iPod Rice Value Meal

{Would you like a side order of rice with that?}

I wrecked my beloved iPod during the Mockathlon. It was heart-wrenching. I would've cried, had it not been for my own stupidity/stubborness/burning desire to redeem myself from the pathetic excuse called swimming (See Mockathlon entry).

I absolutely love, love, loved running in the rain. The rain, however, hates me and decided to seep into my iPod Nano and "hang" it to death despite my waterproof jacket. My last iPod memory before it died: a frozen 4.57 kilometers (It was like the 5K that never ended).

Thank God for forwarded emails though. Just a few weeks ago, I received an email on how rice can save a drenched iPod. Apparently, uncooked rice or "bigas", a natural desiccant, serves as a deoxidizing agent and speeds up the drying process. It makes a lot of sense, but then again, do we really believe everything we see on the Net? The email had a picture of an iPod Shuffle dipped in a cup where a teabag would've been. Death by drowning. Needless to say, the email was automatically dragged to the trash bin and forgotten. Until it happened to me.

So I figured, why not try the rice theory out, since my iPod's all busted already anyway, right? And whaddya know, it actually worked. I would probably have spent more had I sent my iPod to a service center. I have long deleted that iPod/rice email, but it's never too late to share helpful, and more importantly, economical tips on everyday living.

How To Save A Drowned iPod

1. Dry as much of the external part as you can.
2. Don't try to charge or turn on the gadget just yet, the internal thingamajigs might still be grounded.
3. Get a bowl or deep dish.
4. Fill it up with UNCOOKED RICE or "bigas".
5. Let your iPod sit in it (I left it there for 1 1/2 days) and let the natural drying process begin.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I have yet to research and confirm on this, but hey, it worked for me!