Note: This was actually posted on Monday morning at 1:14 AM, not Sunday morning at 1:14 AM, but I couldn't resist the pun.
So after making
Hella Cute Hats,
A business out of them, and of course, my
own TB303 and even some twisted BDSM gear... (some of it
public, some of it not.) I have come to the following conclusion.
It is fun, and cool. It is generally cheaper to make your own stuff, rather then buy your own stuff. This is especially true in the realms of BDSM sexXx0r toys and TB-303s (where the original will net you at least a grand on E-Bay, versus a $300 almost-perfect-clone kit). It is also a hellava lot more rewarding making your own stuff, rather than going down to the 'local' Wal-Mart, to further their construction of a evil-empire-like-pave-the-planet-fully-operational-battle-sales-station.
I also find that I spend more time learning about the world, and learning about my relationship to the world. Now, design, programming, and music creation are also DIY-styled-pursuits, but there is a difference between hacking code, (or designing a site, or building a song) and soldering a synth or making a hat. The latter has a certain physicalness to it. A sense of real-world tangibility to it that is very appealing. When you're done, you have something physical, and hopefully useful.
My next project is going to be learning how to sew PVC, and will probably involve some caulking as well. I have mad plans... MAD PLANS!