Bye-bye R307

part of me
Thank you to everyone for being part of my life at Apple. I now have an opportunity for a new life ahead of me out in the Pacific Northwest where my daughters and grand daughters (and soon to be grandson) live. I will miss you all and hope to catch up once in a while on FB or in person when I visit Maine. I hope I will still be working at Apple somewhere, but it will never be as good as at our beloved R307. If I can’t stand living three hours behind you-all, I’ll be back to stay. I will miss you, Adam, and your all-knowing and comforting demeanor. I will miss you, Allie, and your watchful eye and ability to shine even beside Dan. I will miss you, Amy, and the way you take care of everyone so capably (and I did find someone to take my chickens). I will miss you, Andrew, and your mischievous smile underneath (or on top of) your managerial stance. I will miss you, Ashley R, and your no nonsense but helpful way with people. I will miss you, Benzo, and your happy-to-be-here friendliness and dedication. I will miss you, Bess, and your upbeat and unwavering drive. I will miss you, Bill, and your helpfulness in training and beyond. I will miss you, Billy, and your dedication and friendliness to all of us even when closing in the dark of night. I will miss you, Bob, and how we were getting to be on the workshopping team. I will miss you, Brian, and your gotta-do-right organization and wearer of so many virtual hats. I will miss you, Carl, and your ho ho ho cheerfulness being with us at Apple. I will miss you, Carrie, the new bride, always willing to take on every challenge with a smile. I will miss you, Jim, aka Cherokee Fats, and your lovely Indian ways that speak from your heart and soul. I will miss you, Cheryl, and your knowledgeable and supportive, got-your-back way with everyone. I will miss you, Chris B, ever the quietly creative thinker and planner, flexible and helpful in every way. I will miss you, Chris C, and talking about Saab-love and your willingness to help in any situation. I will miss you, Chris F, but maybe not really if I can still read your amazingly creative epithets on FB. I will miss you, Chris R, more than I can describe because you are beyond words, a shining star dancing thorough knowledge like no other. I will miss you, Chris S, but maybe not if I can keep reading about and visiting the plethora of +1 and FB links you post to worldly insights I didn’t know I could live without. I will miss you, CJ, cheerful, laughing boy, and dear to my heart, hugs and fist bumps to you. I will miss you, Cleve, and your happy go lucky, cheerful greetings. I will miss you, Courtney, my dear little grandchild with a savvy, but in-the-moment (even if it’s a virtual moment) presence. I will miss you, Dan B, and the true back of house and everything at R307. I will miss you, Dan D, watching this rock star and student of the universe find your way. I will miss you, David F, the ever-present, never wavering and watchful eye, looking out for all of us to be our best. I will miss you, David S, always a stalwart member of the R307 originals, hoping you get what you need in life. I will miss you, Dean, and your wry outlook on happenings with an honest sense of both understanding and questioning. I will miss you, Dom, the unassuming, fix everything guy who usually has the answers but doesn’t need to talk about it, not even between bites of hot potato chips. I will miss you, Ed, and how there is never a chance you won’t know the answer...if you ever have time to give it. I will miss you, Evan, a new and bright light in the Apple team, brightening every day you are there. I will miss you, Frank, the only specialist that might almost be as old as I am. I will miss you, Greg, another of the originals and an anchor for me with a window into the way it really is when things get frantic. I will miss you, Hilz, and watching you become a brighter and starrier version of the way you’ve always been, with the best and most confident phone-answering voice I have ever heard. I will miss you, Ian, and your incredible (no, it’s credible) intellect, invisibly standing out among all of us and muttering entertaining views on everything that passes by...if it deserves it. I will miss you, Jamie, and your goofy sense of humor popping out at the most unexpected times even in the midst of fearless leadership and understanding of individuals as well as the crowds and hoards you face every day. I will miss you, Jared, and your professional nature, bound for something glorious. I will miss you, Jay, a steadfast soul who has always seemed the calm in any storm and whom I want to emulate. I will miss you, Jeff, who always takes the time to talk and answer even though you may be way too busy to do so. I will miss you, Jennifer, who is somehow able to maintain calmness amid the chaos and stay in good spirits. I will miss you, Jenny, and how you practically fly through the halls like a little worker bee, gathering and depositing and happy in your work. I will miss you, Jeremy, with whom I have shared many conversations and realizations and now implore to remember the song, “How Can I Keep From Singing.” I will miss you, Jerry, an amazing juggler of life and career(s) and the unwavering voice of reason, peace and love towards humanity. I will miss you, Joey, and your ever-changing hairstyle and never-ending grins. I will miss you, John T, and your cosmopolitan accent and easy-going manner. I will miss you, Jon B, and your towering above but non-oppressing good humor. I will miss you, Jon K, and your scary gruffness which disappears when you saunter along sporting your red bluetooth earmuff headphones over your knitted cap. I will miss you, Jud, and your Thai ways (as if I actually knew what they were) and your always friendly and smiling face. I will miss you, Judy, and the confidence and comfort you inspire with your calm and collected demeanor no matter to whom you are speaking. I will miss you, Kal, and your underlying and subtle sense of humor while always being in touch with real life and what is important in it. I will miss you, Katie, and your capable, confident and watchful eye overlooking the store goings-on. I will miss you, Land, superhero and grinning commando of workshop success...keep dancing. I will miss you, Laurie, who must now take the motherly reins and ride this Apple steed. I will miss you, Mark, and your incredible talent in many things, who tells it like it is and helps us all muddle through. I will miss you, Matt L, and your agreeable, welcoming attitude towards everyone. I will miss you, Matt S, Spofftastic, ever jockeying your wealth and wonderment of songs and i-knowledge and other winks. I will miss you, Maz, and your good looks and smile for everyone and joi de vivre. I will miss you, Melissa, multi-faceted, knowledgeable and talented woman, without fear and with a million stories told and yet left to tell. I will miss you, Mike F, who has always stepped up to organize what was in dire need of organization. I will miss you, Mikey, who is always asking how people are and how things are going and really meaning what you say. I will miss you, Nickem, and your classy plaid shorts all through the winter and your bouncy sense of humor all year, and your unwavering desire to lead us all towards fun and fantasy for our own good. I will miss you, Nils, and hearing about your life and times adventures. I will miss you, Jason H, because you are one of the R307 originals and one of the hardest workers I know. I will miss you, Pam, and your clapping and cheering us on towards being better and happier people. I will miss you, Patrick, and your understanding ways, one of the R307 originals, now our sweetest leader and confidant. I will miss you, Paul F, but I know where your blog is so you won’t be far away. I will miss you, Paul Mc, another one of the R307 originals who is head and shoulders above most of us, in many things besides height. I will miss you, Peter, and your friendly willing ways with customers and specialists. I will miss you, Rafal, and your mustache. I will miss you, Sarah H, and your grace and friendliness and bright and cheerful eyes. I will miss you, Sasha, and your upbeat personality, positive vibe, super friendly ways...and red lipstick. I will miss you, Schuyler, and your analytical earnestness and organization even in the face of chaos and how you can still find enjoyment amidst the, uh...what’s that word...ambiguity. I will miss you, Simon, and your links farther into reality (both obvious and augmented) than I will ever go. I will miss you, Sue, and your complete grasp and vast understanding of what is happening here. I will miss you, Swood, and trying to figure out how to cut my hair like yours, as well as how refreshingly smart and unassuming you are. I will miss you, Ted B, and your unpretentiousness about your knowledge and skill. I will miss you, Ted S, and your tattoos and hairstyles and frankness when you speak. I will miss you, Torrey, and everything about you, especially what pops up unexpectedly but is somehow expected. I will miss you, Travis, and your shy frankness and drive to get where you want to go. I will miss you, Tyler, and your coolness, speediness, competence and watching you grow. I will miss you, Wally, and your leadership and confident manner and how you never seem to even get close to screaming when most everyone else would. I will miss you, Wayne, and your interest and joy in everything new that comes y(our) way. I will miss everyone, and although I didn’t use the word “beautiful” you are all beautiful and I hope you don’t forget me. And to Julie, Annie, Holly, Kayly, Kate, Linda, Ashley, Evan, the other Jasons (A, B, S) and many others I am sorry I never got to know well enough, I will miss the fact that I didn’t get to know you.
me