Letters to the Editor
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Saved from the dreaded middle-aged Musical Ossification
Once I'd filled my new iPod with songs I already knew it created a hunger in me to hear new music, which I found starting with Salon's Daily Download and spreading outwards from there to sites like The Hype Machine that aggregates new music from dozens of bloggers.
I hadn't listened to new music in YEARS, but with the portable nano accompanying me on my commute, my gym workouts, and my many hours of outdoor gardening work it just begged for new tunes.
I load all new songs into a New Downloads playlist, weed out the less than stellar songs, and about once a month burn it to CD with my own artwork or imagery from the internet for stereo play. I generally burn a copy for younger friends who also enjoy the new music. The iPod becomes my pre-screening device for what will make it to CD.
The other main use for the Nano that no one has mentioned is that it's great for listening to Audible books. Sign up for a package rate and you can listen to new books as they come out for as little as $10-- while those books are still in hardback. If I really love an audiobook I then go buy it in hardback (used) at Amazon.
The end result-- a constant flow of new books, ideas, and songs into my life. This can only be good for the brain!