Herban Sprawl

I got an iPod Nano for Christmas. Not one of the megagiga ones, but 8 gigs is plenty of space for me I have been assured. I have entered the world of ripping my favorite CDs and putting them onto my magic little player. It’s awesome.

It seems there is also an entire culture of accessories for the toy, as well. I received a hard shell protector to put over it right off the bat. I had mixed feelings about it until I learned how easy it is to remove it. Then, after the treadmill accident, I shopped for a thing to strap it to my person. That was tough because most of the things that attach an iPod to one’s arm feel rather like a blood pressure cuff. I found one that had a little zippered pouch which meant it would keep my toy dry if I was out and around. Downside: you can’t see the front and you have to unzip and fiddle with it.

For my birthday, the kids on Morse sent me a pretty silver neoprene pouch that has a ring for one’s belt loop, or a lanyard. It’s neat – kind of like an iPod condom. Again, you have to take it completely out of the pouch, but they know I’m the Queen Klutz of the family, so the toy is protected. You can’t put one over on those kids!

In both cases, the hardshell has to come off or the thing won’t fit into the holders. There is no room for the earbuds and wires. I’m thinking that’s the next accessory: an earbud spool.

Before I acquired the holders, though, I was already thinking ahead to one of my activities where I like tunes: cooking.

I’m an apron freak. It’s a necessity. I always get a permanent stain when I fly without a net, so to speak. But understand, aprons are a fashion accessory, so I have a bunch of them. My first attempt to cook with tunes resulted in putting the iPod in the back pocket of my jeans and running the earbuds up from behind. It made sense in that I didn’t have strings dropping in the sauce, but they got tangled in the apron ties, so I was forever feeling this yanking thing going on.

I’m already planning how to sew little pockets into my aprons in places where an iPod can’t fall into the sauté pan, but I have to engineer something for cord management. Oooo. Do I feel a patent coming on? Could I possibly be the second family member to have a patent? Whatever.

The point is, the smaller the toy, the larger and more expensive the selection of accessories.

The cats have mixed feelings about this thing. The stringy cords to the earbuds are amusing, but get their paws tapped if they attempt to play with them. Furthermore, I start dancing around for no apparent reason, which sends them running for cover. (Barney dances, but he wants to hear the beat…) Oh, yeah, sing it, Marvin! How sweet it is!