Nano: R.I.P

Born: San Diego, CA, March 2006. Died: Everett, WA January 2007.

I remember when we first met. I had just been unceremoniously dumped by my first iPod, who left me for an Alaska Airlines flight attendant or lost and found employee somewhere in Southern California. She took with her dozens of playlists and 5 gigabytes of music, leaving me nothing but my lousy iTunes memories of our time together.

After drowning my sorrows at a hotel bar, I went to bed with a resolve to move on in my audio life, and the next day I hoofed it to the Fashion Valley Mall Apple Store, where a sleek, all white 4 gigabyte beauty caught my eye. I immediately loaded her up with all new playlists, popped her earbuds into my ears, and took off running.

My best estimate is that we shared over 500 miles of running and at least 700 cycling. Plus thousands of miles in the air and on the water. How many train trips? How many late nights trying to drown out the sound of the 95 year old couple upstairs? Sigh. Quite a run. But on Sunday I plugged her into The ‘Hood’s stereo and she just stared at me with a lifeless screen before giving a little gasp and fading out. The Nano is dead.

Here are some of my favorite playlist memories from our time together. Tomorrow I’m dragging the kids to the Lynnwood Apple Store to replace her. I think there is a John Mayer song about this…I’m gonna find another you…bitch. I hope she looks like you. And lasts LONGER too. Maybe this time I'll go Black...yeah. That will totally piss my parents off...


The Fly Away List
(for a recent trip to San Diego, during which nothing of note happened)
Pass Me Over - Anthony Hamilton
Passenger Side - Wilco
Never Know - Jack Johnson
Crazy - Seal
Dance With You - Live
Reality Used To Be A Friend Of Mine - P.M. Dawn
Sister Sweetly - Big Head Todd & The Monsters
Waiting for You - Ben Harper

The Kenmore List
(Kenmore isn’t just for High School Keg Parties anymore)
Kissing My Love, Bill Withers
On the Couch, Prince
Light as the Breeze, Billy Joel
Let's Get it On , Marvin Gaye
Sign Your Name, Trent d'Arby
Flow, Sade
A Song for You, Herbie Hancock
The Very Thought of You, Etta James
Love me Like a Man, Karrin Allyson
Breakdown, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


The Leaving List
(good for moving on…)
Nothing Left to Lose, Mat Kearney
Chasing Cars, Snow Patrol
Colorful, Rocco DeLuca & The Burden
Hold You In My Arms, Ray LaMontagne
Until We Fall, Audioslave
Last Request (Live & Acoustic Version), Paolo Nutini
My Kinda Lover, Billy Squier
If You Want My Love , Cheap Trick
Best of My Love, The Emotions
Dusk And Summer, Dashboard Confessional
Rock 'N Roll with Me, David Bowie
The One I Love, David Gray
Girl Like You, Donavon Frankenreiter

So, we bid farewell to the Nano and prepare to welcome in a new Nano. Bigger, better, more colorful…Luckily Mom VB and I did some damage at the local casino this week so I can drop some cash on new electronics. Lord knows I’ll need it to drown out Cap’n Ron’s desert-air-snoring in J Tree next week.