A Fond Farewell...

(I wrote this while in the airport last night awaiting flight boarding)

Today is my last day in Cupertino. A lot has happened over the last 2 weeks of my life. I have been humbled by the experience of being dribbled down to that 'High School" feeling. I have been validated in my testing, my scores and my past. I have been brought to a place of happiness by finding friendships in the most unlikely of places.

This experience as a whole has shown me a hell of a lot. I am a guy who has gone through a lot. A lot of good, a lot of happiness, a lot of sadness and it all equals one word.... experience. Over the past 6 months I have been put through the ringer emotionally. Self doubt, self consciousness and a huge bit of "where is this road leading and was it a mistake?"

Looking back on it now, it all led up to this one point in time. This one moment in which everything I have ever done and, at the time, questioned the value of... came into focus. I will say that Steve Jobs put it best, my version of what he said would be, "Everything we have done in life has a purpose or a use. We often go through things and wonder what use will this have for me in the rest of my life. We all go through things, positive and negative and ask ourselves why. In hindsight you realize it is like 'connecting the dots. And those dots all make a path that prepared you for what it is you are to do in life."

I look back at it all, then I am put in this challenging situation... and I fucking nailed it! I mean every job I ever had, every job I ever lost, every job I ever walked away from, every bit of hardship that has left a scar was all for this moment. I have my dream job. A dream job that has opened a world of possibility. A dream job that has already enriched my life in a matter of 2 weeks.

One way it has done so is the validation. I have been validated. My intellect has been validated. All that time I spent being a computer nerd has been validated. All that time I spent being troubled over my life only to came out of it alive has been validated. This experience was essentially someone saying, good job! We appreciate what you know, what you can do and who you are.

Another way, the friendships I built here. They are perhaps some of the strangest yet oddly the strongest bonds I have made since I met Jeremy. I made friends with a gaggle of Australians. It is odd how I managed to forge these friendships, with people who are literally from half a world away from me. Yet we bonded. To the point where they are like, "You have to come visit us in Australia. You just have to get here, we'll take care of the rest.". And they mean it. I in turn have invited them to MA, I will take care of them and I mean it. I have enjoyed meeting all of them, and leaving today knowing that I won't see them again until I can book a flight to Sydney was VERY saddening. But I am grateful to have met them. Very grateful. Five in particular... Pippi, Alex, Bobby, Marco and Glen... guys... I love yas. I really do. I know we had only known each other a week, but I just want to say thank you! Thank you guys for being... well... for being like me. The only time I ever felt comfortable during this trip was when I was hanging out with you guys. Who knew that simply helping out with study would turn into something that means a lot to me? So thank you and good luck on your hardware exams next week, you guys will crush them and laugh about it later.

Yet another way was to be shown a more clear path for what I want in my future with Apple. Our instructor Paul was amazing. He showed and inspired me to follow through with what it is I must do. He taught me things that are not based on ones intellect. The others in my class had learned a lot in regards to tech. I came in with that knowledge. The others learned a lot in regards to customer service and procedure. I came with that knowledge. What I learned was that being positive.... is a good thing. That genuinely wanting to help people was a good thing. That not all heroes where capes. My hero complex... the one that got me into a lot of trouble, has a place here. I genuinely want to help people. I genuinely enjoy computers and technology. I have a place here. I work for one of the most innovative technology companies on the planet, I have met some of the best people... cream of the crop types... and I am one of them.

Corny as it may sound, I think my life is finally taking shape. It is going to be very hard my first few months as I have the issue of commuting and my living location working against me. But if I can do this, those obstacles will quickly diminish and doing what I love will be much easier!

And to my Aussies... your Bostralian has a message for you.

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE OY OY OY!

- Daemian