Making Do with What You Have: Using a Walkman
I work out at the local YMCA, and am always careful to lock everything up and not leave things around. It’s a friendly place, but I remember things getting stolen at the YMCA I grew up swimming for in Vermont. Anyway, I like to run and lift weights, but it means I have a great music player hanging around while I lift, and it’s a pain to have to move it every time I move stations (there are three separate, connecting rooms that make up the weight room). I usually end up carrying it, and leave nothing to chance.
When I say “music player,” I actually mean a Sony sports walkman. Yes, a walkman. One that plays cassette tapes. It still looks shiny and yellow and black and REALLY nice. I think of it as a really desirable object to steal, if stealing was your thing. But it dawned on me the other day what an anachronism it is. If that walkman was stolen, who could it possibly be resold to? Realistically, a thief would more likely wonder what it is.
iPods are clearly the way to go these days, but I already have a perfectly functioning music player. Do we really need to replace working items just because there’s something newer out there? My answer is no. Plus, this way I get to listen to my mix tapes from junior high and high school. You can’t beat ‘80s music.
