This weekend I was minding my own business, solving puzzles, and my spouse suddenly asked "just how many of these puzzles do WE own?" Fortunately for me the flow of string-tied boxes has slowed down recently... in anticipation of one bearing a Shapeways puzzle . I tried to distract her by showing her how fun the 3x3x4 Mixup Plus is to solve, but... well that didn't work. Instead, I had to buy her some (expensive) books online. Has this ever happend to you? How can I handle this question/situation better in the future?

Just ask if she has had her hair done because it looks really nice today.

Take her to the library instead. On a more marriage-safe note, you could hide your puzzles slowly to create an illusion of a small collection. That's assuming they are on display.

Or you could do like tony and actually make a small collection!

Yes it's happened a few times to me. My wife says "When's it going to stop? How many are enough? At some point, aren't you going to get on with your life?"

She reminds me a little of Skyler saying to Walt, looking over the humongous pile of money "How much do you want??? I want my life back! I want my family back!!!"

I normally just remind her how great it must be to have a husband who doesn't waste his money on heroin.

Or as was brought up at the recent meetup we had here... I don't drive a fancy car, I have puzzles.

I'm fortunate that my wife is just as excited about new puzzles as I. Actually if I show her a video or picture of a new puzzle, she asks if I'm going to get it. Also, one time I was arranging my puzzles and she noticed I had only 4 of the crazy megaminx, so she said I should get the other four. Now she's a keeper!

You can always talk about what a good investment they are...

Just like you did is peachy!

You get something, she gets something. Equal share of fun stuff & cost.

I don't have the prob, since I am the only one in the house, but as a female, I know that when you guys get fun stuff, we want that too hehe.

Wow!!

As one who is well known in the puzzle blogging world as having a wife with a laser stare, a whiplash tongue and a hatred of all puzzles noisy, who also only just tolerates my habit, I can say that you are very lucky!

I tell my wife that compared to my colleagues/friends who's midlife crises included a MenoPorsche, a 20 year old girlfriend, a drink and/or drugs habit and not being at home very much, she should count herself lucky! At least my "not so little" habit is cheaper than all of those and she knows where I am at all times!

In terms of placation, my wife only wants shoes, very expensive Handbags and, God help me! Diamonds!!!!!
I aim to spend on puzzles as quickly as she does on the others!

Why not agree some fixed (e.g. montly) amount that is equal for both parties and that one can spend on anything (puzzles, handbags or whatever) without consent of the other?

I was stuck with a CNC machine in the living room for quite a few years. I've now a lathe and a drill press and a man tool with filing disk things under the buffet.....

It's not just men who suffer boys! My puzzles don't smell bad-man tools do!

And Kevin, I'm with the laser woman on the stones. When Mr. Man wants to make me smile he knows to buy me a new toy or a new piece of jewelry.

I don't know about other men, but I wash my "man tool" every time I shower!

Timur, we'll forgive you for the lack of experience in this comment. Sigh, such a young fellow, stars in his eyes .

Ask her: How many of these shoes do WE own?

That's how we arrange our hobbies/expenses. Only problem is that my hobbies and collections take up more space in the house.
So I'm trying to save for a larger house.... maybe...

On the other hand: I share one hobby with my wife. I think I can buy as much books and CDs of the Beatles and Paul McCartney as I like (I've quite a lot, but I'm not tempted to have all. I've almost no merchandise like T-shirts and such and I'm totally fine with that).

Hey Burgo - don't knock the young! I have just ordered some 42mm ZhanChi's for my 2 daughters as they are constantly nicking my normal one.
Get them while they are young, and future generations will venerate us as martyres to the cause.

P.S. My wife does not know exactly how many puzzles I have - and she never will
P.P.S 46 seconds for 3x3x3 solve last night (1:04:23 Av5) - never gone below 50 before!

Hi Oxymoronicuber, Here's a vid of my daughter solving a cube.. she wanted me to make one and put it on The Tube when she saw me making some of my tutorials . http://youtu.be/V2X0u2gYEcw My kds aren't allowed in the cube cupboards, but every time my back is turned . My kids have a mini Dian Sheng, but they prefer the Treasure Chest with a chocolate inside, those mini ZhanChis look good though. Congrats on your sub 50, my best time now is a 52 I think, but I still haven't learned OLL or PLL. All I can say is that there's truely no hope for us when my wife has a credit card and I'm addicted to puzzles. She says `I'm just borrowing from next month, OK (which has always been her way)` and these days I have to admit (to myself only) `Well.. I'm up to borrowing from next year `.

Cheers,
Burgo!

Wow - amazing solve! If she is doing crazy cubes at 5 years old, what will she be doing in 5 years time! (Apart from possibly showing you up)

P.S. Of course in 10 years time she will be into boys so it will all be wasted! (Spot the man with three daughters).
P.P.S I am also learning OLL PLL at the mo with a semi-realistic target of 30 seconds to go for

Burgo, I have to refrain from purchasing a lot of the time. IPP is a big spend for me, as are the weekends across the border, and when I see puzzlemaster has just updated the webpage, and when....
ok, I need no excuse to buy puzzles. I just control myself better than I did before...which reminds me. I need to call bits and pieces...

I have lost all control and seem to be trying to buy everything in sight!
It will have to slow down soon or I am going to have to give up eating and booze too!!
I think I have 6 or 7 packages on their way from all over the world just now!!

Collecting would be a problem in case you spend money over puzzles when you have financial difficulties and have more essential stuff to spend your money on.
But if you are not a compulsive buyer and this is your hobby I think it's just fair that she either accepts you for who you are or doesn't. Everyone's different. Trying to change the other person doesn't work, it just bothers both sides.

You definitely live up to your name......


I can usually restrain myself, though I do have a relatively sizable collection. There are many Shapeways puzzles that I want, but can never seem to afford. Selling custom puzzles certainly helps with acquiring funds.

Burgo, that video is amazing! I wish I could solve at that age.

Chandler

Well at least now we know where Burgo gets all his solving talent from

We all know how useful the yoga exercise "headstand" is. The blood rushes to your head and improves brain activity.
Obviously it is a big advantage for you people "down under" to have your head all the time the other way around.
Really amazing video.
When my older granddaughter will be back from the US, I'll try to teach her the "white cross". So far, she is not really interested in the Cube. (She'll be four this month. On my avatar she is much younger.)

More on the subject of this thread:
I have slowed down my puzzle ordering considerably, still I get far too many if you ask my wife.
My biggest problem is that my wife has no real idea how expensive some of the little beasts had been.
I'm currently preparing a catalog of my puzzles containing the prices I have paid for them.
I know that their real value is something quite different, but at least it is some hint for my future heirs that not everything should go immediately to the flea market

Early in our 39 year marriage, we were on a budget, and did the very thing Timur suggested. I loved it. I have often thought it would be a good idea to reinstate, but alas, it ain't gonna happen. But she finds a way to buy what she wants, and I find a way to buy what I want.

At work the other day my colleague shared how much he spends on cigarettes a month. Yikes! If I spent that on puzzles, I could start a collection of Shapeways puzzles!