Walking home from a July 4th dinner on the West Side, we stopped at the Apple Store at 59th and Fifth Ave. I wanted to look at the iPhone. It was nice but the Internet connection is s-l-o-w and who the hell wants AT&T as a carrier?
We did stop and take a bit more time with the iPods in all their multi-hued glory.
Long story short, we spent $841 we didn't have. ("You've been wanting one for years," said the cartoon devil on my shoulder, aka Ken. "Go ahead. Get it. It will make you happy.") The Jersey Devil, aka Ken, got one too.
Typical of the movie selection at iTunes Store: juvenile
What can I say? I love the fucking thing. Why? Obviously because it is...
As revolutionary as the cellphone. Better because it doesn't bother you with unwanted calls.
A miracle of design and technology. Five continuous days of music are on mine at this moment. Get rid of the stereo system and the mongo speakers. We got a little portable unit that plays your iPod -- easy to carry and place in the apartment or anywhere else. Sounds decent. Get rid of the wires and the clutter, the apartment's too small anyway. And most of my favorite CDs are ready to give away.
Ken's too. He's already put about 60 or more hours of operas and such on his iPod. Bonus: I will never have to listen to snippets of the Ring Cycle again.
Ah but the iTunes Store is
seductive, dangerous. How much have I spent in 3 weeks? I've downloaded (yes, paid for!! me!!!) many albums I'd lost, some of them back when we used vinyl, like The Rolling Stones Now and a couple by Chick Webb. Or individual cuts I'd been looking for on free services and never found: "After the Goldrush" by Prelude, "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me" by Armstrong, "Hello Lola" by Coleman Hawkins and the Mound City Blowers. And oh so many more.
I've downloaded TV shows to watch while on long bus and train rides, like the entire Sarah Silverman Show and 30 Rock. The movie selection sucks though; where's Notorious? Cabiria? PeeWee's Big Adventure?
Anyway. I fall asleep listening to Dizzy Gillespie or, last night, Tommy (surprisingly boring but downloaded for free on Limewire). 1900 "songs" (including quite a few whole albums downloaded from Napster 7-8 years ago) and so much more space to go. Everything I like at last in one magical little package, a whole lot of jazz (mostly early and swing, some be-bop and cool), some pop, lots of rockabilly and rock, lots of Mahalia Jackson and the Velvet Underground, not to mention Otis Redding and Billie Holiday. Yes, and the Kinks too.
As I stroll cool around the sweltering streets of Manhattan I listen to "Waterloo Sunset" and "I am in Paradise."
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