My iPod's Back

After several weeks of listening to my old and still unsold 4G iPod, I've restored my 5G (video) iPod back to working order. I purchased an 80GB Western Digital USB 2.0 External Hard Drive to have a permanent home for my music library. The 80GB can hold all the contents of my 60GB iPod, as well as some room for expansion.

I also finally have my iPod and music database synchronized, which means play counts and ratings are matched on both my PC and iPod whenever I connect the two. Now when I wake up to California Uber Alles because my FoxyTunes FireFox extension's alarm popped open iTunes and the Dead Kennedys were fated to be selected by random, my iPod will now have a note of the play, making sure that it won't show up in my workout smart playlist for at least 3 weeks. (If you can follow that last sentance, we should hang out.)

I still have to go though my library and hunt down about 1000 duplicate files, and then determine what I lost in the crash. Mos Def's Black on Both Sides and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's self-titled opus are among the initial casualty reports. Any singles I've lost are pretty untraceable without an album affiliation, so I guess I'll have to redownload Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow's heartfelt, inspired duet, Pictures.

Next step on the music front: finally get my stereo hooked up in my truck. It'll be a lot better than the gum-stained Compaq monitor-mount PC speakers I've got sliding around my passenger seat right now. Just gotta find the money.