More Technology for My Pocket

For a good number of years when I was asked what I want for Christmas I was stumped to come up with anything which, upon opening it, would make me jump for joy. There were things I'd have wanted that would have had a very unrealistic price tag. Likewise, I could have named things just for the sake of naming them that would have left me feeling decidedly underwhelmed. I just opted for cash which would give me some options if I ever did find something I really wanted and which I could use in the mean time for my refreshing mini vacations out of town. This year it was more or less decided by the "Santas" that I needed to want a thing. Though the price was on the higher end of reasonable, I figured I might as well ask for the only thing I'd had my eye on for a while and that I knew I wouldn't buy for myself - an iPod Touch.

I spend 98% of my time most days here in the house or at work and I have wireless 'net access in both places. And, I spend much of my free time online. What would be better than being able to take the internet with me - to the toilet, for example, or to the deck in the summer without having to lug out the laptop and then worry about a bird bombing the keypad? Yes, an iPod Touch would be handy, so that's what I told the Santas I wanted. They came through, and with a bigger and niftier one than I thought I might get!

It came as a delicious bonus when I read just a few days ago that McDonalds is going to offer their Wifi service free starting in a few weeks. And, in having borrowed my daughter's Touch for the past week to learn the basics in anticipation of getting my own, I discovered that there are a good number of unsecured wireless routers out there in just about every neighborhood. Okay, so maybe it's not perfectly legal to borrow a little bandwidth on occasion, but for a quick mail check I'll do it. (It's not like I'm going to sit in front of somebody's house researching a professional paper for hours on end with a palm sized device. If you don't want me using your router, at least put a password on it!)

Frugal as I am I've downloaded a bunch of free apps and haven't even started to look at the ones with price tags yet. Though I've had an mp3 player for years, it's not something I ever really used; I don't need to have music glued to my ears all day like the kids seem to, so the Touch isn't going to get filled with tunes and if it does get a few they'll be from the 70's. It's basically going to be an internet browser and mail client. If you correspond with me and it might disturb you to think that I wrote from the crapper, you're weird. Get over it!

Now comes the question of where and how to carry it. If I add another pouch to my belt I'm going to look like Batman with his utility belt. (Some folks think I do already.) I can't carry it in a pants pocket because I already carry about 10 pounds of stuff in them, and said stuff might scratch it or do worse damage. It seems that a shirt pocket will make the most sense except I'll need to remember that it's there whenever I bend over. Maybe in a sock would be better. In any event, I'll be enjoying myself for a while and hopefully after, when the novelty wears off, I'll still be able to amuse myself with it until scooter riding weather is back.

I fired up the BV yesterday morning just to warm it a little. I tried to start it a few days ago when it was bitter cold and I was a little worried when it wouldn't turn over. I keep in on a battery tender and there was plenty of juice so I'm guessing the oil was just sitting in it like molasses.

A Merry Christmas Season to one and all who share the joy of the season with us, and to those who don't - have a happy whatever you have!