I’ve been buying lots of things lately. I should really put myself on a leash when it comes to spending, but I haven’t been able to help myself - I just need so many things!

First up, the Smoking Buds Earphones by Skull Candy. I bought these to use while running. Headphones make my ears sweat (ear sweat, gross, I know) and the ipod ear buds would fall out every time I turned by head to check for cars or bounced off a curb. I wanted something that would be cheap, so I wouldn’t be pissed if they got beat up or lost on lost on a long run. I also wanted inner ear buds, so that I wouldn’t have to play my music as loudly while running near traffic.

I picked these up for under twenty bucks at the Source. They come in a baby pink color, but I chose the more butch gray and black. The salesgirl tried to trick me into picking up an extra warranty, claiming that the average life of headphones is three months. What the hell is this woman doing with her headphones? But anyway, at least something was reasonably priced at that wretched store for once. I used them on my run the next day, and on every run since. I am impressed! For cheap-o ear buds with tiny cartoon skulls on the sides, the sound is great! I mean, not fantastic or anything - when I’m listening in the quiet of the apartment, I detect a quiet hiss in the sound, so the clarity isn’t perfect, but the bass is good, music sounds full, and my podcasts come across loud and clear. The volume control isn’t very delicate, but it’s good for muting the sound when you suddenly need to hear something. My one complaint: the plastic ear buds catch the air on windy days or on bridges and the whooshing noise can block out the music. But still, they’re cheap and they serve their purpose almost perfectly. Hooray!

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