My iPod

I have always been a PC person. If I ever thought of Apple products, it was with exasperation because, having had to deal with Apple-centric illustrators not only did I have to deal with terminal file format incompatibility issues (c'mon, people; get on the same page with the ninety percent of the world who use Windows), but I had to endure their near fanatical devotion to their product.

So it was quite an attitudinal barrier I had to overcome to breakdown and finally buy an Apple product. But I'm glad I did. I love my iPod. I'm addicted to my iPod.

If you're planning on getting an iPod, you'll need to get some type of protective case for it because if you breath on it, it'll scratch. Which is too bad, because a case really screws with the look of a very cool device. You also might want to get a device to broadcast your iPod to an FM stereo. I got Griffin Technology's iTrip and it does the trick fairly well.

Some iPod links:

• Everything iPod - Superstore for your iPod
• iPod Hacks
• iLounge - All things iPod
• Ipod Lens
• Converting iTunes protected files m4p to mp3 files
• Mad skillz dot com - Used and refurbished MP3 players.
• ShieldZone - Portable consumer electronics screen sheilds.
• POWER SUPPORT - iPod and PSP accessories.
• iSkin - iPod & PSP protection.
• OtterBox.com - Portable consumer electronics protection.
• RadTech - Consumer electronics accessories.
• iPodResQ - iPod repair service.
• iPodMods - iPod Repair & Modification Center.
• iPodRestore - iPod repair service.
• iPod Mechanic - iPod Repair & Parts, 48 Hour iPod LCD Screen Replacement, 48 Hour iPod Battery Repair Service Center.

Now Playing

Try my WebPod:

• Madden 2005 Soundtrack - I often listen to this to get pumped up before I play football. Real football, that is. I don't have to listen to it when I play Madden. It's in the game.
• The Street Kingz - A great Minneapolis hip hop group

I've also been listening to a great pop album, Welcome Interstate Managers by Fountains of Wayne. The disc features the best song ever written about football--specifically about being "in the zone," called "All Kinds Of Time." The NFL Network ran a series of commercials featuring the song. Watch it:

The album also features a great song called "Mexican Wine" and a hilarious teen fantasy piece called "Stacy's Mom." Here's an acoustic version.

I'm also listening to Tom Waits' 1976 album Small Change, featuring such blues classics as "Tom Traubert's Blues," the brilliant commercial culture satire "Step Right Up,"  the equally clever "The Piano Has Been Drinking," the beat meets noire "Small Change (Got Rained On With His Own .38)," the...ah, hell, every song is great. The album's perfect. Get it.

Still on my iPod but in the Haven't Listened To It Recently catalog are 10,0000 Maniac's first album, In My Tribe and Tori Amos' first album Little Earthquakes and Duante Culpepper's theme song.