'I'm an anesthesiologist, retired now for about 8 years I have never enjoyed my stereo system as much as I do now. I had a deal going on a few months back where I thought it likely I had lung cancer. Although having had tricky stuff in the past, I had a couple months there to consider my likely mortality until it turned out to be an over-diagnosis. Still, with my background I knew exactly what all that could mean, death being not the worst of it. The preceding measures were the real threat. I don't know about you, but now is the time to enjoy your life, what you have, and maximize what you get out of it. On the whole, your relatives and friends likely won't give a you know what about your stuff. Financially it isn't going to amount to a hill of beans at the end. Should you have knowledgable friends, tell them up front what is for them, even better put it in writing. Then you just forget about it. Give your wife or kid a contact thing for TMR or whatever, then enjoy the heck out of what you have. You will find your appreciation level has gone way up. More important than your gear is your relationship to your loved ones. We all have unfulfilled things in that area, and you have the opportunity to settle some items you may have avoided. In other words, get your mind clear and do not feel sorry for yourself. Audiogon is not the forum for this.
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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I can recommend you this music which cured my anxieties and which i listen each time i felt bad: it is not recreational piece nor new age piece but a real healing music repetitive and deeply penetrating : Jonathan Goldman is an expert in meditative and healing music but i tried many of his others pieces so good they are they dont reach to the level of this "medecine musical master piece".. As i said it is not a music to be tasted and appreciated it is a drug pill nothing more nothing less and it work..( it is a mantra grounded in the Christ name ) When i am ill i cannot listen my favorite music because i had a weight on my head and heart, only this music cure me....i used it 35 years, the first time it was for severe panic attack and after 20 minutes the worst was behind like a miracle... I dont claim it will cure you but it will help you a lot... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJRpoUk-mpU&list=RDaJRpoUk-mpU&start_radio=1&t=111s |
I am deeply appreciative of the encouragement, good thoughts and clear thinking much in evidence here. Linear problem solving has obviously eluded me here and your ideas have helped to place my situation both in context and perspective. There is some irony in my stressing over the dispatch of objects rather than the dizzying constellation of side effects of immunotherapy. Yes, culling the amount of ‘stuff’ to a manageable and necessary level, creating a concrete plan of disposition for the rest and simply playing this out seems imminently sane. I am happy that I raised this question with a community who would understand what I was talking about. To Jim, I reside in the far southern reaches of metro Chicago. |
I would suggest to get a reasonably priced mixed component and a reasonably priced blue tooth adapter and start streaming music through your phone or IPad. Start selling all your other components including physical media. Your family will never sell it for it is worth. Do it now and pass the benefits of your passion onto your family. Sorry about your change in health status. It is a fate that none of us can deny. |
I went through cancer treatment last year and I realized I had better get some things sold or gone. My wife does not want to deal with some of these things should I not last. I sold off our boat and am sending my rangefinder camera collection to a consigner. I took her to a local audio dealer I have dealt with for decades , who sells both new and used gear, so they could meet and now she is comfortable with the idea of calling them and saying to come over and consign what you think you can sell. I am also looking over my collection of DIY audio parts and realize they have to go next. So much stuff. Boxes on boxes. I wont be building any tube amps,... again. Guess Id better go talk to what little is left of surplus electronics businesses. Sadly, few people seem to be capable DIY projects anymore. I recommend you sell whatever you can, fast. Quality audio is not a priority for most . Gaming yes, audio not so much. |
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