Silverwalk Hermitage

The original "Bondi Blue" iMac G3

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”  ~ Steve Jobs, Stanford Commencement Address

I am an Apple/Mac person.  I bought an iMac on sale at Sears, similar to the one pictured. Got it home, set up email and emailed my sister who had been bugging me to get a Mac (she is a Mac person, too).  It amazed her I was online so fast.  Steve Jobs wanted all Apple products beautiful and so well designed a novice could pick one up and use it within minutes.

What really impresses me about Steve Jobs was his focus; he knew what he wanted to do, he had an “insanely great” eye for detail – either to improve it or praise it.  He exuded joy in his work, his passion.  He lived the life God gave him.  He was a Buddhist who inspired, expected excellence from his team and gave them no less.

I did not find my life’s work so early – I am just now beginning to realize what it is – and in that, Jobs was blessed.  We all are.  I need to listen, follow, and not worry what others will think or say.  A favorite quote from Thoreau -

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!  Live the life you’ve imagined.

Related articles

• Steve Jobs: Remembering a Hero (caffeinesoakedwriter.wordpress.com)
• Saying Goodbye to the Magic of Steve Jobs (blonde20.com)

I like show jumping! Don't know how this relates to the text

Sometimes, I wonder whether or not to continue writing – or to even use my computer as much as I do now.  I visited with a friend yesterday.  She is in her mid-30s, has no computer at home and only uses hand-me down cellphones from her sister.  I admire this simplicity in her life.  I remember when I contemplated just using the MS computers at the library – they were available, free and using web-based email and blogs, I could keep up without needing bookmarks, per se.  Of course, I didn’t do this and I think my life and work have suffered as a result.  I am over-burdened with tech stuff: laptop, iPad, iPhone (w/o data plan), Tracphones, a portable DVD player,  and Nooks (note two: an original one and the second generation w/o color).  What to do?

I plan to sell the first Nook or perhaps both – I have the Nook app on the iPhone and iPad after all.  Why not sell the iPad?  I don’t use it so much for emailing, etc. but do use it as a radio (with the TuneIn app, it will play even with the cover closed), for streaming video and movies mostly so far; I do see uses for the iPad unless I give up my home WiFi – then, it would be bound for sale.  The iPhone will stay as I use it as my camera with a Tracfone for my cellphone.  The iPhone is paid for and generally is free except for apps (I avoid paid apps but have some for nursing and did pay small amts for a couple of photography apps).   I may look into an iPhone 4 or an iPod after the new iPhone 5s come out – wait for the prices to drop .

Why this monologue about tech stuff and life?  Minimalism, simplification, paring life down to needs more than wants.  In direct contrast to this school of thought, I bought two books last evening – not e-books (though they would have been cheaper) nor did I take them out of the library (which would have made more sense and which I am using more and more) but real books to hold in my hand and read.  One was by Dr. Nick Trout on dogs and people; the other is The Virgin Suicides – a well reviewed, well written first novel not in my normal line of reading.   When I lived in Sioux Falls, SD, I liked to walk into the library where they had a shelf of recommended books.  Found my fav book of all time, A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains, by serendipitously picking it up off that shelf.  I now try to do the same in Cape; expand the mind to other authors, thoughts.  My interest in architecture and home-making led me to Home by Witold Rybczynski – and other books by him.

To be more available and attended to God and the needs of others, I find I want to lessen the load and expectations of keeping up with the Joneses (or the Jobs in my case) as well as share the largesse accumulated over the years with those who can use it more than I currently do – I pray for ablility to move quickly if and when needed without regrets.  Stuff is stuff – people and God are real.  and the dogs .

Related articles

• The Computer As Friend And Source Of Freedom (pittsburghflashfictiongazette.com)
• Simplicity and Prayer (anamchara.com)
• Setting up Simplicity Is Workn – Part 2 (simpleisworking.com)