and she said.. "how you interpret the dream is probably more important than the dream itself"

Ass is back in the sling called work and that means a regular paycheck, money, and all those sorts of trappings. This, inevitably, means the spark of consumerism has one again lite a fire in my inner hearth. Between this and tax season economics are on the mind - that is to say purchase power and currency conversion and GPP (Gross Personal Product) - and more. Ebay is once again my daytime partner in crime. The classifieds entertain me on the weekends. I actually think about stepping foot inside a store for something other than beer, vegetables, or cigars.

A fat $1150 in the mail from the gov'ment has spured a new interest in finally obtaining a decent electric guiter. For years I've been playing the same old ratty stratocaster imitation by hohner that my father purchased for me when I was in 6th or 7th grade - that and a Mako (Mako??) practice amp for $125 total. That makes it 14 years or so I've been this one and it may not be worth a dime but I couldn't sell it to save my life. Sentimentality and all. Packrat style.

Anyhow, the previously heretofore unobtanium that is Gibson has once again reared it's mighty head (no pun intended for you guitar folk) and I'm on the lookout. Wood grain, sunburst, gold tops. Shiny new brass knobbies, smooth pick guards, and pearl inlays. These are the things that make me salivate these days. This only because I've sworn off motorcycle junk in an attempt to gradumacate myself with a bank balance above 0.

Don't get me wrong, Gibson isn't exactly easy on the wallet either but I'm shopping down low in the Epiphone range. I've got a lead (again, no pun intended) on a nice blue LP that I might manage for $400 so I'm going to look in on that one real soon.

A disease, perhaps, this perennial need to spend cash. It's always a summer episode.. the bigger the item the longer I research things, the larger the final price gets. If I'm making my big purchase in August that means the cash outflow is going to hurt like a sucker punch to the stomach. If I can get it over and done with real quick by the end of May I can sometimes manage to get out of the whole ordeal with little more than a flinch. As you can see, I'm trying to get ahead of this one.. May is just around the corner. A disease maybe, but I figure if it's going to happen I might as well try and make this episode educational and buy a musical instrument. However wasted, maybe I'll learn something. Like a chord or two.