Personal Note: Arriving in the 21st century. Again.

[nebroadwe]

I've had the same CD shelf system since, oh, 1995 or so. The CD player died about five years ago, I guess, but by then I had hooked up the DVD player to the AUX channel so I didn't really mind. Lately, however, the speakers have been intermittently spitting and hissing like disgruntled cats, so I decided it was time, time enough, and indeed high time for an upgrade. I considered one of those Bose Wave things -- a friend's dad has one and it sounded nice and took up very little space (always a consideration in a house where book storage takes priority). After some research, though, I decided I could get something just as nice, possibly sturdier, and almost as small for a hundred and fifty dollars less. So I went with a Denon DM-38, which arrived on my porch yesterday. The speakers were a bit of a hassle to set up and are going to be even more of a hassle to take down if I ever have to move them, but that's my only complaint. It's smaller than my old system but puts out just as much noise ... and it has two AUX channels in the back, which means that I can plug both the VCR (yes, I still own a working VCR) and the DVD player into it without having to use an intervening widget. It also has a USB port; I haven't tried my iPod in it yet, because my iPod is elderly and a wee bit cranky ("I don't understand these newfangled gadgets! Back in my day, you had your gig and you were grateful for it, not begging for more memory every six months ...") and the Denon, while too polite to snigger openly at it, did regard it with an air of mild condescension. ("Black and white screen, eh? How ... charmingly retro."). Or perhaps I've simply read too many of Diane Duane's more recent Young Wizards novels:

"Come on, you guys,” [Kit] said in the Speech. "All I’m asking for here is a little cooperation -- "
"No surrender!" shouted the remote.
"Death before dishonor!" shouted the DVD player.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with the old shelf system, which has responded to potential obsolescence by ... wait for it ... working. No more hissing, but a sly wink and a nudge in the direction of a possible loose connection at the back of the DVD player, know what I mean, know what I mean ... Argh. I can't throw it out if the tape deck and radio still work; my thrifty German ancestors would gather 'round and haunt me. So now I'm trying to find a place for it in the guest bedroom, which may involve buying the small computer desk I've wanted for a while. As if I need to be spending more money right before Christmas. Ah, well. If the Denon lasts fifteen or twenty years, I'll be happy enough.

Comments

[a-big-apple.livejournal.com]

LOL. Maybe you actually did hit on the Speech at some point, and told the old system to clean up its act, without even knowing it!

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

That would be ... disturbing. I don't think I said anything to it, other than, "Well, that's it then; time to order a new one." Although that might have been enough.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

*giggles* at the idea of the Speech working on your old system. :D

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

Speech, alchemy, ritual magic -- about the only thing that probably wouldn't have done any good was an exorcism.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Considering how some of my electronics work, I wouldn't be surprised an exorcism would be necessary.

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

Have you tried invoking St. Vidicon of Cathode (http://www.st-vidicon.net/)?

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

My dyslexia read that as "St. Vicodin"...

...who's a whole 'nother 'patron saint'.

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

Er, yes. A very relaxed, laid-back one ...

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

The Saint of Duuuudes everywhere?

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

And Duuuudettes.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

So be it, duuuuudette.

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

Right now I'm considering a novena to St. Benadryl, except that last time she made me feel like the insides of my sinuses had been scraped raw. On the other hand, I'd love to be able to breathe properly.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Breathing is one of those things that seems overrated until you just can't do it.

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah. Especially at three in the morning, when you know you aren't sick enough to stay home from work the next day but can't sleep because breathing is next to impossible without turning the pillow into a sodden mass of drool. Why can't we turn salivation on and off, too?

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Because no one asked us in the planning committee?

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

I have often reflected that human anatomical design might be adduced as proof of the Christian doctrine of a triune God. Yet another reason why I'm probably doing hard time in Purgatory one day.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Well...if I make it to Purgatory, I'll wave at you from the other side of hell...?

[nebroadwe.livejournal.com]

Ha! We'll be in the same circle of Purgatory, the one reserved for fanficcers (though I suspect Dante would have sympathized a bit with us, since the Divine Comedy is effectively fanfic about Christian eschatology -- heck, it's RPF and the protagonist is an author insert. :-)

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

This is Very Likely True or perhaps I should just take it canonically. XD