Half Price Books = Happiness

As a resident of the Village in Dallas, I have the privilege of living within walking distance of the largest Half Price Books in the known universe. When I open that door and am overcome with that mystical aroma of old, musty paper mingled with freshly roasting coffee, I wish I actually enjoyed reading...it really is a shame. I don't really mind reading, unless I do it for longer than 3 minutes. I guess I got my fill with summer reading back in high school. I tell you, the best way to take all the fun out of something is to force you to do it ad nauseum when you should definitely be doing other things.

In the last couple months, I've made a walk down to Half Price somewhat of a regular thing, and I've bought 4 books. How many pages have I read? Probably 3. (That's an average of 0.75 pages per book!) But hey, this time I'm reaping more immediate benefits. I'm listening to Jimmy Page wail "When the Levee Breaks" and "Going to California"...on vinyl! (That's Led Zeppelin for those of you who have better things to do than know classic rock bands' lead singers. Album cover at the left.) Not only that, but a few minutes ago I heard the Stairway to Heaven guitar solo, complete with all the crackly imperfections and slight changes in key normally associated with an old vinyl record.

Which got me thinking a little bit. It's time we re-embraced this medium of music. In the age of iPods, Bose speakers, and perpetually convenient music, we need to not forget how to appreciate the older methodologies of media. I'm telling you, it's like hearing a whole different song; it's just so much richer and has its own character, not being all perfect and digital.

I guess today's age of highly convenient music has its good and bad. If you have a song stuck in your head that you absolutely have to hear, chances are you have the ability to scratch that itch pretty quickly...all thanks to the convenience of portable music. But at the same time, music has now become highly individualized. People used to gather round the ol' radio and just sit around listening to whatever. How often does that happen nowadays?

Ah, it's times like these I wish I was alive in the 70s. But then I guess we wouldn't have Half Price.

Or Taco Cabana.