Goodbye, Simon

I'm not going to comment on what kind of omen it is that someone swiped my iPod the week before a 17-hour flight. But now I have a new iPod.

It's been a great week for commerce. The directions I got from the USO weren't real specific -- no need to go buy Army gear or desert-proof my boxer shorts or, um, get any particular vaccinations.

But if you know me, you know I love an excuse to better equip myself for 21st-century living.

Meet my new camera:














My new suitcase:























Also: boots, a variety of very plain layering-suitable clothing (apparently, a lot of what I own contains "heavy metal saying and logos"), DVDs ranging from the complete West Wing to the complete first season of Robot Chicken, a copy of "All the King's Men" (I can't believe I haven't read this), and, my new babies...






















...noise-isolating earphones.

And, sigh, a new iPod.