I was feeling more mad, frustrated and exasperated when one store after another that I went to did not stock any of those recorders anymore! What's worse was, I was misguided all the way.. ARGH!!
Ok, to tell the story briefly. What happened was I accidentally dropped (but very severely) my micro tape recorder just before I came out from home today.
my poor recorder which is now dead!!
I know, most people have already upgraded to using digital recorder these days. In fact I also own a digital recorder but I use it mainly for my vocal lessons. I still find it easier to track and maneavor with a cassette recorder so I still carry on to use it since my newspapers days..
I happened to have a lengthly interview with a personality last Saturday and yet to transcribe it when I `killed' my recorder!! Yep, the injury was too much and it wasn't working anymore!! :(
So the first thing I thought was, sigh, I just had to replace it and waste a couple of hundred or so.. Anyway, the new one can still be of use so it's not really a waste.
(But at that time I didn't know that these micro cassette recorders are almost obsolete!)
After I parked at the Gardens (since I planned to go to work at Starbucks), first I went to a couple of camera shops (I actually got mine from one camera shop last time) . But they didn't have it. One of them asked me to try Jusco or HSL (which was all the way at the other end of the mall), and said their prices are cheaper! Well, Jusco's service was quite appalling, but they did have two of those recorders - though not of the same brand as the one I had. And they looked even more old fashion than the one I had. So I decided to walk all the way to HSL, lugging my heavy laptop with me.
When I reached the other end of the world, the staff at HSL told me they don't sell those recorders anymore! But one guy said that Best does. They seemed so assured of it that I believe them and made my trip three floors down to Best. To my horror and dismay, they too did not have any!
By that time I was so exasperated that I actually told them off for not stocking the recorder! But no, I wasn't scolding them but more like grumbling.. And then I even tried one or two more electronic shops near by. And of course I was disappointed.
So I went back to Jusco - and chose the cheaper among the two units though they both look kinda old. There was no more stock besides the display unit, but I was so desperate that I was willing to take it, even though there was scratches on the cover and no discount. Then I tested it, put my own batteries and the cassette inside. I couldn't believe it!! Whatever I have recorded was hardly audible! It was so soft, muffled and even not at the same speed.. So what's the point of buying it?!
I was so furious and desperate. Suddenly I thought of calling up the people at the magazine for help.. I just hope someone, just someone would have a similar recorder to mine and I can just borrow for a couple of hours.. The editorial coordinator told me she would help me to ask around..
Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed. If no, my only other solution is to try out some of my ex-colleagues one by one. Never mind that I hardly keep in touch with them!
I was so stressed out with the whole thing that I think I have killed many cells in just one afternoon. I went to treat myself to a double-scoop of ice-cream. And finally calmed down a bit at Starbucks with a coffee and yes.. blogging about the incident does help to get it off my chest!!
Now to think of it..it was one of those days.. and I really can't blame anyone but myself for being so careless and ruin my own recorder, thereby putting myselt through all these hassles!!
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