Well, I'm going to post a bit of a long one today... I've been away for a few days, working and slaving and whatnot...To go the long way round: I'm a Borders Rewards Member, which means whenever I spend my hard earned pesos at that venerable store (yes, it's cheese. the holey swiss kind) I get a little bit of "free" money socked away for me to use during the "most wonderful time of the year" (read: Christmas). I didn't spend bucketloads this year... so I only had $45.51 in Rewards Dollars (whee!) but that was $45.51 that I didn't have to pay out of pocket. I wanted music. I could have bought books and believe me, if the figure had been a little higher I would have. (Books rate a high priority in my life, second only to tune-age.) So, I roll to Borders and start browsing. Silly girl! I didn't take a list of things that have been on my radar. So I have to actually browse. I know that some will scoff but I HATE browsing for music, especially when I can't listen. It's anti-climactic. It's like trailing your hands down a toned, six-pack treasure trail only to be hindered by the button fly... I want the meat, dammit! I want to HEAR what I am looking at and when I can't it makes me want to scream the word "tease" so that the entire store can hear me. But, I digress.Tune-age. Which I have to search for, the long hard way. List-less (and I don't mean that in the sense of being without energy), I have to hunt for something worth listening to. I don't want to take home some band I've heard a million times before. I want the new new shit. And I'm willing to let Borders pay for it. I'm trying to get three CD's out the door with me. That means I have to keep my per-CD-price down to 13.99 or less. Have I set myself any insurmountable challenges here? Umm...There is a show I'm planning on going to next month (hey, I said it was the long way around), the Deck the Hall Ball and some cool bands are playing: Angels n Airwaves, Bloc Party, Snow Patrol, Jet, Gnarls Barkley, The Shins, My Chemical Romance and Pete Yorn. I decided to grab some of the CDs of bands I haven't picked up already. But I had this self imposed budget. That knocked out Snow Patrol, Angels n Airwaves, and Jet (their new release, I have the first CD). Frankly, I forgot about My Chemical Romance and The Shins. And I don't know if I'm interested in Pete Yorn. So that left Bloc Party. Their CD was priced at a "free money" friendly 13.99, so I bought it. Plus, it's a band that is highly recommended by several members of Duran Duran (no, I didn't stutter). I'm still mulling over my response to Bloc Party. I'll get back to you.After some agonizing searching... I eventually availed myself of what was on offer at the listening stations in the music department. That netted me the debut CD of California band Under the Influence of Giants for $10.99. I've been listening to it non-stop since I bought it. I like the funk & synth tinged pop these boys are pumping out... no surprise really given my penchant for DD. After that I heard a bit of TV vs. Radio, which I have to admit I was kind of grooving on but not ready to commit to yet. At this point I had been in the Big Box Book store for an hour and half, I wanted out. Then I remembered that someone on MOG (I love this place!) had mentioned a new Basement Jaxx CD. I wasn't actually expecting to walk away with it because I figured "established band, full price" but I was wrong. The Jaxx were on sale, they are so spanking new. $12.99! I made it out of the store with three CDs, tax covered, and I didn't spend a dime. I love it! So, all of that to say: I got some new music and I like it.