While working at Apple almost three decades ago, a colleague previewed a video for me that he'd been working on for some time. This was during the relatively early days of creating your own 'movies' on a home computer. Complex compilations of images, video, and sound had not been so easily producible in the prior years. Hand-crafted efforts like this were far more intimate than much of what is easily auto-generated today, without nearly as much effort, and even less deliberate choices being made.
Brian's video was a birthday themed labor of love for his father. The montage of images he had collated had required a lot of scanning due to physical photographs being the prevalent media during most of his father's life, which added to the very personal aspect of selections that went into it. An apropos song accented the content, context, and his attention to detail as well.
It was, of course, as were most things he put his attention to, impressive and inspiring. And as was (and remains) his perfectionist nature, there were a few moments here and there that he noted needing some degree of refinement. As he pointed one or two out within the video timeline, I directed him back to that specific moment and asked him to hit play again. Brian smiled, pausing briefly with pride and appreciation that it was recognized. The song's lines "Give me your answer, fill in the form, mine forevermore" played as their photo filled the screen.
The song was "When I'm 64". The age his dad was turning that year. A year or so later I was present at the aforementioned foreshadowed wedding, as was his father, mother and grandmother, too.
I don't anticipate a video of such significance from my kids. My phone's AI and photo app will likely present me with multiple variations throughout the day, by default. Plus, my kids are not as attuned to the song or to having such regard for my life's passage at their age of 21. I certainly expect they will in their 30s, and I hope I will be there to enjoy it at my 75th. In the meantime, beyond the cultural relevance of the Beatles, this 64th year's sole significance is my starting the clock to having medicare choices locked in by January.
There is another important aspect of this 64th turn of my biological odometer. The same I try to reflect on annually if not daily. Pausing to recognize the decades of influence from my own family and many friends, colleagues and mentors. There's dozens (but only a few might read this while we're both still alive.) Some remain present to this day, a couple have already passed away, and many others have faded from routine view yet nowhere near into obscurity.
Brian's video was a birthday themed labor of love for his father. The montage of images he had collated had required a lot of scanning due to physical photographs being the prevalent media during most of his father's life, which added to the very personal aspect of selections that went into it. An apropos song accented the content, context, and his attention to detail as well.
At one particular point, an image of he and his then-girlfriend Patricia coincided with a lyric that struck me as perhaps more foreshadowing than reminiscence. Recognizing the effort that had gone into producing this caused me to set a mental bookmark while enjoying the remainder of the show.
It was, of course, as were most things he put his attention to, impressive and inspiring. And as was (and remains) his perfectionist nature, there were a few moments here and there that he noted needing some degree of refinement. As he pointed one or two out within the video timeline, I directed him back to that specific moment and asked him to hit play again. Brian smiled, pausing briefly with pride and appreciation that it was recognized. The song's lines "Give me your answer, fill in the form, mine forevermore" played as their photo filled the screen.
The song was "When I'm 64". The age his dad was turning that year. A year or so later I was present at the aforementioned foreshadowed wedding, as was his father, mother and grandmother, too.
Life went on with time passing in lock step with marriage, children, job changes, home purchases, travel, holidays, and the daily blurs so easily lost in between recollections and milestones. Yet the memory of watching that video remains fresh today, as if it happened yesterday. All as time has passed to the point where the song he used for his father's video can now be associated to me. Today, I turn 64.
I don't anticipate a video of such significance from my kids. My phone's AI and photo app will likely present me with multiple variations throughout the day, by default. Plus, my kids are not as attuned to the song or to having such regard for my life's passage at their age of 21. I certainly expect they will in their 30s, and I hope I will be there to enjoy it at my 75th. In the meantime, beyond the cultural relevance of the Beatles, this 64th year's sole significance is my starting the clock to having medicare choices locked in by January.
There is another important aspect of this 64th turn of my biological odometer. The same I try to reflect on annually if not daily. Pausing to recognize the decades of influence from my own family and many friends, colleagues and mentors. There's dozens (but only a few might read this while we're both still alive.) Some remain present to this day, a couple have already passed away, and many others have faded from routine view yet nowhere near into obscurity.
All of you define me. All of you have had character building impacts on my world view, my self awareness, my sense of humor (or painful lack of.) I will always be grateful for having shared this experience. Who could ask for more?