Eulogy for a Friend

As some of you may know, the House of Ginger was rocked with tragedy earlier this month. Yes, it's true; Elle Woods, my beloved iPod, died a tragic and sudden death. I don't want to go into the gruesome details, but let's just say that I learned a very important lesson about iPods and hairballs that I will never ever forget.

With respects to Love Story, what do you say about an iPod that dies? That she was beautiful and pink? That she loved Phish, Pink, showtunes, and me?

Elle was a big part of my life. She was a Christmas gift from my sis about two years ago and ranks as one of the top five Christmas gifts I've ever received. I had desperately wanted an iPod but couldn't really afford one and never ever expected my sister would be so generous. Elle and I became inseparable as I loaded her with all the music I could get my hands on. We had tremendous adventures riding cold buses full of speech kids on January mornings, watching movies together on the train to Chicago, or tooling around town running errands.

Elle loved to go to the gym and always managed to put together the perfect workout mix for that day. She knew what I needed to get pumped up and what I needed to cool back down.

She loved being out in the yard, mowing, gardening, or just sitting on the deck soaking up the sun while she found some great mellow jams to bide the time away.

She loved being backstage, providing a perfect blend of music to help me get focused before taking the stage -- or giving me a game or two of Solitaire to play to keep my mind off my stage fright.

She loved folk music, and so I know that she would urge forgiveness against the murderous cat whose dire need to expel a hairball was more pressing than her need to get off the damn table where Elle was snoozing away after a day in the sun keeping my sis and I entertained with her latest acquisition, the cast album for The Book of Mormon. (I told you girlfriend loved her showtunes.)

(The picture to the left is of Elle and her murderer in happier times. Note the look of premeditation and guilt on Clipper's stupid face.)

Even though Elle has gone to the great iCloud in the sky, I know that she is happy I've moved on to Bruiser Woods, a sassy little silver Nano that holds twice as much music as Elle could. I also know that as much as I will grow to love Bruiser, no one will ever take Elle's place in my heart. She was my first, my best, my everything. RIP, sweet Elle. Go entertain the angels with some showtunes and play a little Solitaire for me.