I have headphones I like at work and at home but there are those in-between times and when I’m just walking around that I use earbuds.

Anyone have recommendations for ear buds they really like?

I tend to like the in-canal types over the ones the just rest outside the canal.

Currently I use ones I got for < $6 in Taiwan. They were replacements for another pair that broke while I was there. They’re better than those crappy standard Apple ear buds, though…

Previously I have used Sony MDR-EX71SLs and they were pretty decent. I didn’t like that the cable was about a foot too short for me to put it in my pocket.

I’ve heard good things about the Shure ear buds but, like I said, I have those nice headphones at home if I want high quality (and high price).

So while down in San Diego for a friend’s wedding over the weekend, I decided to go to Belmont Park and take in some old-school amusement park-by-the-sea action and to do silly things like eat funnel cake for lunch and then ride a roller coaster twice in a row. (I have an iron stomach but that made me a little queasy.)

I went on a ride called Chaos. It’s one of these thing that takes you up and spins you around in a could dimensions at the same time. Very disorienting thing, that is. The first minute or so of this video shows what it’s like.

(Watch an on-the-ride video here.)

Anyway, I’m up there and I feel my ipod touch working its way out of my pocket. I try to grab it but right at that moment it launches itself out of my reach and out of the ride. As I spin away, I see it smash into asphalt. I was probably 30-45 ft up at that point.

As I got off the ride, the operator says, ‘I assume you lost your iphone?’ and hands me my ipod. The Griffin case came apart and cracked on one side. I assumed the ipod was done. BUT, it powered up and works fine.

the cracked case

it still can play the new Sigur Ros album just fine

When I’m not being a blogger, I’m an engineer. I know how products like this are designed and what sort of drop specifications they have. At most, it was designed to survived a 4-5ft drop. Quite possibly it was only designed to withstand a 3ft drop. With little-to-no cushioning, even with heights like that the g-forces can easily reach into the hundreds or thousands of g’s range. The forces on an ipod dropped from 30 feet have to be really amazing. I’ve got to say I’m impressed that the screen didn’t crack and components didn’t break off the board with an impact like that.

But the lesson here isn’t that your ipod can survive a drop like this; it’s that you shouldn’t take it on the ride to begin with. I just got lucky.

For the second year, some of the local music bloggers are getting together at a ballgame to hang (read: nerd) out.

This year’s crowd was Christian, Ben and Emily from The Bay Bridged–Emily was there last year as a Deli SF rep–, Anna from the Deli SF, Will from New & Used Records and Scott from Anyone’s Guess. [Update: Spencer from My Crazy Music Blog (formerly of SFist) was scheduled to be there but had to miss it.] I’ll be representing ipickmynose, of course. Not all the music bloggers could make it for various reasons, but I think this’ll be a pretty decent crowd.

We’re going to today’s Oakland A’s game vs the Florida Marlins at 1:05pm. I’ll be live blogging the game so stay tuned for updates–it’ll be like twitter but probably less entertaining if that’s possible!

12:05pm waiting for bart. and I just realized my battery is low so this live blogging may not work great. we’ll see.

1:07pm first pitch. grounded into a 6-3. I’m already being made fun of for live blogging.

1:35pm discussion of lil wayne, kayne and enimen.

1:57pm they scored on a passed ball. sweet. we’re discussing rss feeds. christian refuses to use the word ‘tweeting’.

2:34pm one of the women here tracks her menstrual cycle on her iphone. I really don’t know what to make of that.

2:35pm. it’s 5-1. when did that happen? also, I can recommend the bbq pork sandwich from the bbq terrace. delicious.

2:59pm. we all feel old at shows, as it turns out.

3:08pm pretty good rendition of take me out to the ballgame. they showed an old woman with a cowbell on the jumbotron during it. insert snl reference here…

3:21pm the wave!! I love the wave!! it went around the stadium at least 8 times! ridiculous.

3:23pm attendance: 22,461.

3:59pm game over. total blow out. good times..

It has posters for that Harbors, Man/ Miracle, Blank Tapes show and the Mission Summer Music Festival, among others.

If you can name it, you’ll be the winner! (No prize associated with winning).

After a few weeks out of commission, I’ve fixed both the ipickmynose radio and the mp3-only RSS feed.

With ipickmynose radio, you can listen to last ten or so songs I’ve posted on this blog. If you want more info on each song, you can click the arrow to the right of the song and get to the original post. It’s available on the right sidebar of this page or you can pop it out into a standalone player (either with the link below the main player or with this link).

With the mp3-only RSS feed you can do a few things. First you can put it in your RSS reader if you want the streamlined version of this blog.

Or you can subscribe to the mp3s as a “podcast” in iTunes. To do this, try clicking this link. If it brings you to itunes, you should be all set.

If that doesn’t work, you can still do it manually. First, right click and copy this link location. Then open iTunes, go to Advanced->Subscribe to Podcast and paste in that URL. From the podcast directory, you can click on Settings to adjust how often it checks, how many it downloads and how many it keeps.

This blog isn’t about taking up causes, it’s about music. But I will take this quick opportunity to plug the Bay Area Bike to Work Day which is tomorrow Thursday, May 15. I’d encourage you to at least consider it.

There will be energizer stations (read: free snacks) around the City and the region. Download a bike map if you want to figure out the best route.

Oh No! Oh My! - Bike, Sir (mp3) (buy)

Lymbyc Systym - Fall Bicycle (mp3) (buy

Jaime & Becky - Rusty Bike (mp3) (buy)

This is not my current ride that I’ll be riding to work tomorrow, but this sweet ride was my trusty stead for many a month in Taiwan. The seat left bits of itself on my pants and the kickstand was so rusted out that it wouldn’t always stay up while I was riding, but it (usually) got me from A to B.

Update: Rocketing down the streets of SOMA, I had two questionable interactions with buses slamming to a halt or cutting over to make a stop. But I’m as of yet unscathed and I will live to see another post.

In the hope of one day making First Sunday the ‘defining image’ of the 2000s, I’ve created this trailer, which should draw a wider audience to the film and give First Sunday the classic status it truly deserves.

It’s a take-off of this trailer. And it’s pretty much hilarious…

The Sharper Image–a San Francisco-based company, incidentally–is selling the beamz Performance Music System:

• Amazing laser-based invention lets music-lovers be musicians — regardless of talent or training!
• Breaking the laser beams with your hands automatically generates pre-authored pulses, streams, riffs or loops of musical notes or sounds from hundreds of different instruments — strings, keyboards, woodwinds, brass, percussion, even cow bell.
• Choose a complementary rhythm track from 30 original songs in 19 music genres, including jazz, bluegrass, classical, hip-hop, reggae, heavy metal and more. Or create your own track!

Check out the promo video:

One of those bad boys will run you $599.95. What better way to spend your economic stimulus payment is there!!

Somehow I’m not very surprised that the Sharper Image has filed for bankruptcy.

Everyone’s 6th most favorite music blog turns one today.

There seemed to be some downtime for a couple hours earlier today on the server that hosts IPMN. I’m investigating.

While wondering around on Saturday, I went into Community Thrift Store on Valencia. Much to my surprise, they had a Presto Recording Corp. record cutter/ lathe. It appears to be model 6-N.

Imagine the possibilities! How much cred would you have if you used a record lathe instead of ProTools, a 4 track, or a tape machine?

They have it priced about $400. I have no idea if that’s a good price or not.

Here’s a nice page on making the 6N portable.

Am I the only one that’s noticed some visual similarities here?

I think Cat Power is trying to pull one over on us! I’m outraged! I’m going to find a pen and a piece of paper, write a letter, buy a stamp and an envelope and mail it! Watch out, Chan Marshall/ Matador Records/ Beggars Group/ Music-Clothing Industrial Complex!!

Phil Elverum (Mt. Eerie/ Microphones) is a quirky individual. He’s posted photos of every book in his house on December 11, 2007.

photo by Phil Elverum

If you’re wondering what Phil and co. are up to right now, he’s not touring, but he has released a book/ CD set with photos he took and “a record of vaguely corresponding music”. It’s in a limited edition of 2400.

I’m on my way back to the Bay Area.

I’ll be back to blogging soon enough, but make sure to listen to me on the radio later this week. Why don’t you also peruse my lists?

What’s with parents and Evelyn Glennie??

I was just talking to another guys whose parents have seen her (as have mine). Is this the hip new Andre Botticelli or Josh Groban for the somewhat into classical music set?

(This all came up because she’s playing at Stanford in the spring.)