#358.5: On the Road Again

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RECORD STORE TALES MkII: Getting More Tale
#358.5: On the Road Again

Today was another day on the highway, on the road to another hospital!  We’re making progress on Jen’s epilepsy and she is currently staying at a hospital in Toronto for a few days as they try to figure out just what’s causing these seizures.  It will be the longest we’ve been apart since we’ve been married, six years ago.

You don’t come here to read mushy stuff, you come for funny stories and to read about the rock!  The drive itself was uneventful.  The eastbound lanes are clear, but a jackknifed tractor trailer on the westbound side left just one lane open to traffic.  It was backed up as far as the eye could see, and I was grateful I was not one of the commuters stuck in it.

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We had Zeppelin on the ride into Toronto.  With your morning traffic jams that just happen, we listened to all of Led Zeppelin I, the deluxe edition with bonus concert CD, Live at the Olympia in Paris.  As good as this set is — and it is good — it didn’t suit the mood this morning.  I should have started with Queen instead.  I drove home to disc one of the new Queen Forever, and the pop sound and bright melodies of Queen were  better suited to lift the mood.  On the way there, Plant’s anguished screams only heightened my own tension.  On the way back, Freddie’s smooth crooning was just what the doctor ordered.  It was a bright sunny afternoon drive home.

As is par for the course this time of year, my car came home covered in a thick gray coating of sludge and salt.  I almost went through almost half a tank of windshield washer fluid today!

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If she’s there a while and I have to hang around there, I will definitely be checking out some record stores.  When we passed the Honest Ed’s building, I realized that we were right in the vicinity of Mike and Aaron’s Annual Taranna Record Store Excursion!  It would be weird to be so close and not check out Sonic Boom.

I’m looking forward to video chatting with Jen tonight on our laptops.  She’s got a few days ahead that will be a mixture of boredom, homesickness, and tedious testing.  Me, I’m back to bachelor living for the week.  I’m already bored.

Today’s musical lesson: Queen lifts the mood!

69 comments

    1. Thanks man, I appreciate the sentiment. It’s more of an observation thing. We hope that they will find what part of the brain causes these things to happen so they can find the right treatment. This is by far the biggest most positive step so far! I’m glad I had Queen on the way home. Jen brought her headphones so I know she’ll be listening to her favourite band — the Beatles.

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    1. Yeah good point. Husband of the year award — not this guy. I was too focused on the driving to think about the music too much, and Jen wasn’t thinking of it. Ah well, next time we’ll save Zep for the cottage or something more fun.

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        1. Oh true, it’s not like we hated the music! Just an observation after the fact, “Something else would have been better.” Jen still got to hear all of LZI in sequence with the Paris live concert in all its glory. Not something you’d say, “Well that was shitty.”

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        1. I was thinking the same thing…like what was average about it? OK so sometimes the audio itself isn’t perfect, there were a few moments were there’s no Plant where there should be, but that’s live. Maybe the mic was far from his mouth at that moment. Maybe it’s the tape. Anyway the performance was pretty great…now don’t you wish you had, oh, I don’t know, 7 or 8 more shows from the period to compare it to?

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  4. Also Dude, just saying (and you had no control over this), but that video of You’re My Best Friend (how aptly titled) is stopped at a really unfortunate image. Look at Freddie’s eyes. The way he’s holding that mic. Yeah.

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    1. I know eh? I saw that too. Unfortunate because I love that song. I need to check to confirm but I think this one was on our wedding CD. I love the song and we have a special connection to it because even if it wasn’t on the wedding CD, it was on a CD that we listened to together a lot in and around that time.

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        2. I don’t know what your price range is but I got mine at Planet of Sound in Ottawa. They have a location in Toronto as well. I can’t say enough about them. They’d never try to sell you on something you don’t need.

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        3. I’m sorta in the $150 – $300 range. But not currently looking because of funds due to annual Christmas expenditures! (Or, as my dad used to call it, “The Annual Financial Hemorrhage.”

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        10. It was pretty nice, and I think it will get better. I don’t know about you guys but I had the sense they were still getting the hang of the new space. All the stuff piled under the stairs, all the heaps on the desks downstairs and those harried people trying to sort it all…

          At the old locations things hummed along pretty well. I think given a bit more time this one will too. Of course, that was back in the fall. Maybe since then it’s already there!

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        11. Good observation Aaron. I didn’t notice it at the time, but now that you mention it, yeah. It’ll be interesting to compare whenever I/we go next.

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        12. They seemed to still be organizing when I was there last week but it felt like they were settling in nicely. It’s a gorgeous spot. I love the two level layout.

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        14. NOTE: When Aaron says, “Not far from where we go anyway!” he is not referring to the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. We go to record stores.

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        16. Mike, I am currently doing my level best to earn that dollar!

          Also, I was gonna say I love my Rega RP1. Love love love love love. But I looked them up and they’re a bit out of that price range you gave. Damn, too bad. It’s a mighty fine machine.

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        18. Mine’s a Pro-ject Debut Carbon. Also, a bit out of that range but Mike is right, there are still some quality tables available in his range.

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        19. I cannot lie, I didn’t pay a damn thing for it. You may recall this post:

          Christmas In October

          Brother Craig gave it to me, and it’s just gorgeous. Built solid, really an elegant design. So simple, and very very well-built. Gets a lot of great reviews as one of THE best entry-level audiophile turntables.

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  6. We are thinking of you both and hope for good results. I am so happy that Jen is getting such good use out of her Christmas present.

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        7. Oh yeah, ban Statham. He’s just too strong, even for the folks who like the beatings. But why me? The dwarf?Oh that dwarf had it COMING anyway. Little git. Always whining.

          Here lemme help your hits:

          Two Lebrains One Cup Dwarf Lunch Meat Cold Cut Pee Cup Orgy

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  10. Thinking of you guys! :)
    Toronto Western is the place my mil goes for her Rumatologist appointments at the Lupus Clinic. They’re doing great things there. Hope they find out what’s what with Jen.

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  11. Although I have never met your wife, if she likes The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Queen, I am sure she is awesome. I hope she gets the best doctors and they figure out what is ailing her. I also hope you are able to clean the place well enough for when she returns.
    As for the turntable I have to throw in my 2 cents. I would suggest you look at a vintage turntable. I prefer Thorens, but Dual, Technics, Marantz, and even Pioneer, Sony, Sansui or JVC make a good turntable. Just make sure to research the model to see if it is one of the better models, as most manufacturers made lesser quality models as well. Also keep in mind you have to have the right cartridge to make it sound sweet. Don’t shell out the $300 on one that needs a cartridge, because then you will need at least $100 for an entry level cartridge. If you can find a deal on a used TT, with a decent or nice cartridge already installed, and listen to it when you pick it up, you will be further ahead.
    Earlier this year I bought a Thorens TD145 Mark 2, with a good dust cover, a Stanton 681 eee cartridge, and an extra tone arm(brand new). Does this thing ever sound nice, and the price was right.
    Don’t discount the thrift stores. I have seen many decent turntables there for under $50. Sometimes they need a little attention, but often they just need belts or cleaning.
    Another option is the barter system. I am sure you have $300 or more in excess music(if there is such a thing), doubles etc. See if there is a seller looking to barter his turntable for your tunes.
    Good luck on your search

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