So today I found out both wonderful and frustrating news for me as a music fan:

WONDERFUL: Pink Martini has a new album out! (Pink Martini is one of the only bands in the world that's an auto-buy for me. When I saw the new CD in Borders, I squealed out loud in excitement.)

And, sitting right next to it in the shelves, I saw another new (debut) album that looks fantastic: Sophie Solomon's Poison Sweet Madeira. (Look out, the link does start playing music automatically! - but it's great music, so it is worthwhile if you're not at work, and you can hear more of her songs linked from her bio page.)

FRUSTRATING: There are two new CDs I really, really want and can't have yet! (Plus the soundtrack to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which I'm geeky enough to want, too, ever since I watched the movie and was blown away by how good Nicholas Hooper, the composer, was. I've never even considered buying any of the soundtracks from the earlier Potter films, but this one totally grabbed me.) I've already used up my disposable income for this month buying books from Amazon...which won't be delivered for at least 2 weeks, which makes my frustration even more acute! Gaah. I very rarely buy music anymore, even though I love it, because usually it's obvious that books are a smarter buy while I'm stuck in the house all day (without a good local library). Once this month's books arrive (and they include some I'm really excited about, like Emma Bull's Territory and Julie Phillip's James Tiptree, Jr. bio), I'll feel happier and more reconciled to the wait...but I'm already planning my September purchases, and they're going to be heavily music-based!

And yes, I am still basically a 13-year-old when it comes to managing my spare money! Oh well, at least it's fun to spend it when it's there...