The last time I posted on this blog was almost two years ago on the anniversary of my father's death. The cryptic message that was there that day was my announcement I was getting married to the love of my life.

So much has changed since then. I no longer live in New York. I am enjoying my little condo with my wife, Justine, in Santa Clara, CA. It really is a nice feeling to be able to sit back and relax without the hustle and bustle of New York's crazy life, but as it was so aptly said in Rent: "But you'd miss New York before you could unpack."

We have a dog now called Maverick. He's a ferocious Pit Bull who will lick you to death on command. I also have a beautiful wife, Justine, and an amazing job. I work for Apple Corporate doing video production. For all intents and purposes, there will be many more lives to live, and stories to be told. I figured that a two year layoff was good enough for me.

The only regret I have over the past two years is that I stopped writing. With my very own deck to sit out on and a relaxing life at night, I can start to get back into redefining what makes me tick. I miss those days where I could just create and I need to get back into it. I haven't written a song in almost two years. Crazy.

So... to sum up this last crazy week:

Last Friday: I flew back from California to New York
Last Saturday: My brother got married. I was Best Man.
Sunday: 100+ Mile bike ride from Plainfield, CT to Boston, MA. Flew back to California.
Monday: Training bright and early in the morning. Justine left her job.
Tuesday: Took Motion 2 test. Failed it. Justine started working as a sales lead at Victoria's Secret.
Wednesday: Took DVD Studio Pro 4 test. Got certified in DVD Studio Pro 4.
Thursday: Took Motion 2 test. Got certified in Motion 2.
Friday: Took Shake 3.5 test. Got certified in Shake 3.5. Created a presentation to show the Apple marketing group. Justine sold the Jeep.

It's all starting to come together. We both had a whirlwind of a week, and dammit, I don't want it to end. Somehow, even with all the shit that has happened this week, it is not even near the stress level that I had in my previous jobs...

I love Apple. Maybe I've been drinking the Kool-Aid for too long, but Apple can be summed up in one very easy sentence: A bunch of brilliant guys and gals working together to change the world.

I'm going to San Francisco now to relax. =)

You like Apples?



Well, I just ran the table on all of my certifications in less than two weeks.

How do you like them Apples?

Two more to go before I run the proverbial Level One table on these apps. There is no way that I am going to stop now.

Let's run the table.

Also, according to my calculations, we're past the 581,000,000 mark for Apple iTunes as of yesterday evening.

19 million songs in 12 days? Very doable.

I don't know where to begin. What a day.

First and foremost, the love of my life turned 30. Definitely an important day in her life. She was sad that I wasn't in New York with her to celebrate, as was I. Bernie made her a cake and Lisa gave her flowers. They are really a wonderful support group for her when she's doing things that I couldn't even fathom, affecting the lives of fourth graders in the Bronx who really need it. I love you, Snugs.

Secondly, Cupertino is an amazing city. The Campus is absolutely gorgeous. The Apple Corporation is definitely the egghead company I would love to end up at. The company has affected my life so much that it's unfathomable just how in awe I was of the people working there and the people I'll be working with in Staten Island. It really contributes a whole new level of Apple to my consciousness, one that will remain with me as I plod along in this particular company, striving to find my niche.

Thirdly, Apple's stock shot up through the roof today in anticipation of tomorrow's annoucement at 10. We will be on the forefront of selling these things, whatever they may be, at the Staten Island store come later in the fall.

Lastly, I am starting to get the creative bug to write Nine 11 again. So much juice is flowing back into my mind that it's starting to occur to me the importance of what I came to New York City to do in the first place. Apple has helped me in so many ways creatively. And it seems to be starting to do so again.

Anyway, that's all for now. Neil, I got a present for you. I have to give it to you when I get back.

Jeez. Apple's about to pass the 600 million mark.

251,612 orders a day.

The order, 94,610,400, on iTunes, will be the order that iTunes will pass the 600,000,000 mark, judging by the numbers that I have in my personal order database. Right now, it's sitting at 91,170,352. This is the last order I placed.

So, projecting the numbers out, on September 17th, Apple has a chance to surpass the 600,000,000 mark... two months TO THE DAY that they surpassed 500,000,000.

To be this large, this quickly, is beyond anything this company should have ever thought to expect. And this Christmas, iTunes is going to make a killing.

I ship out tomorrow to Cupertino... I'm gonna miss my Snugs. =(