Episode 601
August 8, 2020
This week i closed the books on iMentor.
i am officially retired.
Dear regular readers… do not dismay.
i will still write my bLog.
If needed and if asked i will connect to some of your computers if i can help remotely.
House calls will be rare.
My primary business goal in iMentor was to make myself obsolete with every customer.
The success of my business was built on this goal.
If i can “teach you half as much about computers as your kids know” i have succeeded.
It is, after all, in the name of my company…. i – Mentor.
i encouraged clients to learn how to fix the problems themselves.
With those accomplishments my clients became my best salesmen.
“Call the iMentor. He taught me how to fix my computer problem.”
My English degree from Notre Dame was useful after all.
i am able to translate geek into English.
i have always been a teacher in business and in life.
To this end, i created my bLog.
600 bLog episodes ago i began the iMentor Hints and Rants bLog as a free service for my past and present clients.
Over those 11.5 years i gave tips, shortcuts, procedures, work arounds and repair advice.
i have emphasized, reminded, scolded and SCREAMED OUT LOUD the need to back up your data.
Sometimes i have said that you should update or upgrade.
Sometimes i have not.
Sharing the history of computing was fun.
Imagining the future of computing was sometimes frightening.
i will still write my bLog.
Expect less hints and more rants.
The content will be less technical and more human.
Get ready to follow me on projects around the ranch.
Take to the roads as Paula and i continue our quest to skydive in all 50 states. (We have jumped in 30 so far.)
Expect that my iMac, iPhone and iPad will still play a role in my bLog.
There are things about Apple that are just not the same as they used to be.
Some good. Some different. Some just wrong.
My bLog will have things to say about Apple.
As my computing equipment ages with me i will share the challenges it presents.
My favorite excerpt from the bLog so far is from February 25, 2012.
Episode #160 “Code Poem”,
It is a poem i wrote named “while:”
The poem will actually run on a computer.
It describes sleeping.
while :
# by rickiT
:Sleep
For zzz = 1 To 3
Next zzz
GoTo Sleep
This poem reminds me of my only frustration with computers.
No matter how fast the computer is, i always seem to be waiting for it.
i will still write my bLog.
The iMentor Hints and Rants bLog is my way of waking you up every week.
Most of all i will continue to teach.
Critical thinking, common sense and an open mind will always be themes of my bLog.
If i open your eyes, don’t be surprised when,
like my own eyes in the morning,
yours close again to finish a dream.
WOW! Congratulations! I’m SO happy for you!!
I still have the sky-diving Santa ornament you gave me years ago. He resides happily above the kitchen doorway every December, much to the delight of any visitors.
Have fun in your next chapter of life!
Julia
OH NO But since I’m retired I guess it’s only fair. Hope you will help if I get flummoxed with a techy detail
Many Thanks
i will always be there for you Vic.
Good luck and best wishes in your retirement…..or instead of ‘retirement’ think of it as ‘rewirement’ into
some passion you already have or will develop.
(btw) I went to St. Mary’s of Notre Dame way back in the 50’s; we had to cross the highway wearing our
gloves and hats (St. Mary ladies ALWAYS WORE HATS) and of course, they quickly came off.
Fondy,
Maureen, i remember when i was the Vice President of Fisher hall. i had the keys to the basement tunnel door. We sometimes visited not to be named St Marys dorms. i was obligated to live up to my title of “Vice” President.
Rick:
Congratulations on your success, and words of wisdom! Enjoy your retirement! I look forward to reading of your travels/adventures! All the best!
But will you still write your bLog? 🙂
i have to use my English degree somehow. The bLog is so much fun to write. Good to hear from you Ron.
Rick,
Congratulations on your retirement. It is wonderful an I hope you enjoy it. I haven’t seen you for a long time but I did appreciate the help you gave me when I needed it. Enjoy your continued quest to sky dive in all 50 states. Hopefully things will improve for our country in the not too distant future. Stay safe and well.
Hugs,
Carol Marsh
Dear Rick,
Congratulations on your retirement! You and Paula deserve to follow your dreams and sky dive all over the world if that’s what you desire 🙂 :). Denis and I will miss you! Although he has big shoes to fill, we’ve already hired the fellow (Tom) you recommended and he’s terrific. We look forward to continuing to read your blog.
Fair winds and following seas.
Tina Craig
Seal Beach
Rick, thanks so much for your wit and wisdom over the years. Congratulations on your “retirement”! Enjoy it and of course, “happy landings” always in your personal quest traveling across the States..
I first made your acquaintance at SMOG when you were one of the reigning gurus offering your sage advice to the local southern Cal Mac Brotherhood. Those were some memorable times and wonderful people to be associated with. That was always something to look forward to each first Saturday of the month. Unfortunately, for me a move to southern AZ was necessitated by the soaring cost of living in SoCal.
Will look forward to your future bLogs and the same timely advice and wisdom you’ve been dispensing over
the years.
And as a Fighting Irish fan* for over 75 years (yep, you read that right!), lets “shake down the thunder from the skies” this coming fall while you’re “hitting the silk”.
Gene Harbut
* How could you not be as a parochial school student taught by the SCHOOL SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME???
Congratulations my friends ……… welcome to retirement. I have enjoyed it (although I would still go back to work) and I am sure you will, too ! When the vaccine is out and all folks of this fine land are well, and all is normalized, I will be out in California. Then, we can visit with beer or wine.
THANKS for all that you have done for us who knew less, until we read what you penned so well.
Mark and Jenny
Congratulations and thank you for some much needed and very helpful computer assistance over the years. Happy trails to you.
Congratulations on your retirement! I hope you have a wonderful time on your adventures. Even though you only came out to my house twice, you have always been my safety net, the one I knew I could call if I had computer problems. I will miss that sense of security about all things digital. Best of luck. Jeanette
I will miss your screaming out loud about back ups. Have 3. Have flash drives different places. You have influenced me! Retirement is fun & take care!! I always buy Mac products, too!
Rick – I can’t imagine not having you to call when I screw something up! I hope that you will have patience and help me out! Enjoy your retirement and sky diving! I have been jealous of you doing that!!! Someday maybe I will get up there and give it a try???
Best wishes!!
Ann
Ann, you can call me any time. Also, when you are ready to skydive i can help to arrange it.
Hi Rick,
Congrats on your retirement!
Please see my email reply to your blog email for my additional thoughts.
-B.
I miss those days of SMOG meetings where you were there in person to answer sticky questions. Not that I always understood the question, never mind the answer.
Thank you for all these years of assistance and just plain sharing. I’ll still look forward to a blog or two. Enjoy your life together
Lynn.
All the best in your retirement hope you are able to do all the things you want
Thank you all for your best wishes. i will miss the day to day, but will still help you if i can. As i said, i will still write a weekly bLog. i can’t help myself. It is who i am. Love you all. Peace.
Welcome to the club…you and Paula deserve it. Carol and I will still call you in need…and always call you…a Good Friend. Go Irish!
Rick, congratulations on your retirement; it is beyond well deserved. Your blog is frequently above my level of understanding, but I still read and enjoy it. Happy soaring and enjoy the next 20 states.
Rick, Enjoy your well deserved retirement. Without your tutoring I would not be able to function in this ever changing world.. Your greatest asset (other than your renaissance man mind) is the ability to teach. Without making your student feel inadequate or stupid, you are able to guide them to a better understanding of that mysterious and often frightening, but necessary, object, the MAC. And, you never showed any impatience; that must have been very difficult in my case. I will always read you blogs and look forward to watching the progress of your many new projects . Mahalo nui loa, Luana
Luana, i can’t single you out as my favorite student on this bLog, but you are my favorite student. The progress you made and the skills that you formed were astounding. Maluhia.
I echo everyone’s comments!
Rick, have a wonderful retirement.
You helped me in all the ways mentioned by others, and I’m absolutely grateful.
My best!
Susan