Stars of Track and Field We Are

I have a temperamental relationship with my i-pod. Half the time, it doesn't work. It's acted funky ever since it got wet and so it sometimes doesn't shut off and then runs out of steam in the middle of an important walk, leaving my soundtrackless. I was thinking the other day how so many of the bands or songs that I have on it can be attributed specifically to certain guys I dated for either a short or long period of time:

Lemonheads, Toad the Wet Sprocket: The Bartender with the Concave Chest. We went out a few times but he was too young for me and had super skinny legs.

REM (Monster c.d. only), Cracker's "Low": The Other Bartender with the Drinking Problem.

Flaming Lips: Not Over His Wife Yet. I said, I love you. He said, Oh, I think of you fondly! That was the end of that.

Aimee Mann's "That's Just What You Are," Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me": The Poet Who Made Me Numerous Mixes. But who was also too young for me and I think we both just liked making our relationship impossible. Life was more interesting that way.

Belle & Sebastian, Death Cab for Cutie: The Blue-Eyed Academic with a Temper. He always had great taste in music but often misread my clues to him, either assuming I was into him when I was really thinking what an idiot he was or else not recognizing when I wanted him to kiss me.

Eagle Eye Cherry, "Save Tonight," Marcy's Playground, "Sex and Candy": The Writer in Chicago Who Neglected to Tell Me That He Had a Girlfriend for like Three Years. We never got together, but he did write me this really great letter before I left Chicago confessing his attraction to me.

Liz Phair, particularly "Extraordinary," "Flower," and "Why Can't I": The Political Activist with the Philly Accent Who Was Only Around Four Days out of the Month. Another great and doomed romance. He did help me buy my car though. Before we went to look at cars, I said, I don't want to spend a lot of money. I don't need a new car. I ended up leaving with a new 2003 Mazda Protege. It will be paid off in one year. I can't wait. It was actually a good choice.

There are more, I'm sure, but I must get out into the wider world today.