For E's birthday this year, I gave her an iPod Nano. It's the smallest one (240 songs), and I don't know for certain if I would have given it to her if it wasn't free with the purchase of my MacBook a la the educational deal they have. But it was, and so in August when I ordered my computer, I tucked the Nano away for her.

I knew that J would be insanely jealous. When I received an MP3 player as a gift, I thought that it could appease J's jealousy.

The silly thing wouldn'twork, though, and they'd just come out with the super cool Shuffle that clip onto your clothes and stuff. So I bought her one of those.

Proof that 8 is too young for an iPod: She never uses it. Never ever. At first I thought it was because her little ears don't work with ear buds, but we tried 10 different types of headphones, and finally found some that worked perfectly - she still doesn't care. It's a little weird, because she used to listen to her CD player more than E did.

E does use hers - she listens to books on tape, and she listens to classical music while doing homework, and she finds that it makes road trips more than tolerable. But J doesn't use hers.

As we were walking home with a friend of hers yesterday, she said, "hey, you wanna hear a funny story?" of course her friend did, and J proceeded to tell the following:

The other night, Mom was doing laundry, and she came up from the laundry room and said, "J, I am confiscating your Shuffle" and then she went back downstairs. I was scared, because I thought I left it in my pants pocket or something, and that she was mad at me, but when she came back upstairs, I asked her why, andshe said, "because mine is too big to carry around at the gym." So she's just TAKING it, because she WANTS it!!

Her friend didn't quite get it, but I thought it was funny - to remember the conversation; to know that she was truly worried that she was in trouble; and to realize just how fine she was with the concept. I did buy the damned thing, and it wasn't for her birthday or anything. Why should it sit on her desk unused? It shouldn't.

Last night, I charged up the Shuffle and loaded my gym playlist on it. I brought it with me this a.m., and it was GREAT. I kept feeling like I was forgetting something,when walking away from machines and so forth without that extra thing in my hand. I also felt silly heading to school today with TWO iPods in my pocket.

But, whatever.

J is saying she should get a bigger Nano (bigger than E's) for her bday. I'm not so sure. beloved's been corrupting her with classic rock, and she's loving The Who and Queen. Her tastes are broad (as opposed to E, who likes the Beatles, show tunes, and classical. The end. Oh - that's not true - she likes Death Cab for Cutie whenever they come up on my shuffle, and Corinne Baily Rae, too). Apparently, Beloved told her she needs more than 240 songs.

I think perhaps that will be a gift for later, though. I haven't quite decided.

Labels: kids, Music

posted by Zuska @ 10:53 AM

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