2016 — Family, theatre, and technology
In this year
Early in the year · An iMac with my grandmother #
At the beginning of the year, my grandmother and I specced out an iMac. We agreed it was worth investing in as a family computer. I had to make a choice between more memory and more storage, and I chose the Fusion Drive. In hindsight, I wish I had chosen the RAM. I still ended up needing an external SSD for Windows.
The machine served me from 2016 to 2018, then my grandmother and cousins kept using it until 2024. Later, I helped her move to a Mac mini and, eventually, a newer MacBook Air with 16GB of memory. Always help the people who helped you.
I wouldn’t be where I am without my grandmother. She gave me room to find my way in technology, often through her wallet. Most kids don’t get that opportunity, and I won’t take it for granted.
I can look back and see a consumeristic kid chasing the next device. I can also see the exposure and curiosity that led me to places I had only dreamed about. She didn’t know what would become of it, but she trusted me enough to make room for it. I can never fully repay that.
January–March · The iPad Pro #
I also bought fully into the iPad Pro. My MacBook Pro was the desktop or travel computer; the iPad was what I carried at school for notes, art, and reading. I loved it. Simple as.
Spring · The school election #
I ran a high-school election campaign with “Vote John” and “Get our hats back” graphics and signs.
My campaign material included digital graphics, handmade posters, and signs for class president. The album still has the preparation photos alongside the finished designs.
September · The iPhone 7 Plus #
The matte-black iPhone 7 Plus is still among my most-used and best-remembered iPhones. I loved the simpler antenna lines and the return of a proper black finish. Jet Black tempted me, but a mostly caseless life made matte the better choice.
I briefly detoured through an iPhone SE during what I can only describe as a spring bout of consumerism. The 7 Plus persisted. Between 3D Touch, the solid-state home button, and the speaker and camera improvements, there was a lot to enjoy even within a familiar shape.
October · The Crucible #
That fall, I played Governor Danforth in The Crucible at Hemet High School. After several years in theatre, the production helped me earn my Thespian membership.
It was a substantial commitment: months of memorization, blocking, and rehearsal. I enjoyed every bit of it. I would do it again if I could.
October · A trip to Disneyland #
October–November · Pixel Proof #
They just never stick.
