Temptation

So far I've come across two reasonably large and well-stocked HMV stores here, one in Manchester, the other in Chester. The two don't match the huge stores of the glory-days of the early 2000s, but considering the fact I thought the company was doomed even in the UK - having disappeared, as far as I'm aware, in the East - it was good to be reminded of the wonders of all that is still available in terms of DVDs and CDs. I must admit to feeling tempted to make some major purchases but have manfully decided (at least for now, that is) to restrict myself to Springsteen's Western Stars. I've heard the album a couple of times now, once at Simon's and once at Paul's, and since it is so obviously brilliant I'm beyond any form of resistance.

Actually, it's the buying of DVDs that I've had to mainly guard against, specifically of the various enticing box sets of excellent tv series, of which there seem to be an unending number. I still haven't started to view the few DVDs I bought in my recent foray on-line and I know that if I were to buy, say, the full set of Breaking Bad (which I've never seen but which I know is uniformly regarded as great television) it will probably take me four years or so to watch it.

But the desire to possess things simply for the sake of possessing them is still strong in me, despite my awareness of how essentially foolish a desire this is.