The iPod Challenge
It’s been just over 8 months since I rebuilt my iPod and committed to more intentionally listening to music. Since then... it’s been a mixed bag. Overall, it’s been a success: my music listening is a lot more intentional than it was previously, and more often than not, I dip into an album instead of a playlist. But it’s not all positive.
I’d gotten into a good routine of updating my music library and iPod on Fridays, but that fell apart with the rest of my routine collapsing in the lead-up / wake of my move. I still pay for Spotify, and I still use it for the convenience when cooking, working out, etc.
It’s a challenge about intentionality.
Most of all, it hasn’t really broadened my music listening like I hoped it would. I’m still surprised to find out an album from a band I like has come out, and still tend to reach for music I’m already familiar with rather than something new. I'm not keeping any lists, let alone notes about the music I'm listening to.
Yet, something about it still calls to me. My reading pace has fluctuated, but I’m still in love with my e-Readers. My pull towards my camera has perhaps never been stronger. There’s something deeply alluring about a single-use device, and the iPod is no exception.
It looks great and functions exactly how I want it to, with little compromises. It seems like most of the issues I have are user error, or solvable. It’s cumbersome to use wired headphones when doing certain activities—all my iPod is set up for—but I don’t want that to be the limiting factor. My routines are starting to fall in line again; no reason I can’t add “Sync iPod” back to the weekly to-dos.
So let’s try this: for one week, I’m going to try and use only my iPod for listening to music.
The other aim is simply introducing more silence.
Maybe this will be fun! Maybe I’ll bomb it and give up after three days! Will I listen to gym music? Will I run in silence? Who knows! I’ve started to feel my attention diminishing again after having worked hard to build it back up, and think this might be a good step to get it closer to where I want to be. It’s a small thing, but baby steps.
Beyond everything, this is not a challenge about listening to music: it’s a challenge about intentionality. The iPod is great for that. Unlike simply sitting down at my computer and loading up a playlist on YouTube, or slapping on a Hip Hop mix on Spotify as I prep dinner, if I want to listen to music, I have to get out the iPod and boot it up, and then I have to decide what to listen to. In our modern world, I think that might be as important as anything.
The other aim is simply introducing more silence. I’ve probably listened to less music overall since moving to Tokyo. Generally, I want to be open to the possibility of hearing and processing Japanese language; to be attuned to the rhythms of the city as I learn how it vibrates. When I first started running, I never listened to anything, to force myself to slow down—maybe I’ll get back to that. I’m generally not someone who tries to fill space with background noise, but even I listen to music in times when silence is just fine.
So, I’m going to give this a go. Of course, I’ll report back once the dust settles.
