David Harbin <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Can I ask: do you think that someone can become addicted to buying
>classical CDs?

I guess people can get addicted to anything.

>Do you get a rush of adrenalin when you savour the thought of that next
>purchase?

No; if the purchase is succesful I'll get the rush while listening to it.

>Has your collection grown so large that you couldn't possibly listen to
>half of it again in a month?

In a month I could barely go through 5% of my recordings.

>Do you feel just a tiny bit embarrassed, wondering where all of the money
>has gone, when you take a guilty glance at those piles of CD cases?

I actually think I know of no better way to spend money than music. When
I'm driving I think I know no worse way to spend money than on my car. Life
is pretty simple at the extremes; it's in the middle where complications
arise (do I really want to spend all that money on a new PC?)

>Do you think that the process of purchasing and buying the CD has
>overtaken the enjoyment of the music itself?

Many things interfere with my enjoyment of music, but none overtake it,
and the process of purchasing CDs is usually neutral. The interference
comes from:

- CD turns out to contain music of disappointing quality (for unfamiliar
purchases)

- CD has lousy performance

- CD has lousy sound

- CD is hard to find, out of print, etc.

- CD is outrageously expensive (eg $20 for less than 50 min. of music)

You need to understand that money has no intrinsic value until it's spent
on something. Once you separate what you need for basic expenses (and
investment for future basic expenses), whatever is left is maximized in
value by spending it on what matters most in life. There is no guilt
when you look at it that way.

Ulvi
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