I'm a little bit younger than you are and my husband's a little older, but the 80s were formative years for both of us, and we spend more time than either of us would like to admit talking about them and listening to the music. We still have turntables and cassette players and regularly listen to our many records and tapes in their original format. I could have highlighted your entire essay, and I cried while reading it - mostly in a good way, largely because I felt a little less pitiful and alone. Thank you, thank you!