The One Where Steve Changed My Life

When I was a young mother, only twenty-one years old, Steve Jobs changed my life. He made it possible for me to quit my full-time job as a legal secretary and stay home with my babies. This was my computer:

Don’t laugh... it was a magical time for personal computing. I rode the leading edge of what was lovingly named “desktop publishing.” Over the next eight years, while raising five small boys and trying to keep my house in one piece, I worked hours every day and night, setting type and designing graphics for individuals, small businesses, and even the Irvine Company, which was, and is, quite large in Orange County.

I learned a lot of things. I learned to work well with men. In fact, one day Donny Osmond came to my little apartment and met with me about typesetting his fan club newsletter! (I know, weird fact, right?) I learned that when a two-year-old puts multiple floppy disks into a computer disk drive, that the disk drive must then be replaced. I learned that I was a hard worker, and if that I had to, I could pull all-nighters and finish a job in order to feed my family. I learned that there were few people who shared that work ethic, and that I could not duplicate myself... no matter how hard I tried to find motivated individuals who wanted to make extra money, they would likely not pull an all-nighter, even if it meant making a few hundred dollars in a night that would help make ends meet for their own family! Those years of crazy hard work at a young age helped to make me a very strong, independent and entrepeneurial person, and made me realize that I never want to work for someone besides myself. I learned that I could always think of a way to earn money when it was necessary.

I also learned that I love the written word. I actually enjoyed setting type on the computer and I love fonts and typefaces of all kinds. I haven’t been a typesetter in many years, but I still love those beautiful letters. I have been working today on the typography for the CD cover. Here are some of the ideas I came up with. I can’t wait until you see the artwork that my friend Claudine is creating (think European stone angels!) but as you can see from these samples, there is also art in the words. Which do you like?

The Mother’s Day One

This is how I have spent the last two weeks.... and it was a great two weeks. I got to take photos of some really cool people, and I love the song Garry and I wrote together. My biggest frustration, however, came after I completed the video. The video, which looks amazing on my big screen and sounds wonderful on my great speakers (do yourself a favor and listen to this once with HEADPHONES and you will hear a whole new world!) was not translating well to YouTube. I wanted it to be available in HD, and despite trying about 15 times with the last video, and about five more with this one, I was having no luck.

Suddenly this morning when I had already given up and told Garry to just post this on our Archangel Records Facebook page, I stumbled across a comment buried deep within an unrelated question on an old YouTube help forum. It stated that even though YouTube accepts MOV format (the Apple Quicktime movie standard) that I had to use a certain compression, with a certain number of databits per second, and check a particular box. Why no one could just TELL ME THAT... I have no idea. I suppose this had become a matter of my not inconsiderable pride that I was supposed to be good at computer stuff, and this was eluding me. But no longer, and so you should really watch it in HD... instead of watching it here, click and go watch it on YouTube, full-screen HD. Yahoo!

I hope you will not only watch this, but then share it with your mother. Your mother-in-law. Your daughters. Please share it on your blog. On your Facebook page. Hope you love it. Hope it makes you cry. That, as always, is the goal. Happy happy Mother’s Day!!!

The One With the Old-School iPod

I know, I know. I have been a really poor blogger this summer. I am repenting. A post a day, for the next week. That is my pledge. So... this Wassily Kandinsky print hangs over the computer in my office/studio. It is from 1925, and is entitled “Yellow, Red, Blue.” Why? Anyone’s guess, people.

I do a lot of pondering while I sit at my computer and work on music. I have always liked this particular painting, but over the last few months, I have realized that it has a lot of familiar, comforting things about it. I see an old-school iPod Nano (I used to have one in that very color) sitting in a dock on a pedestal, two Rubik’s Cubes, chopsticks, most of a solar system, a question mark, stairs, an X-acto knife, a flag, cat’s whiskers, musical staff and a blue moon. What do you see? And what is hanging in your special place?

Note: The X-acto knife was invented in the 1930’s... Rubik’s Cube in 1974, and the iPod... well, you know. Do you suppose they all owe a little something to old Wassily?

The One With the Look of Love

Dear iMac,

Have I told you lately how much I love you? I know I am not supposed to love inanimate objects, but let’s face it…you are anything but inanimate! I have been saving files indiscriminately, yet haven’t even occupied two percent of your roomy 640 gigabyte hard disk. Running Logic Studio with more than twenty tracks at a time, you don’t even break a sweat. You escort me through the minefield of the internet as though it is your own personal playground, always shielding my eyes from anything profane or vulgar.

I know you’re watching me, too, because I clicked and you took this picture of me. We like all the same shows on Hulu HD (Battlestar Gallactica, The Closer, 24…did I tell you about my Jack Bauer dream where we were jumping into an empty elevator shaft, suspended from chains…and I woke up with this horrible bruise on my arm…I don’t think it was from the chains, but seriously, where else would it have come from?). We agree on all the important things: (cream cheese frosting does not belong on cinnamon rolls, it’s more important to have a nice piano than a nice car, and having kids is definitely better than having pets). I guess what I’m saying is, BFFs, okay? Love you.
P.S. You look great in silver…all 24 inches of you. Speaking of silver, since you’re so new, we could call you an anniversary present…because you know, DK and I are celebrating 25 in just a week.

The One With the Stroke of Genius

Cox High-Speed Internet did not come up with this idea themselves…it is just too good. But someone, somewhere, had this amazing brainchild: When people have problems with their internet, or with accessing their e-mail, you offer live chat. And when they take you up on your kind offer, you route their chat to people in Mexico, India and I don’t even know where else. Maybe Nicaragua…Guam. Timbuktu. Anywhere where you can pay a nine-year-old 37 cents an hour to sit in front of a computer screen and practice their English using a pre-determined set of automated responses. It is wonderful, and I think I am going to adapt it for parental use.

Mom, I’m hungry. Would you like to initiate a Live Chat at this time?
Um, I guess? I’m just hungry. We appreciate your business. Please be patient, as you are currently number 18 in our queue. 17… 16…
Okay, I’ll just make a PBJ. Excellent. Thank you for choosing us as your parental providers. Is there anything else we can help you with this evening?
Well, I need help on my Spanish homework. Would you like to initiate a live chat at this time?
I thought we were already having a live chat. Thank you for your patience. You are next in the queue.
Mom, I just need you to look at my Spanish paper. We are going to need a little more information in order to help you. Please have your class description, textbook, Spanish-English Dictionary and a note from your teacher handy. What is the specific problem you are experiencing?
I need you to proofread my essay. I am sorry for any inconvenience this problem may be causing.
It is not a problem. I just need you to look at it. I am sorry, but we can’t reliably provide advice on third-party products.
It isn’t a third-party product. I just wrote it myself. Please unplug everything in the room, wait for the count of 30 and then plug it back in. I will wait here until you have completed this.
I’m just going to go ask Dad to look at my paper. Excellent. Thank you for choosing us as your parental providers. Is there anything else I can help you with this evening?
You didn’t help me with anything. We truly value your patronage. Have a good evening.
>>Victoria has closed the chat and left the room.<<

What an idea. In the words of Steve Martin in the movie Roxanne: “I think it's brilliant! What an idea! And I was there! He took the idea! He saw it ripe on the tree, he plucked it, and he put it in his pocket. It's…it's… dare I say... genius? Ah, no, NO! But maybe, ooh! ah! maybe it is! Maybe I'm in the presence of greatness, Maybe I just don't know it. But I saw it...”