I Am Thankful For My iPod

(After yesterday's "thankful" post, I realized that I really needed to split that into 2 posts. So today "just the iPod part" :) )

I never would have thought of myself as an "iPod type." I'm not a music junkie and I don't have bazillions of songs on my iPod. In fact I can go for weeks at a time without listening to any music at all. I was perfectly happy with my cassette players. But a few years ago I specifically needed an MP3 player for something (which is another story) so I bought my first iPod. Then once I had it, I used it just because "it was there."

It's not significantly different from using a cassette or CD player except that with those you have to carry the extra music with you as well. With an MP3 player, you just have one unit, and all your music is already with you. There's nothing extra to carry, and of course the player itself is smaller.

Since the iPod was small enough to have in my bag all the time, I started noticing that it came in really handy:

• Having trouble exercising? -> Exercise to some music.
• Bored on a train ride? -> Listen to an audiobook.
• Need a mental break in the middle of the day? -> Put on a meditation tape.

The convenience of having those and other options available to me at all times without having to pack anything extra or plan ahead (except to make sure that the battery is charged!) is a luxury for which I have been truly thankful.

A properly loaded and utilized iPod can be an indispensable tool that helps calm/de-stress, motivate, and distract. -And it's way easier to carry than an ocean, a coach, and a juggling clown.