Allow me to formally introduce myself: I’m James Mowery (@JMowery on Twitter) and I’m 23 years old. I love long walks on the beach, vanilla flavored ice cream, and I have a serious problem — I love Apple!
I have had many opportunities to publish my brain around the Web, from CMSWire to Mashable, and many places in between. My writing over the years has been, in a word, diverse. But technology is my true passion: I live and breath tech. Still, even better than technology is, of course, Apple! This is why I am pleased to have the opportunity to write about the company and its products that I so thoroughly enjoy here on Maciverse.
But now, to add some excitement to this story, it’s time for a dramatic flashback.
I Find Apple
It’s March 2008, and I am standing atop my porch and staring down a this chunky FedEx that has arrived after what seemed an eternity. Like a kid in a candy store, I impatiently rush inside to tear the box to shreds and unveil its contents. Inside, there is this beautifully packaged white box with a picture of a Macbook on one side and an Apple logo on the other. Beautiful packaging is something I have never been used to, so I was excited.
So, of course, I do what any self-respecting technology journalist would do at this very moment: I scramble for my video camera and plan on shooting an unboxing video for the ages! It all sounds good in theory, but while I being mesmerized by this beautiful piece of technological engineering, I forget to properly focus the camera and ruin the entire video; definitely not the most memorable moment in my life.
Still, the Macbook exceeds all of my expectations. After hours of tweaking, exploring, and drooling, I become an overnight fanboy. It became certain that my first experience with an Apple product was not going to be my last.
Everything Changes
Yes, I said it: it was my first experience with an Apple product, ever! Admittedly, I was part of the iPod generation, and it seemed like every kid in my high school had one. But I wasn’t one of those types who would follow trends. I would more or less avoid them at all costs. Everyone wanted iPods for Christmas; I asked for a Ferrari, instead. Aim big, right? (No, I do not own a Ferrari!)
Regardless, that Macbook did serve as an eye opener to a new level of technology that I had never experienced before. The craftsmanship, design, styling, and functionality was all top notch and above expectation. I couldn’t have asked for anything more at a wallet-emptying price of $1,400.
But I live a simple life, thanks in part to Leo Babatua’s Zen Habits blog. It was only a year ago that I decided to eliminate the clutter in my life. All excess things must go! So I got rid of my Xbox 360, my PlayStation, and many other non-essential things. I tossed out a ton of junk in the closet, and I also gave up my Canon 40D (I am big into photography). Now, I’m struggling to rid myself of my turntables (I am quite good at spinning, scratching, and all that other DJ lingo as well). But I’ll do it… eventually.
What I Use
But the Apple products will never go!
I’m armed with
- a 13″ Macbook (black edition), which I use primarily now for writing and researching articles like this one;
- an iPod Touch, so I can enjoy the feeling of owning an iPhone without actually paying AT&T for their lackluster coverage (which is exactly why I don’t own an iPhone, but if it comes to Verizon, I’ll be the first in line);
- and an iPod Nano, for those times when I work out (which is a lot, but more on that later).
Yet I yearn for more! I want an iPad, but I’m waiting for the next version. I have mixed feelings about whether or not I should purchase an iMac, which is difficult to justify when I haven’t really used a desktop computer in over two years. Finally, I want an iPhone 4, but that isn’t going to happen until AT&T’s exlcusivity ends and Apple puts it on either Verizon or Sprint (or both)!
So that’s all I have to say about Apple and I, but if you would like to know more, read on.
Would You Like To Know More?
Really? Well, then, here are some other interesting facts about me:
- I lost 100+ pounds in one year (from April 2009 to April 2010).
- I won an award with a team of three for desktop publishing in middle school against hundreds of other schools in the state of Virginia (regrettably, we used PowerPoint).
- My favorite television show was The Screen Savers, a technology-focused TV show on TechTV, with Leo Laporte, Patrick Norton, and Kevin Rose.
- I was asked to appear for an interview on G4TV’s Attack of the Show, but I chickened out in the end (ridiculous, I know).
- I witnessed Snooki getting arrested while in Jersey Shore (watch for it, if you dare, in the third season).
- My favorite food is spaghetti.
Let’s Connect!
Social media is a big part of my life now. And I love talking tech, social media, music, and sports (especially when the Pittsburgh Steelers are involved). So feel free to follow me Twitter (@JMowery), friend me on Facebook, or message me with an old-fashioned e-mail. There is, also, the blog of James Mowery — and while it looks like crap now, it is going to be redesigned into a mecca of awesomeness that even John Gruber of DaringFireball would envy!
