My Tube Type Radios
Dear [Lynn],
I listened to this old tube type radio. No instant-on stuff with that unit. When you turned it on, it took about 20 seconds for the tubes to warm up enough to begin conducting electricity and the music to appear.
My bedroom was very small and, during the winter, quite cold. And I used to hold that radio on my lap to keep warm, as it gave off a lot of heat – like a water bottle or heating pad perhaps. It still amazes me that I never burned the house down with it.
Then, Mom bought me a transistorized AM receiver that sounded much better and did not heat up at all. So, I easily gave up the tubes, although I do occasionally miss looking into the back of the radio and wondering what al those little orange and yellow lights were inside (as you probably know, transistors do not glow like tubes did). The glowing tubes fascinated me, and I went on to study electronics and eventually get my ham radio license.
Did you listen much to radio in the 1970s? If you know Melanie, I suspect that you listened a good bit. What’s your music collection like? Did you have favorite artists. If so, who were they? Were you a David Cassidy groupie? 
Maybe Bobbie Sherman was more your speed. Or, how about Tommy Roe or B. J. Thomas?
Out of steam for now. Talk to you soon.