MAY 2009 - New Music

Have you bought any new CD's lately? Be careful before you say that you can't afford them. I generally think the same thing. I did, however, stumble and ponder onto something this winter that I wanted to share with you. Late one night an idea hit me.

I really wanted the new Derek Trucks "Already Free" CD. Derek, in case you may not know him, is regarded as possibly the greatest guitarist of his generation. Spending most of his career with jam bands, he could play with anyone he wanted to. Well, his new CD, which was recorded at his home studio and features the work of his equally talented wife Susan Tedeschi, was a must have. The reviews on this album and the songs he did were really well regarded in Rolling Stone. But how to afford it?

Then, I began to think. I really detest the "me me me and get it right now" syndrome a lot of big and little kids seem to be in these days. Instant gratification is a must have; download happiness now, if you will. No. No lesson there for my daughter or myself. Besides, I can't afford fifteen bucks.

Wait a minute! Let's start saving our pocket change and see how much we can pile up. After only a few days I was getting a good start. I was so tempted to just write a check and add it to the pile….but I didn't. I kept saving.

Though it took me a little while, I just got my Derek Trucks CD! It may not be in the Top 100 hottest CD's on popular charts, but the music is excellent. Plus, I appreciate it because during this little social an financial responsibility experiment, I learned that given the proper amount of self-dedication and control, I was able to do what I didn't know if I could or not. And, because I did well, I got a reward that I really enjoy and appreciate.

It really is important that we get a new CD once in a while too. Why? Because, it does us good to hear and experience something new and different in our music. Second, we can't always give all to others, like our kids and not feel "left out", even sub-consciously. And, as you can easily see, it reaffirmed an ability I wasn't sure that I still had in my instant world; the ability to save and look forward to something. Truth is, it didn't really hurt at all.

I know many of us have forgotten, and perhaps some of our kids have never known what it is to "wait" for something these days. Either wait for it to be delivered, as opposed to be downloaded instantly. Moreover, we have to save up our pocket change for the extra funds needed to spend on such a trivial thing, right? Wrong. Giving yourself something that you enjoy using this method is, I submit, a good thing, done with the right methods. In other words, sometimes we all need to get off the interstate highway and travel the two-lanes. While we are running through the countryside and small towns, we really need to stop and enjoy an ice cream at the little Dairy Delite store.

Do we really need to do the ice cream? You can choose for you, but as for me, yes, I did need the CD. Not only did it broaden my musical horizon, but it also gave me inspiration and hope that I may be able to save for the daughter's eleventh birthday coming up really soon, whether I've been saving my change or not.