Apple released a brand new iPod on Tuesday and while the rest of the nation was captivated by all the pretty colors and the new gizmo’s shake-to-shuffle feature, I was a little busy geeking out about the other announcement: iTunes 8.

Unlike previous incarnations, iTunes 8 is shaking up the application for the first time in years, this time with the introduction of a better visualizer, a new way to peruse your library and a handy little feature called Genius. Read More »

Just when I had you convinced I’m a lazy cow, I took some action. The weather’s gorgeous, I have many a short little dress waiting to come out, and frankly, the time has come for me to take your advice, which has been much appreciated. I’ve started walking to and from work rather than hopping on the subway, and so long as it’s sunny and nice, I’ve decided that my new habit is going to be a post-work run, and that the thirty-block walk home can be a nice little warm-up.

I started slow, running about three quarters of a mile outside without falling over dead, and walking briskly after for another twenty or thirty minutes. May not seem like a lot, but in the city, speedwalking is essentially a slow jog. I have to say, it felt pretty damn good to take in the scenery of New York while bobbing and weaving through crowds on the sidewalks.

Fortunately I live fairly close to a park on the East River (one of those waterways that’s pretty from a high-rise, but should never ever be touched for fear of hepatitis or happening upon a dead body), and was able to set my route accordingly. I’m actually looking forward to going out again tonight, with my goal of extending by a few blocks and hopefully getting that extra quarter mile into my routine by the time next week starts. Read More »