My iPod Nano made me “that guy”

I never thought I would be “that guy”, you know the one who always is showing pictures of his kids, but as I was getting ready to go to the gym the other night I realized that I reached that point.

Before a workout one night, I put numerous images of my son on my iPod Nano so I could show him off to friends at the gym who hadn’t seen him yet. At that point I began to realize I was developing a problem. I opted to leave the Nano at home in hopes that I would break myself of the overwhelming impulse.

I stopped myself then, but the next day outside a conference room at work I reached for my Nano faster than a seasoned gunslinger would for his Colt six shooter. I was so quick on the draw that I didn’t have a chance to counter my reflexive reaction. My coworker didn’t even see it coming, but before she could react she was staring a 320 by 240 pixel likeness of my son in his green hoodie. I scrolled through a few pictures of the cutest baby in the world and returned the iPod to my pocket in silent shame. I knew I had a problem.

Two days later I brought the Nano to the gym, but nobody I knew was there. That just made me go back another night, smack in the middle of a Family Guy marathon that would normally keep me glued to the couch, just so I could push my son’s pictures on people. Every time I shoot some more digital photos I earmark a couple to travel with me in iPod form.

Scenes like this keep replaying itself over and over, I can’t help it. HE’S TOO CUTE AND THE NANO IS TOO CONVENIENT! I would like to apologize to my past and future victims of my pixel pushing who will unwittingly begin an innocuous conversation with me only to be accosted with images of a cute baby.

I’m trying to stop, but it’s hard.