“I’m the ultimate hipster,” I said, proudly observing my mom’s old 1980-something record player – filled with dust, dirt, and decades of cat fluff and spider webs. It was a relic from my parents’ high school days, once spinning vinyl by Billy Joel and Genesis. Now it proudly spins the new Kings Of Leon record my partner got me from Revival Records in celebration of my “new” musical gizmo. This old, dinged-up record player – nothing new, nothing fancy – brought me more joy in a single day than the entire past year of worry, frustration, fear, and anxiety. I danced. I cleaned my apartment. I opened my windows for that hint of fresh air that only comes around on that first warm day of the year. It has been a (literal) year since COVID-19 hit western Wisconsin, changing every aspect of our lives. Restaurants closed. Spending time with family and friends became taboo. Concerts and art shows got cancelled.Yet, a year later, we’re still finding new ways to pivot. To breathe fresh air. To enjoy life in the moment. So while a retro record player might not actually make me the ultimate hipster, it just goes to show that life goes on. Who knows? In another few decades, maybe people will be hopping on Zoom calls to be a “hipster” or “retro.” For now, you can find me enjoying the simplicity of vinyl. Groovy, man.