Steve Jobs 1955-2011

It sucks getting older. There are any number of reminders of that fact on a regular basis as I move through my 40s. A kid in college, the aches and pains from moving my body too quickly, the paunch that I struggle to keep under control, and the most annoying might be having to get up most nights to go to the bathroom when I should be sleeping.
One of the saddest reminders, however, is the all too regular passing of someone we admire, someone we know, someone we love. I haven’t had much death in my life to this point, fortunately. I lost a friend, a former boss, while away at college. A good friend, only slightly older was killed earlier this year. And I lost someone I admired yesterday.
I never met Steve Jobs. Never saw him speak in person, never worked at Apple, and rarely used their computers. However Steve Jobs was one of the few people that I wanted on my “what three people I would invite to dinner” list. Apple has always been a “cool” company to me, one that transcended the engineering efficiency of so many technology companies to build something that you could use, but more importantly, you wanted to use.
The comparison that came to mind this morning as I lay in bed, thoughts churning about both my day and the loss of someone I admired was the same one that Dave Winer wrote about in his memorial post: Frank Lloyd Wright.
The design, the clean, clear lines, the lack of anything extra was both elegant and insanely frustrating at times. However also genius, and reminiscent of not a better way to do things, but of the future.
That’s what Steve Jobs brought with both design and form in the Macintosh, the NeXt, Toy Story, the iPod, the iPhone, the Air, and the iPad.
The future.

Feel good Story - How I Harnessed the Wind

From TED, worth watching. The message is more powerful than the story. Trust yourself and try.

 

How I Harnessed the Wind

The World Peace Game

Our children are the future. Whether we like it or not, we will cede control to them at some point in our lives. It’s one of those things that makes me believe the investments in education are important, perhaps even more important than some of the other places where we spend money.

This is a great talk from John Hunter, teacher in my native VA. It talks about a game for fourth graders that helps them to learn and understand the world, and in many ways, learn to think about their impact on the world.

Here’s the link: http://www.ted.com/talks/john_hunter_on_the_world_peace_game.html

It’s humorous and inspiring. Someone that recognizes children are not only our future, but that they have perspectives worth listening to.

Live and enjoy your life

You never know when the end will come. A good friend of mine died a couple weeks ago at the age of 47. He left behind a wife, 4 children, and many friends and extended family. He never saw it coming. In The Last Post, Derek Miller is dead, he knew it was coming, and prepared a post.

We don’t know when the end will come, but it will come. We are all dying, hopefully slowly, but at some point we will move on.

Invest for the future, work to build the life that matters to you, but don’t forget to live along the way and enjoy your short time in this world.

Accepting death, and making a final post, inspired me. I hope I get the chance to walk out of this world in a similar way.

Sermon Walking

Posted elsewhere on the web, but sent to me today by my Mom and I liked it. Your character and your actions stand out more than anything.

Sermon Walking
In 1953 reporters gathered at a Chicago railway station waiting to meet the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

He was a big man, well over six feet tall, with bushy hair and a large mustache.


Reporters were excited to see him and expressed what an honor it was to meet him. Cameras were flashing, compliments were being expressed when, looking beyond the adulation, the visitor saw an elderly black woman struggling to carry her two large suitcases.


"Excuse me," he said as he went to the aid of this woman. Picking up her cases, he escorted her to a bus and then apologized to the reporters for keeping them waiting.


The man was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous missionary-doctor who had invested his life helping poor and sick people in Africa.


A member of the reception committee remarked to one of the reporters, "That's the first time I ever saw a sermon walking." The measure of any man or woman is not their name, nor their fame, nor what they say, but what they do.

Inspirational

My little girl is something. She took her whole allowance from this week, $5, and put it in an envelope along with a letter for the ASPCA. She had me send it off, and I’m hoping for a good response. Here’s a copy of her letter:

In case you can’t read it, here is the text:

October 11, 2010

Dear ASPCA

Hi ASPCA, my name is Kendall. I am Atieh’s daughter. I love animals. I donated the money. Using my allowance. I can give you money. I have 17 animals. My Mom owns and boards nine horses. It is 6:52 and four are standing out my window. They are Jemini, Tina, Reo, and Zarha. The other horses are Starlight, Yurecka, Eemler, Cowboy, and Rain. I have three dogs. Deuce, Oscer, and Kolhy. Three cats: Jewl, Nero, and Milky Way. Jewel and Nero are barn cats. Two guinea pigs: Tiffany and Trixy. OK all my animals done. Now time to learn about me. I love animals more than anything. My favorite animal is the wolf. My favorite domestic animal is the German Sheperd. I love them because they were bred with wolves. So next time you ship to my Mom, write a letter about yourself. Thanks you!

Your New Friend,

Kendall Jones

The Average SQL Saturday Attendee

I have been to quite a few SQL Saturdays. This year I have been to 5 and will go to 2 more, and next year I’ll do a few and perhaps run my own events.

One of the things that I’ve noticed from attendees is they often work at local companies, governments, with a common theme: a lack of training dollars.

However these people take a Saturday away from their families, some driving for hours (I’ve seen up to a 6 hour drive) to go and learn something. To go improve their skills, and make the investment in their career.

It should pay back for them, but I’m not sure that I would have made that investment when  I was younger. It certainly makes me want to deliver more training, and do more to help others.

And work on my own career.