My 2.3 devoted readers may remember how a deer totaled my 2009 Corolla, forcing me to purchase a replacement vehicle:
The replacement, a 2015 Prius, is working great, mostly. I'm never going back to a full gas vehicle again. The Prius offers a "best of both worlds" situation for winter driving: added weight over the drive wheels (thanks to the battery system) plus a nice low profile that doesn't slide around or kick out on the back end like pickups and SUVs tend to do.
The Prius, however, does not have an aux port. And wow, I did not realize how much I used my aux until I didn't have it.
The Prius does have Bluetooth, but the Bluetooth has Car Stereo Alzheimer's. I thought it was my phone that was the problem, but no: it doesn't play consistently nice with any device we've tried so far. Not my daily driver phone, not the Samsung Galaxy 10 with stock Android I keep for work 2FA, not my best friend's iPhone 14. It is the children who are wrong.
I may crack and have a car stereo place install an aux port. In the meantime, however, not having an aux port means I'm suddenly spending about $30 a month on CDs.
For example, I just ordered copies of Days of Thunder and Kids, by The Midnight, from the band's Web site:
I did not know The Midnight existed before last week. I discovered them when I found Days of Thunder on the Internet Archive:
Days of Thunder, which you can listen to online
In the Corolla, I would have just streamed this album off the Internet Archive, probably. But the Prius has no aux port and stereo Alzehimer's. Its CD player works reliably, though, so I ordered Days of Thunder - and I ordered Kids because I cannot find it on the Archive but that album art looks like my jam.
This all comes on the heels of buying myself the first two Rizzle Kicks albums on CD for Christmas. And I have decided: I like this trend. I wish to continue. I'm limiting my budget to $30 a month so I don't go nuts, but I think I'll buy a few more car CDs when the inspiration strikes.
After all, $10 for Days of Thunder and now I own it forever, no one can delete it from me, and The Midnight can buy a couple beers or...something. Whatever keeps them making music. (I am very tempted to pre-order Syndicate...but I'll be good and wait until my budget resets.)
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