The journey or the destination?

[mikelz777]

Many of you have probably heard the saying that the journey is more important than the destination. Very often, I think that is true. It seems to apply to me and my music buying habits for the last couple of years.

The last couple of years I have really been caught up in researching, seeking out and obtaining a lot of jazz CDs and I've been loving it. I love listening to and finding new artists (to me), seeking out a good deal on the recordings I'm after and the excitement and anticipation of getting new jazz CDs in the mail. In this pattern, I've discovered that I've amassed a lot of recordings that I barely know before I'm on the hunt for even more CDs. It seems I've fallen in love with the process of searching out and obtaining new CDs but the experience sometimes seems less magical or stimulating once I actually get the CDs. Don't get me wrong, I love having them and listening to them but I seem to be feeding off the process (the journey) rather than the end result. (the destination) Have any of you felt the same way or similarly?

I've really been trying hard to stop buying and start digging more into what I already have. So far I've gone 3 weeks with no new buys which is really good for me considering my present pattern. When I'm tempted to listen to a lot of new music samples or search for new CDs I think of the ones I already have and tell myself, "You have 4 CDs worth of [fill in the name] you don't even remember" or dozens and dozens of other CDs you've only heard once and barely know or don't even remember. I knew it was getting pretty bad when I spent 30 minutes listening to samples and searching for a deal on a CD I discovered I already had but had completely forgotten because I had only listened to it once.

Edited July 23, 2007 by mikelz777

[Jim R]

You're certainly not alone. We've discussed this here I'm quite sure, and I think it was also discussed on the old Blue Note board. Basically, it's just OCD (not necessarily funny, depending on one's outlook... but ironic that "CD" is contained in that acronym). Most of us have paused to question ourselves at one time or another. For me personally, I've gone through a number of "thin the herd" phases over the past 30+ years of collecting music. About two to three years ago I kind of hit a wall. Couldn't really think of any more discs I truly wanted to seek out or thought I really needed, and realized (again) that I had thousands of recordings and a large number that were being neglected. Storage space was something that I was becoming more and more aware of and struggling to rationalize. For the first time in my life I stopped buying almost completely (people were still giving me things occasionally, and there was the occasionial trade with friends, but I stopped almost all purchasing). From time to time now I'll buy something, but I know I'll never go back to the kind of binges that I used to go on. I see myself as having fairly well-defined tastes, and I've always tried to collect most or all of the works of my favorite artists. So, when you talk about having multiple recordings by a certain artists that you haven't managed to give their due attention, this rings true for me as well (except take your example of 4 CD's and multiply by 20 ). And yes, I've purchased things that I already owned on several occasions.

Having admitted all that, I don't really have any regrets. It's wonderful to be able to go and pull out a recording any time you like, whether spontaneously or due to some stimulus (like a topic here, or hearing something on the radio).

[jlhoots]

This is at least partly like the "Don Juan Syndrome".

Chasing after it is sometimes more fun than getting it.

[mikelz777]

OCD=Oy! CDs are a compulsion!

I think you both make excellent points. I'm guessing that one of the best ways of dealing with it is first recognizing the issue. Maybe I just need to replace that OCD issue with another that is more productive or beneficial like health/fitness or completing projects on the house. (While listening to my current jazz CDs.)

[Van Basten II]

I plaid guilty to this compulsion, also. I buy so much many new stuff that i barely have time to listel to the stuff i already own.

[Chuck Nessa]

A bit like looking at

[mikelz777]

Yikes! I hope I can forget that image.

[mikelz777]

I plaid guilty to this compulsion, also. I buy so much many new stuff that i barely have time to listel to the stuff i already own.

It seems to be pretty prevalent among people who come here. It also seems that a lot of people are resigned to it or even embrace it. I seem to recall at some point that someone here had 150+ unopened CDs they had waiting for them to listen to. At present, I think I have about 20 jazz CDs I haven't heard yet and about 25 more from a 40-CD classical set I have yet to hear. I just think it's finally hitting me in a real way that carrying on like this is a bit too much and counter-productive. It's very expensive to keep it up especially when I know I can get the "new" recording buzz/enjoyment by listening to CDs I already have and have forgotten or barely remember. What makes it really tough is that there is always going to be new artists that I'll like if I'm not wanting more recordings of artists I already know.

Edited July 25, 2007 by mikelz777

[thomastreichler]

Many of you have probably heard the saying that the journey is more important than the destination. Very often, I think that is true. It seems to apply to me and my music buying habits for the last couple of years.

The last couple of years I have really been caught up in researching, seeking out and obtaining a lot of jazz CDs and I've been loving it. I love listening to and finding new artists (to me), seeking out a good deal on the recordings I'm after and the excitement and anticipation of getting new jazz CDs in the mail. In this pattern, I've discovered that I've amassed a lot of recordings that I barely know before I'm on the hunt for even more CDs. It seems I've fallen in love with the process of searching out and obtaining new CDs but the experience sometimes seems less magical or stimulating once I actually get the CDs. Don't get me wrong, I love having them and listening to them but I seem to be feeding off the process (the journey) rather than the end result. (the destination) Have any of you felt the same way or similarly?

I've really been trying hard to stop buying and start digging more into what I already have. So far I've gone 3 weeks with no new buys which is really good for me considering my present pattern. When I'm tempted to listen to a lot of new music samples or search for new CDs I think of the ones I already have and tell myself, "You have 4 CDs worth of [fill in the name] you don't even remember" or dozens and dozens of other CDs you've only heard once and barely know or don't even remember. I knew it was getting pretty bad when I spent 30 minutes listening to samples and searching for a deal on a CD I discovered I already had but had completely forgotten because I had only listened to it once.

You expressed just what I am thinking. These are exactly my feelings. I hardly manage to resist the temptation of again and again seeking out new CDs and discovering artists I did not pay much attention to before. For example about six months ago I did not own even one CD by Earl Hines, since then I fell in love especially with his solo recordings and have purchased some 30 CDs (by the way not understanding now how I could neglect this artist for so long). Every now and then I say to myself: stop bying more and more CDs and concentrate on what you already have, but I never hold out more than a few weeks. I hate to admit it to myself, but this behaviour can only be described as addictive.

[jbs-tom]

oh yes great topic indeed.

sometimes (quite often the last weeks) i feel like a CD-junkie.

and when you also collect vinyl it's getting sometimes really mad.

the thing which stops me from time to time for a while is: i feel bad when i am buying more and more - it's like eating more and more icecream.

sometimes when i am buying all the cds i think in the store: oh yes you listen to it tonight and record some tracks on cd or minidsic ....

but usually when i am at home i'm too tired for recording - just too tired from hunting cds all day ...

Edited July 26, 2007 by jbs-tom

[sal]

I finally stopped. I probably buy 1 or 2 CDs a month now, as opposed to the 10-20 I used to buy. Its great not only on my wallet, but learning more about the music I already own actually brings me much more pleasure than buying so much new stuff did. It really is something like an addiction, and it pays (in many ways) to get the monkey off your back.

[Big Beat Steve]

This whole thing about getting more kicks out of hunting and tracking down a rare or desirable object for your collection than of actually owning it, isn't this true for ANY sort of collection?

I've had the same feelings described by all of you above quite often during my vinyl and CD buying too but I've also experienced them in exactly the same manner with my other collecting hobbies. And others told me the same thing about their hobbies. Of course it is frustrating if all your hunting comes to nothing even after years of searching but as long as you stand a fair chance of eventually finding what you are looking for, hunting and searching aare at least half of the fun (probably more), even if it only means checking out eBay ever so often nowadays.

[Niko]

i am always scared when i put on a cd i bought as teenager which i never really liked and find out that i still now it much better than all except four or five CDs i got within the last year, although i haven't listened to it in years (saxophonis Bill Evans "Push" is an example, i even know most of the rap lyrics by heart once the song is put on)

btw a simple trick if you are strong enough (which i am only most of the time) is not order anything until the open orders arrived (works only if you don't order too many at a time)

Edited July 26, 2007 by Niko