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Year in Music and Video
Dec. 18th, 2025 05:33 amThe year in music lessened. The number of LP's that I acquired via thrifting has dwindled. It's still there, but just less. I'm even running into less folk. In general, I'm recording the LPs, then they sit there as I ignore them. Eventually, I get the ripping done.
I moved from Windows to Linux. I'd been off Linux for a while. PipeWire gave me fits and I don't know why, so I was on ALS for a while, but I've recently gone back to PipeWire.
I purchased a pair of open eared BluTooth earbuds for work (Anker Soundcore Aerofit v1, half-off, closeout, $50), and that's helped my restlessness. They hold a charge all day, sound reasonable, connect to multiple devices, and give me listening pleasure. I'm mostly listening to Soma FM, with channels focusing on 80's synth, bossa nova, hip 60's, indie pop, and space age jazz. Because work had a high level of political stress, I needed something in my ears.
My big purchase were my Bowers and Wilkins 704 Series 2 speakers, for only $350. That was an unrepeatable occurrence, as I walked into a thrift store in a wealthy county and there they were.
I rebuilt a pair of speakers, reclaiming the drivers, creating a pair of cube speakers. I put those, a small amp, and a small sub, into the living room, and now they're the living room speakers. More importantly, they're the Christmas jukebox.
I wore out a needle on my turntable. I bought another LP Gear Carbon Black. I don't play well kept records, so I re-chose a needle for challenging conditions. It's good enough for who it's for.
With fewer records to buy, and eyes that kept getting irritated, I turned my gaze onto DVDs and BluRays. I purchased the entire run of Studio Ghibli films (to date), and then went on a hunting spree, finding all sorts of wonderful films for $1 (and sometimes less). I've watched more films this year than I've watched in a decade. I've paid extra attention to well known or critically acclaimed films that I've never seen. I've worked hard to escape my usual genres.
I'm also watching films to feed my head with varied sorts of stories, which I hope will inform my novel writing.
Halfway through the year, I stopped watching Twitch. Many of my favorite DJs and pianists were showing up irregularly (life happened to them), and then one morning, I woke up and I was done. In August, I went cold turkey, spending my time on video instead. That coincided with me dropping almost every Discord group that they ran, which was easy because I'd never integrated with Discord very well.
My eyes needed the break. After five months of film and less playing, they don't get irritated as easily anymore, but they still annoy me.
I donated to WMGSO, the Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra. I didn't make any live concerts, but I've sat in on their livestreams. They're the one exception that I made to Twitch.
I moved from Windows to Linux. I'd been off Linux for a while. PipeWire gave me fits and I don't know why, so I was on ALS for a while, but I've recently gone back to PipeWire.
I purchased a pair of open eared BluTooth earbuds for work (Anker Soundcore Aerofit v1, half-off, closeout, $50), and that's helped my restlessness. They hold a charge all day, sound reasonable, connect to multiple devices, and give me listening pleasure. I'm mostly listening to Soma FM, with channels focusing on 80's synth, bossa nova, hip 60's, indie pop, and space age jazz. Because work had a high level of political stress, I needed something in my ears.
My big purchase were my Bowers and Wilkins 704 Series 2 speakers, for only $350. That was an unrepeatable occurrence, as I walked into a thrift store in a wealthy county and there they were.
I rebuilt a pair of speakers, reclaiming the drivers, creating a pair of cube speakers. I put those, a small amp, and a small sub, into the living room, and now they're the living room speakers. More importantly, they're the Christmas jukebox.
I wore out a needle on my turntable. I bought another LP Gear Carbon Black. I don't play well kept records, so I re-chose a needle for challenging conditions. It's good enough for who it's for.
With fewer records to buy, and eyes that kept getting irritated, I turned my gaze onto DVDs and BluRays. I purchased the entire run of Studio Ghibli films (to date), and then went on a hunting spree, finding all sorts of wonderful films for $1 (and sometimes less). I've watched more films this year than I've watched in a decade. I've paid extra attention to well known or critically acclaimed films that I've never seen. I've worked hard to escape my usual genres.
I'm also watching films to feed my head with varied sorts of stories, which I hope will inform my novel writing.
Halfway through the year, I stopped watching Twitch. Many of my favorite DJs and pianists were showing up irregularly (life happened to them), and then one morning, I woke up and I was done. In August, I went cold turkey, spending my time on video instead. That coincided with me dropping almost every Discord group that they ran, which was easy because I'd never integrated with Discord very well.
My eyes needed the break. After five months of film and less playing, they don't get irritated as easily anymore, but they still annoy me.
I donated to WMGSO, the Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra. I didn't make any live concerts, but I've sat in on their livestreams. They're the one exception that I made to Twitch.
