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Learning to Color
A glass of water is half full. Or is it half empty?
Sam: “This sandwich is delicious!”
John: “No, this sandwich is terrible.”
Dalton: “It’s not the best, but it’s pretty good.”
Some see things in black and white. Others may see the gray area.
One of the pinnacle phenomenon’s of the human mind is how person x can see something one way and person y can see it completely differently. Then, person z can see the same thing and give a reaction in the space between person x and person y.
Whatever the situation, people will react similarly or differently, with varying degrees in between. But these are the two very basic reactions of any human mind to an event or occurrence.
“This is great” or This sucks I mean, “This inhales profusely!”
“That was a smart decision” or “That was dumb.”
“Love it” or “List it” (I concede that it is a mildly addicting show, eh).
But here is one of the truly remarkable characteristics about this dynamic: In some circumstances, the presence of an outlier with definitively rigid opinions can become the catalyst that surprisingly brings the masses together.
Wait, what?
Even upon brief reflection, it doesn’t make much sense on the surface. The odd one out is the one who unites the larger population of people who are considered the inside? How does that work? Aren’t there reasons why this person is on the outside to begin with?
One word: Apple.
When we hear this word, some of us initially think of a deliciously tasty red fruit. Others recall the ending to a well-known movie adapted from a best-selling book. However, after these first reactions, a majority of us are probably thinking of computers, tablets, phones, music players, etc.
Apple = Fruit = World Altering Password = Technology = Steve Jobs.
Most accounts portrayed the late Steve Jobs as a black and white thinker/innovator. He had a vision and that was that. Period. If you agreed and did what he needed, then great, welcome. If not, you were fired. Astonishingly, it was his rebellious thought process, wild ideas and relentless one-track mind that ultimately united consumers of all mindsets and backgrounds with Apple’s wide array of technologically ground-breaking products.
Do you own an iPhone? An iPad? An iPod? A MacBook Pro? If not, have you ever used one?
Most people, in my opinion, would not characterize Steve Jobs as normal. He was not part of the mainstream of American society. He was different. But, incredibly, this outlier became a beloved figure and thinker to the inside.
Steve Jobs rigidly saw things in black and white, and yet, in doing so, he opened the world to all the colors and opportunities in between.
Most people will color inside a box, but it takes something special to want to discover what’s outside the lines…
P.S. I learned about the trailer via a tweet from Ashton Kutcher on my iPhone 4s.
“How does somebody know what they want if they’ve never even seen it?”
Steve Jobs changed the world forever with his innovative products, released as if they were all continuously moving along an assembly line for him to pick up at his leisure. His business savvy has also been celebrated and assuredly studied by aspiring businessmen, businesswomen and big thinking dreamers in their basements and even parent’s garages. The iMac computer is not owned solely by Americans, but by adults and children all around the world. And not just this Apple product either. Terms like iPod, iPhone, iPad, iMac and Macbook Pro are household names. Techies and millions of fawning fans alike listened to his every word whenever he casually strolled onto that plain stage in northern California with a wall-sized projection screen behind, clothed in his trademarked look: blue jeans, New Balance sneakers and his low-key black turtleneck. In hand was his next big device to make its grand premiere, ready for an exhilarating public test run.
Rightly so, he is admired. In this age of increasing globalization, it was nice to say when he was alive that, ‘he’s one of ours….he’s an American innovator.’ It’s still nice to say. Walter Isaacson’s Behemoth of a book, “Steve Jobs,” details his life and includes just about any bit of information anyone would like to know about the man and technological icon. A movie is set to be adapted from this book by famed screenwriter Aaron Sorkin for a movie called, “Steve Jobs.” For those who are drawn to Jobs’ life and career, love dramatic stories as portrayed in cinema but can’t wait for this film to be released sometime down the road, they are in luck.
Lights. Camera. Genius.
“That ’70s Show,” “My Boss’s Daughter” and the cult classic “Dude, Where’s My Car?” offer a snapshot of the portfolio of the man chosen to fill the soles of some of the most famous New Balance shoes in history. Ashton Kutcher, the director, writers and cast are preparing to premiere the major motion picture, “jOBS” at the Sundance Film Festival tonight (Nationwide April 19th on Apple’s 37th Anniversary). Many may scoff at the idea of Michael Kelso portraying such a serious and beloved figure. However, before passing judgement, first take a look at a side-by-side comparison:
(www.sellcell.com)
Now come the vital questions that will surely be asked before and after the premiere: did director Joshua Michael Stern present the right details, milestones and key decisions to appropriately define the gigantic life of Steve Jobs through his multiple decades of leading Apple onto the top-shelf of the technological world? What overall theme and events did they decide to drive the story with? Is it accurate?
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak (“The Woz”) recently shared his reaction of the first released clip of “jOBS” as seen below to the website Gizmodo. “Not close…we never had such interaction and roles…I’m not even sure what it’s getting at…personalities are very wrong although mine is closer…don’t forget that my purpose was inspired by the values of the Homebrew Computer Club along with ideas of the value of such machines and Steve J. wasn’t around and didn’t attend the club so he was the one learning about such social impact of the future,” Wozniak said.
Here is the aforementioned clip:
One thing that can be agreed upon is that the final retort from Kutcher/Jobs excitedly foreshadows the empire the two of them would soon begin to build. It’s probably safe to say that this clip alone will generate a significant buzz of curiosity about the movie.
Interestingly, Alexis Kleinman of The Huffington Post recently noted something very insightful about the clip. “With the premiere of the Steve Jobs biopic “jOBS” quickly approaching this month, its creators are doing something Apple never would: Pumping up excitement by offering a sneak-peak.” It’s certainly something to ponder…
Without seeing this movie in its entirety, it’s impossible to declare whether or not the script is misleading throughout or simply taking a little bit of artistic licensing, which does happen in Hollywood, for better and for worse. This could be the only hiccup or it could be first drip in a waterfall of inaccuracies. Until the lights go down and the movie is premiered, no fan/critic will know. The question is with his true life so fascinating and inspiring, why has such a step been taken for this important one minute scene? A few fortunate people will likely discover that truth tonight.
I suppose that like any Apple product though, there will be the occasional bug. Maybe “jOBS” is just life imitating art?
Come April 19th, will you give it a Friday night?
Going ‘Old School’
The feel of a warm yet cool breeze…the sound of water splashing, kids laughing and the smell of barbeque on the grill. All of these things have come to be synonymous with summer. Insert the Fourth of July scene from “The Sandlot” or just about any scene from “The Wonder Years” and fully escape to that happy place of past, present and hopefully future. Good food, drinks, company and the sight of colorful fireworks painting the night sky. This is how it’s done. But sadly, this is not always the reality in the world we live in today. Speed is the name of the game, which is odd, because when I was a kid, I wanted summer to last forever.
In a world of constant movement, work, stress and obligation, remembering those days of yesteryear can be downright therapeutic. There is not even one single day of the week that can be pointed to universally as the busiest. In other words, Mondays are not always definitively the ‘worst’ day anymore. Don’t worry though, they still inhale profusely. We all know that great sounding phrase, ‘So, I see you got a case of the Mondays.’ This is usually when you are tempted to respond with something that would alert human resources that is followed by sitting in a cold and lonely chair for hours, listening to a Toby Flenderson read from a binder full of rules and workplace expectations in a thrilling monotone voice…on a Tuesday…that now feels like a Monday. Great, Monday came twice this week.
What is the remedy for the case of the ‘this just sucks’? There are three months every year, and maybe an extra one depending on how well your Spring blooms, that can bring a smile to even the grumpiest of people. Who is that girl I see over there? Is that the one and only ‘Barbara Ann’? In the words of Yello, “Ohhh, Yeahhhh.”
The sunny lining from this is that you get the traditional American summer complete with countless opportunities for fun in the sun. No longer the threat of a flu-inducing cold front or being snowed in Buffalo, New York-style. At long last, there is a warm and inviting light at the end of the tunnel known as the American work week. Fortunately, much like college, Friday afternoons have in part become an extension of the weekend. For sane individuals, not too much work or meetings are planned in the late afternoon on a Friday (except if you’re a certain company located in southern California…they gave me the rarely experienced ‘case of the Fridays.’ Not cool).
Returning back to the sunny disposition, Friday afternoons have become connected to the weekend. Add in the utopian-like conditions and what could possibly stop us from a stress-free 2 1/2 days’ weekend of relaxation?
Question: Who is in charge of weekend plans/getaways? If you answered Mom or Dad, I’m sorry, but that’s not what we were looking for. Survey says: Electrical Outlets for 500!
Particularly thanks to the genius of Steve Jobs, millions of people of all ages from around the world have or at least have access to a technological device that starts with the letter “i.” There is the iPod, iPhone, iPad, iMac and, given enough time, iVacation. As we have come to realize, “there’s an app for that.” We have become so addicted to these various devices that we are constantly wide-eyed for an outlet, whether in the privacy of our homes or in public (which is always a breeze). Exactly like the commercial with the children staring at the adults sitting on the floor of an airport securely protecting “their” outlet, it’s time to ask ourselves, “How did we get here?”
While recently boating around Buckeye Lake on a Saturday afternoon, I saw some great sights before getting on the boat. Three teenage girls were walking on the boardwalk and talking to each other. No txtg was gng on. In the other direction was a family wearing life preservers dripping wet who were joyfully sharing stories before stepping back onto their boat. What year was it? Did I step onto a time traveling dock?
While eating the famous All-American Bacon Double Cheeseburger pizza at the lake’s hot spot Papa Boo’s that evening, vague sights of nostalgia appeared before my eyes. There was just something about the feeling of relaxing in a crowded food joint with a live band playing, people conversing legendary tales of the past and enjoying the view of beautiful, scantily clad young ladies dancing their hearts out. As I jokingly mentioned to the person next to me, “This would be a fun place to get into a little bit of trouble.”
One of the best parts about that evening was the apparent ‘no ties’ rule. The only business allowed was having a good time by escaping the daily grind of the work week. Plus, there was a bachelorette party, but I have to refrain from disclosing those details.
From a Fourth of July neighborhood party that involved kids (with the supervision of adults) lighting fireworks in the street that to a faraway onlooker easily could have been confused for a community’s patriotic display to having a water fight with my nephew to Papa Boo’s, it was starting to feel like a little bit like we were being watched. It was almost as if we were all on a movie or television set, acting out how summer and the Fourth of July are supposed to be spent: running around, having fun and as the Mom in “The Sandlot” professed to her homebody son one night, “I want you to get out in the fresh air and make friends. Run around and scrape your knees. Get dirty. Climb trees and hop fences. Get in trouble for crying out loud…Not too much, but some. You have my permission. Now how many mothers do you think say that to their sons?”
To be clear, Apple products are great. They are incredible as a matter of fact. As an owner, they are helpful, easy to use and very cool. However, what is commonly perceived as a glitch or negative feature about these mobile computers and media players is actually a blessing in disguise. Many fault Apple for not making the battery life long enough. The pain of having to charge every night to more than once a day to constantly being plugged in for heavy users causes stress. Nobody wants to see the red sliver in the battery canister in the top right corner. However, a limited battery charge is actually a good thing because it is a subtle hint of when to put it down, leave it alone and exit the web, cloud, movie, presentation, etc. Isn’t it odd that when you are connected you are actually disconnected?
Even if Apple one day offers iFreshAir, it will never beat playing hooky on a beautiful day in downtown Chicago.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 