A record player!!!!
I loved all the guesses. My favorite was The Blonde Duck’s camera answer. How cool would a giant camera be!
My first three years of teaching were spent at a different school than I am at now. That school had just been modernized, but most of us were still using the outdated equipment. Somehow, I acquired this record player.
Eight years ago, the school I am at now was built, and I moved there. The year before I moved, I was a rover which means I moved classrooms every month (another brilliant idea in education). I think that year did something to me mentally as I became very protective of my “stuff” since I never had it. So that summer I packed up my belongings and headed to the new school. This record player was stored in my roving cupboard, so I took it with me.
That same year, my mom retired from teaching after 37 years. I inherited most of her “stuff” including her children’s record collection. “What fun!” I thought. I planned on using those old-school records, records that I once listened to, in my classroom. 
Like Hap Palmer!
Unfortunately, the record player was put inside a cupboard along with the records. The new school is equipped with TVs, DVD/CD players, and electronic white boards with laptops. The only time I ever pull out a record is when we read a story in class that mentions records. I show it as an example because most 7 year olds nowadays have no idea what an LP is.
While organizing my room these past few weeks, I pulled this baby out to make some room. Nostalgia took over so I played a little Hap.
The sound is pretty bad and finding the right song is a lot harder than it is now on my ipod. After eight years, I decided it was just in the way. I needed to get rid of it.
Since it is a school district record player, I emailed our media services person. I was told that they didn’t want it…it was too old! So I contacted my principal and asked him what to do with it. He came in just the other day and picked it up. I was hoping he would simply put it away in storage, but instead he said it would be disposed of. It broke my heart a little as he walked out of my room with it. I can’t keep that giant thing anymore; space is so valuable. But, chances are I’ll probably never see a record player again.
Awww, man! I have a couple of records from when I was little still on my bookshelf at home, but no where to play it. It sounded pretty bad, huh? Well, good try at nostalgia! :)
ReplyDeleteOh no : (
ReplyDelete@jlo - well, there's nothing like that static sound or the sound of a jumping needle. :). It is kind of nostalgic though isn't it?
ReplyDeleteLOL I was just saying the other day that I need to get a record player!!!
ReplyDeleteNah, I wouldnt have guessed that! LOL Looks awesome though.
ReplyDelete@Hula - Ha! Well, it was too big to ship anyways.
ReplyDelete@Michelle - :)
Don't make me sad. Just last year, Fred bought a new record player and it sits in our living room. In fact, it looks a little like yours. Sometimes, when we have peace which is rare, we play old records(not that there are new ones). It's nice sitting back with a glass of wine and just listening to it and having no control over the next song. I heart my record player.
ReplyDeleteYour Friend, m.
@Mark - You do? That's cool. I contemplated just taking it home with me because I felt so bad sending history to its end. But there was no way I wanted that thing in my house, and I also don't have any records other than children's ones. Those wouldn't have been quite as relaxing with a glass of wine.
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty well constructed. I expect it's designed for a bit more than the average home. It looks like something the Bob Hope had on tour of army bases back in the dim and distant.
ReplyDelete@Vince - Ha ha! Yes it does! Too bad I didn't take the time to look for a date on it somewhere. That would have been telling.
ReplyDelete