We Are the Pod People

Every day, I listen to my new iPod on the way to work and on the way home. And sometimes when I'm at lunch too. I love it. Love, love, love it. It makes me happy. Every time, without fail.

I do not know how to explain how amazing it is to have something you know, you can count on, to make you happy. And it always works. Every time. No matter what kind of bad mood I've concocted.

Something interesting that I've noticed though, is that I get the opposite reaction that I thought I'd get. When you read articles about all the technology out there, there's always a slant about how bad it is, how important it is to disconnect, and bond with the people around you. You know - smile at the man holding flowers (hopefully not red roses), pick up the bag someone dropped near you.

But what I've seen is that more people smile at me when I'm listening to my iPod. Invariably, it's other people listening to music too. As if we're part of some secret club. I've caught people on the bus leaning over, trying to see what song I've got playing. And while normally, someone moving in on my personal (dance) space would piss me off, with this, I tilt my 'pod towards them, to show them what they want to see. Because hey, music is beautiful and we should all share the beauty. Or something.

It's nice, and I like it. Now who's going to come over and teach me the secret iPod handshake? You'll know it's me - I'm the one struggling not to grande jete through the streets as I sing along.