Now I know how it feels when someone's grandma goes into hospice care

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH.

Why do things always break down precisely at the wrong time?

Well, not that it has broken down yet or anything, but my formerly reliable ol' iPod is starting to show its wear... by playing for about 30 minutes before running out of battery. Which is annoying, because my bus ride/walk to work lasts about 40 minutes.

And I actually know why things always break down at the wrong time. Basically, that rhetorical question up there was completely useless. I'm sorry about that.

Anyway, these things happen because the CONSUMER GODS WANT TO TEST MY LIMITS AND WRING ME FOR EVERY PENNY THAT THEY CAN.

So you know... instead of breaking down a year ago when I still labored under the delusion that I had reasonable income, it breaks down now... when I'm slowly but surely going broke. The consumer gods know I'm trying to be reasonably frugal. And they hate it. And they know how dependent I am on this stupid piece of plastic, so they hit me where it hurts to tempt me into buying a replacement. And it's working.

Not that I'm going to get one... but I'm looking at prices, which is the first step. All are unreasonably steep... well, at least the ones that I'd like. If I'm going to get a replacement iPod, I don't want to get a temp one only to upgrade down the road... might as well get what I want when I can get it. Unfortunately, the ones that hold more than 30 gigs are f'n expensive.

So basically, what's going to happen is that I'll hold out on buying an iPod, and feel pretty good about myself for resisting the temptation. And then RIGHT AT A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS, I'm going to see it on sale and buy it, despite the fact that I probably won't be able to afford it. I am about 96% sure this will happen. Somebody needs to stop me.

Not that anyone reads this anyway. Oh well. So I'll be begging on the streets in a few months' time.