Shuffling through songs 8-13 October

Last few times I've iPodded myself out of the world the shuffle function wasn't working to satisfaction, throwing up songs I've heard before. Orange Juice's "Holiday Hymn," for instance, has been selected at least 4 times. A great song, sure, but there are 1400 to choose from. Shuffled on the 8th, first up came Animal Collective's "No More Ruin" and followed by another song by Nico. Decided a new strategy was called for. Went to the Songs section, found "No More Ruin" and listened to songs organised alphabetically, which meant the next tune I heard was Inch-Time's "No Need to Sign Your Name" and so on.

Did the same on Friday, listening to songs beginning with "S". Came unstuck though, because all the songs on Keith Fullerton Whitman's Multiples begin with "Stereo Music for . . . ". For example, "Stereo Music for Acoustic Guitar, Buchla Music Box 100, Hewlett Packard" and "Stereo Music for Hi-Hat." Which meant I wasn't getting the variation I needed. Friday is the day I crash, exhausted from a week of bahasa. Using the shuffle function, the surprises and juxtapositions it throws up, allows me to ease into the weekend. The sequence of "Stereo Music for . . ." songs meant that I spent the early evening desultorily choosing songs for myself.

With Greta, I was in longplay mode, as the variation, excitement, fun and busyness of the day were enough, and I craved some consistency of sound.

Back at work, where my days have a routine, I've shuffled about.

Senin (12 Okt): Fabulous Diamonds, "Track 7"; Ennio Morricone, "Un Uomo Da Rispettare (Titoli)"; Mulia Abdussahab, "Ya Yumma Weya Baba"; Animal Collective, "Daily Routine"; Brian Eno and David Byrne, "Regiment"; Fennesz, "Happy Audio"; Pavement, "Nothing Ever Happens"; Boards of Canada, "Triangles and Rhombuses" (check out BoC, Tallulah. The album title is one of my favourites of all time - Music Has the Right to Children - and so is the cover).

Selasa (13 Okt): Judee Sill, Atlas Sound, Tindersticks, Tibetan Buddhist Rites from the Monasteries of Bhutan, Thahoun Gessesse, Belong, and Tape.