Thanks. I have saved up enough money for another equipment purchase and I am considering buying some turntables and a mixer, albeit primarily for scratching purposes. I have not decided to buy them yet, but if I do you can bet I will at least try beatmatching just to see what it's like. My main problem is that the closest record store to where I live is about two hours away.
I'm also considering getting an actual MIDI controller instead of using my MicroKORG, or maybe learning upright string bass, my grandfather's instrument of choice (he played jazz clubs starting at age 14 and continued doing it until he went half-deaf from his day job as a high school band director).