Project 600

My latest household project is Project 600 which is a sub-project of the "De clutter the Morgan Household Project." Which is part of the larger project "Why do I collect so much crap project?"

Actually, Project 600, is our attempt to make our 600 CD collection (which some of you have helped move three or more times), which takes up about six file sized boxes, into a virtual collection which will all fit on our computer hard drive and an MP3 player. Then once the CDs are ripped I planned on selling the CDs to purchase an MP3 player and a small stereo with MP3 docking station. I guesstimated that I could figure on one dollar per CD for a total of 600 greenbacks.

This all started because our home stereo system which was 10 years old went on the fritz about a year ago and when I tried to get it fixed, I was told it was not worth the cost. I have since donated the old stereo to Goodwill. This left us with 600 CDs that the only way we could listen to them was to play them through our televisions. This is not a good option with HD DLP televisions. (You only get about 6000 hours per bulb ($300 per bulb) and there is no way to turn on the television without turning on the bulb.) So when Tara and I started investigating getting a new stereo system, I wanted something that would allow me to have access to all of the music we owned in the house, on the road, and anywhere I could remotely connect to my computer. During the Christmas season I had seen a stereo by Phillips with Blue tooth technology that would allow a stereo to pick up all of the music on your hard drive. When we went to Best Buy last month, they said they no longer carried that model because all of the new stereos were coming out with docking stations for MP3 players (90% of the models we have viewed have docking stations only for the IPOD (yuck)! ).

A sub project to Project 600 was to catalog all of the CDs in the hopes that I could market and sell them lock, stock and barrell to one buyer without having to carry them around with me. I found a great database for cataloging your CDs, DVD, books, and games. It is freeware you can find at: http://www.download.com/Libra/3000-2131_4-10715967.html?tag=lst-0-2&cdlPid=10740013. If you are visual person like me you will love this database. It is easy to use and it even allows you to track items you have loaned to other people.

Now some of you might be wondering why in the heck do they have so many CDs. It all started back in the 80's. This was the time I liked to dress like Don Johnson from Miami Vice. My CD collection grew and my clothes changed, but I continued living with the "vice" in my life. My drinking was spiraling out of control. By the late 80's I had about 1000 CDs, but as my drinking increased so did my trips to pawn shop to feed my addiction. By the time that I quit drinking in 1994, I only owned a handful of CDs. I resolved that I would try and replace most of the pawned CDs. In order to replace my collection faster, I decided that CDs that I could not replace I would purchase greatest hits titles. So that is where we are today 14 years sober and 600 CDs.

I started two weeks ago, and so far I have ripped 204. Hopefully phase one of this project will be completed by the end of May.

I am fretting over several decisions.

#1. About 50 percent of the CDs we own are brand new and still in the shrink wrap. I can't decide whether I should open the new CDs to rip them, or should they remain unopened so that I can sell them for a premium (greater than a $1).

#2. I can't seem to decide whether to purchase an IPOD or ZUNE. Each model will hold 80G which is more than enough to handle all of our music. The ZUNE is moderately less expensive and uses Windows technology with which I am familiar, but the IPOD has a crazy amount more accessories and third party periphrials.

Your comments are welcome.

Byron Lynn