I'm in awe of the latest iTunes update! A life-long Mac devotee, I have always appreciated the ingenuity and elegance of an Apple.  True to form, they did it again.  I updated my iTunes on Wednesday ... a neglectful oversight that was long past due.  With the simple installation and restart, my iTunes love affair has been reignited ... the passionate flame is scorching hot. 

For those who haven't yet upgraded to iTunes v.8 (it's free for Mac and PC users here), you have got a real treat in store!  It's Genius.  Literally.  The music program has a little built-in thingy called "Genius," and it's so appropriately named.  You can select a song from your iTunes library, hit the Genius button, and the little program sets to work putting together a playlist of similar-sounding songs to help with the continuity of whatever musical mood you're in.  It's sort of like Pandora, but with your own songs.  For the mix-tape challenged, like myself, Genius is a stroke of, um, genius!?  I now have a handful of Genius playlists — one for my morning walks, one for my Monday moods, one that's simply called "I Walk the Line" and the lists go on.  And, they're all perfect!  And, I didn't have to lift a finger.  And, THAT's Genius!