might be a little overkill.
The Eyes have it. Movie quote :”More input” We’ve seen the xrays of your feet.
freezing wet in YYC
Duh…the shoes, obviously. You are a girl and girls need pretty shoes. End of story.
Besides, looky here…http://vitaminv.ca/node/2282 (second item down).
Tough one as I have two monitors going. Then again, those shoes are damn sexy. If you’re going for frivolous and fun for your birthday, I’d vote shoes.
Buy the Malibran’s in the wine color! They are awesome. If you would never spend that much on yourself, all the more reason to. Nothing like a good quality pair of shoes. They will last you. Use what ever money is left if any towards the monitor.
You buy the monitor, I’ll buy the shoes and you can borrow them, if you can fit your dainties into size 11s.
The monitor, no question. Once you get used to 2 monitors it is impossible to go back.
If you *only* have a 19″ monitor then you absolutely need something bigger. Think how many HOURS of monitor joy you’ll get vs hours of shoe joy ….
I was doing dual monitor at home and work but I switched jobs and got rid of the massive CRTs hogging my apartment desk space and haven’t really missed them. And I’m a DBA/coder, so, like, I’m supposed to need them especially or something. Really I just miss watching TV on one side while pretending^H^H^H^H working on the other.
Birthdays are for frivolous gifts. Get shoes, porn, drugs or prostitutes.
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