I have a plant, it is surviving summer in the coolest, shadiest place in a glasshouse. It is in a small pot that is sitting on a very shallow tray filled with water. I have always had (for at least 20 years) a mature plant or bits and pieces when it became too big and untidy and had to be broken up. Well worth growing not just for the leaves but also for the interesting flowers. Not much help for someone in zone 5 but in general terms this is one of the easier orchids provided you avoid extremes of temperature, dryness and harsh sunlight.

well in the future I will have a yard ~1-2 years. Right now apartment, and a house I drive to in the summer, which is near by where I am going to have a house. I hope this makes sense. Possibly something that will take a couple of years to get big enough that it needs a house residence and can not be transported without a truck. Of course a smaller something would be better for now.

Just in terms of water alone, look into IHW = instant hot water (tank and tap) filtering water icemaker or water chiller as a standalone appliance, not in the fridge/freezer -- Dishwashers can have three racks. The top one is for cutlery. Really good. Dishwashers can be drawers too. Induction is coming down in price. Ikea will bring out induction at a mass market price soon. In 2010 or 2011 it will be a regular ordinary option when people have a kitchen to rebuild. Nothing surprising. Front loading washing machines took a long time to catch on, and they still cost more than top loaders, but they are worth it. Faucets with electronic controls are coming out. On the spray, you press + or - to get more or less warmth, and another + - to get more or less flow. Very responsive and precise. Cool. No more joystick mixer, which is imprecise on many faucets. Another faucet with the ability to move the spout down low and hold itself is the Arwa Twinflex. Articulating arm faucets will be coming out too. Direct copies of the Karbon. Faucet aerators that don't create splashback. Fully integrated built-in microwaves can be as inexpensive as $600 or $700 at Ikea. They have a pull-down door. Microwave drawers are good too. Speed ovens are very good use of technology. Steam too. Fagor makes Pressure cookers that work on Induction cooktops. Mega fast cooking. By the way, did you know that you can use a thermos bottle as a cooking device? Web search using "thermos cooking" as key words. This is slow cooking. Inline fans, and external fans. Blowers located somewhere other than next to your ears. Saves space too: you get to use the wall cabinet for your stuff, instead of dedicating it to the blower motor. HTH

Justin, I believe Nomen's point regarding the Euphorbia is in reference to the common nursery practice of grafting cacti/succulents to obtain faster, easier growth of the scion. (Or in the more extreme case of the bright red, yellow, or pink Gymnocalycium, simply making it possible for them to survive.) As you are no doubt aware, at some point the scion will break free of the rootstock. (For that matter, most members of John Q Public will likely not even be aware that the plant is a graft to begin with.) Most of the general public would be unaware of this, and will likely be dismayed when this occurs and have no clue as what to do (if anything) to salvage the situation. This, in turn, can lead to disappointment and turn them off from trying again. Unfortunately, there is a very real limit to how much info can feasibly be included on a tag. Tags for such plants really should mention the fact that it is a graft. The more observant novice, noticing such, might take it upon themselves to do some research so they know what is in store for their plant's future, or later , when they start seeking help, they'll have a search term to help. Nomen might suggest that the plants sold should not be grafted at all. And I understand that viewpoint. However, looking at this from a nursery's standpoint, I can also see the efficacy of grafting. Some plants like the aforementioned chlorophyll free Gymnocalycium are popular novelty plants that can survive no other way. Other plants commonly used as scions grow much more vigorously when grafted making it possible to grow up saleable (or salable depending on one's spelling preference ;-) ) plants faster and at significantly lower cost to the consumer.