iPods vs iWantToThrowMyMoneyAway

Recently, I was in the market for an Mp3 player. By "in the market" I mean I don't really have the money to be spending on musical devices, and should be putting the money that I DO have towards slightly more necessary things, like car insurance and toilet paper. However, in my ever-running race against my ass, I have taken up working out at the Rec Center as often as I can (roughly 1.5-2 times a week). In order to motivate myself (and drown out the imaginary laughter that I feel comes from everyone around me), I need music.

My other housemate, Aubrey Lynn, works at Best Buy. She kindly recommended some other choices after telling me quite a few horror stories regarding customers and iPod minis. I finally agreed that spending 100 dollars on a non-Apple Mp3 player was a much wiser choice, and really, what difference did it make? Music was music. As long as it was relatively portable and played music, who cared what brand it was? (See: Causes of disownment, female castration, and live burials.)

On the exact day that I agreed to buy a nameless Mp3, my upstairs neighbor offered to lend me her Mp3 player because it sits on its charger at her parent's house an hour away. We arranged for a 7:00 pm pickup, and at 6:59 I ran out my front door, up the two flights of stairs, and into her apartment.

And there, in all her metallic pink glory was my sweet Caroline. I mean...the iPod mini. We, um...I just call her...IT...by a name to ease her transition into a new environment. Those curves. That touch pad.

I am in love with an iPod mini that belongs to someone else. Is it unrequited? Oh, no. Not at all. My family adores her. My brother-in-law spent all of Sunday getting to know her. Heck, she even keeps me company on the darned shuttle.

Can your Samsung do that? Can your iRiver?

When my trial period ends, and I return Caroline to her other mommy, I will spend the extra $80-100 dollars. It is SO worth it.