First it was the anticipation of receiving the double disc. From the way I remember it, the release date and mailing date sort of kept getting pushed back.

I remember coming here and people giving updates and writing about receiving the discs, while those of us with slower mail dates read with envy.

Then it came in the mail and when it was opened, here was this neat, handmade like little treasure - and it was even numbered, too.

And to be honest, I did not immediately throw it in the cd player. As corny as it sounds, I sort of savored it for a bit before listening to it. I may have received it during the week or something, but I didn't put it in the player until I had the time to lay on the couch with headphones on and the lyrics in my hands to make sure I could listen to the entire set.

Some songs I liked better than others and some took time to grow on me, but like good books and how many many say, great things are far and few between. Having this two disc set reminded me of how I didn't like Boomtown at first, and how while lonely in the military and missing my girl I stumbled upon Bedtime Stories in a military PX by odd luck and then how shocked I was after reading of Triage, that I found the absolute ONLY copy in a local Best Buy.

It was really how odd each of these releases and their seemingly overarching theme seemed to match my own life at the same time (trying to be successful and find that niche in '86, heartfelt relationship issues in '90, the end political chaos of '92 and then a couple of discs to kind of bring it all together in 1999).

It really makes me curious what will be to follow.....