The point of this post is to reveal to those who don't know but may have interest in or be entertained by the TWO greatest pleasures I have, and the reason why this thread prompts me is because one of the two is audio, mostly music, enjoyment related, although movies, CONCERTS, and the "Home Theater Experience" is under the same umbrella.
Well, in the "material" world I can easily name my two absolute favorite, most enjoyable, and most often causing a mystical crossover into "spiritually moving, emotions eliciting, miracle-like" experiences:
**Driving my 70 Roadrunner at Cruisin the Coast and other cherished events I did with it, from the monthly local shows, special events, track trips, and road trips to major car events.
"Unfortunately" is such a weak word for the HEART SHREDDING GRIEF I have felt because of the demonic nightmare that was my wife forcing me to sell it, or be homeless post-forclosure, all because she stopped paying the mortgage and any other related bills that we used our shared income to address, and I could not nor cannot pay them all by myself. Even if she would have launched her vindictive attack on me after I had reaped the major financial rewards of a couple of jobs I do once or twice every year, I would have eventually fallen short (unless new, consistent, high paying clients came into the portfolio) lost the house, a roof over my head, and more, and likely been forced to sell my Roadrunner after all.
So that amazing and wonderful joy bringing, youthfulness infusing, and invigorating dreams planning part of my life is gone, after all of my investments and plans over the last TEN YEARS had been completed in preparation for the ONE thing I hadn't finished, installing the 572 stroker. At least I didn't loose THAT, of which is about 3/4 parts complete, and started with a Bill Mitchell aluminum RB block.
The OTHER activity of the TWO is one I can and do still thoroughly enjoy: CD quality up to High Resolution music STREAMING (I intentionally limit to 24 bit/48kHz) and SACD disc music only. Also multichannel surround sound movies and concerts, from 720p/1080i HD up to 4k.
THAT was the business I was in for 20 years, 1990 to 2010, the last 7 of those 20 years as the owner and doing everything else of my own "Audio/Video and Home Theater" installation and sales.
Since I was a baby, via my dad's dad, my grandfather, I have enjoyed outstanding audio (music) and video productions. He was a professional musician, and he also filmed lots of home movies, and bought lots of classic cartoons too.
He showed those film reels on a big screen and film projector! It was WONDERFUL!
My dad had an above average enjoyment of A/V stuff, so I was able to continue my intake of A/V material, movies and music, living with my parents.
After about 10-11 years doing sales and installation of this equipment, I began to have enough money earned to put together my own Theater Room and movie and music setup, and the appearance of it, and the performance turned out so great my Theater Room and one I did for a client were BOTH PUBLISHED in a magazine. Out of the 4 rooms they featured, one was my personal Theater, one was my client's, and the other two were each by 2 other companies.
Whether it's a lights out music session in 2.1 channels (2 tower speakers (Klipsch Legend KLF-30s) plus my Definitive Technology TRINITY SuperCube 6x14" subwoofer playing at levels of volume and clarity comparable to a live concert from the FRONT ROW, OR a full blown 9.1 surround sound movie on a 109" 16:9 screen...
THAT is the one "material thing" that brings me TREMENDOUS JOY, often to the point of crossing over into a spiritually uplifting experience!