I had to face down my budget.

No, no, it's OK, I'll be fine. It was just a little past time I put some more control on it. No panic here.

It did, however, gel something else I'd felt I'd needed to do, regardless of being an avowed gadget geek. I love getting new tech toys and get great use out of them, only over the years I've acquired enough that I actually have trouble using all of them as much as I feel they're worth using. And I've decided the best way to deal with that is to let some things attrit as they wear out and simply not replace them.

That's a good choice, but hard to stick to.

I've been painfully distracted as new shiny toys keep coming out with even nicer capabilities. (I told you I was an avowed gadget geek.) For instance, I would love a new iPad, a Kindle Fire, and add now a Nexus 7 Tablet. There is no way in hell I need all three at once. I have an original iPad that is still in good condition though it doesn't hold a charge quite as long as it used to and officially is low-spec enough Apple has announced it won't release iOS6 to it. I have an older Kindle that I still like quite a bit precisely because of the e-ink screen that is not found on the color devices. (I'm still waiting for the fabled Pixel Qi mass adoption.) I would love to get away from the walled garden tablet environment and explore the new Jellybean version of Android, but already have an Android phone that is about to at least receive an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade. I do not need all these competing distractions of "OMG WANNIT" reflexes bouncing up in my head. And I've settled on a simple rejoinder to myself that somewhat heads off the "wannits".

Think of a little kid that is attached to a particular toy they've had for a while, it is special to them precisely because they've used it and it is theirs, perhaps even because it was given to them in a memorable way. They don't need a new version nor do they want one. (Hopefully it isn't a bicycle that is too small and brings up some safety concerns.) Give them a shiny new copy of the same thing and, maybe, you might hear something like, "but... this one is mine."

It doesn't work completely. It does, however, cut down on the amount of time I spend having to remind myself that I don't need every new shiny I see. I've got some pretty good toys to play with and, if the way I spend my free time is any indication, quite a surplus really.

The point is this: gadget retail advertising tries to teach us to be emotionally attached to our fancy toys only so long as they're the latest toys and help achieve a certain amount of gadget-envy in our audience. As if we've got a personal audience of friends that is in need of gadget-envy and somehow isn't getting the same advertising. You know what? I decided one way to counter that is to turn that on its head -- nudging myself to attach to the gadget I have a little history with.

You know the scene in Star Wars, after all?

"That little droid and I have been through a lot together."

A little mutual loyalty can be mutually beneficial.

--random