A middle-class upbringing has me feeling especially fortunate as an adult for some small luxuries that now exist in my life. I won't bore you with the really important ones: my deep appreciation for my wife & kids, health and good times....these are relatively universal truths for those who have them, but for the sake of this blog let's talk about the little indulgences that make me smile:

1. Starbucks. Holy crap, I have a problem. If it's cold and October through January, a pumpkin spice latte with whipped cream is like a little cup of Heaven in the morning. Literally. I better slow down before it becomes a larger slice of Heaven for me and my arteries and I have to restate my claim at the beginning of this blog about the appreciation for my health. The two Venti Black Iced Teas with 4 pumps of classic and no water that follow the Latte probably don't help things much but a little sugar and caffeine sure carries me through the day.

2. My Jeep Wrangler. A couple of years ago, I realized that despite growing up in San Diego, going to college in Newport Beach (UC Irvine), and living in Los Angeles, I'd never owned a convertible. Isn't that the point of being a Californian? I promptly (read: "impulsively") bought a Jeep Wrangler, had it lifted a little, put new offroad tires and wheels on it and ripped the top off. Two booster seats in the back and my boys and I are chasing the sun with the wind in our hair (for those of us with hair). It's the greatest weekend/beach ride around and a luxury I intend to pass onto those little native Californians as soon as they turn 16.

3. My 1954 Baume et Mercier Watch. About 20 years ago, I bought a vintage watch from a brand I had never heard of, for a few hundred bucks in a little watch shop on Melrose. It was one of the coolest things I had ever owned at the time. Having not worn it in a few years, I recently put a new oyster band on it and had it serviced, and despite it losing about 10 minutes every few hours (constantly making me late), it's my favorite watch...a perfect patina, from a classic Swiss brand, and a great combination of vintage and contemporary style.

4. Mac Daddy. I've never owned a PC in my life. I've been a Mac user since 1986. iPod, iPad, iMac, iPhone, Apple tv...got em all. From simply writing college essays on the 1980's MacIntosh cube to now storing and running my entire life on multiple devices: tv, movies, email, iChat, texts, blog, work, photos, music, etc. I'd be a mess without my technology. On Psych, my Mac devices are how I watch dailies, see director cuts, view location photos, approve wardrobe, watch Vancouver auditions, view set design, and attend production meetings! iLove it.

5. Man's Best Friend. I'm a dog guy. I may enjoy them more than people, actually. I grew up with a lot of animals, and volunteered at a wild animal shelter when I was a kid. Those floppy ears, that stinky breath, and nothin' but love to give...ahh, the perfect companion. Somehow, I ended up with 3 of them, all 100 lbs. each. In hindsight, it may have been a little excessive, but they've provided a lot of joy, and we like to think we've provided them some pretty great lives. Adopt...there are so many looking for good homes!

6. A Money Clip. How can that be such an important item? Well, somehow, I've been carrying around the same money clip for the last 20 years. Thankfully, it hasn't run out of money yet, but what makes it special to me is its "character." It's a 1922 Liberty Silver Dollar with my grandfather's name engraved on the back--minted 7 years before he traveled with the Byrd Antarctic Expedition on the first exploration of the South Pole. He was a decorated Commander in the Navy, an explorer, and dignitary. Talk about "character." My money clip is a daily reminder.

[Images: Author's own]