Buyer's Remorse...

...or, "Who are These People?"

So I went to a Super Bowl® party last night. It was my first Super Bowl® party in like, what, 12 or 15 years, maybe longer. I don't like Super Bowl® parties -- at all. Why don't I go? Because I love football. In fact, it's fairly rare for me to even watch the Super Bowl® broadcast anymore because it's goddamn annoying. People are "buying squares" (some lame-ass form of gambling), having chili contests, drinking bad beer, and enjoying the ads.

Why did I go? Eh, the neighbors down the street invited me and I figured I'd enjoy observing, maybe take a photo or two, eat some chili....

Well I guess I've grown old since my last The Big Game party because the people above look a great deal different than the knuckleheads I once watched sports with. There's a lot more gray hair than exposed skin. I don't even think anyone barfed in a sink. Nice people, all, don't get me wrong. It's not them...it's me! They were friendly, sociable, interested, etc. But, uh, was I only itching to get the heck out of there and get home to watch the game in the quiet comfort of my own personal and personally luxuriant customized world. Into my middlespace. You know a place where I can privately cheer on a New Eng-a-land loss. [Boston can eat it!]

My neighbor bought a new car. This toy is a 2008 Nissan 350Z Roadster. That beast sports a 3.5-liter, 306-horsepower V6 engine. Two seater. Fast as balls (ass-hauler). Sleek and all Japanesey and stuff. Rolled it in Saturday night (believe me, I heard it arrive). But by this morning...a heavy duty case of buyers remorse had set in. You know, that natural, nagging internal sense of doubt that the correct decision may not been made.

Psychologically, the pre-purchase phase is wonderful, a prospective buyer feels mostly positive emotions associated with the purchase (desire, a sense of heightened possibilities, and an intimation of the enjoyment that will accompany using the product, optimism that one's perception of status will increase, turning a new chapter, for example). It's infatuation. It's like dating the office hottie.

Afterwards, having made the purchase, one may only fully be able to experience the negative aspects of a behavior: all the opportunity costs of the purchase; and the reduced purchasing power remaining, perhaps. It's like this morning after results in a touch of pregnancy. It's a bitch.

In the case of a luxury/sports car purchase there's the matter of damage, insurance, safety, upkeep and maintenance, and the dangers associated with the perception of increased status that worries the new owner. It's not like a kitten you can drive out to the forest and throw out the window.

We had a long talk this morning on the matter (my neighbor and I). Fascinating stuff. I assured my neighbor that the car was deserved; a reward for hard work and living a good life. Neighbor has decided to keep car.