21 May Only on TV

I’ve been a fan of Apple’s TV commercials for the iPod since long before I got my own iPod.

The instantly recognizable campaign, with the silhouetted figures dancing with their iPods in hand and the “iconic” white earbuds and wire flopping around are just plain cool. A couple of weeks ago, Apple launched its latest TV commercial, which features “pop-lock” dancers doing their robotic, hip-hoppy thing to their ‘Pods.

Then, I realized that I never see people in real life listening to iPod and moving along to the music like the silhouettes in these commercials.

I see lots of people listening to iPods on my daily bus ride to work. But no one moves even a inch. No, I’m lying. I once saw a young kid with a beat-up skateboard on the 16th Street Mall shuttle bus, tapping his feet to his iPod.

The only one I know who moves at all to the music is … me.

I can’t help it. People probably think I’m insane, because I’m probably way out of rhythm. But when I’ve got the sound cranked up, my feet start tapping, then my knees start knocking, then my hips start swaying and look out, I might start swinging my arms and snapping my fingers too. Then I’ll add a little but of air guitar, stomp my foot for emphasis, and once I even twirled around — sheepishly, after I realized the other people in line for the 86X bus were staring at me like I had three heads.

Hell, I figure if they do it on TV commercials I might as well cut loose and get into it.

Just beware when see me on the mall. If I start moving my lips, then let a word or two escape me, run. I just might break out into full-fledged lip-synching at any moment.

Gil Asakawa lives a secret life as a busker in the summers.