Tag Archives: Apple

Day 293: Steve Wozniak

Steve Wozniak

Steve Wozniak

Birthday card to my Dad from Steve Wozniak!

Birthday card to my Dad from Steve Wozniak!

You may recall that back on Day 236 I wrote Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak asking him to send my father a letter on his 75th birthday. I didn’t think this would happen – I had tried back on his 71st birthday – but I was wrong.

He didn’t write much, but it meant a lot to my Dad. I thought that was so cool of Woz and wanted to write to him to let him know how grateful I am for his kindness.

Day 293-3

Woz,

Thank you so much for sending my father a birthday card on his 75th birthday – it made his day. You’re a classy guy. Thank you.

Keep on creating!

Reed

P.S. My brother and his wife and I bought my dad the Apple watch for his birthday – so far he likes it. I can’t help but be curious about what you think about it.

Day 236: Steve Wozniak

wozniak

Steve Wozniak, photo: mashable.com

Today’s letter is to Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak with a special request for my Dad’s 75th birthday. This would make him so happy. The Apple my Dad owns has a label with some numbers on it, something like 00003. Some people say this is a serial number and that this is the third one ever made, others say this is a number put on the computer by the Byte Shop, the store where he bought the Apple I. Regardless, there are not many of these guys in existence today – I think less than 50. Pretty cool.

Day 236-2

Dear Steve,

Happy belated 65th birthday! I hope you and Janet had a wonderful celebration.

Wozniak and Jobs circa 1976 Photo: BusinessInsider.com

Wozniak and Jobs circa 1976 Photo: BusinessInsider.com

My brother and I grew up knowing your name since as early as I can remember. You see I was born in Los Gatos and when I was two you created the Apple I and my father purchased one at the Byte Shop. A veteran of mainframe computing at the time, this was and continues to be his most prized possession. Perhaps he had the vision to know that it would some day be a rare gem or maybe he was just too busy working and raising two kids that he procrastinated and never exchanged it for an Apple II in ’77.

My letter with a birthday card that I made for Steve to send to my Dad.

My letter with a birthday card that I made for Steve to send to my Dad.

Today its at a bank in a safe deposit box. I have seen it and he enjoys telling me about the early days of personal computing. 

My father, Jerry Sandridge, turns 75 this October 15th.  I failed to do something really memorable for his 70th birthday and was hoping to do something unique this year. I know you get lots of requests, but I am hoping you could send him a simple birthday wish.

I’ve included a birthday card and addressed stamped envelope for your convenience. I sincerely appreciate your considering this birthday wish – It would mean the world to my father.

Warm regards,
Reed Sandridge 

P.S. My Dad’s phone number is [number removed] in case calling him is easier – 90% chance you’ll get his voice mail as he doesn’t answer unknown numbers!

THANK YOU!

UPDATE: 10/15/2015

Woz came through and sent Dad a birthday card!!!! THANK YOU WOZ! You made his day!

Birthday card to my Dad from Steve Wozniak!

Birthday card to my Dad from Steve Wozniak!

Day 88: Tim Cook, Apple Inc.

Photo: apple.com

Photo: apple.com

Lately tempers have been flaring over the incendiary legislation being introduced into several state legislatures. They’re referred to as Religious Freedom Bills – something that would be hard not to support given the history of our our earliest immigrants. But if the very freedom that a bill provides establishes a lawful way to discriminate against a certain part of our population, then we fail in creating a society based upon the immortal declaration that Thomas Jefferson so carefully instilled into our history. We strip our history of the progress made in civil rights – we might as well be having this conversation 55 years ago at the Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, NC.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, wrote an excellent opinion piece for the Washington Post where he offered a different lens in which to view this discussion. I encourage you to read it and trust that it will provoke you to “think different” about this situation – after all that is Apple’s motto.

Day 88

Dear Mr. Cook,

Your open letter to the Washington Post was outstanding. I was extremely impressed by the way you talked about the debate over “religious freedom” legislation. You did something brilliant in the letter – you changed the story from one about politics and religion to one about a more universal value about how we treat our brothers and sisters in our community. Skilled leaders do just that – change the narrative to one that allows a greater audience to see a subject more clearly.

Thank you for thinking differently,

Reed Sandridge
PO Box 53065
Washington, DC 20009

 P.S. Good luck with that watch!