something I am grateful for today

My new MP3 player.

A while back I inherited Paisley's old player [when she upgraded to an iPod], and once I realized how much easier it is to stick to my exercise routine when I have music, I considered a player to be an investment in my health. So when the old player gave up recently, I had to get a new one.

What I have is very small, simple and cheap. I don't need an iPod or anything with a video screen or all that: I just want to play music and have a screen so I can pick what I want to hear. What I got, does that and only that -- which is fine with me.

So what I have now, stores 4 gigs of music [at my preferred MP3 rate of 320, that's about 29 hours of tunes], and has a screen which is clearly legible to these tired old eyes, in something which is literally the size of a disposable butane lighter. And it cost me $40.

I realize that all this is commonplace and barely noticeable to most folx nowadays, but I can't help remembering: when we got our first desktop PC [1995], it didn't even hold one gig, let alone four. It was a lot bigger than a lighter. And it cost a lot more than $40.

From where I sit, this little MP3 thingie is magic.

Huh.

http://www.uoguelph.ca/news/2009/06/human_brain_stu_1.html

As I read this, I couldn't help noticing the unspoken assumption that only rational or empirical beliefs can be true... and how it furthermore sidesteps the fact that such a viewpoint is itself an article of faith.

In passing, however, I'd like it to be noted that Dr. Davis is one heckuva rockabilly guitarist.