Less than a month after buying my 60Gb iPod Video, the unit started to act up.  On many occassions, I have been able to operate the iPod with the hold button on, and more recently, the volume jumps to full volume all by itself and deafens me in the process.

On the recommendation of the store from which I bought the iPod, I called Apple.  Phone support couldn’t help me.  Apparently I need to submit my service request online - it’s a  good thing that the series of tubes has an opening at my house.  What the support tech was able to tell me was that once the service request was opened, Apple would send me a plain brown box with instructions.  I am to put the iPod in that box, put the UPS sticker that they provide on the outside of the box and ship it to Apple.  They will service it and return it to me.

Here’s the kicker.  The tech said that I should expect the service to take fifteen days.

FIFTEEN DAYS??????!!!  How the heck am I supposed to live without my “pacemaker” for fifteen days?

To Apple’s credit, the box arrived yesterday, just two days after I opened the service request.  My iPod is safely packed away in the foam bed and the box is sealed with packing tape that Apple provided as part of the package.

It’s been just over an hour since I sealed the box and I already have the DTs.  Pray for me and I will keep you posted.