[Nettime-bold] DSR-20

[Shannon Noble <srnoble@pacbell.net>]

Title: DSR-20

I had a DSR-20 Sony Digital Videocassette Recorder that I decided to sell because it was overkill for the amount of input and output I need for doing DV projects and I figured I could get everything I needed done using my TRV 900 video camera for all that stuff and not worry about wear and tear on the camera...so I put it up for sale in The Recycler on line thinking I probably wouldn't be able to sell it there but what the heck. Anyways....I had a call on my answering machine Sunday night after getting home from Julian....it's about my video deck...so I call and leave a message on this guys machine. He returns my call yesterday at about noon. I'm a bit spaced out when Karen passes the call to me as I had the headphones on and was working with my keyboard and with Reaktor but I manage. He says "What kind of condition is it in?" and I say "perfect" and he says "You're asking $2550 for it, right?" and I go "yeah". He says "I'll cut a cashiers check for you and can you bring it by in a couple hours, I'm in your neck of the woods" and I say "yeah" and he gives me the address and we hang up. Well I'm still a bit spaced after this and then realized he just offered me $100 dollars more for it then I had advertised but I say..."what the fuck" and get in my car after doing a couple of last minute transfers. I'm heading out to the address when I realize....where the fuck is this place...it is not in my neck of the woods....its twenty five miles from my house via car in heavy traffic. So I call the wife and say I'm off on a long shot. Half way out I call the number he gave me to verify directions. I hang up...and realize this is not close and what would people be doing at a facility out this way with a machine like this....then I remember he said they already had sixteen of these puppies...."click" goes my brain...."adult pornography"!!

I get there. Non descript ugly building next to freeway. David Lynch hallway's with very abstract numbering. I find the place. Walk in. bit of a shock. A normal looking African American woman at a butt ugly wood veneer desk asks for my name and who am I looking for. Drop ceilings with fucked up florescent lighting. Claustrophobic. The first thing I notice then are the numerous salt water fish tanks and the ugly carpeting. Then I realize there about twenty or more brand new G4's with brand new 20 inch Apple monitors all lined up in a very very very tight space....maybe three inches between monitors. The guy comes out. Hands me the cashier check, takes the machine and hands it to this guy who hooks it up to a Mac and plugz a porno tape into it. Live Action SEX on my poor little dv videocassette....I'm thinking...why didn't I bring my resume. They're using Final Cut Pro. 

I take my check and myself and bid them farewell. Head to Taco Bell for some bad burrito. Stop at Starbuck's for some inspiration and go home. 


shannon