I know what you guys,are taking about.I have to one of these days start down sizing,alot.I sold all my albums in 2015...1,100.....I k ow have bought 1,500...omg...and for get about cheap cds Thousands....I only have my daughter.
God, I hate to ask this…
Recent conversations with the oncologist have been replete with phrases like ‘stage 4’,metastasis’ and unappealing statistics applied to survival rates. While my real and financial affairs are well settled I am most perplexed with how to approach this large pile of audio stuff e.g. 3 secondary systems in addition to the primary one, several thousand lp’s, a similar number of CD’s/SACD’s, a closet full of cable etc. I am utterly confident that I am not alone in this. While I am comfortable that my wife will love and care for my dog I am less confident that the Avantgardes will elicit such emotional investment. Although my immediate inclination is to cling desperately to these treasured objects it seems patently unfeeling to expect someone else to deal with all of this. My wife will have enough to do. I could just divest myself of much of it and depend on the collection of headphones that I began to amass during the first illness. I really don’t want to do this. I would also like to pre-bequeath much of it to friends assuming that they wanted it but all of them have been adamant in their refusal to discuss this with me and probably will remain so until the 11th hour. As childlike as it seems, I am emotionally invested in these fruits of a lifelong passion and want them to end up where they will be respected and loved . This seems to be a juncture that we will all come to. I would be grateful to hear the contemplations that all you have had in this, admittedly, sobering matter.
To all of you, good cheer and good health.
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@williamjohnston My deepest sympathies. Do you live near a major cancer center? There are many new treatments with remarkable results. A colleague whose stage 4 illness was diagnosed about a decade ago is still doing well (he was treated at Stanford). And I can personally vouch for MSK in NY; my daughter just beat breast cancer thanks to their expert care. But surely you've been through that roller coaster of hope and despair already. In any case, it's not what you asked about. Others have recommended organizations that can help find new homes for your gear. I just looked at your virtual system, and it is certainly a treasure. But let me take a different approach to your plea. The pleasure we get from audio, and from music, is deeply personal and, as such, is not really transferable. Most people, in my experience, don't care very much for sound quality anyway; even musicians rarely own fine equipment. There is an element of creativity in assembling a great audio system over many years, but just as the neurophysiology of hearing is very idiosyncratic, so is musical taste: the results of your efforts are, in total, something only you will ever properly appreciate. When it comes down to it, this life lesson is true for every human value, even the highest of accomplishments. I'm sure others will have a different interpretation, but the final scenes in Lars von Trier's film "Melancholia" seem to me to speak to the futility of hoping to immortalize anything: as an errant planet speeds through space on a collision course with Earth, Beethoven's music is the soundtrack to the anticipation of total annihilation. Even the "immortal" Beethoven will ultimately be silenced, and it will be as if nothing ever happened. This may seem bleak, but it is also a consolation. So tend to your own self, and to your wife, and to your dog, and to your friends. Don't worry about your things. They are meaningful only to you—but YOU are meaningful to them.
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I have two best friends dealing with similar health situations. I hate that people have to deal with situations like that. I have a spreadsheet for my guitars and firearms. I list the price paid and current estimated value. My plan is to divest of some of them when I retire in a few years. Just for fun more than anything. I'm fortunate to have a son that is really into firearms and guitars. He knows what everything is worth and how to sell the items that they don't want. The boys would know how to sell the audio gear if none of them want it. My wife would be clueless about all of it. |
@williamjohnston Sorry to hear of your medical issues. A good friend of mine is also dealing with Stage 4 issues. I read the following article in the WSJ last week about Stage 4 cancer diagnosis and sent it to him. Maybe there is something there that applies to your situation. A New Reality for Terminal Cancer: Longer Lives, With Chronic Uncertainty |
I am saddened to hear of your illness. My wife has been in a similar position with Stage IV Breast Cancer for the past year and a half. She has been remarkably positive about making the most of life while she can. It sounds like you are the same. She has said her diagnosis made her realise that the two important things in her life are family and her career as a nurse. Her ambition is to see her first grandchild before her time is up. I hope you can find some solace in music and whatever else is important to you. Don't sell all your gear while you can still enjoy it. My very best wishes to you. |
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