winter settles on melbourne

The leaves of the massive tree in my yard have mostly fallen, I'm using a little ceramic heater and wearing fluffy flannelette pyjamas (hello kitty ones, of course) and winter is definitely here.

I've decided something is missing in my life recently (aside from the tall, dark and handsome one). My mission in coming to Australia was to sort myself out, to stop being a workaholic and balance myself.

Ha. What a doomed idea. I love my work. Recently I find myself - instead of coding on a Saturday morning - *shopping* and wondering why the fashion is for tatty looking lacy messy clothes, instead of the sharp, clean styles I prefer.

I'm becoming the kind of person I don't like - or more accurately; respect.

Instead of staying up last night coding, I was downloading music from musicmp3.ru - entire CDs for around $1.

At first I thought, right on! All the music I actually want - including the European stuff that itunes stores Canada and Australia don't let me buy - and at affordable prices. I signed on for $29 credit.. (Yes, I take risks on the internet, but I investigated first and it "felt" legit.. It's strange that I'll use my credit card online, but I'd rather stab myself than give my real phone number).. anyway, I sucked down some compliations that I would normally never have paid for; Cafe Del Mar's, MOS, Buddha Bar. And some new stuff, that I would have paid for; Gnarls Barkly, Gotan Project, Zero 7, Ladytron and Pendulum.

I was _pretty happy indeed_ .. then I thought, Heavens to Murgatroid, this doesn't feel ethical.. or right at all. Isn't the point of paying for music that at least a homeopathic trace of the money goes to the artist?

But how is it right that I pay $17 for the same music that costs me $10 in Canada - even with conversion, it's not in any way equivalent.

All this copy-control and DRM bullshit, when I just want to listen to the music I paid for. I can see the point, but don't agree at all. I can't listen to my Cat Empire CD because I can't move it to my ipod - and I will not be caught carrying a CD - like some renegade from the 90s.

Also, I can't listen to any bought music at work because iTunes is unable to negociate the corporate proxy.

*Sigh* rant over. Summary, I am dubious about whether it's right or wrong to buy from musicmp3.ru - but cheap, good music feels so right!

BTW. Google Talk is the only non-browser application which gets through the corp proxy. Good for google.