Monday, October 24, 2011

Still Whining About My Ipod- Wait, Did I Say That Already?

Yesterday, I whined all about my ipod's tragic demise.

One of the reasons I am reminded of my fury over this is because I currently have an audio book (I had just typed book on tape, but I guess that's so 1999, right?) on the ipod I'm using.

I can't remember the name of it.  Ironic because it's about a woman with Alzheimer's.  It's fiction and it's not Still Alice which a lot of people have read about a woman with Alzheimer's.  This is another one that I had seen in the library ebooks for a long time and I downloaded it.

I like to listen to audio books when I am doing menial tasks like mowing, cleaning, doing dishes, sewing.  I can't listen when I am driving or correcting papers or anything that requires dual focus like that, so summer is the best time for me to listen. 

I guess that's a shining example of my life during the school year and during the summer.

Now that it's fall, the grass only needs one more mowing, but I've been listening a lot while cleaning or lounging about in the hammock, knitting.

At least, I've been trying to listen.

But my sister's ipod is old.  And it was neglected once she bought her iphone.  So it sat in the corner and atrophied.

When she first gave it to me, I was so thrilled to have a device to put my music onto and use at the gym, I didn't care that it was kind of big.  Or that it seemed to have a mind of its own.

And then I downloaded this book.  And listened to about 20 minutes of it and had to put it away. 

 Now, with the 3rd generation, I would hold down the bottom of the scroll circle, I dont' even know what that thing is called but it's gone on the new versions anyway, and the screen would go dark and it would be off.

I can't seem to find the magic "off" button on this one, so it is always dead when I want to turn it back on.

No matter, I thought, I'll just make the screen go dark and then switch the lock button so it stays asleep.

Nope, that didn't work either.

So, I started plugging it in before I'd use it.  That requires a lot of preplanning.  Part of my desire to use the ipod comes from spontaneous menial chores, not preplanned tasks for which I line up all of my entertainment a week in advance.

I'd charge it, plug in my headphones, scroll to the book, and the damned thing would start from scratch.  On the 3rd generation, it would pick up right where I left off.

So, I'd have to scroll through until it was where I thought it might have been when I shut it off the last time.

And then I'd have about 10 minutes before the battery died.  And it would be repeating most of what I had already heard in the book anyway.

And because I have no idea when it's going to croak, I can't look and see where I am in the chapters because it's dead before I get there.

So here's what I know about the book so far:

-the woman was a surgeon and her name is Jennifer
-she now has Alzheimer's and knows it
-she keeps a journal
-she has her lucid days and  days when she takes a shower in her clothes and then goes into the neighborhood, soaked
-her best friend was found murdered and I think they think she might have had something to do with it
-her son and daughter are at odds over who is trying to steal her money
-she has a caretaker

Sounds like an intriguing book, right?

However, I'm beginning to think I'm the one with Alzheimer's each time I turn on this book.  I keep hearing the same things and feel  like I've been there before. 

I have good days, when I pick up near where I left off.

I have days where I hear the opening music for the book and think "I've heard this before"

I have days where I fear I might have skipped past a crucial point as I rushed to get to a new part before the battery died.

Don't tell me the end of this book, if you've read it.  I want to hear it for myself.

If I can find the device to listen to, that is.

3 comments:

  1. I have to laugh because I have killed two I-Pods by boob sweat and am stuck with my daughter's archaic model while she's rocking a touch.

    But why are you mowing? I hope K-ster has dishpan hands.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ha! That sounds sooooo frustrating but that book sounds so good! I can understand why you keep giving the iPod one more chance. I feel anxious just thinking of the next time you try to use it, though.

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