Redartz: Hello everyone! I'm sitting here typing today, while waiting in anticipation for the arrival of my latest ebay purchase: a boxed set of 60's pop songs on cd. Yes, I'm a holdout who still buys those discs- although I have started streaming tunes as well. Actually, I still make pretty regular purchases at flea markets, book stores and comic shops, so my collectible interests involve both online and store buying. Why mention this, you ask? Well, it sets us up for another 'twofer' this week. Do you still buy your music, comics, books, or whatever, in person or online, or both? Let's discuss how we acquire our various pop cultural objects.
But of course this doesn't let you off the hook: we still need a "Leader" topic, so by all means, have at it!
18 comments:
I don't know, Red. You seem to be giving us some pretty good discussion topics all on your own.
I can't think of anything else right now, so I'll just answer your question: I have to admit that I haven't purchased music for quite some time now. The ease with which you can listen to individual songs you want on sites like YouTube, and the fact that I have lots of CDs that I've ripped into mp3s, mean that I'm pretty set for music listening needs in any case. Also, nowadays I mainly listen to music when driving, while when I take the dog for hikes or do house- or yardwork, I usually listen to podcasts on my phone rather than music.
As for books and comics, I still prefer the physical items over the electronic alternative, and I try to buy them at physical stores when I can. However, since I don't live in an English-language speaking country, I have to make a lot of my purchases for English-language reading material online. And over the years I've gotten really good at sniffing out bargains at sites like eBay as well as online used booksellers (and Bookfinder.com is an immensely helpful source to find books and comics online). However, whenever I visit the US, I always hit all of the (used) bookstores and comic shops I can.
Good morning, everyone -
I'll echo Edo's sentiments on books. I still have to have the paper copies. I'll read comics from the old Marvel DVD-ROMs occasionally, but it's not my go-to. Ditto to some books via my Kindle - Amazon does offer free compilations of all the Tarzan novels, all the Conan short stories, etc. for the Kindle and I've enjoyed them. But overall I'm a book guy.
My music is all streamed these days. We have a family subscription to Apple Music, and I use it daily. Great way to listen to playlists or entire albums. I love the convenience of it.
I have a question today, and hopefully over the past 10 years of BAB and BitBA it hasn't been asked:
What's the toy or collectible from your youth that got away? That one thing everyone else had and you never did, or the one thing you "needed" for completion of a set and never owned?
Doug
I love rifling through long boxes. It's one of the aspects of collecting comics I really enjoy, because it's in essence sort of a treasure hunt to me. That being said, I do buy some issues online, because I believe the odds of my encountering them via my usual outlets are very, very slim. I still buy the occasional CD for the car. I must have bought the last model to come without USB ports and the auxiliary input doesn't seem to work almost at all.
And the toy that got away has to be the Shogun Warrior jumbos. I thought those were so neat. I even liked the smell of the plastic! Alas, my parents passed and I had to settle for a couple of the small die cast metal ones, which were still kinda cool and prefigured the Transformers, even, I think.
Raydeen forever!
I like paper comics (and books) but digital is just so convenient sometimes. I prefer CDs to streaming; I have a BUNCH of mixed CDS that I've compiled over the years.
As for the second question, I always wanted a Millennium Falcon, but I never did get one. None of my friends ever had one either ... too expensive, I guess.
The family uses Apple Music and creates playlists and such. I don't want to be in my own world so I will listen to the radio (WXRT for all you Chicago types!) Haven't bought music in years but for the odd gift (vinyl).
I am not a collector but an aggregator of things that catch my fancy, LOL. That said, I wished to heck I'd gotten the Hot Wheel "Red Baron," the Marx Shooting Gallery, and Luke Cage 4 (I was trying to get the entire run, off the spinner, starting with #1).
Books - I do buy them. But these are really in-depth"reads like History that I tend to keep. O/wise I use my local library for which I was taxed exactly $348.29 in 2018. (Life in the big city, lol.)
Okay, toy-wise, I missed out on the "Os". I was never a big fan of either G.I. Joe or Legos. I did have the 12" action figures Johnny West, Geronimo, Black Bart, and such with their horses and accroutrements.
As always, I'm scanning scanning scanning. On the plus side, I'm down to my last 7 boxes. Boy was I surprised to realize I owned an unbroken X-Force run from issues 44-90. That's like years of issues. Boy, hope I enjoy what I own... And as usual, I post what I can, when I can on my little corner of the blog-verse.
There was a brief "no cellphone" policy enforcement at work. I don't own a "smartphone" but I take my Dell tablet to work. While things were sorting themselves out I would read or do crosswords. Now I'm back to editing my scans during down time at work.
Back in the day, Windows Media Player had channels you could listen to. I would use my Audacity program to record many of them. The Rolling Stones Channel, Cinema Soundtracks, Comedy, Rock, you name it, they had it. I also used Radio Shaker. An app that played stations from all over. I could not only listen to many America stations, they played the BBCs, French and Dutch stations. It was great. They also had all the RadioIO channenls, RadioActive, Hot Mix and Absolute. Absolute Country, Absolute Rock, Absolute Pop, Absolute Blues. Those are all gone now. I have most of them on mp3 and loaded on flash drives which I listen to while going to and from work. I can put roughly 4000 songs on a drive. My Elantra has an "all random" feature so it pulls songs from the entire drive.
(Cheap is small and not to steep
But best of all, cheap is cheap.
Circumstance has forced my hand
To be a cut-priced person
In a low-budget land.
Times are hard, but we'll all survive.
I just gotta learn to economize.
I'm on a low budget!
I'm on a low budget!
I'm not cheap, you'll understand;
I'm just a cut-price person in low-budget land.
Excuse my shoes they don't quite fit,
They're a special offer and they hurt me a bit.
Even my trousers are giving me pain
They were reduced in a sale, so I shouldn't complain.
They squeeze me so tight so I can't take no more!
They're a size twenty eight, but I take thirty four!
I'm on a low budget!
What did you say?
Yeah, I'm on a low budget!
I thought you said that.
I'm on a low budget!
I'm a cut-price person in a low-budget land.
I'm shopping at Woolworth and low-discount stores
I'm dropping my standards so that I can buy more.
Low budget sure keeps me on my toes.
I count every penny and I watch where it goes.
We're all on our uppers we're all goin' skin.
I used to suck cigars, but now, I suck Polo mints.
I'm on a low budget!
What did you say?
Yeah, I'm on a low budget!
I thought you said that.
I'm on a low budget!
I'm a cut-price person in low-budget land
I'm on a low budget!
Low budget!
Low budget!
Art takes time
Time is money.
Money's scarce,
And that ain't funny!
Millionaires are things of the past.
We're in low-budgetville,
Where nothing can last.
Money's rare there's none to be found,
So don't think that I'm tight if I don't buy a round.
I'm on a low budget!
What did you say?
Yes, I'm on a low budget!
I thought you said that.
I'm on a low budget!
I'm a cut-price person in low-budget land
I'm on a low budget!
Say it again.
Low budget. One more time.
Low budget).
Nice question, Doug! Apologies to everyone for my brevity today, it's been a tough day and my brain is getting mighty sluggish. But a couple thoughts...
To answer your question, Doug: there were a couple of things. I always loved the commercials for "Rock em, Sock em Robots" as a kid, and always wanted one (so I could, of course, 'knock his block off). Never did get one, though. And though I had several of the 12 inch G.I. Joes, including the astronaut, I regretted never having a Major Matt Mason. All the space toys were big then, and he had much more equipment than the Joe Astronaut. Alas...
Charlie- you mentioned the Hot Wheels "Red Baron". That is one of a very few cars that I kept through the years. Love the helmet, even though it has tarnished quite a bit. Very cool car, but if it's any consolation, it wasn't very fast. It always lost our drag races; guess that helmet ruins the aerodynamics.
Prowl- kudos to you for your mammoth efforts at all that scanning. It is a job; I've only scanned a couple dozen for my tablet and that in itself was an operation. You have my admiration! And also for your lyrical diligence...
Red - I think I have the same recollection of the sexy but slow Red Baron, lol. I recall only one friend who got his mitts on a Red Baron and that was because his dad was affiliated with Mattel in some way and he had ALL the Hot Wheels.
Well, anyhow, we all know Johnny Lightning were the fastest... right?
I might be unusual because I've never bought anything at all from ebay - in fact, I've only visited the site maybe 4 or 5 times in total. But I don't need ebay if I want any hits compilation CDs because my local supermarket sells lots of them with such titles as CAR SONGS OF THE '70s, THE '80s HITS ALBUM, NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL '80s HITS and NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL DAD ROCK.
Redartz, I remember you saying you liked Lorde so have you heard of Billie Eilish? She is 17 years-old and her album, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP WHERE DO WE GO? recently reached #1 on the Billboard album chart (and lots of other countries' album charts) which makes her the first artist born in the 21st century to achieve a #1 album. Anyway, if you like Lorde you might like Billie Eilish - the album is excellent in my opinion and it really grows on you.
And relating to the question - I bought the Billie Eilish album as a download on Good Friday and then four days later I saw the CD in the supermarket so I bought that too (the CD, not the supermarket) - I rarely buy music so I'm allowed to indulge myself by buying the digital download AND the CD versions :D
I've also just bought the DVD of SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE which I hear is excellent, amazing, fantastic, superb etc, etc...has anyone seen it?
I'll finish with a tribute to Doris Day by copying Prowler for once :D
Move over darling,
You've captured my heart,
And now that I'm no longer free,
Make love to me,
Move over darling,
Move over darling...
Colin, Into the Spiderverse is all kinds of awesome. That's one I wouldn't mind owning myself.
Prowler-
The Kinks live album "One From The Road" is a big concert-recording favorite of mine. Great version of Low Budget.
My father wouldn't let me have G.I. Joes,Mego, etc action figures. "NO SON OF MINE IS GONNA PLAY WITH BABY-DOLLS!"
I Really wanted Capt. Action. He was like 20 superheroes in one, if you got the costumes.
The neighbor kid had GI Joe, though. We used to blow them up with M-80s or homemade explosives. How we still have our fingers is anyone's guess.
I did get cool toys occasionally. Fond memories of my tin, battery-operated Japanese robots. I'd make barriers out of wooden blocks ( the kind with letters on them) or Tinkertoys, with my green plastic army guys laying in wait behind them. Then my Giant Robot would charge forth, obliterating everything in its path.
As far as music, I still listen to CDs. Working in the recorded music industry for a number of years afforded me a huge amount of promotional copies. I did thin out my collection drastically, but I do pickup either nostalgic favorites or newer bands I hear about at used CD/DVD stores or flea markets. I still have an insanely huge DVD/VHS collection, and am always on the hunt. My passion is truly grade-z horror/action/sci-fi/exploitation, 1950's to the 80's.
Our friend Charlie Horse 47 can attest to my bizarre cinematic tastes. Lol!
In the comics-realm, I read a little online, but I prefer physical material. Used bookstores are an excellent place to purchase trade paperbacks and collected editions, such as Marvel's Essentials or DC's Showcases.
Redartz-
I got Rock'em Sock'em Robots. They were fun, but after a number of bouts, if you just LOOKED at them, their heads would just pop-up.
They were fun with my friends, but my dad always kicked my ass. He could be kinda mean sometimes.
Colin- no, I'm not familiar with Billie Eilish, but yes, I like Lorde. Based upon your recommendation I'll be sure to check her out! Oh, and "Spiderverse" was excellent.
Kd- ah yes, the illicit fun of youthful explosives...like you I blew up a few models. Oh, and GI Joe's. And model trains (always loved Gomez Addams train wrecks on the Addams Family).
And hey, Tinkertoys made great environments for action figures and green army men. As did Lincoln Logs (good for cave-ins).
I had a Big Jim and his camper but always wanted Dr. Steel. How much fun I could have had using Big Jim's karate chop against the metal hand of Dr. Steel!
Ah, forgot about Big Jim. Was that the franchise that also included Bulletman, the Human Bullet?
Red, I've got both of Lorde's albums which are masterpieces in my opinion. David Bowie said Lorde is "the future of music" and Bowie was mega-cool so he should know :D
Killdumpster, your dad sounds like a real fun guy. Warm and understanding.
My grandmother once asked me why I played with dolls when she saw my Planet Of The Apes and Star Trek action figures. "THEY AREN'T DOLLS" I cried.
Killraven-
I googled Bulletman and found out he wasn't part of Big Jim's crew, but part of Eagle-Eyed GI Joe's team.
Yeah, Colin, my dad was a typical hillbilly. If it didn't involve killing animals to eat them, He usually wasn't interested in it.
A friend of mine had Captain Action, and he was the envy of recess. There was an independent department store that my mom frequented, and in the toy dept. there was a broke-open pack of Captain Action uniforms. In a small sealed packet was a Captain America costume, shield laying on top.
I told my pal about it. He told me he'd give me his chocolate milk from lunch forever if I'd steal it for him.
The next week my mom took us there, and it was still laying exposed (apparently maintenance in toys wasn't a priority at this shop.) It was enticing. Extra chocolate milk at lunch, and maybe get to play with an action figure of Captain America.
My 6 yr old mind was in turmoil. My face felt heated.
I couldn't do it. Stealing is wrong. I don't know if my upbringing or Cub Scouts, or both came into play, but I couldn't do it.
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