For two decades, when it came to compiling a Christmas list, compact discs were at the top of the list. Every year, from middle school to last year. Be it a box set, single CD, or double-CD, there was a continuation of my want-itis for years. But this year, my Christmas list doesn't feature any CDs.
As much as this might sound like a joining with modern society, I'm still a CD buyer and only listen to CDs in my car. But when it came to things I most wanted for Christmas this year, DVDs, books, golf-related stuff, and bike-related stuff came to mind. I still listen to plenty of music, but given the MP3s I get every month from eMusic, along with used LPs I get from Half Price Books, CDs aren't the go-to format for me now. I certainly will not fathom abandoning the format completely. But for now, my wants (and the things I want to buy for others) lies in other things.
I credit (credit, not blame) this to a decision that music isn't the only important matter in my life. If I were to tell the 16-year-old version of myself this, he'd probably cry foul, run into his room, and lock the door. But it's taken me this long to realize that my interests should be a better balance with listening to/playing music along with biking, golfing, reading, watching movies, and dog-walking.
I feel comfortably fine to take on new responsibilities with where my life is going. I don't feel the pressure to constantly have music to listen to, books to read, or movies to watch to fill up my leisure time. Those things seemed to fill a bigger void in my life for such a long time. But this was a void that has become much smaller in recent memory. Time passes much more quickly because there's so much that I want to do and accomplish. So it looks like I will not have a house filled wall-to-wall with media. And I'm thankful of that.
As much as this might sound like a joining with modern society, I'm still a CD buyer and only listen to CDs in my car. But when it came to things I most wanted for Christmas this year, DVDs, books, golf-related stuff, and bike-related stuff came to mind. I still listen to plenty of music, but given the MP3s I get every month from eMusic, along with used LPs I get from Half Price Books, CDs aren't the go-to format for me now. I certainly will not fathom abandoning the format completely. But for now, my wants (and the things I want to buy for others) lies in other things.
I credit (credit, not blame) this to a decision that music isn't the only important matter in my life. If I were to tell the 16-year-old version of myself this, he'd probably cry foul, run into his room, and lock the door. But it's taken me this long to realize that my interests should be a better balance with listening to/playing music along with biking, golfing, reading, watching movies, and dog-walking.
I feel comfortably fine to take on new responsibilities with where my life is going. I don't feel the pressure to constantly have music to listen to, books to read, or movies to watch to fill up my leisure time. Those things seemed to fill a bigger void in my life for such a long time. But this was a void that has become much smaller in recent memory. Time passes much more quickly because there's so much that I want to do and accomplish. So it looks like I will not have a house filled wall-to-wall with media. And I'm thankful of that.
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