iPods, iTunes, iHell

One day I was reading Mark Morford and wondering what the hell he was doing, writing a whole column rhapsodizing about his new iPod, and the next day it was as if Apple had gone into my brain and implanted a hopeless, helpless, aching longing to have one myself. I mean, a few months ago I not only didn't know I needed an iPod, I didn't even know what one was. This is the power of media and marketing and other evil forces of modern culture.

Now, I know a thing or two about addictions, certainly enough to recognize them when I see them. I know that when you go to the iTunes store at 4:45 pm and the next thing you know it's 9:30 pm and you have 117 songs on your wishlist and didn't eat dinner, feed the dogs, or notice the sun was going down, that something unhealthy and kind of freaky is going on. The problem is, yes, you know you're in iHell, but you DON'T CARE. You don't want to get well. You drank the Kool-aid and damn it, it was delicious and you want some more. Which is actually a pretty good definition of "addicted."

My iPod is arriving Monday, a gift from a friend who took pity on my iPod-less existence - or perhaps more accurately, got sick of hearing me whine and complain and insult my portable CD player that once seemed so small and cute and cool. It's entirely possible that after Monday, you'll never hear from me again, unless there's a way to blog from your iPod.

Which I guess is entirely possible. According to Morford, the new iPods can do pretty much anything short of brain surgery, including make you go to the gym more. (That one may be true - I've always thought those people working out with their little wrist-wrapped iPods and ear bud wires running through the necks of their muscle tanks looked pretty cool, even though until recently I really didn't understand what they had there. I mean, I knew they were playing music, I'm not completely stupid. I just didn't understand that an iPod is, well, more than that.)

Which reminds me of when I asked my brother, who is an electrical engineer, what he thought of iPods, and he dismissed them scornfully. I was a little surprised and asked if there was an MP3 player that he thought was better. He said, no, not at all, he thought the iPod was the best one.

"Well, why did you say iPods suck when I asked?" I said, reasonably in my opinion.

"Oh, I wasn't commenting on the technology. iPods are great. It's just that I can't stand all the people who have them and think they're better than you are."

And now I'm going to be one of them. Too bad, my brother and I used to be really close.

Comments

[Gina]

Hmmmm. Maybe it's too dangerous for you to have one? :)

[Christie Keith]

Bite your tongue. Bite it right off.

[KT]

LOL ... I'm sure that Gina is saying that so that she can have it ;) I think iPod Nanos ROCK!

(And I do look cool in muscle tanks if I do say so myself ... not )

[Christie Keith]

And I do look cool in muscle tanks if I do say so myself ... not

Hmmmm ... that's not what *I* heard....

[Mara57]

And this is just the beginning--there's the Sound Dock or other similar appliance that can charge and play your iPod in your home (I hardly ever use my stereo anymore) and the device to play the iPod through your car's speakers (because what's a road trip without all that music) and the very expensive fancy earphones... there are AT LEAST seven layers of iHell.

[KT]

Heh! Since when do you listen to Gina ... do you actually believe that it's too dangerous for you to have an iPod ;)

[Alison]

I've got an iPod shuffle and I admit, I do love it. I use it when I work out, do outside chores, vacuum, etc. I'm a big audiobook fan and it can hold plenty of books for me to be thrilled with. It's tiny and light and I did upgrade the earpiece because those buds just do not fit in my ears, but I love it. I've contemplated getting the "ipod tripod" a tripod of speaker that your ipod can plug into, but that could be a bit over the edge geeky. Could be . . . .

[gbairel]

im planning to get an ipod but do you think its dangerous to my ears? bcuz my aunt says it damage your hearing.