Gym Shorts

Last night, for the first time in a while, I decided to bring my iPod to the gym. When Jeff and I joined this gym at the beginning of May, I made an amazing discovery: cardio machines with TVs. The greatest thing since Jet Blue. (Where else can we get TVs? School desks? Church? Let's reach for the stars people!) 

So for the past two and a half months, I've been dazed and drooling in the TV (mostly Sox games) while I'm at the gym. I called it "A fitness revolution" but that phrase didn't really catch on. 

But I wanted last night to be different. After a rough day at work (I didn't get yelled at or anything, it was technology issues at the WWL) I wanted to drift off to some tunes on my vintage iPod Mini. (Original line, bought February 2004, still working!)

It's been F-O-R-E-V-E-R since I listened to music at the gym. Back in Cali, I got hooked on listening to podcasts at the gym -- specifically one podcast.

****BIG ASIDE*****

If I can impart one piece of wisdom, if you listen to any of my advice in this space, any recommendations on music, tv, movies, book (er... maybe) or anything, please listen to me here: Download the Ricky Gervais Show podcast. You can buy the entire thing for $20 bucks and that's something like 30 hours of show. (If you want a free sneak preview, their most recent show is up for free, but I suggest you start from the beginning.)

If you like any of the following things, you will like the Ricky Gervais Show: Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, The Office, Extras, 30 Rock, Arrested Development, chimpanzees, British slang for 'penis', cobblers, people laughing loudly in your ears or oranges. Seriously. Please. I will reimburse you your funds if you don't like it.

*****END OF ASIDE****

But last night it was all about the music. Considering I had only plugged in my iPod for 45 minutes after months of dormancy, I'm surprised I got so many songs out of the thing before it died. 

I had one of those nice musical interludes where songs bring you back to a time in your life. When we moved to California, I stopped listening to the radio. Listening to the radio in Cali is infuriating -- no station stays clear for more than 2 miles, except for the Spanish stations, who apparently have twice the budget as other channels. Meanwhile, Jeff was working at a job that not only let you listen to music during the day, but allowed you to share music through a big iTunes system, exposing him to a huge variety of music he had never experienced before.

He shared this excitement with me, by making me a new mix CD every few weeks. This is all I listened to in the entire time I was in California. And these were the songs I listened to last night. 

It made me think about how far we've come. And no, I don't mean that sentimentally, rather, I'm thinking how far Jeff's come in terms of musical taste. When we first started dating (back in the fall of '03) his favorite band was Disturbed.

I wish I was joking.

His musical tastes were turrrrible back then. Now they've gotten much better, a long journey that culminated, for me, with him asking Justin to pass on some Reggae last weekend when we were at his house. We've come a long way, love.

Here was the Schaible created track-list from last night:

Till the end of time -- Michael DeVotcka

Ring of Fire -- Social Distortion

Dirty Water -- The Standells

Gold Lion -- The Yeah Yeah Yeahs

When the Lights Go Down -- The Arctic Monkeys

Tessie -- The Dropkick Murphys

Angeles -- Elliot Smith

My boyfriend -- Her Space Holiday

Boys of Summer -- The Ataris

Glycerine -- Bush

Soul Meets Body -- Death Cab for Cutie

Wrap Your Love Around Me -- The Village Green

Free Time -- Kenna