I continue to move, not forward, but backward.

I don't do the music download thing. No songs on my cell phone. I have gone completely back to listening on vinyl. You've heard the song and dance about how vinyl has a superior sound than digital files, and you will believe what you like. I am 100% convinced and satisfied that my records sound better than any compact disc or digital download.

I do not own a Kindle, a Nook, or any reading device. I like my books.

I was all over the DVD boom. It was perfect, and I gave up my VHS tapes. Now I regret it.

Two different documentaries on the subject of VHS tapes were made recently. I have not seen them. I only watched the trailers. But they stirred something deep inside me.

The VHS days were magical and marvelous. I don't quite think people born after, say, 1990 can imagine how revolutionary it was. To be able to watch anything, at any time, and stop and start it at will. Unthinkable.

I spend countless hours in video stores in the 80's and 90's. Browsing through the titles, talking to other customers and the staff. I was a regular at all the closest stores and I knew the people who worked there.

The earliest days were best. Before Blockbuster came along and tried to monopolize everything. They almost succeeded, but they were unable to make the leap into the new methods of distribution.

There were video stores everywhere. And most of them did outstanding business. Mom and Pop shops, and most convenience stores had a little section where you could rent tapes.

It was exciting. You never knew what you were going to find.

And here's the thing: There were countless movies either produced and manufactured exclusively for the VHS market, or were put on tape and have not resurfaced since.

They are in danger of being lost. Videotape is ephemeral. It deteriorates eventually.

It is a vital part of our culture. A part that is largely being forgotten.

It wasn't all a bed of roses. Tapes damaged fairly easily. But then so did digital discs. Tracking kind of sucked, and sometimes you could not quite get one to play right. Then there was rewinding. Be kind, rewind.

It doesn't look so bad now. In fact, it looks downright wonderful.

I currently do not even own a DVD player. Oh, I do, but it is not hooked up. I do have a combination TV and videotape player in my bedroom. I haven't watched it in ages, and I put in Hollywood Boulevard 2 (a movie still not on DVD or any other format to date) and it wouldn't play. A error message came up and said to run a head cleaner through it. I don't have one, but I just ordered a cleaner from ebay for a couple of bucks.

If that doesn't work, I will buy a player. I am sure I can get one for a song.

I'm excited. I plan to start looking for cool tapes at thrift stores. I want the obscure stuff. The big clamshell cases are calling my name.

In my own microscopic way I helped usher in the vinyl record resurgence. I raved about them, played records for people, talked them into buying turntables, found deals on albums at thrift shops and gave them away. Trying to spread the word.

I won't stop looking for records, but I am going to start combing the shops for tapes. I like the look and sound of analog over digital more and more. And, maybe in doing so, I can find a place of peace and joy in my own heart in the process.



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