john pastor

Steve Jobs, 1955-2011

My first exposure to Apple was in first or second grade. Blue & white Power Mac G3’s as I remember. I really didn’t know who made them at the time, but I thought they looked so cool. A few years later was when I became obsessed. I had received my first Mac. A Power Mac G4 purchased from CompUSA’s refurbished Mac section. This was only the beginning. 

It wasn’t too long until I became more and more interested in Apple. Soon, I was one of those people who waited in line for Macworld keynotes in the wee hours of the morning, just to see the visionary speak in person. The closest I ever got to Steve was an overflow room. But his energy and marketing brilliance still came through. He captivated audiences in a way that is indescribable.

When I graduated high school, I chose a quote from Steve Jobs’ 2005 commencement address at Stanford University as my senior quote.

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.

I wouldn’t be the person I am today without you, Steve. Thank you.