#cd stores

Who here still loves going into record stores?

I was just in our local CD store, Bullmoose, yesterday, buying a copy of the Les Mis DVD (yes, I'm surprised that it took me this long), and I found myself spending an extra 20-25 minutes in the store looking at CDs and books. I ended up buying myself two White Stripes albums and a Cake album with some leftover cash, since Bullmoose sometimes has CDs that are actually priced lower than those on iTunes, and looking at the section on my top school in a college guide in their book section.

At 6pm, when I was wandering out of the store, I wondered why I lingered. I realized it was because the store is like a haven. It's a place to go, leave your worries behind, and be with music. You can't do that with iTunes. I sat on the floor of the store comparing the prices of White Stripes albums, and I completely forgot about the New Deal paper that I was supposed to write for APUSH last night. I just let myself go and relax for the first time in what feels like ages.

It's the same with books. Some people like Kindles (I myself am part of that category), but I also love the feel of a book. The smell of the paper. The serenity of a bookstore.

Are we, as a society, losing this precious luxury? Don't get me wrong, I love technology, but I also love CDs. And books. And, yes, sometimes even VHS tapes. They remind me of a simpler time, a time when you could brag about your library or your CD collection. I still keep a place for DVDs on my dresser and shelves of books and a shoebox full of CDs. Sometimes that trip to the CD store or the bookstore can seem like a hassle when we have Kindles and iPhones. Other times, they're a nice break.