Let's try this again - New Year's Resolution 2024, plus vinyl finite list

 I left myself too many loopholes in my last New Year's Resolution and ultimately undermined myself, in part with the help of an uncommon Ian Dury record that showed up at Red Cat, by Kilburn and the High Roads. What was I going to do, pass it up? It was the first record I bought without any real attempt to justify it by the terms I had set, and the first step in going off the wagon completely. I think that was in early March... 

But I still want to break myself of the habit of buying stuff. I want to find a new way to engage with the world. In 2023, I have gained weight, spent my money, failed to climb out of any debt-holes, and generally been pretty slack. 

So for 2024, I am swearing off all buying of records/ movies/ books except:

a) What I find at thrift stores (or other super-cheap dollar bins and the like)

b) Items purchased directly at the merch table of a band I am seeing, especially if I have a chance to get this item signed and/or am likely to never see it again

c) (Possibly) items sold or recorded by personal friends of mine. Facebook friends don't count, but if I have been to their home or they have been to mine, bets are off.  

d) (Possibly) items I need for the purposes of research, for example if I have a big interview to do; but this should only be if absolutely necessary, since it could lead to my writing about bands for the purposes of acquiring their albums. 

e) Gifts for friends. That doesn't count.

f) Anything underpriced to such an extent that I can flip it for three or four times as much. 

The big grail for me was the Plugz' Better Luck, as pictured last year. Unbelievably, it came out on an Australian label and Red Cat was able to bring it in. So I have that now. There is very little else on my long-term must-have list, BUT I sure would like Too High to Die on vinyl. With London having surprised everyone (even the Meat Puppets) by reissuing Forbidden Places on vinyl, surely this is not so far behind? 

Exceptions. Many of these are still on my list from last year. There are a few things I removed and a few things I added: 

Meat Puppets - Too High to Die and/or Forbidden Places on vinyl, plus new editions of Rat Farm, Monsters, Huevos, and/or Live in Montana

The Fall: Dragnet and This Nations Saving Grace. I simply must have some more Fall in my collection. I can feel a plunge into The Fall coming. I will only have four records by them (on vinyl, that is) if I buy these. Four Fall records is reasonable, right? 

Grateful Dead - Reckoning. The only live Dead album I've ever cared about, just a pristine C&W/ folk set, beautifully played, with lovely cover art. I lingered on buying a copy off the Sunrise Metrotown Wall for several months, then finally got up the resolve - I would LISTEN to this record! - to discover it was gone. Still don't have it

Mississippi John Hurt - Last Sessions PURCHASED AT RED CAT!

Lucinda Williams - Good Souls Better Angels (PURCHASED!) and Essence on vinyl, if it is ever issued thus

Don Cherry: Brown Rice, Italian version. Still one of my fave Cherrys, and the Italian version has an amazing cover by Moki, but I gave my last copy away to a friend with a deeper investment in Don than I have, because it had some damage to it -- the cover was great but the album didn't really play. I want a version that ticks both boxes. 

Alex Chilton: Bach's Bottom. I got an album of demos from this but the original is actually kinda scarce now. 

Camper van Beethoven ii and iii on vinyl, and maybe Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart on CD 

Soft Boys: Invisible Hits and A Can of Bees, again on vinyl only. Had them both at different times, sold them, and regret it...  

New Model Army - Love of Hopeless Causes on vinyl 

The Eugene Chadbourne 69th Sinfunny 2lp. I have way too much Eugene, including this on a handmade CD, but I'd like to own the vinyl again. I did once. "Let's Go Back in Time" alone is worth it. 

Nomeansno - You Kill Me 12", not warped; and the Generic Shame CD; and whatever "new" releases A/T and John Wright cook up. Ditto any new Dead Bob

Tupelo Chain Sex - Ja Jazz. Have owned it twice, and sold it twice, but third time will be the charm. 

Bob Dylan: I kinda think I'd like Shot of Love on vinyl, for some reason. I thought this on my 2023 list, and think this now, and yet still have not seen it, even though it was once ubiquitous, not being all that great. (I might want to re-up Infidels, too; I foolishly sold my last copy, but now find myself thinking about it again). 

Articles of Faith: Give Thanks. Was on my list last year, and tho' I found Core at Neptoon, I still have not seen this. 

Red Shift - Worst Possible Timeline (ideally off a merch table! Come back to Vancouver, Vic!). 

Victim's Family - White Bread Blues and The Germ 

Toxic Reasons: an album of theirs with "God Bless America" and/ or "War Hero" on it. Could be a comp

...and that's it. The finite list. Could I possibly keep myself to this? I did not do so well last year... I slowed down for a few months but then was right back at it. I would so rather be devoting my freetime to exercising, reading, and/or writing about something other than music... well, I guess we'll see how it goes...