Cassette Tapes - Why Do I Still Have So Many?

A bit of a rant from earlier this year . . .

Okay. It’s official – I am a hoarder.

I decided this morning to have a bit of a sort out of the tape cassettes that are kept in a sideboard behind the settee. I seemed to recall that I had one or two. I got them all out to have a look at:

I have 182 tape cassettes

(that’s in addition to my 800 CDs and 300 vinyl albums).

And you know what?

I don’t feel I want to let go of any of them.

If we look specifically at the cassettes (which, I know, I never play any more, what with CDs and my iPod being the currency of the day) . . . we find many of these have strong sentimental value (and some are simply priceless, as opposed to valueless).

There is, for example, a whole bunch of compilation cassettes made for me by Tone for various birthdays, with titles like:

None Taken I’m Sure

Tinted Foundation Eye Shadow

Devastating To Colours

I Was Surprised That Phil Hadn’t Rung

and

(most poignant of all)

Time Isn’t On Our Side: I’m Getting Horribly Ancient.

Then there are gems which ought to be in the British Museum, like

Two Evenings by Solid Water

Sgt Kipper’s Loony Parts’ Club Land

Treasure Island

and

Administrative Gardening.

Sorry Tone. I think I borrowed these off you in eighteen-fast-asleep and forgot completely to return them. (Along with your book on the Quakers). And, yes, I know, the two editions of Slightly Foxed.

Anyway, I just hope my brother is taking care of those copies of Target magazine as well as I am taking care of these tapes!

Meanwhile, if any of you out there have any ideas which will help me reduce the size of my cassette collection or (alternatively) suggestions as to how I can store them somewhere else other than behind the settee . . . please get in touch. Or if you have a philosophical outlook or any advice at all, email me back. I would be delighted to hear from you.