1. Convertible double bike trailer/stroller, for when school starts. I will be taking one child to first grade in the mornings, taking another to preschool at noon, and picking both up in the afternoon, all with the third in tow as well. I want to be able to do it fairly quickly, and without the use of a motorized vehicle, and with a minimum of complaining, and with some sort of protection from the elements for the smaller folk.
2. Ipod. I think I’m finally ready to start listening to interesting things on a regular basis, especially while I’m on my morning walk/run. I checked out a beginning gaelic book and CD from the library, and remembered I still haven’t finished my Greek title. Also, people keep recommending podcasts that I don’t really have access to. (For reasons of ineptitude, time constraints, retardedness, etc.)
3. Doors. Our wonderful home has some door issues. For instance, in the dead of winter, I was trekking into the frozen void of the basement when I passed the side door. I felt a blast of sub-zero temperatures pelting me from the wide open crack where the door doesn’t quite meet the frame. There may have been snowflakes. That door also has a handy spring-loaded night lock, a tongue that faces the wrong direction, and it opens inward onto the miniature stair landing, making an exit from said door an two-handed event that is often accompanied by expletives unbecoming of a lady. Also, the front door decided to lock us in the house a few months ago. We finally managed to remove the aged mortise lock, to find that the metal had finally just snapped, in the locked position. Currently, we don’t even need to turn the handle to open the door, we just push. There may be a slight security risk in this feature. Also, the keyhole in the front door has similar tendencies toward not really protecting us from the elements. It is currently stuffed with an entire paper towel.
4. Attic insulation. Yeah, those bills.
5. A modicum of self control. Or maybe a passel. A fleet? A throng. At least a gaggle, anyway.
6. A new garden box. With compost, vermiculite, and peat.
7. An indoor seedling planting system. So as to populate the box.
8. (A chicken.)
9. Two new teeth. To replace the ones that have cracked fillings and are starting to be sensitive. In that, “Oh crap! Not another root canal” sort of way.
10. A maid.
11. A prioritized re-ordering of the above list.
* Need, here, is defined, not as a physical necessity, but more as a psychologically beneficial stepping stone on the path toward sanity.
H. I. P. 
July 28, 2008 at 12:04 pm
I like #7.
I don’t know anyone who physically needs a chicken, but I’m glad to finally know someone who would consider it a psychologically beneficial stepping stone on the path toward sanity. I’ve thought that about chickens for years. All I’ve managed so far is a somewhat realistic-looking fake chicken that sits on a loft in my kitchen that stares at me while I cook.
July 28, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Here’s the priority order I would personally assign to these things, if I were in your position: 4, 8, 3a (doors), 1, 6, 3b (attic), 9, 5, 2, 7.
Mental and physical health are pretty important. Security is pretty important too. Once you’re healthy and secure, you can worry about new modes of transportation. I like the idea of convertible double strollers, but don’t need one yet so I haven’t done any shopping/research.
Then we get to things that I see as less important: starting seeds is one of those “if only” things for me because it’s just so easy to buy healthy little plants at the fabulous market down the street.
I put the attic lower because it’s not a time-critical item right now… A maid only comes after that because insulation really will be a big deal in the winter.
I put iPod near the bottom because I have one for the reasons you listed, but I almost never use it. Here’s why: it’s slightly a pain to keep it up to date and keep it charged all the time. Also, when I get out on my feet or my bike, I do like listening to some tunes or something, but I found that I really missed listening to *everything else* like wind in the trees, birds that I might not see if I didn’t hear their calls, and even traffic noise (safety first!). I also find it really rude and antisocial when I see people on streets or trails who have their ears plugged up and pretend not to see me or don’t respond if I give them a friendly greeting. So rather than be a hypocrite, I just don’t take my iPod with me. The exception is going to the gym. There’s not much to hear there, and it’s not social hour for me. 🙂
Chicken is last, but not entirely for the obvious reason; you or your kids might become attached to a chicken as if it were a pet, which might make it harder if you want to slaughter it, or if a neighborhood dog or other wild animal decides to do the job for you.
July 28, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Carrie, the only obstacle in my path towards acquiring a chicken (besides the city ordinance against livestock) is Derek. He really, really doesn’t ever want chickens. And I suppose I must respect that. Hmph.
Alex, I spotted my mistake and corrected it, so the reordering of your list should be: 5, 8, 3, 1, 7, 4, 10, 6, 2, 8. I think. Thanks for the input on the iPod. I always love to know the drawbacks for things. Mostly, I’ve never had one for the reasons you mentioned. I like to hear what’s going on around me, I like to be safe, etc., but there’s no other time I will be able to listen to my language CDs. And I really want to. Waah.
I really can’t imagine my kids being attached to a chicken, but I guess it’s possible. And I would have to have my own dog to defend the beast. Another drawback.
July 28, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I dunno…. 10 would be pretty close to the first “need” on MY list!
July 28, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Oh, but yeah… perhaps if I had 5 in first place, perhaps I wouldn’t need 10 so very badly.
Perhaps.
July 29, 2008 at 8:59 am
I like when I hear people saying that they need compost. It’s a good sign. 🙂 Nice list, I added insulation last year and it definitely helped in the winter and surprisingly, it’s also helping through the summer.
August 5, 2008 at 9:01 am
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this definition: “Need, here, is defined, not as a physical necessity, but more as a psychologically beneficial stepping stone on the path toward sanity.” I’ll have to print this and post it up somewhere.