This week marks the 30th anniversary of the first Sony Walkman. Cleaning out my closet last night, listening to a TBTL segment about a 13 year old who gives up his iPod for a 1st generation Walkman (high-larious story HERE), I found my first Walkman. The WM-F5, you know the one–yellow, waterproof, sporty. What a beauty. I was nine, and we were living in a trés 1970s apartment complex, chock full of recently divorced 30-somethings and littered with latchkey kids, like I. Having this Walkman was far cooler than having a sweet ass bike.

I got it for my birthday, a quick cross-reference through a box of photos reveals I had an iced coffeecake for my birthday cake (What? I like cinnamon.) The tape I found inside that Walkman tonight: Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which was released fall of that year, 1982. The thing still freaking works. Ah, the tell tale hiss… Will your nano be rockin’ after 27 years? I think not. I’ll clutch my 5.5″x4″x1.5″ yellow brick proudly this morning when I go for my run and shake it at every iPod I see. Then I’ll cap the morning with a double-thick slice of cinnamon Budapest coffeecake from Macrina in Belltown, with a side of cream cheese frosting.