"How could I ever live without that"

[Anthile]

So I bought myself a snazzy new coffee machine today. One of these new models that use pads instead of mere powder. I've never even had coffee from such a device before but for the last year I only drank instant coffee and the difference in flavor is mindblowing.
Some months ago I bought myself a multitool. You know, these things that are kinda like Swiss army knives. It has been a real asset and I carry it with me almost all the time.
In both cases I asked myself afterwards, "How could I ever live without that?".

What are your stories of investments you thought were rather insignificant but ended up improving your life immensely?

 

[CoryJames]

For me, insignificant material things rarely if ever end up causing me to look back to my life before their acquisition in disbelief.

However, knowledge is another story. I'll often learn something new (usually not facts, but more concepts or bigger ideas), and I'll look back like "wow I can't believe I took that for granted". Not even that but sometimes I will say "wow I can't believe I never bothered to find out how that works".

The biggest "wow I can't believe..." actually is out of your category though, and it's "How could I ever go into exams without Adderall?"

 

[CoryJames]

Oh and an ipod-->car connector cable. Radio without commercials is pretty fantastic.

 

[Fukyo]

portable music
computer
internet

 

[shoeless]

a bag that has pockets, of which my favorite pocket ever is my phone pocket. no more digging around in a bottomless hole to find my goddamn phone!

 

[Bird]

Food.


--Though I suppose this
is arguable that it improves
your life.

 

[BigApplePi]

Ever since I was nineteen I've struggled with the issue of why people and peoples disagree. Since I've developed these six tools for understanding here, I find they are wonderfully successful in doing that: understanding. Possibly for me my greatest failure to understand on this board is the MBTI personality thing. How strange the one tool, of all the tools, that says to me why is the tool, "Fuzziness."

Anthile you came up with a good theme.

 

[Trebuchet]

So I bought myself a snazzy new coffee machine today. One of these new models that use pads instead of mere powder. I've never even had coffee from such a device before but for the last year I only drank instant coffee and the difference in flavor is mindblowing.

Well, speaking of coffee, I'd have to say my coffee roaster goes on the list. Once I got the hang of it, I found the exact roasting level I like best, and some green coffees I really enjoy. For espresso, roasting 2-3 days before brewing creates perfection.

Also,
a single sheet cutter which is essential for opening certain packaging,
an iPad that is quickly replacing paper books, and
online banking.

Truly, we live in a golden age.

 

[flow]

I started wearing long underwear last winter. Man, my quality of life went up at least 5 points! And yeah, portable music is everything I've ever really needed outside of the basic necessities.

 

[s0nystyle]

portable music
computer
internet

^

 

[gephura]

Facebook in exam period, showers (we used to just have a bath in our house, showers are so much quicker!), call phone...

 

[Lobstrich]

Lol, of course the difference in taste is mind blowing! One thing is quality, one thing isn't =)

 

[Dimensional Transition]

Portable music DEFINITELY.
Warm shower.
Chamomile tea.

 

[SpaceYeti]

Food.


--Though I suppose this
is arguable that it improves
your life.

... You stole my answer, you bitch!

 

[Meer]

Portable audio recording, just recently. Dual monitors? this one MIDI controller...

I don't understand the need to take music everywhere, actually, I find it quite rude. I tear myself away from my cave of technology to interact with real people...but they're plugged into their own little worlds, like schizophrenics.

 

[Solitaire U.]

Yeah, people who create their own little schizophrenic world as an excuse to avoid visiting mine really suck.

I would definitely have to say the internet. Unlimited access at $29.95 a month beats the hell out of having to buy all that music, film, and extraneous information separately like we used to do in the olden days.

 

[dark]

My car, I love it. It is my greatest escape. I can just get in, and drive, it is always nice to have a co-pilot but sometimes it isn't possible. It is a driver's car, no messing around in traffic, I built it (well sort of, it was junk, I resurrected it.), it may look like shit, but I need to get some money to get a new paint job, then it would be sexy.

Music. Period, portable or not, I need it.

<-- that little guy.

That is about it other than the essentials, which do not count for this I would say.