My HP is acting up and time to get another on.

Hello,
Need to replace my HP laptop ASAP. I do not want Windows 8; frankly is another Windows Vista fiasco, so I want to stay with Windows 7. I will need to travel with the laptop so a 14" or 15.7" is the size that I am looking for. The new HPs come with the mouse on the left side and not in the center. honestly this will bother me at first, but like anything I will get used it. Gaming, well, I do not do much of it, just a little bit, but this may change - who knows. I love playing music, so definitely a DVD/CD-R (I love burning CDs). I want a crips screen, I wear computer and reading glasses, a backlit keyboard would be awesome and definitely a nice keyboard. I use an external webcam, so the webcam that comes with the laptop is not really important. I am an adult student, that uses the computer for schoolwork, emails, playing and burning music, the occasional game here and there. I want i5 or higher and if possible 6GB or higher.
I can either buy on HP website or Best Buy, but at Best Buy everything on the floor has Windows 8, so that is why I am having an hard time making up my mind since I cannot physically see it.