It Ain't Me, Babe.

Wow, I've had this ridiculous reproduction-style phonograph for a VERY long time (10+ years?), and it's been in my room for at least half of that time, and only NOW I'm starting to collect LPs like some sort of rabid musical Luddite. Up until this point I've been content with my parents' collected (and admittedly, awesome) stuff: Simon & Garfunkel, Lovin' Spoonful, Jim Croce, LOTS of The Beatles, etc.

And this is, of course, a complete musical education in and of itself. But I wanted more.

The latest purchases? Johnny Cash's "Orange Blossom Special", circa 1965, and a 2-record selection called "The World of Johnny Cash" featuring a bunch of songs I felt like I needed in my life.

Also, to add to the vintage Irish trad collection, a beat-up old record called "Traditional Music of Ireland & Shetland" by a band called How To Change A Flat Tire. I'm not sure how famous they ever got, and I'm not sure if they're any good, but the LP was only 98 cents, so...it needed to come home with me. Besides, the Chieftains were starting to get lonely.

Can you tell I went a little nuts at Half-Price Books? Well, as if that weren't enough, I also bought three new cookbooks: The Bread Bible, the Encyclopedia of Soups, and Irish Food & Cooking. My mom could only say: "If you're going to buy books with such gorgeous photographs and tempt your mother with them, you HAVE to promise to do a lot of cooking. And soon."

Oh, don't worry Mom. I will. Soon enough you won't be able to TEAR me away from the kitchen until I've mastered every recipe in these ridiculous new books.

Yeah, it's a good night.

So, goodnight!

-The GLS