Whenever I step into a music store, there's this feeling akin to stepping into an animal shelter: you want to take 'em all home, but you just can't. In this case, I can't because I don't have the money as is for buying the two or three CDs I've got at the counter in the first place, much less all the little bastards I want--not because, you know, I want to be some crazy cat lady or something. I think I've got at least twenty more years before I start rockin' a bathrobe and fill a tiny apartment with 20-plus kitties.

And they'll all have names.

Anyhoo, here's a list of what I ought to have, but just haven't gotten around to getting.

Public Enemy - Fear of a Black Planet: Hear that sound? That's the collective clicking of all my RMHH friends deleting me from their friends' lists. I could try and use the excuse of being seven or eight when this album came out, but that won't work. Instead, I'm coming clean and saying that nope, I don't have this in any format, even though it's seemingly essential to any hip-hop fan's existence. Many cite it as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time. Somehow I've skirted the task of getting this for myself. Maybe because so many people I know have it on either CD or vinyl... and... well... I figured I could always borrow it. And man, I haven't even done that. I'm lame.

The Decemberists - Picaresque: It took me a while, a WHILE, for me to realise that, hey, I like this band. There were road blocks between me and my enjoyment of The Decemberists, but now that I do, I regret not having anything by them. Picaresque is probably my favourite that I've heard, since I really like The Sporting Life. I've seen 'em live, but I don't have that shiny piece of plastic that solidifies my enjoyment of their literary-tinged music.

Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender: I almost bought this the last time I was in the store. Almost. But... I wound up with other things in my hand, but this is definitely going to be next on my list. I found out about Joanna Newsom on Last.fm, and she's amazing. Better than amazing. She's God, okay, and I want to go worship her in Atlanta in the fall. And, by gum, I will be damned if I'm not bringing this album along to play for the drive.

Lyrics Born - Later That Day...: I remember when this came out, there were music writers all over the pages exploding in an orgasmic rush over this album. Where was I? Sleeping. I just haven't gotten around to investigating further... until recently, whereupon I realised what I've missed out on all this time. Tsk.

Hot Chip - The Warning: Do you want to know how many times I went to Park Ave CDs to buy this... only to walk out with something else? Seriously, it's so ridiculous, someone ought to slap me with this CD. I had found out about this band on NPR, and played Over and Over, well, over and over from their "Song of the Day" page. I don't know why I've been so slow in buying this, but it's crazy, and I hope to remedy it soon.

Blockhead - Music By Cavelight: There's a very good reason why I don't have this, and that's because my ex had it on vinyl, and we were together, for better and for worse, for a little over three years. If I wanted to listen to it, I could have thrown the album on, and lah, my fix is done. But now, this is not so, so I need this on a playable format I can listen to regularly, because it is awesome.

Tapes 'n Tapes - The Loon: First heard from a mix CD given to me by a friend, Tapes 'n Tapes has been coveted by me... but never obtained. I've been seriously sleeping, and I need to wake up.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell: Insane I forgot to mention this the 1.0 version. I had first heard about the band from a hip Thai kid with a mohawk who asked, "You know Yeah Yeah Yeahs?" With Y Control and Maps being some of my favourite songs by them, it's not a pity that I don't have this in my collection, but rather, a damn shame.

Peaches - insert awesome album here: I like Peaches; she's dirty like I wanna be. As much as I like her, though, I just don't have anything from her. Maybe I'm a little intimidated... maybe I'm just not sure which album to get. But man, I need something, because she's golden.

Ladytron - Light & Magic: I have Witching Hour, but I don't have this incredible album that introduced me to this fantastic ensemble of artists. I don't have 604 either, and I need that, too.

Oh, and I have a crush on Mira Arroyo. Who wouldn't?

The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia: Another album almost bought, but put down in favour of other CDs. As much as I like The Pharcyde, I just haven't managed to pick anything up. Ah, someday....

And finally... a record player. A nice turntable would be best, but something to play my vinyl on, and that would allow me to purchase more vinyl should the mood strike. I like to support vinyl, but it's hard to when I've got nothing to play it with. I had the opportunity to get one for free, too, but, now I have no space for it.

Alas.

This list is a growing one, and I'm sure there are heaps of albums I've neglected to mention, mostly due to my own ignorance. I'm sure there will be part 2s and 3s to this post.

-doreen