Alas, I'll never be able to afford Airwolf!

I used to play the demo for Star Trek Bridge Commander so much and always wanted the full game - several years ago I bought a copy off Amazon (now it's available on Gog). Fun game, but it shows its age now.

Independence from my parents. Mainly financial independence. Never needing anything from them ever again so they can no longer hold it over my head and be douchebags about how they had to raise me and pay for things.

I wasn't exactly a kid (I was in my 20s), but I'm now buying equipment for my home gym. For years I only had a barbell, plates, and two saw horses that I used as squat stands. I also worked out outside on my back patio. Now I have a garage, two benches (one adjustable), squat stands, and just bought a GHR/nordic combo bench.

I didn't exactly buy this but I quit Catholic church and grew out my bangs, and bought my first pairs of bikini underwear, all of which was verboten for me as a youth.

I have a bunch of those retro mini consoles on a cheap projector on an unprepared white painted wall (cheap projector and unprepped wall mimics crt blur very nicely)

As a kid I wanted a Neo Geo arcade cabinet... now I have Metal Slug, Samurai Showdown and Fatal Fury on a 100+ inch "screen" (Not to mention the other consoles and switch)

Fountain pens. Such a simple and enjoyable process/hobby, and one that made real sense to me long before the entire world did…

I’m not where I want to be today, but I managed to find a few bucks and grab a Kaweco Lilliput in brass for my bday. Cheap af but legit makes me happy - even if I’m just doodling or trying to.

Course, that means I also need to spend money on good paper, but that’s a small expense relative to cost of pens and inks, and the feeling of laying down ink from a good pen, on straight up amazing paper, is nirvana.

A really nice joystick, throttle, and pedals + additional button boxes for flight simulators and space simulators.

Growing up I had the cheapest little joystick and always wanted something more, but it was nixed by my parents. Now I’ve got it!

I bought a Sega game gear (handheld console of the 90s) when I got my first job.

Now in my 40s I get the things I wasn't allowed when I was younger and they're usually gadgets or food related.

I have all the cool tech I need. I have takeaway too often and it always cheers me up, I have snacks and no one yells at me for using too much ketchup.

I love being an adult.

Warhammer 40k

Thats a good one OP. Are you now the guy bestowing golden deagles to folks in MW2 lobbies? I always thought those people were the coolest. What are you doing with it?

It's not even necessarily the income for some things. Tons of things it just never occurred to me a person could get.

A great example is my Beast Wars Tigatron toy that I broke almost immediately after getting. One of the knees snapped. Mum glued it back together a few times, but he couldn't really transform like that and it always broke again. Then last year I was just like "Fuck it. Somebody's gotta be selling their own broken Tigatron on eBay with a good leg." At long last I finally have a proper OG Tigatron.

A sodastream machine.

Turns out I don't like most of their syrups though, so I mainly drink fizzed tap water and the occasional lemon squash.

Brass knuckles. I got 100% brass USA-made knuckles. They live on my desk (WFH) and I give them a good polish from time to time. They still bring a smile to my inner child.

An over-powered gaming PC

A lot of the games I wanted to try as a kid

Some of them aren't as fun as I thought it would be, but at least I can still try them and confirm

A dog

A Zoo York skateboard with Independent trucks and Spitfire wheels.

An original Saint Seiya action figure, more specifically Aquarius Camus.

Turntables and a mixer. When I was about 10 I saw Run-DMC on TV and wanted to learn to DJ, but my mother just laughed saying I already had a record player and they didn’t need to but me a second one.