I am broke and the Library has great stuff. Music, Movies, and of course, Books. It’s become my go-to source for new-to-me materials. Sure, it means that I get these things a little later than others but I also got it for free (besides late fees!) and I get to sample a lot more than I would if I had to buy it.

Furthermore, it’s a great place to experience these materials free of their hype and expectations. And because I’m viewing them just a little later after all the murmuring has died down we can see if they’re really capable of holding up over some time. We’re in such a rush always to find the latest and therefore greatest thing that maybe we lose perspective sometimes. On one shore there’s the canon of “great works” and the super hyped new whatever on the other, in between is a vast ocean of great and not so great material that for the most part will be buried.

So, most of this is a discovery process born from frugality with a little curiosity sprinkled in.

I make no claims to being an expert at listening, watching or reading- what people call “a critic” but I have opinions and will try to articulate them. I’m not going to try to convince you to get any of these items, just sharing what I’m listening to, watching or reading. We’ll see where this goes.

*Note: The Toronto Public Library system is great. So much to browse, so relatively easily. The website is great, searchable and you can reserve stuff at the closest branch to you. Their staff is almost always incredibly gracious and helpful. AND These libraries are incredible community spaces. There aren’t many places that are the so representative of their communities that aren’t places where we have to buy something (like grocery stores or the mall). So go check out your local branch and hang out a while, read some magazines, browse cookbooks, and use their computers or free wifi. Just remember, don’t ruin it for everybody else, be polite, no food or drink and keep your voice down.