I have plenty of incentives never to leave my room. My TV -- well, I've written about how much I love that, like, infinity times. But there are also a few stacks of magazines resting atop my bookcase and my South Park DVDs and 3-D Pinball on my computer. The computer on which I am now writing also has AIM and e-mail, for whatever human contact (albeit digital) is necessary.
This is not a healthy life, so thank God for the 'Pod. Little whitey allows me to take my room (meaning 8,000 songs) with me wherever I will. People consider iPods detrimental to human kindness. I think just the opposite -- they get people out and on-the-go. They help filter out the annoyances (99.4% of people, mostly those on Locust Walk; as well as natural sounds). And if you want to talk to somebody, press pause. No biggie.
Plus, it's nice to have a soundtrack for walking to class. Never listened to "My Humps" while walking to a poetry course at 9 a.m.? I highly recommend it.
But before I get carried away and begin touting the merits of "My Humps" on every level (for real), I've actually got a point beyond the usual "iPods are neat" jibber-jabber.
Why is the Undergraduate Assembly trying to destroy my life?
It took me 20 years to get an iPod and go ... what's it called ... outdoors? Yes. Seeing natural light for the first time was sump'm else. But this week, the UA introduced a plan to bring a legal music-downloading service, Ruckus, to the University, and for cheap. The service's launch is a big step for the UA, but is already starting a ... yeah, I was totally going to say ruckus ... starting a mild donnybrook for its limited capabilities: downloads from Ruckus cannot be uploaded to an iPod or burnt to a CD. You must listen to this music on your computer.
All I'm hearing is "STAY AT YOUR COMPUTER AND NEVER LEAVE."
I fully anticipate the next piece of legislation, or whatever they call it, reading like this:
"We at the UA have introduced a plan to lock and chain all students at the University (with a valid PennCard) in their basements with no water, light or food. Indefinitely. It will be free for the first month, and $70 per month thereafter. For an extra $15, we can tell all your friends that you don't really like them and think they're ugly and just hang out with them so you look better by comparison."
Just kidding, Assemblers. Much love from Street. We never leave the office anyway.
- Jim
