Matchbox of Sanity

It's that time of the year again.

Time when we file our taxes and (some of us) start looking forward to how we're going to spend our returns.

Of course, large chunks go to "responsible" things, but there's always a "play" allowance and I've been making up my wishlist.

One of the items on it is a new iPod.

If you've been reading for awhile, you might remember posts about my faithful iShuffle and how attached I am. I use it just about daily and have filled it, emptied it, rearranged everything, filled it again (and again!). I have stepped on ear buds (twice, no less). I've even manage to corrupt the damn thing and bring it back from the dead.

To this day, my iTunes "can't find" songs that I listen to daily.

I'm surprised the battery hasn't given up the ghost by now, since these old players only have so many charges before they die. I've had this little matchbox for, I think, three years now. SweetPea bought it for me and I was so mad that she'd spent $80 to get it.

I know, right?

Probably the single most used item she has ever bought me.

Was it worth the $80?

Totally.

Now I understand that this tiny little box of sanity is virtually priceless, and I know that whatever replaces it will have very large shoes to fill.

I popped onto the Apple website today and found out that the 5th Generation Nano can now take video, has fm radio capabilities, including live-pause and that thing where you can "mark" songs for later download, and it has special sports features for runners. It's pretty and slick and, of course, colorful.

I'll admit it.

I'm kind of in love.

But I've spent four years being able to clip my Matchbox of Sanity to my person and not having to worry about where to stick it or where did I leave it? I worry a little about how I'm going to deal with something that doesn't have a clip. I looked at armbands. Apple even has a hand strap. Maybe those would work for me.

I also kind of wonder if the snappy new features really work that well without degrading the quality of its capabilities in regards to what I'm purchasing it for (music)(duh).

And then, of course, there's the really important question: what color should I get?

What do you think? Is the 5th Generation Nano worth the upgrade? Got suggestions for non-clipping iPods? I may even be willing to take suggestions regarding color.

*The CNET review is here, in case you were wondering if I'd looked.