On Our Way To Crazy

Some people have a coffee problem. I have an mp3 problem.

You know those ads for charities that implore you to give up your daily cup of coffee? They play a sad song, show you some kids and tell you that your $3 a day could feed those kids for a year.

While they are probably right, and they are definitely worthy causes, they never really sold me. I don’t drink coffee. I don’t have a $3 a day habit.

Or, I didn’t. But lately Twitter and Amazonmp3 have come into my life. My $3 a day habit isn’t a fancy cup of coffee. It’s an album. Or two. Maybe a handful of individual tracks.

Are you following Amazonmp3 on twitter? I would tell you that you should be, but it might be safer if you don’t. Every day they feature an album for around $3, sometimes less, sometimes more. And while sometimes it’s a total unknown, it’s often something pretty great. I bought David Gray’s new album (a day early!) for $3.99. The Away We Go soundtrack? New Weezer record? Phoenix? Damien Rice live? I bought them all.

It’s a problem.

I mean, it could be worse. I could be actually going out and buying these albums in the store, right? They would cost three times as much PLUS gas money PLUS all that wasteful packaging that just ends up stored somewhere. This is good for the wallet and for the environment and for my closet space. I’m actually doing a good thing here.

Plus, I’m supporting musicians. I’m sure they make a killing off the couple of dollars I’m sending their way via amazon and the record company. Weezer was headed toward unemployment before I came along and saved the day. I should get a medal.

Or at least a bigger ipod.