Friday, August 26, 2011

Hit a Nerve


Yesterday I saw someone's status update on Facebook that referred to "paying tribute to Steve Jobs". We've had a busy week, and I haven't seen much news lately. I looked up from my phone and asked Jason, "Hey, did Steve Jobs pass away?"

We were both standing in the kitchen, Jason was slicing a loaf of bread. His head whipped up and he looked at me. "No," he said emphatically, "He's just stepped down as CEO of Apple. But he's still on the board and will be very involved."

Oh my gosh you guys, I wish I could do a better job here of conveying tone. Because the way he said this--it was as if I'd insulted his mama. Like I'd made an accusation instead of asking a question. Not even a loaded question, just a question! He sounded defensive, as if there'd been all this misinformation about Steve Jobs out there and he'd spent all day talking to people, taking phone calls, hitting the airwaves to set the record straight; only to find the lies in his own home. His own home! (Can you imagine it now?)

He said that, and my jaw opened just a scootch. We looked at each other for a second. Then we both started laughing. "Wow. Babe," I said. "Didn't mean to hit a nerve there." "Oh," he said, "I said it that way to be funny. Like I'm some kind of Apple nerd, you know?"

Oh. Okay.

Jason has an unabashed love of Apple and all iProducts. Oh--and please don't ever slam Google Plus because then Jason will have to tell you all about its superiority and all the different circles you can be in and how its web conferencing capabilities are peerless and if I have to hear about it again I will die. I will fall to the ground and be taken up lifeless and it will be all your fault.

But anyway, our little exchange got me thinking. Do you have any products/companies that you are a teensy bit irrationally attached to? Like, you take it personally if someone else slights or criticizes them? I think I'm a little like this about Chik-fil-a. I don't really know why. I guess it's just that the food is just so yummy and the people that work there are always so earnest and eager to please. I suppose I can be a little defensive of Target as well. Why do people gotta hate on cute bargains, anyway? But I don't think I have a regard for any product or company that approaches Jason's for Apple, or Google.

All I know is that from now on, I'll be careful how I mention Steve Jobs' name around here. There are some issues in a marriage that you just have to tiptoe around.


11 comments:

  1. Oh, I love this. I can just exactly picture it. Jason is somebody you want on your team, because he WILL hit the airwaves to defend you.

    And I am not an iLover (except for my iphone!) but I thought his letter stepping down was humble and touching. Poor guy.

    And yes, Chick-fil-A. The other day I found myself defending the fact that their charitable foundation supports groups that work against gay marriage. I mean, what has that chicken done to me?!? I was saying something like, "The GOP doesn't give a crap about gay marriage, really, they're just cynically using it as a wedge issue, but at least the CFA foundation people are motivated by ideology." Hello what???

    Not to hijack. But dang, that chicken! And they're so nice!

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  2. I haven't read his letter--I need to do that!

    Yes, the Chik people ARE so nice. I think they won me over years ago in Dallas. They'd just opened, and I didn't realize they didn't take debit cards. They let me have my food and just asked me to come back another day and pay. That floored me!

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  3. Too funny! I hope that SJ lives a long time. Plus that is what marriage partners do, right? They fill in each other on the news that the other may have missed. You could have turned it around on J and accused him of withholding imp news from you!
    And yes, the CFA workers are so nice. They have customer service down.

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  4. I absolutely can hear Jason's response. Becky is right about having him on your team. Whatever you team is about, Jason will be an all-star.

    I once asked a Chic-fil-a manager in North Georgia if they got that positive, "It's my pleasure," attitude in their employees by selecting for it or by training for it. He looked at me very earnestly and said, "Oh, you can't train that!"

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  5. Goodness, the Chick-fil-A love runs deep in these comments! I had honestly never heard of it until I went to visit Becky a few years ago. I have heard of Apple, though, and I heart my iPad. Jason is funny!

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  6. I think I'm irrationally attached to Trader Joe's and their brand. Like, if I run out of mustard and have to get mustard at the "regular" grocery store (TJ's is farther away)I feel sad that the bottle and packaging will not be as cute. And sometimes, if I can, I will hold out until my weekly TJs shopping trip so I can have the oil or mustard in the cute bottle.

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  7. I think I'm irrationally attached to Trader Joe's and their brand. Like, if I run out of mustard and have to get mustard at the "regular" grocery store (TJ's is farther away)I feel sad that the bottle and packaging will not be as cute. And sometimes, if I can, I will hold out until my weekly TJs shopping trip so I can have the oil or mustard in the cute bottle.

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  8. I'm so glad you mentioned Target because I was about to remind you of that love affair of yours.

    I think I feel that way with Starbucks, but mainly because it supports my worst (but best) bad habit...daily coffee drinking.

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  9. Like I'm some kind of Apple nerd, you know?

    :D :D

    I love it. Fantastic post. I can't relate at all as u can imagine. ;)

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  10. Marburger gourmet buttermilk! This is the best food product in the world. Hyperbole? Try it and see.

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  11. Rain-X. The invisible windshield wiper. If only all products delivered on their promises like Rain-X. I think if you put it on your tongue you can breathe underwater... but that's just a bonus feature, like Skin-so-soft repelling mosquitos.

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