My name is Meredith Somers, and I do not have an iPod. I don’t own the 20 GB. I don’t own the 60. I haven’t chosen between a black and white case, and I don’t carry the U2 edition. I don’t have the dangerous iPod Nano, and if I possessed the iShuffle, I probably would have sat on it and crushed the thing within a week. I don’t own any shape, size, or shade of iPod.

I do however, own a Sony portable cd player, with a “slim” design, a sleek, silver exterior, and additional AM/FM tuner, thank you very much. The battery holder is even inside the case, under where the cd spins!

And I get by just fine.

I go running with my cd player and I take it to the gym. Sometimes I have to hold it in my hand because it won’t stay put on the Elliptical, or the treadmill makes it skip, but I still get to listen to my “Super Sweaty Work-out Mix.”

I bring my cd player on the plane with me when I fly home over school breaks. I also bring my 17 pounds of cds (in their portable wallets of course) which I shove into my backpack, and wedge under the seat in front of me so that I keep the aisle clear. But I have my music with me, and sometimes my neighbor will strike up a conversation about music as I flip through the pages of my cd books.

Despite its “slim” design, my cd player is too big for me to try and hide in my coat, and my headphones are rather large as well. I can’t listen to music or ball games during a lecture like other people with iPods and podcasts can, so I just listen and learn from my professor.

I don’t have anything against Apple. In fact, I use the iTunes program to manage my music, playlists, videos, and occasionally I buy music from the store (when Lime Wire is running too slow). I’m insanely jealous of my roommate’s G5, and I’m quick to perk up if there is a cool commercial on television for one of their new products.

And I still do not own an iPod but my mom thinks I’m cool.