You need to understand that I owe my friend Dave big-time.
Not in any material sense, but in terms of giving me the advice and tools that have now become the core of my life's purpose. I feel really fortunate for having met Dave and having met him at the time that I did. He was essentially the first person I'd encountered as an adult who respected me enough to suggest that I try out the programming language, applications and tools that I now use for a living.
He's a man of few words (and even fewer back then!) but his steady, calm gently insistent advice has consistently been amazing (to this day). Back then I was scared and green and dumb enough to try his suggestions because honestly he's one of the smartest guys I know and if Dave thought it was a good idea it implicitly must be. He then put up with my complaining, whining, badgering and insecurity as I was learning (I'm a terrible student) with utmost patience and still keeps giving me great advice, suggestions and just someone to nerd-out about this stuff to.
This was years ago and we've all come much further now. I do that stuff, Dave finished his PhD and the magic time when we were all hanging out at the uni in that funny pre-adulthood evaporated. There was death, marriage break-downs, new life and we all kind of grew up and dispersed all around the place. We all keep in touch but it's not the same as all working in the same building without the rigid constraints of real adult responsibility.
In this meantime Dave had met an amazing girl -- so when he invited me to his wedding in April of 2013 I was so thrilled. I live over the other side of the country now but wouldn't have missed it.
It was also important to me that I got him a present that really represented how much I valued his friendship over the years.
Then towards the end of April came ... The Idea
great stuff, I admire your work. I wonder such arts require much effort to create and who can appreciate it. I certainly do. May be only by a comment.
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