mysteries

Technology remains a mystery to me + that's the way I like it. I feel a deep kinship with children who believe that the television is populated by small + versatile actors. If I apply the same logic, my iPod must be a timeshare holiday house for Joan Armatrading, Patti Smith + the Arcade Fire. They can't possibly all live there at the same time so I'm guessing the changeover happens beneath my very nose in the dead of night. Joan ambles out + Patti lopes on in. That big Arcade Fire organ takes a bit of manoeuvring.

It doesn't matter how many hours of music I load to the thing, the JAF (Joan Armatrading Factor) remains in affect. I admit I do own the best-of, + it is substantial, but surely not enough to turn up in every second shuffle, or even every fifth.

It's my technological mystery of the moment. Is the entire shuffle concept a lie? Is the nature of randomness random enough to throw out the same results continuously? Does it have anything to do with butterflies' wings or Brazil? Let me know if you have any theories. Patti + Joan will act as your guides.

PS: How cool is Arcade Fire's site design? Take a few minutes to check out the illustration if you have a few minutes up your sleeve. Yes... okay... you can use the few minutes you might have spent pondering my mystery...