I was out for a run on Saturday evening when my Mini iPod starting pulling some Exorcist-esque antics on me - - randomly turning on and off, repeating songs, and just generally being a pain in the a*s.  I’ve had him (yes, I refer to my iPod as a person) for over a year and a half now, but he just hasn’t been right since May's unfortunate garbage chute incident (don’t ask).  I was getting really annoyed, and somehow my thoughts started wandering to the progression of the portable music player over the past 10 years.  

Since running is such a huge part of my  life (and my sanity), I strongly associate it with major events -- along with the music that I happened to be listening to during those times.  I started thinking about my first 'heartbreak.'  I believe it was the summer after I turned 17, and I was already wise to the emotional and mental releases that running gave me.  Still so innocent, I'll never forget running laps around my neighborhood with my Walkman blaring Live, Stone Temple Pilots and Blues Traveler to help me get over 'what's his name'. 

Several more breakups followed during my college and post-collegiate years - - the emotional wounds cutting deeper the older I got, thus increasing my time spent on the roads.  I remember running along the Ponte Vecchio in Florence with my Walkman...the beaches at the Jersey Shore with my new Sony CD player...golf courses in my parent's neighborhood with a MiniDisc Player...The situations hadn't changed.  I was still running with music to recover; the technology (and my taste in music) was simply growing more sophisticated.

Fast forward to 2007, and we're still not happy with our devices.  They're either not small enough, don't hold enough music, run out of battery too quickly, etc.  It's amazing to think that I used to happily run with a portable CD player that must have weighed at least a pound.  My father always joked about waiting for the day that we'll all have devices implanted in our brains, and eerily, it isn't that far off.  Now I have a Mini iPod (however temperamental) that is tiny enough to slip into my sports bra.  Luckily, I have a backup for when he finally decides to call it a day. 

My most recent ex gave me a Nano when we first started dating...and looking back, that is probably the greatest thing I got from that relationship.  Thank you!!!

Happy Running!

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this

• #3 Comment from lusciouskristin
  12/10/07 1:55 AM | Permalink

  Interesting article.
  
  I also have interesting articles about men, women, love, romance, dating, online dating, etc. Check out my blog at http://www.adultdatingpost.com
  
  Feel free to comment in my entries. =)
  
• #2 Comment from beeruns1212
  3/16/07 2:11 PM | Permalink

  Hey...i've been reading your posts for a bit ...and must say that I myself have the emotional connection to my running music and the contraption that provided it to me as well.  Reading this post made me remember my running around the block listening to Boyz to men!!!! LOL LOL LOL. It also made me appreciate my IPOD so much more....He thanks you!
• #1 Comment from abmagnabosco
  1/30/07 10:03 AM | Permalink

  Natalie,
  
  Hey there.  I've been reading your blog off and on and have a suggestion for your "guy" :-)
  
  If you've had your iPod mini for over a year, it's likely that all you need is a new <a href="http://www.ipodjuice.com/">ipod battery</a> from a third party like www.ipodjuice.com or others out there.
  
  They don't replace nano batteries since those are soldered to the motherboard and not easily replaceable, but at least you can save your mini!!
  
  Cheers!