The iLife

"Do you have it in black?"

And with that, I became one of the Pod People.

As I sit here writing, a collection of Beatles tracks are being uploaded to my new, shiny, black iPod video. The 30GB model, supposedly with room for 7,500 songs, which means that even I won't have to worry for some time about using up all of the available space.

A birthday/Christmas/Boxing Day/Insert Holiday Here gift from my parents, the iPod has been on my wishlist for years, although I never actually took the step toward purchase. Amusingly enough, it's only with some gadget like this that my economical/Washington shows itself again. When I objected to my mother's announcement that I was to decide between black and white, she gave me her Patented Parental Gaze.

"You've wanted one of these for how long now? And you only turn 25 once."

So there it is. I'm a Podder now. Ready to block out the world at will by simply plugging in the white earbuds and shuffling between my random options for musical escape.
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I stretched out on the loveseat. My mother sat on the couch, my father lay on the large pillow on the floor. It was the first time the three of us had watched "The West Wing" together since perhaps the Washington visit when we found the crew filming exterior scenes.

This was The Live Debate Episode. A chance to watch Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda working in real time and a chance to see which of the Candidates I Wish Were In Office Now would come out on top.

There was one commercial break. As the screen faded to black:

V: What do you think so far?"
D: I'm confused. They're not actually SAYING anything of significance, they're just going back and forth and getting ready to fight.
V: This is different from real debates how, precisely?
M: It's true. Debates are nothing but circuses, to see who trips up and who is able to keep it relatively together.
D: Hmph. Josh would be freaking out right now.
V: Josh would be drinking.
M: Josh would be drinking a lot.
D: Who do you think is winning the debate?
V: Santos.
M: At the same timeVinick.
V and M look at each other in surprise
V: You can't be serious.
D: Kind of like real debates, huh?