I'm so totally High School Cool

I feel like I am so cool. Like, totally cool.

I am generally speaking not a trendy person. If I accidentally become trendy it comes in one of two forms:

1) I latch onto the 'trend' at the tail-end of it, and thus it become nearly impossible to be 'trendy' (for instance, I decided I wanted to decorate my kitchen some years ago with a Chili Pepper motif, toward the very end of its popularity, and essentially I couldn't find Chili-themed decorating ideas, causing me to scrap the idea.).

2) I am completely and totally ahead of the trend (how that happens, I will never know) that before long I see what it is I am doing practically everywhere (like in high-school I dyed my hair that nifty Redkin purple-red, and pierced the cartilage in my ear--within weeks everyone else was doing it, making my 'trendiness' uncool [I was the kid who was in Doc Martins combat boots, a flannel shirt, and changed which color of the rainbow her hair was on a monthly basis...the antithesis of trendy] or, when college rolled around I pierced my tongue (on a whim--who says I'm not spontaneous?) and low and behold 6 different people on my dorm floor show up with their piercings within the month (this is in 1996)).

Now, I feel cool because I finally have splurged and purchased an iPod Nano (not the Über cool iPod that plays movies, though).

I have been drooling over an iPod for months. I have wanted one so that I have something to listen to (I lost our portable CD player 6 months ago, and God knows where it is) while I am out exercising or for my long walks--sometimes no noise is just too much for me; peace and quiet turns me into 'introspection mode' and then I spend entirely too much time in my own head...and well, I'm already nuts enough without any encouragement.

I have put off purchasing one because of the expense. I mean, truly, did I actually need one? And, as usual, my practical response to myself: 'Heck no! What a waste of money, you could buy X for Peanut, or Y for Chubber....'. Basically, any other purchase for anyone else took priority over me. What can I say? I'm a mom. That is what moms do: they take the last place in line.

What made me shuffle (no pun intended, heh-heh) my place in line from last to first? I was out for a walk yesterday and was thinking how nice it would be to enjoy the scenery and be able to listen to one of my favorite books in audio format. I also managed to make a pretty penny by selling my dryer (hallelujah, can I get an A-MEN!) and a lovely little check came in from the consignment shop from some of my junk selling. It was a little windfall, of sorts. So, B.J. tells me (after he spies me looking at iPods online) 'Take the money from the dryer, and buy the darned iPod already! Quit being a weenie. Just DO IT!!"

Who was I to complain? My husband was telling me to shop. (someone pinch me, perhaps I'm dead?) So, shop I did.

I ended up with a silver iPod, and an FM/Converter car kit so that I could listen to my new toy in the car (and so that I can download a bunch of kid-music onto it and let the kiddos enjoy, too). I got a bargain. A really, really GOOD bargain. Like, as in, Costco's prices for the same equipment would have been at least $100 more. I am a great shopper. (Patting myself on the back). Shopping is a sport. Or, if it was, I'd be a Gold or Silver medalist; bronze on a bad day. Mama didn't raise no fool.

So, I am very happy. I'm having fun learning a new technology, and I'm trendy. (only a couple years late) What a neat new toy. I am excited to get the most out of it. I've even figured out how to 1) sync music to the iPod (duh, its main purpose) and, 2) put some of my favorite photos on it (combining one of my favorite hobbies of Photography with a new toy, my iPod, is a treat).

I wonder what else I can figure out how to do...