Early spring on Flickr.
We’ve been very fortunate this year that spring has been warmer than normal. I’ve usually got the bike on the road by the 2nd week of March, but not without a few weeks of freezing fingers and intermittent snow. Seems all the other bikers agree. Some even rode their bikes through most of winter! Hopefully it means a nice dry long season.
It came as no surprise. Steve Jobs dies at 56. Steve Jobs the visionary, the tyrant, the consummate presenter, the hero with the quintessential American story. Oct 5, 2011 will be remembered in history. They should name a national holiday after him. There’s no shortage of tribute to this man with a vision, who changed the world and the way we use technology.
Instead, I want to share how his ideas changed my life personally. No one has influenced me more. Starting with the Apple II. I was 11 at the time. Even then, I fell in love with Apple. In 1984, the Macintosh came out. I got to see one demonstrated at my school library. A few years later, I got one, and produced amazing things with it. Printed documents with graphics and typography. Who knew? I’m certain I’m not the only one who fell asleep in front of my Mac countless times because I didn’t want to stop using it. In art college I argued with my teachers who were old school designers that we’d all be designing on our computers by the time we finished school. Many of them didn’t believe me. Jobs proved them wrong. Then the MacBooks, the iPods, the iPhones, the iPads. I use every one of these devices everyday of my life. I use them to consume and to create ideas. Now I often fall asleep with my iPad in my lap.
And let’s not forget Pixar. George Lucas wanted to ditch the little obscure animation studio, but Steve Jobs saw something more, something no one else saw.
Without Steve Jobs, my life wouldn’t have turned out the way it did. The world will be quieter without him. There will be less anticipation, less wonder. Less vision.
Chrome Shadow on Flickr.
My neighbor Guy just started riding. He picked up this gorgeous custom Honda Shadow in Montreal. He’s hooked of course. Can’t say I blame him!
Dreaming of California
Somehow, this reminds me of Southern California. Flat strip-mall parking lot on a sunny day with that white vintage car behind. I wish summer lasted the whole year.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/oscillize/6062826645/
oscillize’s 2011 AC’s summer BBQ photoset
Back at the cottage in Thornbury. Our Jul 1 week stay doesn’t feel that long ago. In fact, I don’t think anyone else has stayed here since, as the beer we left in the fridge was still there. It’s warmer in the house this time, and wi-fi finally works. But the days have already started getting shorter. We had rain all morning in Toronto, but arrived to a dry overcast sky. Frankie got to enjoy the beach. Once again, she proclaimed that we should live here forever. I asked her why, and her answer was, “Because there is a lot of water in the sea and a lot of sand.”
Italian cafe racer.
End of last fall (2010) about a week before snow ended the riding season. It’s the middle of July now and I already feel like summer is on its way out. Before you know it, the mornings will be chillier, the evenings cooler, and kids will be back to school.
I hate that we have to suffer through 4 months of winter here.
Axis of evil on Flickr.
My bike is the Ducati Sport 1000 in the middle. Black with white racing stripe.
