urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:robhopkins Rob Hopkins Rob Hopkins 2007-02-26T06:43:12Z urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:robhopkins:1023 2007-02-26T06:43:12Z 2007-02-26T06:43:12Z Riding with the King by B. B. King and Eric Clapton I have a dilemma that y'all may be of some help with.<br /><br />I have an mp3 player from IRiver that has worked well for the past two years or so. It supports a subscription service that I have through Yahoo music. All the songs I want to put on it for one price, but I do not own the songs and cannot burn them to a disc.<br /><br />The thing has broken. Somehow. It now lives in my locker at the gym so I can use the radio feature to listen to CNN while on the machines.<br /><br />I have decided to either a) buy a new mp3 player or b) ask for one for either birthday or Christmas.<br /><br />The main question I have is simple. What should I get?<br /><br />1) Another IRiver type that supports a subscription to Yahoo or a like service?<br />2) The Zune thing from Microsoft? It has a radio feature, and supports a similar subscription deal. Microsoft is not the devil, after all...<br />3) Should I break down and join the Iposer generation? I doubt I'll spend more than $144 (the yearly subscription fee for the other services) on music in a year. It has a wider range of accessories. They are, I hate to admit it, the standard that the others are based on. I'm not saying they are a superior product, just the best hyped.<br /><br />Let me know what you think..... urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:robhopkins:448 2006-03-27T04:50:52Z 2006-03-27T04:50:52Z Robert Randolph and the Family Band Strangely, I do not feel the usual apprehension about going on vacation that I normally do. I will, by the end of this last shift, have done everything that I usually leave for my boss to screw up. <br /><br />There are, however, changes being made at work while I am gone. <br /><br />Our current Medical Command Doctor is leaving his job in the ER, and the new one is starting. I'm not sure about the new one's motives, but I'm sure I will find out soon after I return from Paris.<br /><br />My Boss is freaking out about the amount of vacation time upcoming. He's being increasingly paranoid about the scrutiny being put upon him by the new VP he reports to. I'm sure when I come back I will get a better feel on what is happening, but for now I will stick with paranoia.<br /><br />Still, I'm glad to be going on vacation this time. I am, after all, travelling with my fiancee (still can't believe she said yes at times) to Paris. Two years ago, I didn't even have a passport, and my Mom was harassing me about a "family" trip to New Zealand. Now, I am looking for basicly any excuse to visit someplace I don't know the language.<br /><br />Yeah, I am rambling a bit. No, some things I have written make no sense at all to you. It'll get better. I may even post updates from Paris.