Distort reality the Steve Jobs Way

Steve Jobs' biographer was on The Daily Show and talked about the "reality distortion field" that people half-joked surrounded Jobs. In part it refers to the way he would challenge developers to invent something new, even when they'd say it couldn't be done. And then they did it.

Love this expression.

Unfortunately, it's possible that Jobs' applied this too far to his health--some think he delayed surgery to remove his tumor by 9 months so he could try alternative therapies first, which allowed the tumor to spread. (Skimmable balanced summary here.) Though the reality distortion field helps us break barriers, it can't break them all.

But when it comes to innovating and pursuing dreams, a reality distortion field is a great idea.

 I've seen it work even in silly things, like the loyalty card we used to sell at my old work. Time and again a new generation of cashiers would say "Everyone has a card, we can't get a higher percentage!" but my boss would *inspire* them to try harder, and the percentage went up.

This technique did stop working at some point, though. Eventually you really do saturate your market, and the reality distortion field eventually hits reality. But until then, what might we be capable of?

National Novel Writing Month--writing 50 000 words in 30 days--is another example of showing people how they can do more than they thought personally probable. If you pace yourself Nano asks you to write 1666 words per day; but I always get behind and write way more than that at the end, to get ahead. In theory we could all write 100 000 words in the month (and many of the early finishers do... yes, the crazy people.)

We can do more than we think IF we had a good reason, because achieving-the-impossible generally requires sacrifice. For example, in Nano it translates into = no dishes cleaned, no cooking, no childcare, unhappy spouses, and no life. I'll bet it did for Jobs' developers too.

But if your goal or dream is worthy, and the sacrifices can be made, then I say go for it. Reality distort away!
  

    

My apples

I figured my best tribute to Steve Jobs would be mostly pictorial. My dad isn't a computer-programming type computer geek, but he always liked computers and when it came to Apple he was an Early Adopter. So I associate my writing with Apple computers--they embody a lot of good memories for me.

I think this was our first computer - the Apple II C ? (My dad can correct me.)

Played a lot of Olympics game.

 At one point in early high school we had two computers in our computer room--my brother taught himself some programming on one, and starting in grade 7 I wrote stories on the other. But I don't remember which computers those were.

 My dad bought the first Macintosh. It's so cute! We lurved the drawing program.

 Remember when you could only open one window/program at a time?

Somewhere in high school the folks bought me an electric typewriter, so I wrote a lot of books on typewriter too. And when I stayed with my mum each summer, I used her typewriter.

Meanwhile my dad had a Macintosh Plus, which I used when he wasn't. 

And at some point in grade 11 I had a little second hand computer in my room, but I can't remember what it was. Pretty sure I have some stories on floppy disk that never got transferred over.

I think I inherited the Mac Plus when my dad got the first laptop, so I wrote tons of stories on that, plus my college papers.

I can't remember which computer I had when I moved out, near the end of my BA. But I definitely did my English BA all on a computer.

The first computer that I bought with my money was a second hand LC III.

My first new computer was the second generation of imacs, paid for with a bonus from work when I was first a manager. I used the heck out of that little thing--tons of stories, some Nanowrimo, and my first BA. My foster sister has it now, just for music and photos.

For my MA we bought a laptop, the first Macbook Pro. 

The money came from the extra shifts my husband was doing at the time. And in return it was our first Warcraft compatible computer.

My desk. Why is there a pillow on my desk?

 :-)   Nombly!

It's still my current computer (5 years old! That's like 80 in computer years.)

My second hand ipod, a gift from my brother.

Terrible battery life, but I replaced it myself using a third party battery, so it works nicely now. When it's at home it's hooked up to my kitchen stereo.

Fernando's first computer, inherited from my brother when he went laptop. (That's my brother's first generation imac in the background. Had to convince Fernando to part with it, poor little thing was so oldly.)

And the latest addition to our Apple family, my wee iPad 2.  

Should help me put off buying a new computer for awhile.

 So thank-you Steve Jobs for years and years of computer enjoyment. It's hard to imagine any other way of living now!