Fashion Blunders

I'm having problems with my hair. I've had the same short hairstyle for almost three years now, and for a change I figured why not try having longer hair. Now it's at that awkward phase wherein it's difficult to style. I've been using wax for more than a year now, and it seems that it doesn't work quite as well with longer hair. I didn't want to waste money by trying a lot of other hair products, so I tried searching the internet for the proper product. This led me to the AskMen site. I've seen this site before, though I haven't paid much attention to the fashion section, i just read the entertainment articles. An article mentioned that mousse is the perfect product for long hair. It worked the first time I tried it, but I can't seem to get the same effect again. The article said that any hair product should only be about a dime in size, but that small amount can't give much hold to my hair. Too much product on the other hand creates the greasy look. One of my friends have been using gum, so I tried that also. Same problem. I can't seem to find the "right" amount for styling. I guess I have to keep trying for a few more days until I get the desired effect. Who knew titrating hair styling products could be so hard.

Anyway, as I browsed through the fashion articles at the AskMen site, one topic caught my attention. The tile was Clothes Big Boys Don't Wear. Basically, it's about dressing your age. Here are excerpts from the article, along with my comments.

Over sized clothing
One of the greatest crimes committed against fashion by men is wearing oversized clothes. While big and baggy might have been a cool look in high school, if you’ve reached the legal drinking age, it’s no longer hip. Though some of the stars who helped popularize this look, such as Jay-Z, continue to occasionally sport baggier jeans and shirts, they compensate by accessorizing their look with a Ferrari. So unless you plan to turn up in front of Madison Square Garden in a Maserati, it’s time to shift your style mentor from Coolio to Kanye West.

Also, know that no one wants to see your ass hanging out of your clothes, and it’s high time for you to admit that fastening your belt around your butt is just plain uncomfortable. Take a cue from John Legend and purchase some slim-fit shirts and pants that don’t look like you’re wearing a soggy diaper. If you’re a little on the heavier side and you’ve been wearing baggy clothes to conceal your figure flaws, you should be aware this tactic also qualifies as a fashion misstep. Larger men should choose clothes that skim over the body, creating a smooth-looking shape, and choose darker colors to appear slimmer. Avoid baggy, shapeless garments that make you look like a balloon.

Replace with: Form-fitting shirts, knee-length or just-above-the-knee shorts that fit well, and pants that suit your body type.

I still have some of those over sized clothes in my closet, clothes from high school and college, back when over sized clothing was the in thing. I don't wear them anymore. My problem is I've lost a lot of weight during the past year, that almost all of my clothes that were the right size last year appear baggy now! I've bought some new clothes that are form fitting, but it would be terribly expensive to buy a whole new wardrobe! At least I'm no longer wearing those extremely over sized jeans and shirts from way back, just the one size higher ones. hehe.

Backpacks
If you’ve successfully managed to make the transition from school to work, your daily carryall should reflect your entry into the adult world. While stylish backpacks are certainly available, they are best suited to students. Many men persist in wearing backpacks because these allow them to fit all their daily necessities into one bag, but a messenger bag offers the same convenience, and so much more stylishly. So if your day is no longer filled with the pursuit of academic knowledge, it’s time to trade in your rucksack for a more fashionable, adult alternative. Avoid looking like a tourist or a conference attendee, however, and go for one in slick black leather or a bright color. A messenger with handles and a detachable shoulder strap is a great option for those who find themselves frequently traveling to business meetings, since it can double as a briefcase.

Replace with: Messenger bag.

With the amount of stuff I carry to work, this is just plain stupid. I wouldn't sacrifice functionality for the sake of being fashionable. The amount of stuff I carry just wouldn't fit in a messenger bag. Plus the fact that when the messenger bag gets heavy, it creases one's shirt. A messenger bag just isn't practical.

Baseball caps
Wearing a baseball cap is acceptable only in either of two situations. One of these, of course, is during a sporting event or while engaging in athletic activity. The other scenario in which a baseball cap is passable fashion-wise is when the cap is merely a planned, complementary component to a cleverly put-together ensemble. Unfortunately, too many men wear baseball caps everywhere they go, with many using it as a strategy to avoid grooming. Moreover, women are biologically predisposed to read baseball caps as a sign that says, “This person is unsuitable for mating.” To a female, baseball caps signify an adolescent attitude, so if you’re attempting to attract a woman of legal age, forgo the cap in favor of more fashionable headgear or a stylish haircut. Hats can be a fun way to add flair to an outfit, and since bad hair days are a reality for everyone, try swapping your cap for a more au-courant cover-up, like a trilby.

Replace with: Other fashion hats, like trilbies or driving caps.

Trilbies?! Are they f*ckin' kidding?! It takes a certain kind of man to pull off wearing a trilby. Majority would just look silly. Or stupid. Or gay. I agree that one shouldn't wear caps just to avoid grooming... Just style your hair rather than cover it up with any kind of hat. and i agree that caps are inappropriate at certain places. Caps just don't blend with formal wear, but what's wrong with wearing them with a laid back style? I've seen men in their 30's wearing caps, and I don't think they're immature.

Jeans with holes
Yes, it’s true that distressed denim is everywhere these days, and a lot of it looks pretty hot. While we endorse the purchase of such artfully destroyed denim, should that be your thing, we cannot condone wearing a $30 pair of jeans that you’ve beaten to death over the course of the last 10 years. Sure, they’re really comfortable, which is why you keep wearing them, but if they feel like a second skin, it’s probably because they’ve started to look like one. If your wardrobe is filled with only this type of jean, you are strongly advised to go shopping immediately and not come back until you’ve found a pair of dark blue jeans that fit you perfectly, with no stylized flaws; you’ll wear them everywhere for the next two years. And don’t worry: You can still wear your old favorites around the house.

Replace with: New jeans that fit your body properly.

I never really liked jeans with holes so I agree 100%. hehe.

Sleeveless shirts
Fact: The only men who consider sleeveless shirts to be stylish are men who wear sleeveless shirts. The reason men who wear sleeveless shirts are the sole admirers of this style is as follows: 1) Unless you’re naked or in a bathing suit, women don’t want to see your armpit hair; 2) Unless you’re Mr. Universe, most other men are not impressed with the gauge of your “guns.” If you have bulging biceps you’re just dying to show off, women will be much more impressed with your smokin’ bod if you ditch your sleeveless shirt for a fitted T-shirt. Individuals without seriously honed muscles should stick to regular tees.

Replace with: T-shirts.

I agree. The only times I wear sleeveless shirts are when I'm at home, when I'm at the gym, and when I'm at the beach.

Multiple jewelry items
Another common fashion faux pas grown men make is wearing several pieces of jewelry at once. While you may feel a sense of pride in showing off your pricey baubles, others view over-accessorizing as an attempt to bury insecurities in a blinding display of wealth. A confident man chooses one bold piece of jewelry to speak for itself rather than a confusing mishmash of metal. When it comes to jewelry, less is always more, since accessories are meant to complement your attire instead of be the main attraction. A classic watch will always look good and be in vogue, but try a simple black leather cuff if time is simply not of the essence to you.

Replace with: Single watch.

I never understood how some guys crave accessories. A single watch is the only accessory I need.

Athletic shoes
Wearing athletic shoes around casually outside of athletic events qualifies as one of the most common fashion offenses. Yes, it’s true that these shoes are often quite comfortable, but if you only do a moderate amount of walking during the day instead of spending eight hours running around on the playground, you really don’t need this kind of supportive footwear anymore. Happily, unless you work in certain industries, you don’t need to rush out and drop a bundle of cash on some fancy dress shoes. Instead, simply replace your sneakers with a pair of slim black or brown loafers. These shoes will go with everything in your wardrobe and will handle normal amounts of walking just fine. As well, as opposed to making your outfits appear more relaxed like athletic shoes do, sleek loafers will make you seem a little more polished, even if you’re just wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

Replace with: Sleek loafers

Again this just isn't practical for me. I've tried wearing leather shoes before, and with all the amount of walking and running I did all day at the hospital, my feet hurt like hell by the time I removed my shoes. And I only removed my shoes whenever i get home... which is like every 3-5 days.

Sports jerseys
Again, hard-core sports gear outside of a sporting context does not make a strong style statement. Though some may pretend to, most women don’t really care all that much about sports, so the most attention you’ll get from wearing a sports jersey on the street might be an argument with a supporter from a rival team. Sports jerseys represent your interests and affiliations, not your fashion sense, so save them for where they’ll be appreciated -- on the field, or in the stands. After all, you have to admit you wouldn’t be too impressed by a girl in a Brad Pitt T-shirt.

Replace with: Normal shirts

haha i loved wearing jerseys in high school and in college. I'm way over that now. :)

Clip-on ties
Certain fashion atrocities should be handled by policemen without enough work to do, and wearing clip-on ties is one of them. Unless you’re under the age of 6, you should never be caught dead in this hideous invention. The sole virtue of this piece is that it’s easy to put on, which is also precisely the reason that small boys should be the only people wearing it, since they lack the dexterity to tie a knot properly. If you don’t know how to knot a tie, a wealth of information exists online that will show you, step by step, how to create both simple and complex knots, which means there’s really no excuse for you to own a clip-on. Since most men don’t need to wear a tie on a regular basis these days, purchasing one good-quality burgundy or black silk tie should initially suffice for your formal wardrobe requirements.

Replace with: Regular ties

Good thing I know how to knot a tie. LOL.

Sweatpants
It’s hard to put a finger on it, but there’s something so very second grade about wearing sweatpants outside of the gym or your house. Perhaps it’s the fact that sweatpants are the perfect type of garment to accommodate all the jumping, kicking and generally crazy antics children get up to since they stretch well, are easy to wash and require no ironing. Presumably you no longer demonstrate your Rambo-style moves at lunchtime to crowds of enthralled 7-year-olds, and therefore, you can deal with wearing more constricting pants, like jeans. Obviously, however, there are times when you want to look deliberately laid-back, or it’s laundry day and everything else is dirty. For these situations, tracksuits are the most fashionable option for adults. Although they remain casual garments, they’re more flattering and lack the sloppy I-don’t-care-about-mustard-stains appearance of sweatpants.

Replace with: Tracksuit

I wouldn't be caught dead in sweatpants.

I also read the comments other people had about the article, and I agree with most of them. There's a reason why most men wear these things. They're comfortable. They're easy to wear. Easy to maintain. No fuss. The article did have a point on certain aspects, but seemed overly prissy on others. Also, there are times that being fashionable just isn't practical. Why should men care about what others think of their clothing? As long as one is comfortable with what he wears, and as long as one's attire does not look outright silly or inappropriate, why should he give a f*ck at what others think? People need not be so nitpicky about other people's fashion sense? One can't really dictate one's sense of style onto another.

Oh yeah, i wouldn't be caught dead wearing that red floral shirt shown at the photo above. i guess I'm not as clueless about fashion as other people might think. lol.

Filter

I know I've once said that I've learned to ignore rumors about me. It's partly true--- I've become immune to the lies concocted by losers who have nothing better to do. It's just that sometimes, I can't help but feel affected, especially when close friends --- those people who should know the real you, actually believe those lies.

I'm not sure how I'm feeling right now. Hurt... angry... sad... disappointed... betrayed. Whatever this feeling is, it definitely feels bad.

There's this dirty faggot who kept spreading rumors about me a few years ago. I mentioned that in an entry sometime last year. He kept telling people that I was his boyfriend--- wishful thinking on his part, probably to boost his ego also. The fact that some people believe his fantasies to be true probably made him think that his delusions were within reach. His stories were very detailed. What we did in bed, how I pursued him, how I allegedly tried to win him back when we broke up... plus a whole lot of other sick fantasies that i try not to remember hearing. As proof, he showed his cellphone's inbox, wherein all messages came from me. He often sent messages, usually asking questions about the simplest things, and I always politely replied. How was I to know he would delete text messages from others to create the impression that I kept on sending text messages and actively pursuing him. I really can't blame those people who believed him. They don't know me personally, and if I heard a person telling stories with a lot of very minute details, i would probably believe him. I just find it hard to believe that people would actually think that I could be with a relationship with that fag! In the unlikely event that I would have a relationship with a person of the same sex, I would most likely choose someone who's not that UGLY. I'm not being egotistic here, but Christ, I could do so much better! Isn't it obvious?!

I thought that was resolved three years ago. The day I found out, I confronted the asshole. I wanted to beat him up badly. I was so angry that day, I would've probably killed him if my friends weren't there to stop me. I mean, for more than three years he has been spreading those lies and I had no idea! All the while I was being friendly even though I knew he was gay. I have gay friends so I didn't see why I can't be friends with this person. To make a long story short, my friends calmed me down, and some of them talked to him. They convinced him to apologize to me, and he told his friends who were present there that the stuff he was telling them all those years were all fabricated. I never forgave him. How could I? All the damage that he has caused can't be undone, unless he makes an announcement in front of all the medical students. The worst part was he was my group mate during clerkship, so I was forced to work for one whole year with the person I hated the most.

All that's in the past, and I forgot about the whole thing. I'm in a different environment now, and I haven't seen that asshole since graduation. Then I heard that one of my close friends still believes his lies. Maybe she's not one of my close friends after all--- I just thought she was. She was aware of how pissed I was back then, I told her the whole story before she became friends with that faggot. Apparently they became close during internship because they were group mates and they even shared an apartment. Most likely, that faggot told those stories to her during their internship, a year after HE apologized to me! I thought it was all over! I want to shut him up permanently! But what makes it worse this time is the fact that one of my friends believes him, and that makes me a liar. I don't care if she's closer to him now, I don't even care if that fag is now her best friend! She knows my side of the story--- SHE KNOWS THE TRUTH! And then now she's saying that she doesn't think that that faggot would lie to her! because they're so close now, he can't possibly lie to her! WOW! I just can't believe this! So now I'm the one who's making up stories! I'm the one who's fuckin' delusional! I'm the LIAR!

Crap, isn't she aware that that person is a chronic liar? He has lied about a lot of things, he even lied about his family! It's probably karma when he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer--- why couldn't he have died from that disease so that I would me spared from all this misery? Then again, he can't possibly die from that condition since he probably made that up also. it's okay if they're really close now, she can choose who to be friends with. I just hate the fact that just because she's closer to him, she would believe all the lies he's saying even though I told her before that all those things were untrue. She doesn't have to disregard my side of the story just because we're not a close as we were before.

One good thing came out of this though... Like an effective filter that separates dirt from the grain, another one of my so called friends have been filtered.

Thanks to instances like this, I get to know who my true friends are.

Astray

Back when I was a child, when someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I always said I wanted to be doctor. I can't remember why, exactly. Maybe in the eyes of a child, a doctor is someone you'd emulate or even idolize. Being a doctor could be something prestigious. But as I grew up, that "dream" got lost amidst the turbulence of my adolescent years. During those years, I'd say I wanted to be an architect, so that I could put my drawing skills to good use. Or maybe a writer, since I wrote a lot of short stories and poems during my spare time. Wouldn't it be great to do the things I enjoy doing for a living? Fast forward to a couple more years, and reality had set it. I had to pick which course to take in college. There's not much money in being a writer is there? I used to be good in math--- not JUST good... I excelled without even trying. so I figured taking a course in engineering would be something I could take. I'd be in a course I can actually be good at. Or maybe a course where I can learn about business. I was really confused, I didn't know which path to take. As a haphazard solution, I applied for different courses at each university. On one application form, i wrote a generic economics/ business course. On another, I wrote biology, for the simple reason that it was my favorite subject in high school. On another I wrote architecture. And on the fourth one, I wrote mass communications, for the lack of anything else I could put.

I passed all the entrance examinations, so I still had the dilemma of choosing which course to take. No choices were eliminated. I chose the top university in the country. I chose to enroll in the biology program, and I thought it would be great to take a a course that I'm interested in. And as an afterthought, I could fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a doctor. A doctor is also financially stable--- or so I thought. Turns out my interest in biology cannot be sustained for four whole years. I was bored. And as years passed by, I realized that I didn't want to be a doctor. Most of my friends wanted to be doctors though, and I believe they're the reason why I continued on that path--- I got sucked into their dreams. Having a degree in Biology didn't open doors to many career opportunities. I could be a researcher--- boring. Or A teacher--- I hate giving lectures. It seemed that the only logical path was to continue to med school, with biology as a pre-med course. So I did, albeit halfheartedly. Of course, the fact that I was basically forced into med school pushed me in that direction. Before I graduated, I told my parents that I MIGHT not continue to med school, that it wasn't really for me. My dad rose his voice, asking what kind of career will I have? There's no other alternative, he said. And he practically ORDERED me to go through med school. My grandmother butted in, saying she always wanted to be a doctor but she never had the opportunity. Now it's her dream that one of her grandchildren will become a physician. Yeeeeesh. Emotional blackmail, that's what I called it.

And so I went through med school, which was fairly easy because the new problem based curriculum gave us a lot of free time, which I barely used for studying. And exams were given just weekly, so I can do whatever I want during most days, with enough time left to cram. Of course I didn't excel--- how could I when everything I was doing was being done halfheartedly? I still had above average grades though, and that made me realize that this could work. I may not want to be a doctor, but the the fact that I can get good grades means that I can be one.

I've gone through med school, I've finished internship. More than a year ago, I passed the board exams. Another dilemma popped up. What residency program should i choose? I hated most of the stuff that i studied in med school. Internal medicine was definitely out of the question. I like kids, but only the cute ones. I get pissed whenever I encounter difficult patients--- which is like most of the time when you're dealing with children. Pediatrics was out. ENT and ophthalmology? Snoozefest. Choices were limited when I'm in a profession that I'm not really interested in. The only thing I enjoyed doing during my internship was surgery. I like cutting, suturing, seeing blood and all that surgical stuff. So I applied for residency training in surgery.

It's been more than five weeks since I've put an end to that. The past few days leading to my decision were tumultuous. I've had it with the rotten system. Add the fact that I've had a lot of consecutive fuck ups made me question the path that I took. Maybe I wasn't meant to be a surgeon, with all the mistakes that I've been making. After a few days of rest, I began thinking of which alternative to take. I wanted to do some "moonlighting" at first, because that's where the money is, but I had to postpone that because hospitals were already getting applicants for residency training at that time. I don't want to restart my residency training in 2009. That's too long, I don't want to be delayed that much. I wanted to take up another program, knowing that a fresh graduate of general surgery would find it hard to earn money since majority of patients would still prefer going to the older consultants for consult. But as it was last year, there just nothing else I can see myself doing. I can't just waste all those years in med school and do something else. I thought of choosing a different program because towards the end, I got sick of surgery. Turns out, the other training programs nauseate me even more. Indeed, choices are very for someone who doesn't really want to be a doctor in the first place. I can't find a training program that I'm REALLY interested in. At most, I can find a program that I'm remotely interested in. It seems that I have reached a dead end, and there's no other way to go but back.

This past month, I also sporadically attend to my grandmother who's condition is worsening. Her blood pressure is erratic, to the point of being unmanageable by oral medications. Couple with her diabetes, weak heart and kidneys, an emergency situation is waiting to happen everyday. She's been in and out of the hospital since May. They've been treating her symptomatically. A definitive cure would be surgery, but that's out of the question because of her many co-morbidities. She's such a poor operative candidate. I don't mind monitoring her blood pressure everyday, but it drives me crazy every time she's on the verge of having another one of those difficulty of breathing accompanied by chills and generalized weakness episodes. Management remains the same. Try to relieve the difficulty of breathing with oxygen. Blankets for the chills. Nitroglycerine under the tongue for immediate relief of hypertension. If everything else fails, bring her back to the hospital again. I know it's my duty, but somehow I can't stand the fact that I'm being a full fledged doctor at home. I don't really want to be a doctor, yet here I am being a doctor at home--- the only place where I thought I could get away from it all. Even at home, I'm doing something I don't really want to be doing.

Yesterday, my sister left for Hawaii. To take up Yoga, of all things. Once she gets back here, she's going to be a Yoga instructor. A lot of eyebrows were raised. But she gets my support--- at least she's pursuing her dream. She's doing something she really wants. My brother is content with his job. The money is good, plus a lot of other bells and whistles like a car, a laptop, free lodging provided by the company. He doesn't seem to mind working far from home. I think he really likes the serenity offered by provincial life, plus he can surf on weekends. It's funny how they wanted all of us to be doctors, and I was the only one who got suckered into pursuing this career. I was first one to graduate college, how was I to know my siblings won't follow me through med school? I envy those people who are living their dreams. The money may not come easy, but at least they're living the life that they want. This time next year, most of my close friends in med school would have already left for abroad. It may be difficult living far from home, but i know that's what they want,they're pursuing their dreams... and they have my support--- although it's a major bummer that I have less friends that I can call whenever I'm feeling down... like today. As for me... I can't help but feel that all these years, I've been living somebody else's dream. I'm living a life that others want for me, because they think I'm not old enough to see the whole picture, I can't see the whole perspective, they're just doing what's best for me, so they're leading me towards the right path, yadda yadda yadda. I'm not living the life that i want for myself.

Being able to live a life that I really want remains to be my dream. And since I've already walked this far along this path, it's clearly too late to go back and start over--- for as long as I live, that dream would remain to be just that--- an unattainable, unrealistic dream.

How The Mighty Has Fallen

Everyone seems to have watched it, so it was imperative that I find a videoclip online. It didn't take a long time--- videoclips were all over the internet. I'm talking about Britney Spears' VMA performance earlier--- if you can call what she did a "performance".

MTV was wise when they chose her to do the opening number. Never mind if she has not performed in front of a big crowd in years. Never mind the fact that she has been such a wreck for the past few years. Never mind the fact that she's out of control, and that she barely rehearsed her number. Who cares if there's a high possibility that it would be a disaster? Practically everyone wanted to see her perform--- the haters wanting to see her fail and make a fool of herself, and the remaining fans crossing their fingers hoping that she'll be able to pull it off.

As predicted, it was a DISASTER.

Okay, she looked beautiful. Make up can still do miracles. SHe hasn't looked that good in years. That's the only good thing I can say. Her body? she's so out of shape. If I was a woman and had such a tummy, I wouldn't dare wear that attire. Everyone knew that she was going to lip-synch, but no expected her to be out of sync. DId she forget the lines to her own song? Even i could remember the lines just by hearing the song a few times because of the repetitive lyrics! Or maybe she's high? nervous? preoccupied with something? She looked zoned out, as if she's in some other place! Maybe she just doesn't care at all? She barely even danced!

And what's with the excuse that she sucked because she heard Sarah Silverman rehearsing her monologue, that she wanted to walk out before doing her number? Sarah Silverman was indeed out of line... what she said wasn't funny, and the slient audience seemed to agree. It's understandable to be hurt, but a professional artist would strive for perfection in her performance no matter what. As a performer, it's her duty to perform well. It's funny that I actually expected her to be professional when all she did was party all night, leaving her two sons at home. And she expects people to symphatize with her during the custody battle? Who beleives her when she says that her two children are the most important things in the world to her? More like red bull, alcohol, and cheetos.

She's so lucky that she was still given a chance of making a comeback, considering that most people think that she has reached the bottom of the barrel. She's lucky she still has some fans left, after all the stupid things she has been doing. Few poeple are given a chance to rise up and redeem themselves, considering her much tarnished reputation. She was given a chance and she blew it. Instead of shutting up the haters, she gave them more reason to gloat. Most importantly, she let her fans down. They stood up for this piece of white trash, only to her everyone else say "I told you so".

She says "It's Britney, Bitch". Starting the song with "it's over, bitch" would be more appropriate.

Watching the video clip once more, I can't help but pity her. Just a few years ago, she was a phenomenon. How the mighty has fallen. When I first heard her new single I thought she actually had a shot at making a comeback. The song was actually good. WHo would have thought that it would turn out to be such a sad, sad swan song.

An Apple Filled Day

talk about wasting time.

I've just spent the whole day searching for album artworks manually. I only stopped what I was doing when I felt hungry and when i felt that I needed to take a bath. It started when i switched the itunes view to coverflow. I thought that switching to this view was great. It looked so cool... until I saw that i had a lot of albums with no covers. The coverflow view looked so empty. And since most of my mp3s go as far back as the year 2000--- majority of my songs are either ripped from my CDs, and a whole lot more were downloaded from peer to peer file sharing programs. lol. And so I have a lot of songs with no album artworks. I became so obsessed with having a "beautiful" coverflow view that I completely lost track of time. Who knew this could be addicting? hehe.

Speaking of Apple, I've heard that they've unveiled new ipods this week. I always thought that the shuffle was a waste of money. The new nano looked okay, i guess. It just doesn't look "cool", unlike all the previous ipods. The ipod touch was another story. I always thought that the iphone looked great. if there was a cellular phone that could make heads turn--- that was it. The ipod touch looked similar to the iphone, and I got so excited when I read that it had 80gb and 160 gb of storage--- then I realized I read it wrong. It only came with 8 gb and 16 gb of memory. WTF?! how many files can you actually store with such small memory? The upgrade to a bigger screen would seem useless if you can't play a lot of videos. The 80gb and 160gb of storage was given to the ipod classic. I dunno, it seems like a stop-gap device. I'm guessing it would be phaed out in a year or so. Wouldn't it make more sense to put more memory to the ipod with a bigger screen? That would make it a device optimized for watching videos. Maybe Apple can't let go of the click wheel that easily, hence naming the device "classic". The clickwheel seems synonymous to the ipod after all, making it iconic. To me, it just doesn't make sense. I'm guessing they just want to get more money out of consumers by not making the product that has the best of everything. Before, everything was simpler--- the cheapest ipod have the least features, while the most expensive ones have the most features. Now consumers have to choose between the better looking high end ipod with limited memory, or the one that isn't really an upgrade except for the huge memory. It sucks when consumers have to choose between products, especially if they come from the same company. I just hope their business plans don't backfire.

Even if my 30 gb 5th generation ipod is almost full, i don't think i'll be purchasing an ipod classic. It's basically the same ipod with huge memory. The ipod touch is tempting, but with only 16 gb of space, it seems like an unneccessary purchase if i can't transfer all of my files there. Maybe in a year, they'll release a product that would justify an upgrade for me.