Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Me & My iPod


I've never been more enamored of a piece of equipment as I am my iPod. Not even my iPhone comes close. The phone is wonderful, but it's a tool. For me, a phone is a phone even though this one can do everything but dance. I'm sure it's just a question of time till Apple figures out how to make it do that, too. Among other things on the phone, I have a bubble-wrap-popping application just because I love the sound it makes. I know...crazy.

But my iPod, which I've practically imbued with a personality, goes everywhere with me. It's in my ears most nights as I fall asleep. I'm one of those people who needs music to go to sleep.

As a kid, I kept a radio on the floor by my bed. Can you imagine how frustrating that was for my father who didn't like any sound while he attempted sleep? The guy who couldn't bend down to turn it off? Yet, most mornings when I awoke, the radio was off. Fairies? Nope. Just Dad in his usual ingenious, determined way. I learned later that he used his crutch to turn the knob till it went off. Or, if that didn't work, he'd grip the cord with crutch tips. Standing unaided, he'd fish the radio up to dangle in front of him; turn it off and quietly put it back down.

It would have been so much easier and expected if he woke me every night growling, "Turn off the damn radio!" Instead, because he accepted that it worked best for me, he struggled with the blasted contraption. Don't you just love Jimmy?!

My iPod makes this much easier. I listen; fall asleep; it turns off all on its own. Peaceful nights in the kingdom once more. What I couldn't have predicted when Michael hinted about giving me one, is how much I would adore the thing. I didn't even know I wanted one. I had my CDs and wonderful AR speakers. More than enough for me. When they first came out, I heard a reporter saying, "Imagine being able to take your entire CD collection with you anywhere, anytime? That's what Apple is making possible!" He went on and on about the miracle of it all. I remember thinking, "Why would anyone care if they could do that?"

The Christmas morning I opened it, I was surprised and pleased. But it was more because I suspected how expensive it was, not because it was something I was dying to own. The next thought was, "Oh, crap...it's a gizmo. I'm not good with gizmos. You have to learn how to work them. It's probably complicated and I'll never use it. So now, he'll think I don't like it..."

Younger people seem to take naturally to technology. Thankfully, we have two technical proficients in the family. Evan set it up for me; Melissa helped by showing hers and talking through all the wonderful things it does. They were very patient. The family had fun while watching it go-live on my computer. Off it went from there. Now, I have about 700, yes- that's a real number, CDs on the thing. It's even named, Queen'sTunes.

I know I don't need all those CDs. In reality, can I actually listen to all of that music? The answer is, yes: just not in one sitting! It's grand to have choices. I may be ready to dump some of the music off of it, now. I've had it for over a year and I know the ones I've not really listened to much. No reason to keep them. On the other hand, since they only use a smidge of the memory, I could just leave them. We'll see how it goes.

So, here's my point about all of this: My iPod is a great example of a lot of things in life. New ideas that fall outside of the familiar territory. Most likely discounted as, 'Not for me,' until you discover the relevance. Especially with technology, until someone can demonstrate the difference it can make, it doesn't seem worth the effort to try and learn it. It's not that we're technology averse so much as we're technology unaware. But, once we get it? We really get it!

If you're a younger individual and want to relate to an older person, remember to talk about relevance. Share what you know and help us understand how it could relate to our lives. We'll appreciate your take on it all.

Instead of discounting the unfamiliar, how about we adopt an attitude of curiosity- of openness to possibility? With gizmos. And ideas. Most certainly with people. I hope I'm always open to trying, even if I'm not one to hunt out the wonders of the latest gadget. Hell, I'm still amazed by e-mail! But, life is better and increasingly connected thanks to technology. So, I want to be a bit more aware of the possibilities it holds. Just as I want to be curious about every Human Being I encounter.

It's normal to love what you know- what works. But, be open to what's coming. I can't predict that any gizmo will please me as much as my iPod, however it could happen. I hear this thingy called a Kindle is the new darling of the technically intrepid.

Namaste' Till Next Time,
Holly

1 comment:

Eileen said...

Holly ... as the happy owner of a new Kindle (given to me by my techy kids for my birthday) you guessed right. This is another wonder ... need a book (?), go wireless with the Kindle to the Amazon store and presto you've got hundreds to choose from and they appear in your cache within minutes. It's a convenient size, fits in a purse and you can have your reading with you everywhere. You can subscribe to your local paper or any big city paper, blogs, etc. I, too, love my ipod but it's like with kids, there's enough love to go around!

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