RETRO PLEASURE

This is will be a short post, I think.

I had a crazy night out hier soir...lots of fun. I woke up today just to cancel all my appointments (dentist included) just so I could get back to sleep again. My voice was sounding pretty deep (masculinity points, yay! ok, that "yay" just blew it...anyway) this morning, but that was just about the only positive thing. I was dead tired and I decided to take the day off. Period.
SOME THINGS CANNOT BE BOUGHT.

Regardless of the free time I had today, I didn't manage to do what I had in mind. I skipped breakfast, had lunch, got a haircut, checked out some fabrics and then had great conversation over an "alfajor" with a friend in the afternoon. And I mean GREAT.
I CAN'T CARRY THESE SINS ON MY BACK/DON'T WANNA CARRY ANYMORE/I'M GONNA SWIM TO THE OCEAN FLOOR

As happy as I am that I was able to take this day with ease and no pressure, I still kind of regret (I don't know if this is the precise word right now, it sounds a little severe but I guess it'll do until I come up with another one) not getting away with my only PLANNED whim : listening to the Ray of Light album while sipping tea (from my Quentin Blake-illustrated mug, thank you very much). But I mean the PHYSICAL album.
All of a sudden, this visual idea of PLAYING an actual cd felt almost like playing a record or a cassette tape. It's been forever since I listened to anything that's not either on my computer nor on my iPod. I was actually pretty excited I'd be able to indulge in this newfound bizarre, ceremonious, "retro pleasure" of mine, but even on a quiet and calm day, I haven't been able to do it. I like to think I belong to the "tape generation", but the truth is I remember having records when I was a kid. They belonged to my parents or my older sister, who is six years my senior, but still, I do OWN the memory of playing these records. It's incredible how our interaction with music has changed from putting a needle on a circular base, then to pressing play and then just to touching a screen.
AND I FEEL LIKE I JUST GOT HOME

As I write this, I'm finally listening to it, but on my laptop. I had forgotten how much I loved it. The lyrical content still wows me, the music, the emotional highs and lows that (incredibly) manage to flow from beginning to end thanks to the perfect assembly of the songs.
TRAVELLING DOWN THIS ROAD/WATCHING THE SIGNS AS I GO/I THINK I'LL FOLLOW MY HEART/IT'S A VERY GOOD PLACE TO START

The artwork for the CD is also amazing: pictures by Mario Testino, Prada outfits, and Madonna's maternal beauty at its best.
I have to go to the gym now, and I'm not done with the whole album yet. All I know is I'll be cuddling my iPod in gratitude for allowing me to continue enjoying the rest on the way there.

OM SHANTI.