I swore I'd never do it. I said it was pointless, watching video on an iPod at the gym. The screen's too small, the iPod's too far away, and there's plenty of better stuff to listen to that doesn't risk the iPod going flying across the gym after an inadvertent tug of the earphones sends it bouncing off the elliptical climber.

Yet there I was, at the gym, iPod balanced carefully on the stand in front of me, tiny screen flickering with all the science fiction goodness of Battlestar Galactica's "Eye of Jupiter" episode.

Desperation led me to this moment. Sue had yoga, I had a Knights of the Dinner Table column due, Heroes was on at 9 p.m. and I had to get caught up on Battlestar before Tuesday's lunch hour, when I'd be getting together with friends to watch Part 2 of "Eye of Jupiter". I had too much too do, and not enough time to do it. So I did what I swore I wouldn't, loading the episode onto my iPod and heading to the gym.

It worked surprisingly well. Yes, the screen is small and no, it's not an ideal way to watch video … but it worked. I'm caught up, I didn't have to worry about spoilers at lunch, and I got to revel in the secret geeky pleasure of watching Battlestar while everyone else sweated along to the nightly news, a cooking show or some sportscast.

I haven't changed my mind though. Video on the iPod is good in a pinch, but I'd rather geek out with some podcasts or listen to a book than try and balance video and a treadmill while working out.