iSad

There are few times in the world where a person that you've never met, seen, or even had a conversation with can have such a direct influence as to how you see and interact with the world. Thanks to my father, I grew up a "Mac kid" and fell in love with Macintosh long before it was the "cool thing to do" or before the ipod came out in 2001. Even before it was main stream or socially acceptable, I was hooked. I remember being one of the only kids freshmen year at college who had a white storm trooper like laptop. Most of the other students rocked an HP, Dell, Samsung, Sony, or any other brand of PC that wasn't Apple. It wasn't until sophomore year when Apple decided to make the laptop sleeker, sexier, better running, and with a web-cam that I began to see that I wasn't the only kid on campus with an iBook or PowerBook. As I write you now, from the hills of Central America, I'm typing away on my iBook G4(2004) which, for better or worse, is on its' last miles as the screen has lately began to randomly black-out on me. I only hope that it lasts up until I COS and return to the states.

As I was saying, I think that Steve Jobs has had such a big influence on the way my generation sees and interacts with the world. His products have completely revolutionized the way we listen(iPod), buy(iStore), and enjoy music(iTunes). I couldn't imagine a world without iTunes. I wouldn't know what to do. How would I organize my music which, like many people my age, is synonymous with my sanity. His newer products, like the iPad and iPhone, are taking mobile communication to a new level. I look forward to one day being the proud owner of one of these new high-tech gagdets. For the time being, I'll use my Peace Corps issued cell phone which has been referred to,by my more affluent Guatemalan friends, as a "black bean".

In a recent entry entitled "technology", I complained about the world we're moving towards and fear that we often rely too much on technology and forget about what's really important. However, I would like to take a step back and say that if you're reading this right now via an Apple Inc. product than you're very fortunate. Whether it's an iPhone, iPad, iPod(with internet), Apple laptop or desktop you are part of the Apple community and should, even if just for one second, stop and admire the Apple Inc product you're using and the man who designed it. Apple haters and PC lovers have often said that Jobs' designs were for children and that PCs were made for adults. If this is the case, and I'm no computer guru, then I'm never going to give up my love for Macintosh and the Apple products. Even if it were only for a day, there isn't one person reading this blog that wouldn't give a million dollars to be a kid again. It is only within children that we can find pure, uncontaminated, and brilliant creativity.

With so many niños constantly around, I'm reminded daily of the innocence children possess . I envy how not even even gravity seems to stop their never ending desire to explore the world around them. During the Guatemalan rainy season, most people run to avoid being drenched by the "fat" rain that seems, at times, to be unrelenting. With that said, there is nothing quite like watching a two year old child run time and time again, even against his mother's wishes, into the rain just to experience how it all feels. We, as adults, have forgotten to pay attention to the small and simple details of life. Children simply don't see the world the way we do and so they're able to live in a different, less complicated, and more exciting place where fascinating discoveries are around every corner. I think Jobs' work with Pixar has brought us all back to being kids again. His 1996 release of the movie Toy Story had us all wishing we took better care of our toys. Since Toy Story, he's completely re-invented the way we think about animation movies. They're no longer just for kids. Movies like Finding Nemo, Wall-E, Up and the Toy Story series appeal to more than just children and allow even us adults to be kids again.

I entitled this entry iSad because I think the world will be a lesser place without a brilliant mind like that of Steve Jobs. His innovative products from Apple and his work with Pixar have made him one of the most important people of the past 100 years. Starting out in a garage with an idea and a dream, he truly embodies the American spirit of innovation and pushing towards new and unknown frontiers. His work has made him one of the most creative and innovative minds that our country has ever seen. The quote below was given to graduates at Stanford University in a commencement speech in 2005. I think the quote is brilliant in its' simplicity of explaining how one should keep to their own course no matter what. These words are especially good to hear from the standpoint of a soon to be Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, whose next steps aren't necessarily planned out. 

"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."