Background

These days, I spend at least two hours each day commuting to and from work. The drive affords me ample opportunity to think about stuff. Generally, I try to think of what I would write if I ever wrote a novel. But, as soon as I have one remotely interesting idea, my thoughts turn to lamenting the fact that I don’t have a Dictaphone to record my ideas. Then I think about whether buying a Dictaphone is even worth it. Then I think about how I should research Dictaphones on my lunch break. Then, I contemplate what percentage of my paycheck would actually be spent on a Dictaphone. Then, it all ties back up nicely because I inevitably think about writing a novel about a character obsessed with Dictaphones. It’s circular and neurotic but before I know it, I'm at work.

I love my job, incidentally. Without getting into it too much, the majority of my days is spent researching, reading, and writing. I generally listen to my ipod all day at work, and with all facets of life, I prefer listening to music than not listening to music. So whether it’s work, working out, kicking it at home, reading, whatever… my ipod is usually on.

On November 19, 2008, I was listening to my favorite morning show, Mike in the Morning on WRIF, and they were interviewing Scott Weiland of the Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver. Immediately I decided that I would begin the workday by playing my entire STP catalog. You see, over the years, I’ve amassed a healthy selection of tunes and it dawned on me that I had grown complacent—scrolling to the mainstays or recent purchases and forgetting about the rest. I decided then and there, that after exhausting the STP catalog, I would listen to my entire ipod—all 7,945 songs—alphabetically by artist without skipping a single track.

The concept certainly is not a novel one and since declaring this commitment, several friends have told me that they have tried but ultimately given up. One way or another, I was egged on. Some were supportive and asked what I would call my quest: I said, “podding,” he countered with “alphapodding.” Thank you for the blog name, Jonathan. Between comments that it was impossible, that it was torture, and that it would take several months or more, my friend Katie, who is often prone to ingenuity, told me that I should start a blog devoted to my cause to share my experience. Thank you for the idea, Katie; here it is.

I'll try to update this daily with where I started, where I ended, and what happened in between. Because this post is long, I'll throw down another with my personal rules and I'll have to catch up on the progression thus far tomorrow, so check back. In the meantime, I will spend my commute thinking about what my alphapodding has taught me.