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You are here: Home / Hacks / An Unexpected Ass Kicking

An Unexpected Ass Kicking

August 2, 2012 By Joel Runyon 590 Comments

You can read the followup to this post here.

—

I sat down at yet-another coffee shop in Portland determined to get some work done, catch up on some emails and write another blog post.

About 30 minutes into my working, an elderly gentleman at least 80 years old sat down next to me with a hot coffee and a pastry. I smiled at him and nodded and looked back at my computer as I continued to work.

“Do you like Apple? As he gestured to the new Macbook Air I had picked up a few days prior.

“Yea, I’ve been using them for a while.” Wondering if I was going to get suckered into a mac vs. pc debate in a portland coffee shop with an elderly stranger.

“Do you program on them?

“Well, I don’t really know how to code, but I write quite a bit and spend a lot of time creating online projects and helping clients run their businesses.”

“I’ve been against Macintosh company lately. They’re trying to get everyone to use iPads and when people use iPads they end up just using technology to consume things instead of making things. With a computer you can make things. You can code, you can make things and create things that have never before existed and do things that have never been done before.”

“That’s the problem with a lot of people”, he continued, “they don’t try to do stuff that’s never been done before, so they never do anything, but if they try to do it, they find out there’s lots of things they can do that have never been done before.”

I nodded my head in agreement and laughed to myself – thinking that would be something that I would say and the coincidence that out of all the people in the coffee shop I ended up talking to, it was this guy. What a way to open a conversation.

The old man turned back at his coffee, took a sip, and then looked back at me.

“In fact, I’ve done lots of things that haven’t been done before”, he said half-smiling.

Not sure if he was simply toying with me or not, my curiousity got the better of me.

Oh really? Like what types of things?, All the while, half-thinking he was going to make up something fairly non-impressive.

I invented the first computer.

Um, Excuse me?

I created the world’s first internally programmable computer. It used to take up a space about as big as this whole room and my wife and I used to walk into it to program it.

What’s your name?”. I asked, thinking that this guy is either another crazy homeless person in Portland or legitimately who he said he was.

“Russell Kirsch”

Sure enough, after .29 seconds, I found out he wasn’t lying to my face. Russell Kirsch indeed invented the world’s first internally programmable computer and as well as a bunch of other things and definitely lives in Portland. As he talked, I began googling him, he read my mind and volunteered:

Here, I’ll show you

He stood up and directed me to a variety of websites and showed me through the archives of what he’d created while every once in a while dropping some minor detail like:

I also created the first digital image. It was a photo of my son.

At this point, I learned better than to call Russell’s bluff, but sure enough, a few more google searches showed that he did just that.

 Russell Kirsch Impossible

(Photo by Joel Runyon)
Want to mess with your mind? Without the man in the photo, the photo of this man wouldn’t exist. *mind blown*

As he started showing me through the old history archives of what he did while any hope of productivity vacated my mind as I listened to his stories and picked his brain about what he had done.

At some point in the conversation, I mentioned to him:

“You know Russell, that’s really impressive.”

“I guess, I’ve always believed that nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do. Most people think the opposite – that all things are withheld from them which they have conceived to do and they end up doing nothing.”

“Wait”, I said, pausing at his last sentence “What was that quote again?” 

“Nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do.”

That’s good, who said that? 

God did.

What?

God said it and there were only two people who believed it, you know who? 

Nope, who?

God and me, so I went out and did it.

Well then, I thought – as he finished showing me through the archives – I’m not going to argue with the guy who invented the computer. After about 20 minutes of walking me through his contributions to technology, he sat down, finished his coffee,  glanced at his half-eaten pastry now-cold, checked his watch and announced:

Well, I have to go now.

With that, we shook hands, he got up, walked to his car and drove off as I just sat there trying to figure out what exactly had just happened. As I sat there thinking: two things he said reverberated in the back of my mind:

  • Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.
  • Do things that have never been done.

The first meaning: if you’ve conceived something in your mind, decide to do it, and are willing to put in the work – nothing can stop you.

The second is fairly self-explanatory but carries the extra weight of it coming from the guy who invented the very thing that’s letting me type these words out on the internet.

“Do things that have never been done before” – The guy who invented the computer
[click to tweet]

Yessir.

Time to step it up.

For more stories and unexpected ass-kickings subscribe here.

—-

You can read the follow up to this post “7 Lessons I’ve Learned From My Encounter with Russell Kirsch” here.

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Filed Under: Hacks Tagged With: consume, consuming vs creating, create, create or consume, do things that have never been done before, famous inventors, first digital image, first programmable computer, god quotes, inventors, macintosh, random encounters at world cup and tea, russell kirsch, SEAC, seac computer, square pixel, square pixel inventor, variable pixels, world cup and tea

About Joel Runyon

I started IMPOSSIBLE to push myself to try to live a life worth writing about by pushing my limits, living an adventure & telling a great story by doing the impossible. You can get free updates in your inbox via your new favorite newsletter, free fitness training tutorials, and see all my businesses at Impossible X and our philanthropic efforts at Impossible.org

Comments

  1. Ryan says

    August 2, 2012 at 6:13 am

    What an awesome experience!

    I agree with him. It is much more fun to create your own path than to constantly be trying to walk in the steps of someone else.

    One of the things I have learned in life is to be open to the thoughts and experiences of others, especially our older generations.

    Some of the most interesting and engaging conversations come from totally random interactions.

    I wonder if having Impossible on your shirt aided at all in triggering the conversation 😉

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 2, 2012 at 9:08 am

      I didn’t even think about that – I wonder if he did…hmmm…

      I need to work on my patience with them a bit, but when I do, I find older generations have a ton of wisdom to share. It’s fun to get inside their heads sometimes :).

      Reply
      • Bill says

        August 2, 2012 at 9:28 am

        “It’s fun to get inside their heads sometimes”.

        That cracked me up…

        I suspect your trajectory was perturbed more than his. 🙂

        Reply
        • John Bates says

          August 24, 2012 at 4:22 pm

          Bill, you made me actually LOL, laugh out loud. “I suspect your trajectory was perturbed more than his.” True LOL!

          Reply
      • Darrell Brogdon says

        August 5, 2012 at 9:38 pm

        Its one of the (real, non-conspiritorial) benefits of being a Freemason. Nothing but a bunch of old guys who love to tell you their story.

        And if you’re smart enough to shut up you will learn a lot about just about anything.

        Also, a heartfelt Thank You to Russell. His doing the impossible changed my life.

        Reply
        • Devin Dombrowski says

          August 15, 2012 at 10:53 am

          All our lives

          Reply
        • The Elder says

          August 17, 2012 at 3:52 pm

          Who you calling old???

          Reply
      • Lillian says

        August 8, 2012 at 6:23 pm

        One thing that came to my mind is his age and how our educational system has evolved to teach differently than in the “old days” as if the education back then was not adequate enough. But this man and many others was raised in this antiquated system. So what was wrong with it in the first place?

        Reply
        • Julia Collier says

          August 8, 2012 at 9:42 pm

          So true, Lillian. But it wasn’t just the educational system. It was the view and way of life. Kids were expected to go outside and explore, and make things, and handle things in three-dimensions, and dream things up. Nothing was given to you. Games weren’t created for you. To complain of being bored reflected poorly on your character, even if you were only four! It’s important to support and nurture kids, but parents feel that it’s their job always to entertain them, that for kids to feel bored, they must amuse them as they must feed them when kids feel hungry. But being bored is the starting point for discovery.

          Reply
          • Barb Ryan says

            August 10, 2012 at 6:21 am

            I totally agree…without boredom who would explore or investigate. Maybe to dream…do kids just lay on their backs and watch the clouds, or dig in the dirt to see what’s there? Or play with colors?

          • Adrienne McGuire says

            August 11, 2012 at 12:39 am

            I agree with you so wholeheartedly Julia!!! When my children are bored I have a tendency to try to entertain them. Then I think back to my childhood, during which we were never entertained – we had to entertain ourselves. I am gradually trying to teach my children the art of self entertainment. It’s a slow process but a very important lesson can be learned from this. Reading this entry underlined it even more so for me.

          • gotoandlego says

            August 11, 2012 at 12:10 pm

            Children of every generation have had games made for them. Kick the can, freeze tag, tennis, cowboys vs Indians, conkera, tennis, checkers, etc. Saying otherwise because today’s games are primarily on a computer is misleading.

          • Joyce W says

            August 19, 2012 at 8:41 pm

            When my sister and I complained of being bored, my Mom would tell us the stairs need sweeping. Funny, how creative we got immediately.

          • Dori says

            August 23, 2012 at 6:31 pm

            “Being bored is the starting point for discovery.”

            I LOVE THAT!

        • Allen Halverson says

          August 9, 2012 at 5:11 pm

          The education system back then wasn’t a good enough indoctrination system to create good consumers. That’s what’s changed.

          Reply
        • Sara Davis says

          August 9, 2012 at 7:28 pm

          The old system (and world) worked extremely well for a few people, but not for all. The kids who didn’t do well in that system quickly dropped out and got jobs. That doesn’t work any longer. Why do we always think that there is going to be one answer for everything?

          Reply
          • John Armstrong says

            August 10, 2012 at 2:02 pm

            I have bit of a different feeling, not totally opposite, just a different perspective. I have a constant battle trying to find entry level employees; this in an area where unemployment hovers near 10%. High School grads can’t read, write, do basic math without a computer (yes, I do expect long division), and more importantly, they’ve never learned to work… They don’t have any idea what different hand tools are for – “why all the different wrenches; won’t this adjustable one do everything?” Torque wrench, what’s a torque wrench? Oh, and by the way, a flat bladed screw diver is NOT a pry bar. Trust me when I tell you there is a huge need for young men and women who will simply work. I guess many coddled kids think manual labor is beneath them – those are the ones who end up “Doing Nothing”. Mom and dad, get Billy and Sue out of the house…

          • thehawkreturns says

            August 23, 2012 at 4:57 am

            Getting a job doesn’t work any more? Straight from a Democrat. I guess I have to work to feed your kid’s fat asses?

        • Peter Grabas says

          August 10, 2012 at 1:22 pm

          “So what was wrong with it (educational system) in the first place?” For a few it worked very well. For most it got them by in an era where the needs and problems were completely different than today. Life today has additional problems beyond the classics that all struggle through everywhere, and those new ones are game changers. You can look to seniors to tell you about relationships, fortitude, etc. but they have nothing for you in terms of working, economics, careers, etc. today. Heard a senior say “Get a good job with benefits and keep it”, like that is still the world of 60 yrs ago. This wonderful computer inventor (from the blog) is exceptional by anyones standards — some excel beyond anyones expectations. But like you said, the system was/is adequate. I am working to change that model from adequate to exceptional–the old system did not try to make you exceptional. The expectation was that the exceptional would rise to the surface, everyone else expected to shut up and stay in line. It was easy when America was the only undestroyed country after WWII, but the rest of the world is our competitor now and we can match their numbers only with exceptional people. Lots of them. That requires a new system.

          Reply
          • Jana Burch says

            August 12, 2012 at 2:53 pm

            I agree. Let me tell my perspective on what is happening to these needed exceptional people…
            In the 1950s, the Russians zoomed ahead of us in the technology/space race. Americans had a “holy crap” moment and began to develop the science and math skills of their gifted students. In fact, modern gifted education in the US stems from this event. We won the space race in 1969 with a lunar landing. Ah…but then the 70’s showed up. We were still swinging towards providing equality to everyone. Making certain that the academically gifted were given opportunities to develop their gifts started to be frowned upon. This trend has slowly grown until we arrived at the “No Child Left Behind Act.” NCLB mandated that ALL students would pass minimum profiency tests. Well, no all students are going to do that no matter how much energy and effort you provide. What has happened since that legislation hit is that resources have been directed away from our gifted and towards our challenged learners. The curriculum still proved to be too difficult for ALL learners to master it and since schools and teachers were being judged on their success rates, the curriculum has been altered to make it more “learnable” for everyone. That is great for the kids on the low end. It is killing the kids on the high end. The general concensus is that the high ability kids will learn it on their own. That is partially true. What is happening is that the are typically not challenged academically and never learn to really study or think. Remember that their curriculum is based on minimum profiency, not some super ramped up high level curriculum.
            When students enter school, they should expect 180 days worth of instruction and growth. Research has shown that most gifted kids don’t get introduced to new material until January and that the majority of them could pass the NCLB based tests at the beginning of the year. What ends up happening is nothing short of tragic.
            Gifted students who are not challenged do not reach their potential. They need training just as a world class athlete needs training. They learn underachievement. Without challenge, the do not learn perseverance.
            This is where your shortage of “exceptional” people is coming.

        • Peter Grabas says

          August 10, 2012 at 1:32 pm

          What a great post! Some nice old fossil plants themselves next to you, and you and I would expect dull and old and he proceeds to blow your mind. lol I dont believe in accidents so meeting him was right on time for you. I do hope you stay in touch with him–so you can post his thoughts and enrich us all. I’m sure he has much, much more to say. I hope you make the effort to ask him for his thoughts. He is quite right, anything is possible if we believe it–and act on it with determination. I’m reposting this post to facebook. Thanks Joel

          Reply
        • Chris says

          August 10, 2012 at 1:38 pm

          With a little research on Wikipedia, I found that Mr. Kirsch was not educated at a traditional school like most of America had access to in that day. Rather, he went to The Bronx High School of Science. He was fortunate enough to live in a city that was big enough to provide such facilities. A majority of Americans then and now have not had access to this sort of education.

          Of course, he also didn’t need to learn skills that have been developed since his time (e.g. Computer Literacy). I would hate to think that the modern education system did not teach our children modern skills.

          Reply
          • Bradely Derby says

            August 10, 2012 at 3:33 pm

            I think quality of education isn’t so black and white as being able to attend a well named school. My grandmother grew up in the rural mountains of Colorado in a town called Leadville, a town slowly dying like the mines that fueled its economy. I used to sit there in amazement at her on road trips as she would make trigonometry problems out of road signs, mile markers, license plates, info on road maps and pretty much anything at hand. She would show us the problem and then work the answer. When I was little I thought it was magic, as I grew older I thought it was her just B.S.ing me, when I learned higher math I profoundly respected her education and wisdom. The school she attended had around 20 students from kindergarten through 12 grade. I’ve seen tests from then she had to be able to pass and from my perspective I know that as a senior in high school I could not have passed many of them. Children are exposed to much more information now but are equipped with far fewer skills to actually succeed in school, or in the work place. Mandatory skills such as delayed gratification/patience, pattern recognition and analysis – of information and materials, much less critical thinking and ability to research effectively (crazy considering they have access to vastly improved technology). Seems to me a quality education is about two factors coming together: 1)A quality teacher that doesn’t just parrot information and pass out examines; but actually knows the content they’re teaching, and how it relates to the world we live in. 2)The ability to teach children and adults to think for themselves; not just parrot information which is soon forgotten, and apply their thoughts to some form of work/creation. Exposure isn’t enough, for if it isn’t focused it becomes overwhelming and breeds stagnation through desensitization.

        • Barbara Saunders says

          August 12, 2012 at 9:20 pm

          Extraordinary people came out of the old education system. Extraordinary people come out of the present education system. Ordinary and mediocre people were and are the majority. I think part of the problem today as in the past is that non-conformers pay a price. Even people who claim to value creativity tend to habitually enforce conformity and extract that price. It is rare for people to brave enough to follow their own drummer – and to do so without letting bitterness and rebellion poison the well.

          Reply
          • D.M. Ryan says

            August 20, 2012 at 12:58 am

            Thanks so much for those wise words. People who change the world are neither bitter nor rebellious; they’re enthusiastic. Sad to say that a lot of valuable non-conformity is lost between the Scylla of rebelliousness and the Charybdis of bitterness.

      • George Dixon says

        August 9, 2012 at 5:18 pm

        I wonder about the elders, too…what goes on in their brains? Some wisdom, too, I’m sure. For some, just repetition of all the old things they didn’t learn. I’ve always loved being around them, and have been taught much by them…some of which I can discard. I learned about God (gawd?…heh) from an old one who fought in Spanish American and World War I. Now that I’m 80, I’m glad that wonders never cease. George

        Reply
        • Steve says

          August 20, 2012 at 11:21 am

          In general, older people (especially over about 70 or so) will tell you everything if you ask. If you don’t ask, they won’t tell. Consequently, most of their priceless wisdom goes unheeded.

          Reply
      • Dominic Bascarino says

        August 11, 2012 at 6:44 am

        Joel, thank you for sharing this truly inspirational story with us and thanks to Russel for this great invention of his and this lifetime.

        Reply
      • Robert Barsky says

        August 12, 2012 at 9:10 am

        They have a lit if wisdom? You just realized that? Think about it this way. You think you have a lot of the answers niw and you probably do. Do you think it will all disappear as you get older and/or you will not build on it?

        Reply
        • Brian H says

          August 20, 2012 at 3:16 am

          Read of some recent IQ studies that characterized aging as the slower use of more information, with more ability to accommodate more viewpoints. Youth excels in speed, focus, detail. Perspective and depth take time, though that doesn’t guarantee they will develop. Otherwise there would be no old fools, just young ones!

          Reply
      • Michele Price (@prosperitygal) says

        August 12, 2012 at 5:38 pm

        Funny the older generation get’s just as impatient with us, they just hid it better and are more gracious.

        Reply
      • Rozone says

        August 18, 2012 at 10:42 pm

        Wow. As one of those “old timers” I find your comment strange. But, what you don’t know is that we don’t need to get inside the younger generation’s heads to figure out what they are up to and how they think. Never lose sight of the fact that one day some young man is going to call you an old timer and declare a lack of patience for you just because you are old. Sad. Your comment actually says you didn’t grow one iota after that incredible experience.

        Reply
        • Joel Runyon says

          August 18, 2012 at 11:08 pm

          Rozone,
          I’m not quite sure what you’re mad about. I said I like learning from people wiser than myself. I wasn’t impatient with Russell at all – otherwise I wouldn’t have sat and talked with him for 30 minutes! 🙂

          If you find that offensive in some way, I’m afraid you’ve terribly misconstrued my words.

          Reply
          • David says

            August 19, 2012 at 3:19 pm

            Joel,

            In response to Rozone assuming things you didn’t say, I have come to learn that while young people frequently do not respect older people, the reverse is equally true. There are a lot of things that youngsters do today that annoy me, but because I am involved with a lot of youth, I tend to be able to set aside my views enough to tolerate them. I have the same issue with older people though, and have to set aside my views there as well. As a 50-year old, I am able to see both sides. I do have a lot of respect for older people, as they have a lot to teach us, and I feel it is usually better to learn from other people’s mistakes. That does not mean older people are always right, nor that they have some copyright on how people should behave. They are just as intolerant as younger folks can be.

            We all need to understand that every group of people have something of value to offer. Even extreme examples like Christians and Muslims – each group can teach the other things. Blacks and whites, men and women, all differences can have value, even when we disagree with the values of those who are different.

            Dave

      • CCCP says

        August 19, 2012 at 4:41 am

        In my opinion, that’s a bit bold of a statement to say you can get into the head of someone whose experience supercedes your in almost every respect…

        Anyhow, thank you for sharing this story. It is truly inspiring.

        Reply
      • John H. Holliday says

        August 20, 2012 at 12:28 pm

        Joel, go rent “Logan’s Run.” Then rent “12 Angry Men” and pay attention to the “old man” on the jury…and how his wisdom and experience ultimately open the eyes of the other jurors.

        Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 2, 2012 at 2:49 pm

      I didn’t think about it then, but I wondered if he thought it through like that….

      Reply
      • George Dixon says

        August 9, 2012 at 8:20 pm

        He possibly did think it through…the old guy built his own seismographometer?, knew Greek and Hebrew, played the organ, and frequented Honolulu hotel bars to connect with us servicemen and bring them to his wash-house (his living quarters…poor due to low pension I guess) and introduce us to God. I still think of his home as my palace away from home then.

        Reply
        • Darren says

          August 19, 2012 at 10:21 pm

          It seems that most of the responses to this post are ignoring the fact that Russel believed God for what He promised and acted upon it. That is the main reason why we are failing in America. We have removed God from everything.

          Reply
          • Robert says

            September 14, 2015 at 8:53 pm

            Darren – Excellent call. You went to the core of Russell’s insights and the source and foundation of his innovations and success.

    • Jay says

      August 10, 2012 at 11:37 am

      Ryan,
      Having Impossible on his shirt may very well have triggered the event. On the other hand, once you reach a certain age giving back to others becomes much more important. When I was younger, I was a fighter pilot and everything was about me and winning. In a year I will be 60 and every day now is about making a positive difference in the lives of others. Chances are you already know this. If not, I promise someday you will remember it. Stay the course and have a great life Ryan.

      Reply
    • Jürgen says

      August 23, 2012 at 9:53 am

      Ryan this was like a wake up call to me. Unbelievable story you met the invetor of all the things we love and use today in a coffe shop. Is this coincidence or does it has a meaning? It has a meaning, things like that don’t happen just like that. This post went around the world maybe as a reminder who did all that. Yeh I wanna create something.

      Reply
    • JoJo says

      August 25, 2012 at 5:24 pm

      Um, I wonder what verse in the Bible says “Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.” He must be using some bible other than the original one because it is NOT in THE Bible.

      Reply
      • EllieGinger says

        September 3, 2012 at 2:52 am

        JoJo not sure why you think he said it was a bible verse…I interpreted what he said, as a tongue in cheek conversation he had with God.

        Reply
    • Phil Blackman says

      May 2, 2013 at 1:10 am

      I know what Kirsch meant when he confided God had said “nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do.” He was quoting Genesis 11:6. In this Chapter God is looking on as man is building the tower of Babble. Here is the quote as it appears in the King James:
      “And the Lord said, ‘Behold the people is one, and they have all one language: and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them which they have imagined to do.”
      By the way, with Babble Fish morphed into Google Languages, the world does seem to be back in the pre-tower-of-Babble condition.

      Reply
  2. James says

    August 2, 2012 at 8:43 am

    Nice but you should have got a picture of him with your t-shirt on!

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 2, 2012 at 9:05 am

      I’ve got his card somewhere – maybe I’ll send him one (he looked like he’d wear a medium).

      Reply
      • Ivone Chant says

        August 10, 2012 at 10:31 am

        If you have his card, call him. Don’t think of it as a one-time encounter. I’m sure, at his age, he would have a lot to teach you – and not just about computers, but about all his experiences. 🙂

        Reply
  3. Annie wagener says

    August 2, 2012 at 8:59 am

    What an amazing story. Technology has increasingly cut us off from personal interactions because everyone has their heads down in some device. We’re missing out on what is most important in life; each other. How wonderful you didn’t miss out on this conversation. This is truly inspiring, thank you.

    Reply
  4. Adam Piplica says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:03 am

    This has to be the most epic blog post I’ve read in a while.

    The whole consuming VS creating part is so true, and one of the most empowering discoveries (or rediscoveries after forgetting about the art of creation after early childhood).

    I love how open he was with you, too.

    Reply
    • Mo says

      August 3, 2012 at 5:56 am

      I completely agree ! This is one that i will carry in my head for a long time (while i am creating!) 😉

      Reply
    • Dan says

      August 9, 2012 at 8:50 am

      Great blog, great story. Very inspirational, and a good reminder to make sure we take the time to learn from those who came before us.

      On a side note, I used to work at Apple as a “Specialist” (salesperson). We were allowed to describe the products in pretty much any way we wished, when talking to a potential customer, and having a few different messages was integral in breaking up the monotony of repeating the same thing to 100 customers.

      Anyway, we were always comparing notes with each other to learn new ways to describe products. One of our better Specialists taught me the almost exact phrase that Russell Kirsch used, when someone asked the main difference between an iPad and a Macbook. The former is a “consumption device”, while the latter is a “creation device”. Now I wonder if he had actually heard/read about Kirsch in the past…

      Reply
  5. Bill says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:03 am

    Your initial smile said you were open – and that turned a random event into a providential one. What a lesson, thanks for sharing this.

    Reply
  6. Matthew says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:21 am

    This has made my day. I almost never comment anywhere, but couldn’t leave without saying “wow”. What a fantastic thing to happen, and an interesting guy to meet.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 2, 2012 at 2:49 pm

      It was pretty incredible.

      Reply
      • Jenny Foss says

        August 2, 2012 at 3:15 pm

        Leave it to Matt K. to trump my exact sentiments. I’m not a heavy blog commenter. This post? Wow. Just wow. Absolute evidence that opening yourself up to conversation and wisdom from our elders can be so fruitful and memorable.

        Thanks for sharing this, Joel.

        Reply
  7. Denise says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:21 am

    You, my friend, lived a blessed life. Wow! Thanks so much for sharing that story and for being the kind of person who is willing to take a minute to listen to an old man.

    Reply
  8. Jeremy Murfitt says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:23 am

    You were so lucky, right place at the right time. I have been to Starbucks/Costa and sat working on my PC, blinkered and remote from my surroundings. When you walk around towns and cities a significant number of people spend their time looking at their phones. They don’t take in or are aware of their surroundings. In London a couple of weeks ago I just sat on a bench in Green Park and watched people, it is amazing how people are engulfed in their own bubble.

    I recognised this when I recently went sea kayaking. Not a big trip about 14km but roughi at times as the wind picked up. I had a GPS on deck and spent too much time looking at it. Next time I stowed it the day hatch, easily accessible but not a distraction from either the task in hand or the experience.

    Jeremy

    Reply
  9. Esther says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:26 am

    Wow. What an incredible experience. I love that you were open enough to have the conversation – and look where it led! Every day since WDS I’ve been trying to bring that spirit into my daily life. Thank you for the powerful reminder of why. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Heather says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:26 am

    Love love love! Good for him for talking, and good for you for listening. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Heather Thorkelson says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Joel this is AWESOME! Thanks so much for sharing this…I’m pimping it out to all my entrepreneur friends. Shame I didn’t get to meet you at the WDS but maybe next year!

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 2, 2012 at 2:48 pm

      Next year for sure 🙂

      Reply
  12. Shaun says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:28 am

    Joel,

    Long time reader…Loved this story…Best yet!

    Reply
  13. Danielle McGaw says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:29 am

    Wow – that’s all I can say! Well, obviously I can say more but I’m not sure if it would make sense. Just what an honor it must have been to have met the man who created the first computer! Just wow!

    Reply
  14. Tim Moon says

    August 2, 2012 at 10:29 am

    Incredible. I knew there were a lot of cool people in Portland but I didn’t know HE lived there. What an amazing coincidence that he’d come up to you. I guess he could tell you liked to do the Impossible too. Takes one to know one.

    Reply
  15. Jarie Bolander says

    August 2, 2012 at 10:53 am

    Amazing.

    It just goes to show you that when you have the can do attitude, others pick up on it.

    I’m always blown away when I meet people in coffee shops or standing in line. The stories are great and the achievements are impressive.

    You definitely need to send him a shirt.

    Reply
  16. Jessie Spielvogel says

    August 2, 2012 at 10:53 am

    This is awesome, Joel! What a great example of how you never know when or where you’ll cross paths with someone amazing. I love this story 😀

    Reply
  17. John Southee says

    August 2, 2012 at 10:54 am

    Sometimes I wonder about fate and choosing your own path. I mean, in this case you sat in the right place at the right time next to a man that is all about doing the impossible. You chose to do things that are impossible and here is a man who actually struck up a conversation with you who actually do all that. I hear the Twilight Zone theme playing in my head as I type this. LOL

    Reply
  18. Patrick Hitches says

    August 2, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    Dude- that was like a kickass bedtime story I could reread over and over. So badass man!

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 2, 2012 at 2:40 pm

      Only problem is instead of sleeping, it makes you want to get right back up and do something!

      Reply
  19. robert says

    August 2, 2012 at 1:13 pm

    WOW! That has just motivated me to do more today than I had already planned. Time is a wasting.. go!

    Reply
  20. Kristin Nicholas says

    August 2, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    Love this story! Thanks. Glad I opened your email today!

    Reply
  21. Elaine says

    August 2, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    That’s amazing Joel. This story really moved me. I believe in synchronicity.

    Thank you for sharing this with us. I am going to go get some stuff done now.

    xo

    Reply
  22. Jim Krenz says

    August 2, 2012 at 2:04 pm

    Quote—”They’re trying to get everyone to use iPads and when people use iPads they end up just using technology to consume things instead of making things.”

    Given that quote, I wonder when he lost his inspiration, his ability to see the creativity in someone else’s tool (as opposed to his own creation).

    With an iPad, anyone can create music, movies, photos, books, virtually any art of of their choosing. You can program on the iPad, and thus make more tools for budding creators.

    You can use this tiny screen, this portal, itself a work of art, as a window to view, to imagine, your art becoming reality.

    When I am as old as him, I hope I don’t lose my appreciation of others’ creations.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 2, 2012 at 2:39 pm

      I think he meant that computers (iPads specifically) have shifted to a more media consumption device than a creation device.

      Originally, all you could do on computers was code and solve problems. Now people use them to entertain themselves like a television – which is what I think the point of his critique was.

      Reply
      • Jim Krenz says

        August 2, 2012 at 3:08 pm

        I think it is a matter of perspective. I don’t believe that tools change, or shift. Some people look at a pen, and view it as a ink distribution system that allows them to sign their name on checks and receipts. Others look at a pen, and they see the next great American novel. If he sees iPads as consumption devices rather than as tools for creation, then I think this says more about him than the iPad.

        Reply
        • Anum says

          August 2, 2012 at 6:38 pm

          I think Russell has a point. Jim, I feel like people like you are in the minority. How many people pick up an iPad for that purpose, I wonder? (for creating rather than consuming). Just speculating.

          Reply
          • Jim Krenz says

            August 2, 2012 at 7:28 pm

            I agree that Russell has a point, Anum. And it is a unwise one. If we spread (purported) wisdom that is based on what we assume the majority do, would anyone ever attempt a challenge? Break the four minute mile? Do the impossible? Whenever we accept someone’s anecdotal observation as fact, somewhere, a dream dies a lonely death. We need people that believe in the impossible, so they will achieve the impossible. That type of inspirational wisdom is what our elders should be teaching to our current and future creators. If that puts me in the minority, then I am in much better company than those in the majority.

          • Joel Runyon says

            August 3, 2012 at 1:53 am

            Don’t get me wrong, but I’m thinking you’re nitpicking. If it came across that he spent hours ranting against the iPad, he didn’t. He mentioned it for about a half a second and moved on to his real point (creating vs. consuming). I’m sure he cares much less about the actual device than what people are doing with it.

          • Jim Krenz says

            August 3, 2012 at 3:21 am

            Well Joel, if you wish to dismiss my discussion as nitpicking, have at it—this is your website. I think I spoke about his statements accurately. I don’t believe that I gave the impression that I thought he ranted on for hours about it. He stated an opinion as fact, and I believe that exposes why such statements should be questioned. If someone has a valid point, just make it. Instead, he opens his discussion showing a predisposition against Apple (“I’ve been against Macintosh company lately.”). Pretty ironic, given that you can “…code, you can make things and create things that have never before existed and do things that have never been done before…” all on an iPad, utilizing technologies that most modern computers have yet to incorporate. By the way, if you want me to nitpick, I’d suggest changing the closing quote to: “Do things that have never been done before” – The guy who invented the first internally programmable computer. (The Z1, Colossus and ENIAC were the first programmable computers, and they all predate Kirsch’s work.) His statements of “I invented the first computer.” and “I created the world’s first programmable computer.” are simply false. I’m not dismissing the improvements that he made to programable computers, and he certainly deserves respect for his creation of digital images. But if he makes false statement, I am not ashamed to point them out. And that is my 3¢. Well, I am off to do things that I have never done before.

          • Joel Runyon says

            August 4, 2012 at 11:10 pm

            Maybe nitpicking isn’t the right word, but I think it’s fair to say you missed the point of the article, by grasping onto one reference point rather than the spirit of his statement.

            As for his intro – it’s from my memory, so it could be faulty – but I think that’s a perfectly fine opening line for meeting a stranger at a coffee shop (especially when he clarified “first internally programmable computer” immediately after I asked him to), especially when you consider that he had no idea of the technical background of the person he had just struck up a conversation with.

        • John Hahn says

          August 7, 2012 at 3:00 am

          I disagree with that. If you are talking about apps like games, etc, then the iPhone and iPad are consumption devices, not creation devices. You’d be hard pressed to find a development team anywhere that makes iOS games where the engineers on the team actually type in code on an iOS virtual keyboard, and you’d be hard pressed to find artists that actually create their content on the device itself. Software creators use “real” computers (desktops and laptops) to make the software, and then the iOS devices are simply a means of easy distribution and consumption of the software.

          Basically, portable devices are, for all practical purposes, consumption devices, not creation devices. Is it possible to make software with the device? Probably. Is it practical or realistic to do so? Absolutely not. If for no other reason, simply because the screen is too tiny to realistically use as a workstation, and touchscreens are inadequate input devices for complex tasks.

          Yes, they probably have docking stations where you can plug in your portable device and get a real keyboard/mouse and large monitors with it, but realistically, who wants to use that as a software development workstation? Content creators need high end hardware to get stuff done in a timely manner.

          Reply
      • Steven says

        August 2, 2012 at 5:15 pm

        I agree.

        Reply
    • Rene says

      August 7, 2012 at 5:28 am

      Think more laterally Jim. Imho Kirsch is absolutely right about Apple´s strategy and company policy. Apple is not interested in any creatives. Neither in programmers nor in Filmmakers. Simple: Programmers must pay 100$/year “Developer fee” to be allowed to offer your apps in the appstore. Film and photo editors must use glossy screens.
      Serverdocks are cancelled. This are really common examples but they show that apple removes itself more and more from the creaters. Kirsch is not talking about hobbypurposes. No one would say that creating a music track with garageband for the ipad and editing a picture with instagramm or snapseed would be a fancy creation and a self-fulfilment for someone. The more Apple products i use, the more i am consuming. I dread to think what will be my next invoice for consuming movies with apple tv. Btw. The statement of the story is not about such things it is about reaching anything you want when you just do it and you do not hesitate.

      Do something – do it wrong, but do something!

      So long, René

      Reply
      • Jim Krenz says

        August 7, 2012 at 7:04 pm

        Think more impossibly Rene. Isn’t that why we are here?

        Apple supports creatives more than any other company I’ve seen. Their products inspire people to create. I speak from experience here. Without Apple products, I would not have created the original and new sleight-of-hand products that I have created (three dozen to date, and counting). I have been lucky enough to have some professional musicians as friends. Without Apple products, they would not be making the high quality music that they do. When I attend Jeff Goldsmith’s screenings in Hollywood, the one tool that I hear mentioned by professional filmmakers over and over is Apple products.

        Patrick Rhone writes all of his current books exclusively on his iPad. A artist painted with his fingers on a iPad, and it became the cover of Time Magazine. The Gorillaz create professional music on their iPads.

        My friend Joe edits studio films on his glossy screen. My friend Mark (he writes and plays in several bands, not the least of which is the Grateful Dead) only uses Apple products.

        There are amazing tools available on the iPad. Tools for professional use. Tools that allow artists to actualize their dreams. GarageBand is a stepping stone to ReBirth, BeatMaker and NanoStudio. InstaGram is a beginner’s toy compared to FilterStorm Pro. I had a artist friend pick up a iPhone for the first time, and use SketchBook Pro. In less than a few minutes, she created a piece of art that inspired me. I wonder how many artists could have done that with Kirsch’s machine?

        $100 is a trivial amount to invest for all of the services that Apple provides with the Apple store. They provide Xcode in that fee. How much does Microsoft charge for their IDE? Microsoft Visual Studio Professional is $549! The Apple Store handles all of the business expenses that would be needed to sell a product. You don’t need to create a store, have a merchant account, pay for servers and store programmers, no expense for bandwidth or maintenance.

        I could go on. The point is that Apple provides inspirational tools that allow creative people to make amazing works of art. Anyone who doesn’t see that is surrounding themselves with the wrong perspective and the wrong people.

        Reply
        • Pete says

          August 8, 2012 at 12:37 pm

          Well said!!!!!!!!!! your comments were truly inspiring.

          Reply
        • Michael Allen says

          August 8, 2012 at 1:23 pm

          Completely agree. The author of the article (and Kirsch) simply miss the point. Mobile devices such as iPhones and iPads are primarily designed for media consumption. However, most people that use an iPad are either tech-saavy users who use it in addition a desktop/laptop or people who otherwise would never use a computer for anything other than basic work-related tasks. An easy way to refute the idea of consumptive devices and culture replacing the creative DIY tech-culture of yore is the vast ocean of applications (and the scores of independent developers coding them) that now defines the new age of digital media. Every generation thinks the next is in some way or another falling short of the goal they worked so hard to make possible… Russel Kirsch’s perspective is more a sign of his aging than some all-knowing sage-like wisdom.

          Reply
          • Mr. Grogg says

            August 9, 2012 at 1:34 pm

            The author and Mr. Kirsch missed the point? How is that possible when they were the ones having the discussion? They are the source of the material for the article and any points it makes. To say they missed the point is nonsensical. They’re the ones MAKING the point! Clearly you’ve so thoroughly moved away from the original point that you’ve impinged upon the territory of the non-relevant.

            Regarding this one nitpicked point, even the most ardent fan of the productive qualities of Apple and the many devices and technologies they provide must admit that the vast majority of users utilize them as consumptive devices. That a talented minority uses them as productive devices does not change the fact that they are primarily currently used for consumption. But when Kirsch was in his hey-day, there was very little entertainment to be had on computers. They were primarily for producing solutions to problems. A few people may have programmed simple guessing games and similar things, and those people formed the minority. The ratio of productive-to-consumptive use of computer technology has changed since the time Kirsch considers the “good ol’ days”, and that was what he probably was referring to in his comment.

            As for Jim Krenze: Just because you have a raging hard-on for Apple and can’t abide anybody ever saying anything remotely critical of it, you got that far into the article and then immediately closed your mind to anything else. I have and love an iPad. I’m a big fan of Apple. But I don’t defend Apple to the point that I fail to experience the more important things in life. The sentiments expressed my Mr. Kirsch are inspiring, but instead of allowing yourself to ignore the completely irrelevant icebreaker to the completely powerful discussion that followed, you focused on the trivial and lost the transcendent. That’s a real pity. From the erudite manner of your writing it’s obvious you’re a smart guy. Somebody like you has a lot to gain by listening to the wisdom of somebody like Mr. Kirsch. But, since he’s on the other side of the concrete wall you’ve built around yourself and Apple, you can’t hear him. The world will thus lose whatever you might have created had you allowed yourself to be inspired by words on the other side of that wall. That’s a loss to you, and perhaps to the world as well. It’s a real shame.

        • John R says

          August 9, 2012 at 1:58 am

          Jim Krenz, I am going to agree with Joel that you are nitpicking or rather, you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. How else can you explain you getting your panties in a knot over a couple sentences from a guy making an observation in the context of what seems to me to have been just an icebreaker. Then you say that Russell is stating opinion as fact so he has to be questioned… well, almost everything you have stated in your comments is your opinion and YOU are stating as fact…seems someone is being a hypocrite… but I am not going to waste my time questioning you… or pointing out your rediculous and obnoxious statements… because I know your type and you are so full of yourself thinking yourself superior to everyone else and can never be wrong, engaging you would be as fruitful as hitting my head against a wall. Have fun living with the minority, but you are mistaken thinking you will be “in much better company than those in the majority” because if the rest of the minority are like you, what a pathetic mess. Guess you enjoy hanging out with jerks.
          Another area where you are mistaken is acting like Apple has a monopoly on creativity with computers. Now days, all thr creative activities you mention can be done with other hardware and other operating systems with a lot more software options and a non-Apple system being half the price of a comprable Apple System Apple is so interested in keeping control, they fill their boxes with proprietary hardware, limit the amount of upgradabilty so user have to buy a new computer at a faster ratem and they set as off limits parts of their operating systems. So if you don’t care about having control over your own system and if you don’t care about not being able to repair your own system and be required to take it into an Apple store, that is your choice. In the end, I do not know any serious computer person be it programmers, web developers or network administrators who use or recommend Apple products and I think one reason is how small of a market share Apple has, but also Apple limits their development ecosystem leaving the only realistic programming being developing apps for other Apple products. And that leaves the typical Apple user being a simplicity-seeking novice or people that have never used another computer system so they basicly don’t know any better.

          Reply
          • Jim Krenz says

            August 9, 2012 at 5:01 am

            John R.—I’m wrong on many things in life, just not on the items brought up here. I may be wrong about this: your post feels like it is full of anger and bitterness. It sounds like you want to yell at me instead of having a discussion. From your words alone, it looks like you have a lot of issues to work out. Consider these as my last words to you (this is not a frivolous suggestion, but a sincere one): see a good therapist. Good luck John.

          • John R says

            August 9, 2012 at 8:58 am

            Jim – thank you for your mental health advice, but like so much of what you have said, you are wrong. It seems from your comments on the original article and your response to my comment that you are not a very careful reader. It should have been clear I was yelling at you… and I did not want to have a discussion with you because it would be pointless due to your arrogent attitude. I disagree with you that I have issues, but I do have an issue… I cannot stand egotistical, pompous, rude asses. Since you don’t have a problem making glib mental health evaluation, you should have a problem if I take a shot at armchair diagnosis… based on your faulty thinking and your confrontational attitude, I would say that you have an autism spectrum disorder.

          • mothy says

            August 9, 2012 at 2:02 pm

            Jim Krentz is just a mac fanboy and gets his panties knotted when someone disagrees with him.

          • Steven says

            August 19, 2012 at 7:57 am

            Actually, a lot of creative people use Apple products and you absolutely can create software for other non-Apple computers/operating systems on a Mac.

            Everyone at GitHub (a site that is key to a lot of opensource and commercial software development these days) uses a Mac, even the developers of their Windows app dual boot Windows and OSX on a MacBook. The site itself is written on Macs running OSX and deployed to Linux servers. Most of the developers and designers at Facebook also use Macs (again, it’s deployed to Linux servers). Same story with Twitter, Google and a lot of other companies who need to create cross-platform or web software. With a Mac you can easily create and deploy software for OSX, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Blackberry and the web. Only two of those platforms are controlled by Apple.

            I also don’t know any serious recording studio that would even consider using a non-Apple computer and the movie industry makes extensive use of Apple products for animation, 3D modeling and graphics/video editing. I personally (having used both) wouldn’t even consider using Windows for any serious audio, video or graphics editing. Then again, I wouldn’t use an iPad for that either.

            You’re definitely right about one thing, though. Apple has gone to great lengths to make their computers harder to repair and upgrade than your average Windows PC. It’s not only frustrating, it’s also not environmentally friendly, which is why the city of San Francisco is no longer buying any Apple products.

          • Brian H says

            August 20, 2012 at 3:45 am

            Steven;
            Changing the terms/goalposts. Creating on Macs is not the issue; creating on iPads is. S/W for iPads is not (ever) written on iPads. S/W for Macs (and much else, as you point out) is written on Macs. Because Macs are GP (General Purpose) computers, open in almost all directions. iPads are constrained, narrow, specialized by comparison. Very good at what they do, but the wrong tool for many jobs and task-types

    • Christopher Cashell says

      August 7, 2012 at 2:00 pm

      Mr. Kirsch is correct. Sure, there are exceptions, but his statement is valid.

      I know a lot of people who have iPads (and other Tablets). They’re cool devices, they’re convenient, and they’re very fun.

      But they are content/media consumption devices. Now, I’m not saying that they *can’t* be used for content creation. But that isn’t the way they get used. I work in IT, and I have a lot of tech-oriented friends. The kind of people who could create content/media for iPads. I don’t see it happening when they’re using their iPads.

      Reply
    • CSConn says

      August 8, 2012 at 3:30 pm

      haha… guy who made computers dislikes Macs (to some degree lol =)

      Reply
  23. Agnes says

    August 2, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    Totally mind blown. Thanks for sharing this moment with us.

    PS: That coffee shop is a great place to sit down and write. I miss Portland.

    Reply
  24. Stacia says

    August 2, 2012 at 3:06 pm

    awesome post that is so crazy the things he said to you everything happens for a reason. We meet people at the most unexpected times.

    Reply
  25. Alan Reeves says

    August 2, 2012 at 3:42 pm

    Great post. It seems that all too often, we feel that technology is increasing so fast that the older generation has been left behind. In eastern cultures, they have great respect for older people, wanting the learn from their wisdom. You never know what you will pickup for a chance encounter.

    The lessons you took away from the conversation were great as well. I think too many people wait for someone else to do it first to show everyone that it is possible. Kinda like breaking the 4 minute mile. Everyone was told it was impossible, that your heart would explode. When Roger Bannister did it in 1954, it all the sudden seemed possible. Soon, others bought into the idea that they could do something that they had never been done before.

    All it takes is a spark, an idea, a conversation….

    Reply
  26. Dan says

    August 2, 2012 at 5:07 pm

    Great story. How did you get the photo with him?

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 2, 2012 at 6:06 pm

      A friend (Jacob mentioned above) caught the exchange and gave it to me.

      Reply
  27. Steven says

    August 2, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    It was the shirt that opened the conversation. 🙂

    Reply
  28. Owen Marcus says

    August 2, 2012 at 5:40 pm

    Joel,

    I wish I had gone to that coffee shop after WDS, but I’m glad you did.

    In my arrogance I often believe we (I) are the first. It’s great when we can relax in receive wisdom and experience from others.

    So what have you conceived that was never done – that you are doing?

    Reply
  29. Lin says

    August 2, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    Absolutely incredible event. Great blog too! I am sharing on FB and with writer friends and would like permission to include in my latest book too, full story with links to your blog! What an amazing incident; there are no coincidences!

    Reply
  30. Sally says

    August 2, 2012 at 6:41 pm

    What a beautiful experience Thank you for telling us the story 🙂

    Reply
  31. Shelley Green says

    August 2, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    As I read this, I found myself starting to smile. As I finished reading not only was I smiling, I was reminded of how I have taken life for granted. That I need to do more, put my thoughts into actions without the fear that it hasn’t being done (or done that way) before. I am going to try to remember the quote “Nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do.”

    We were put here on this earth to do something. It doesn’t matter who we are we all can make a difference in the world around us. The power of “one” one person making a difference in some way, helping someone, is incredible. Having the power of “one” as well as your love for God and Gods love for you is amazing. We all have the chance to make a part of the world around us better. The only thing that matters is that we do what we conceive and know that nothing will be withheld.

    Reply
  32. Constantino says

    August 2, 2012 at 7:13 pm

    A true master, and you were at the right place and time.

    He told you something that you (and most of us) needed to learn at this point in life.

    Thank you for sharing such wisdom from someone who actually did what he loved and believed… a living legend.

    From México. Constantino.

    Reply
  33. Steve Palmer - London says

    August 2, 2012 at 8:09 pm

    the word Serendipity comes to mind …
    This was a fantastic blog , clearly demonstrating
    why we must always be mindful , even if it’s not at the
    forefront of our everyday thinking.

    Reply
  34. Andrew says

    August 2, 2012 at 8:17 pm

    Great story, thanks for sharing. I don’t think he realised it, but he’s the only dude with a legit argument against apple products! (the iPad atleast)

    Reply
  35. Stanley Lee says

    August 2, 2012 at 9:14 pm

    “Do things that have never been done before” means a lot of uncertainty is going to yield from it, precisely what scares people from doing anything. You definitely have a lot of wisdom to learn from the older generation before you no longer have the chance.

    Reply
  36. Seth says

    August 2, 2012 at 11:45 pm

    Fantastic story. Perhaps serendipitous! Put a smile on my face. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  37. Murray Lunn says

    August 3, 2012 at 12:56 am

    Wow! That’s truly lucky to randomly meet up.

    I too have a pretty excellent experience with a tech individual that I met through my boss. His name is Michael, he’s work for Apple, IBM, and Microsoft since the early 80’s.

    It’s amazing what you can learn from the long-timer’s in the computer world. They really ground you.

    You’ll be excited to jump onto some new technology but they’re there, as a mentor, to show you that there are core items that truly matter (like programming) which is what really gives you the ultimate flexibility to make something amazing.

    Like he said, the problem with a lot of modern computing is that it’s all UI. People don’t dig around ad much these days.

    My interactions with Michael, inspiration from the original developers (like in your post), and my own quest to learn is the reason I’m back in college for computer science.

    Again, wow. Such an awesome experience. Really glad you shared this one with us 🙂

    Reply
  38. Colleen says

    August 3, 2012 at 4:07 am

    Love this post it is so great when something unexpected just opens up your eyes. Your posts which I get in my inbox do this for me on most days! You are inspiring and I have to say thanks! Keep them coming.

    Reply
  39. Tony says

    August 3, 2012 at 4:41 am

    What an amazing story!

    Well put together and lovely photo too!

    Well done Joel!

    Reply
  40. Coleen says

    August 3, 2012 at 1:22 pm

    I believe you had an encounter with a “Earth Angel”….you have touched many lives because you chose to write about this “chance” meeting..( I live near Portland!)….what a powerful message that is being talked about all over the world and shared..and yes, changing lives..I am sure of this…I saw this on my facebook feed and I shared it on my wall,too..this is my first time to your blog..I believe this was a very spiritual experience and that you were on some level open to receiving…after all, we are spiritual beings having a human experience…

    Reply
  41. Juliet Schutte says

    August 3, 2012 at 1:22 pm

    Ohhh this blog makes me SMILE! SO amazing to me how the Universe sets up the greatest experiences for us without our even needing to ask!!

    Reply
  42. Sean says

    August 3, 2012 at 5:35 pm

    This gave me chills and made me tear up. Awesome!

    Reply
  43. Julie says

    August 3, 2012 at 7:34 pm

    Thanks for sharing this amazing experience. Great reminder to stop, take time, be present in the moment- because you took time to talk and visit with a stranger you ended up having an amazing experience. Thanks for sharing it!

    Reply
  44. Fran Pullara says

    August 3, 2012 at 7:54 pm

    I just heard about you from a FB friend. I am an active 75 but am in WA visiting my much older sis in a retirement home. I have had such great talks with the elderly here and so many accomplished amazing things in their prime. I’m Geary from your excellent post.

    Reply
  45. Rugger Ducky says

    August 3, 2012 at 8:37 pm

    I agree wholeheartedly, with one single caveat. I know several artists who use iPads to create amazing things. A quick search also reveals plenty of examples.

    Most Americans treat their computers and tablets the same way–as consumers, not creators. It is always a select few that look at each new tool as something with which to craft greater things.

    On the shoulders of giants.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 4, 2012 at 11:13 pm

      I agree. I think he was speaking more to the tendency of most people to use it as consumption devices, but there are people who make amazing things with iPad. However, I think as a broad seque into his overall point, that statement stands well on it’s own.

      Reply
      • CJ says

        August 7, 2012 at 11:48 am

        agree. one can create great new things by using certain apps. but if u walkin on a beaten track, u will never get to new places.

        gr8 post, u made my day. respect

        Reply
  46. J. Read says

    August 3, 2012 at 9:49 pm

    May I ask – did Kirsch ever patent any of his creations or did he believe they should be there for everyone to enjoy/share/evolve???

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 4, 2012 at 2:01 am

      I’m actually not sure. Sorry.

      Reply
      • Malcolm Weir says

        August 8, 2012 at 3:26 am

        The projects Kirsch refers to were done by and for the National Bureau of Standards, i.e. the US Government, so they could not involve patenting inventions (the taxpayer paid for them).

        Reply
        • Bradely Derby says

          August 10, 2012 at 4:15 pm

          My step father worked for Ball Aerospace as an electrical engineer. I bring this up because most government contract employees like my step father; and probably Mr. Kirsch, had to sign agreements to give up their patent rights to the companies they worked for, for anything created on the job. There was usually no bonus, or other form of compensation either. Most technical jobs; in and out of the government, were run that way in Mr. Kirsch’s day. My step father John Stanley created a hand held device that detected RF and EM leakage/shorts in aircraft wiring systems, they still use this device on airplanes to this day. He is credited with its invention, but never got compensation for it. That was just how business and industry was run in those days. In my step fathers case it was never about the compensation,he is simply proud that he invented something that protected pilots and passengers lives. The work and personal ethics of that day are something we should all aspire too.

          Thank you Joel for this blog post, it has resonated with me on so many levels. Reminds me to honor family, and inspires me to reach for something greater. Kudos. Sometimes the very best things in life are free, and as simple as sitting and listening.

          Reply
  47. Electra says

    August 3, 2012 at 11:50 pm

    Awesome! That chance meeting was NO accident…you were MEANT to share this story! Wish I would have met you at WDS, but I am good buds with your handy photographer. So glad you took a moment to connect. This is a story worth sharing 🙂

    Reply
    • Jacob Sokol says

      August 4, 2012 at 1:15 pm

      <3

      Reply
  48. Chris G says

    August 4, 2012 at 12:36 pm

    I need to hang out with more Veterans like that. Anyone who can say “I invented the mother fucking (anything)!”, Respect.

    Reply
  49. Jacob Sokol says

    August 4, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    Dope dude! I didn’t know what was transpiring between you and that crispy khaki wearing pimped-out OG, but i knew it was good. Great recap!

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 4, 2012 at 4:22 pm

      Thanks for capturing it man!

      Reply
  50. Teresa Boardman says

    August 4, 2012 at 2:35 pm

    This reminds us that younger generations are not as tech savvy as we think. Using a touch screen does not take as much intelligence and tech savvy ness as programing a computer takes.

    Reply
  51. Marcie says

    August 4, 2012 at 3:00 pm

    I needed this story today. And while it may sound a little out there, I don’t think that was just a random encounter or a right place at the right time kind of thing. I think you guys were definitely meant to meet. And how great that you have the ability and opportunity to impact others with his message as well.

    Reply
  52. Đại úy Paul says

    August 4, 2012 at 3:40 pm

    A lady I love, Rebecca, sent this to me. I’ll be “stealing” the lesson and carrying it as a permanent fixture in my ready-ruck.

    Reply
  53. Dan says

    August 4, 2012 at 7:18 pm

    Yes! Which is why I detest the iUniverse. Specifically to the iPad, I wrote my school district and the editor of my local paper to protest iPads in our school district: http://www.leesburgtoday.com/opinion/letters/article_fed4abbe-fa8f-11e0-99a7-001cc4c03286.html

    I think of the iPad as cavemen-tech…why did we toss our keyboards and mice (input devices) and replace them with finger swipes like we’re making doodles on cave walls?

    Then I created my site. Now all of us can use our keyboards and mice (if we still have them) to shape the social conversations in our communities! You can create something there today!

    Thanks for the article. I hope it wakes more people up.

    Reply
  54. Tantek Çelik says

    August 4, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    Joel, this is a great story, thanks for writing it up.

    I note that Russell’s wikipedia page lacks a photo of him.

    Your photo of the two of you together is a great capture. If you could explicitly license it as CC-BY-3.0 (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ by labeling it and linking to the license as such, I’d be more than happy to add your photo to the Wikipedia page.

    Thanks again for the write-up. Nice inspiration for a Saturday afternoon.

    Tantek

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 4, 2012 at 11:05 pm

      How would you like me to label/link to it?

      Reply
      • Tantek Çelik says

        August 4, 2012 at 11:17 pm

        A simple parenthetic remark after the photo caption would suffice, something like:

        (Photo by Joel Runyon, licensed CC-BY-3.0)

        where “CC-BY-3.0” is hyperlinked to the aforementioned license URL.

        Reply
        • Joel Runyon says

          August 4, 2012 at 11:21 pm

          Done.

          Reply
          • Tantek says

            August 18, 2012 at 8:26 am

            Thanks much! I’ve uploaded your photo per the Creative Commons license to the Wikimedia Commons, and updated the Wikipedia page accordingly: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_A._Kirsch

            Thanks again for contributing your photo the commons so we could improve the Wikipedia article about Russell.

  55. Sue Jorgenson says

    August 4, 2012 at 11:42 pm

    The last two weeks I’ve been stuck, really stuck, and trying to crawl out of the cave into the sunlight – and your story is a HUGE boost propelling me forward as I ponder ways to revamp my business. What an awesome story and what awesome take-aways. A friend posted the link on FB and I’m sharing it with others. I wish we had more people like Russell Kirsch (at any age).

    Reply
  56. Roland says

    August 5, 2012 at 12:11 am

    Very cool experience – great of you to give the man time to tell his story (I am sure homeless people have a lot of stories to tell too 😉 ).
    It is also interesting to see what he says and you interpret. He is very specific on saying that he created the “world’s first internally programmable computer” and you interpret it as “the guy who invented the computer”. Your interpretation is – however – not true, as the first computer was invented quite a bit earlier 😉

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 5, 2012 at 12:33 am

      The phrase “world’s first internally programmable computer” isn’t quite twitter friendly :).

      I think, given the context, conversation and links to appropriate biographies, it’s not an misguided interpretation as much as a means of shortening for brevity’s sake.

      Reply
      • rick says

        August 9, 2012 at 2:58 am

        Joel, with all due respect, you shortening his credit to inventor of the computer is never the less an inaccurate misrepresentation of a very impotant set of historical facts. Not anywhere is Russell credited for ‘inventing the computer’. Shortening a credit to something that is, in the minds of many, very different, is simply an irresponsible exaggeration.

        Reply
  57. Linda says

    August 5, 2012 at 5:02 am

    I love “coincidences”! You have been subtly guided to continue opening up to the people around you. We all have a story and a lesson to teach. Most people don’t hear the people or the lessons. On this day you did….

    Reply
  58. Geoff Mason says

    August 5, 2012 at 6:58 am

    What a great article. Life is filled with opportunities to learn and sometimes you just have to jump at them. It is strange that some people aren’t able to comprehend the enormity of the opportunities people are offered and can show an appreciation for that and instead nitpick. Congratulations for not just dismissing him as some old timer who wanted to tell a story.

    Reply
  59. Dani O. Buckley says

    August 5, 2012 at 9:03 am

    I love this story! These are always my favorite conversations to be had – and I’ve actually been on a mission to not blow them off like I normally would do because I’m busy or preoccupied but to instead open myself up and be a little more approachable in these settings… And this is an awesome example of all the cool people out there in the world just waiting to be met!

    Reply
  60. RogerTheGeek says

    August 5, 2012 at 9:07 am

    The lesson learned is that many older people have a story to tell. Much of the time, all you need is to listen and filter out those people who have a great story. People at the library, coffee shop, grocery store, etc. have lived long lives and seen many things.

    Younger people are very absorbed in what they are doing and with good reason most of the time. Life is full of work, relationships, kids, etc. that is is hard sometimes to sit back, think and dream a bit.

    There are many people walking down the street or sitting on their porch who have done amazing things in the past. My suggestion is that young people should find an older mentor (or several) and talk. Youth gets to live some of the past and we older folks get to relive the experiences we had when we were young.

    I remember leaving an IEEE meeting at NC State a couple years ago and Fred Brooks was leaving at the same time. He asked if we remembered if he had worn a hat and left it in the building. We didn’t think he wore a hat. I wish I could have sat down with him to talk about his experiences and his mythical man month ideas. Maybe next time.

    Reply
  61. Bart Bernales says

    August 5, 2012 at 10:17 am

    Your story can be compared to having an enlightenment after spending long meditations in the Himalayas. Haha.
    I consider myself tech savvy, but I can’t code. I’m a computer technician, and I love to bring old and abandoned computers and gadgets back to ‘life’. Most of all I have a passion with digital image art (I’m into desktop publishing and design too!) Your story is one the most inspiring one I’ve read, and I felt so fortunate to know that Russel is the ‘badass’ guy who made all of these beautiful pixels possible! Whew! *mind blown*
    I’m gonna share your link to my FB, and also do some ass kicking to my so-called ‘tech savvy friends!’ LOL

    Reply
  62. J. B. Rainsberger says

    August 5, 2012 at 10:31 am

    I don’t think that we, who grew up surrounded by “proper” computers, suffer from this particular problem, but I wonder about those growing up now and 10 years from now who might not touch a programmable computer, but rather only media devices.

    Still, think about music. 200 years ago, if you “liked music”, you played an instrument or two, because to hear music, you had to make it. Music recordings enabled entire generations of people to enjoy music without having to produce any of it. Nowadays, you can have any piece of music produced in the first world whenever you want it. Question: has that stopped people from making great music? I don’t think it has. It might have reduced the number of people making great music, but I don’t think it has reduced the amount of great music being made.

    Yes, there will be fewer programmers, but I think the field will advance at a more than acceptable pace, anyway. Fewer will be driven to create, but those who are, will.

    Reply
  63. Anonymous says

    August 5, 2012 at 11:04 am

    No one person ever invented anything. Except God.

    Reply
    • Tim Rowledge says

      August 8, 2012 at 1:42 am

      Oh, I’m pretty sure more than one person invented god(s).

      Reply
  64. Angelique says

    August 5, 2012 at 2:31 pm

    While I don’t think Apple is deliberately trying to discourage innovation, one of the things I dislike about the iPad is that it’s very hard to to create any kind of original and customized content on it. It’s even hard to edit social media posts. It’s hard to correct typos. It’s physically difficult to place the cursor where you need it to go. The iPad is definitely made for passing info on, not creating it in the first place.

    Reply
  65. Dixiegirl says

    August 5, 2012 at 3:17 pm

    This is probably the best story I’ve heard in awhile. And yes, my mind was blown by your photo observation.

    How awesome you were in the right place at the right time. What a wonderful and profound experience.

    Reply
  66. Some Dude says

    August 5, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    Great story, but it’s so compelling that I’d imagine it was staged. Super marketing chops, though.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 5, 2012 at 6:46 pm

      Well, if it was staged, it was all Russel’s doing. I never got the memo and it was a surprise to me :).

      Reply
    • Dorrk says

      August 11, 2012 at 10:49 pm

      I’m positive it wasn’t staged. Why? Because I had a very similar conversation with a total stranger — Kirsch — almost exactly 2 years ago in another coffee shop just a few blocks away from World Cup.

      I was meeting with a web design client and we were looking at my laptop when an old man at the next table interjected his entire life story into the middle of our conversation.

      He was an interesting guy, and we were polite and listened, but I took rather less inspiration away from the encounter and more a suspicion that this was a lonely guy soliciting validation from strangers.

      Now that I see he does it somewhat chronically, my impression is further reinforced.

      Reply
      • Mark J says

        August 20, 2012 at 4:25 am

        I suppose that’s one way to look at it. Here’s another.

        Christians have an evangelist gene implanted in them at rebirth. Jesus’ great commission was to “Go” and spread the gospel.

        Mr. Kirsch is simply obeying that impulse. He is reminding people that God has given us the keys to everything positive … if we just believe and act on it.

        Reply
    • Randy Carpadus says

      August 16, 2012 at 10:20 am

      Really? Man I feel sorry for you to be so cynical as to go there. Take it for what it is ok?

      Reply
  67. J. P. says

    August 5, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    Wow, I would have flipped out if I had met such a person, amazing story, it reminded me to get back into learning programming. One point to mention is that he did NOT invent the computer, Konrad Zuse did it. Mr. Kirsch invented the first “internally programmable computer” how you wrote above. I just noticed that you reffered to him as general inventor of the computer later on. Sorry for nitpicking…

    Reply
  68. Mark Johnson says

    August 5, 2012 at 7:24 pm

    I realize that Russell’s iPad “consuming vs. creating” comment might be getting over-exaggerated, and I know that I may be in a minority like other commenters here with my computing habits, but I want to weigh in on the consuming vs. creating debate. Now alomst 60, I’ve been in the tech industry for almost 30 years, and I’m more creative with computers now than I’ve ever been, whether it’s a Mac, an iPad, an iPhone, or a Windows PC. The variety and depth of tools on all platforms allow me to build things I used to only dream of. Having spent 15 of those years producing computer games, we were building games when the Apple II was the multimedia computing standard and the IBM PC had only a few colors and no sound. I think we watch too many commercials and assume we have a grasp of what the market is really doing with computers based on that. I learned a big lesson 15 years ago when I was caught in the trap of living in Silicon Valley and thinking that because I lived in the cradle of development that all the creativity was happening here and the rest of the country was just consuming what was created. Once I traveled outside the valley more, I realized it was exactly the opposite. And I think the current younger generation gets a bad rap as being a mindless consumer of things. I just got back from Yosemite, watching my teenaged daughter and her contemporaries using their Powerbooks to build multimedia presentations that rivaled what someone would have needed a Video Toaster to be able to create 20 years ago. And the quality of the tools allowed them to be much more expressive than I could I have imagined doing at that age. Bottom line- the slackers get all the press, but the real creators go right on building their worlds.

    Reply
  69. Some Random Guy says

    August 5, 2012 at 8:52 pm

    This is utterly fantastic. I never worked with Russ but because we had a mutual friend at NIST (originally NBS), I was able to spend many lunchtimes with him over a period of many years. The conversations were wide-ranging, as are his interests, and every one of them was interesting.

    After he retired and left the area I lost touch and frankly thought he may be dead. Your picture brought back many memories and made me smile.

    Thanks for taking the time to post this.

    Reply
  70. David Beckwith says

    August 5, 2012 at 10:34 pm

    Awesome story!

    Reply
  71. Jeff says

    August 6, 2012 at 1:20 am

    Very inspiring story. Thanks!

    Reply
  72. Joseph Hertzlinger says

    August 6, 2012 at 1:47 am

    I’m reminded of “The Tunesmith” by Lloyd Biggle.

    Reply
  73. Nikita says

    August 6, 2012 at 2:34 am

    Thanks for sharing the story. It’s really inspiring!

    Reply
  74. Gwathiell says

    August 6, 2012 at 3:53 am

    Hello,
    Great story, well written too. 🙂 I personally love this quote :
    “Nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do.”

    Thank you. I needed to come across that 🙂

    Best wishes,
    Nina

    Reply
  75. Sebastian Hartmann says

    August 6, 2012 at 4:18 am

    Ar you familiar with the name “Zuse”? I imagine it’s possible to Google.

    Reply
    • J. P. says

      August 6, 2012 at 6:43 pm

      That’s what I remarked, too… In some passages the article is correct (inventor of the first internally programmable computer), in others it isn’t (inventor of the computer).

      Reply
  76. Kjetil T. says

    August 6, 2012 at 5:06 am

    I suspect he didn’t actually claim to invent the first computer. The first practical stored program computer was operational a year earlier in Cambridge, UK. He created the first *American* computer. Which isn’t half bad, either 😉

    Reply
  77. Valerie Cameron says

    August 6, 2012 at 8:14 am

    Joel, dig out that card and put it in a safe place. He gave it to you for a reason. It wouldn’t be out of line for you to establish an ongoing relationship with him. I think he’d welcome it. Do it!

    Reply
  78. Ana says

    August 6, 2012 at 8:33 am

    Talk about inspirational!

    Reply
  79. Lindsay Gaff says

    August 6, 2012 at 7:38 pm

    I hate that I can’t switch off the nitpicky jerk in my head that has to comment, because I’m overlooking the entire point of the article in doing so, but to me it’s important not to downplay the achievements of others.

    Kirsch, as it states on wikipedia, created the first functional stored program computer in the united states. EDSAC, a british computer constructed by Maurice Wilkes at Cambridge began operation in 1949. SEAC (Kirsch’s computer) itself was an improvement on an earlier stored-program design called EDVAC, designed by John Von Neumann, whose name is given to one of the two main architectures in use today.

    Then there’s the Zuse Z3, constructed by Konrad Zuse in 1941, an improvement on the Z1 design from 1938; although it lacked a conditional branch operation, so in a large sense it was not programmable, merely a very large calculator.

    If you were going to single any one person out as the inventor of the computer though, at least theoretically, that would be Alan Turing, who quite literally wrote the book on computability.

    I’m not in any way trying to disparage Kirsch’s work by this mini-rant, his contributions are equally important and these quotes are phenomenal, but i’d fall short of saying he invented the computer.

    Reply
    • Darin says

      August 8, 2012 at 8:51 pm

      Yes, with computers it becomes difficult to define “invent” and “first”. EDVAC I would have classified as first internally stored memory programmable computer, which makes it odd that a computer based upon EDVAC would be listed by some as “first”. However EDVAC had some delays before being put into production. There was also EDSAC but that was in the UK.

      Then there’s the issue that computers really are a continuum of improvements. Before EDVAC was ENIAC which I would call a “computer” even though not an internally stored program. Who invented a computer is even more murky than deciding who invented the modern automobile.

      In that sense perhaps people should not worry about “inventing” things with the sense of something big and new and impressive. That may be too intimidating for most. We really don’t have much anymore invented by a single person, things are developed in teams. Even back in Edison’s day he had a team of people doing the hard work. Instead just improving things is important. So stand on the shoulder of giants and do something so that later someone else can stand on your shoulders.

      Reply
  80. Sue Jorgenson says

    August 6, 2012 at 9:44 pm

    Sorry, Joel, have to type a comment to uncheck the “follow up” box below.

    Reply
  81. Kevin says

    August 6, 2012 at 9:48 pm

    Wow! This reminds me of Vaynerchuk’s statement about always trying seek out old(er) people to learn from them. But to have a chance meeting like that is sweet. Thanks for sharing this. Very inspirational.

    Reply
  82. mexmoon says

    August 6, 2012 at 11:19 pm

    Some factual discrepancies in this article that need resolution.

    He was the first in America, but not the world. The wikipedia article you link agrees with this.

    The world’s first electronic, internally programmable computer was SSEM, which was operated in Britain in 1948. Russell Kirsch’s machine was completed in 1950 (from your link).

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Small-Scale_Experimental_Machine

    Reply
    • kshade says

      August 7, 2012 at 1:55 am

      This. It’s certainly not the first computer, the first electronic computer or the first touring-complete programmable computer. Guy’s still right though, and it’s a cool story.

      Reply
    • maunsen says

      August 7, 2012 at 3:46 am

      If it was for the first operational and fully programmable computer it would be the Z3 by Konrad Zuse which became fully operational in May 1941.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konrad_Zuse

      Reply
      • Joel Runyon says

        August 7, 2012 at 9:17 am

        “first internally programmable computer”

        Reply
        • Malcolm Weir says

          August 8, 2012 at 4:31 am

          Sorry, but as others have stated, Kirsch’s SEAC was only the first in the US. The real first internally programmed computer was either the SSEM built by Manchester University in England, which ran its first program in June 1948, or Cambridge University’s EDSAC, which started work in May 1949. The controversy over which was “first” depends on your definition: SSEM was built as proof-of-concept device, so although it truly was an internally programmed computer, it was not a machine built to do anything; it was a computer that didn’t actually compute anything. By contrast, EDVAC had the same “internally programmable” feature, but was built to do useful work. (Manchester’s SSEM evolved into the Manchester Mark 1, which was operational in April 1949, but didn’t run “error free” until June 1949, giving the honors to Cambridge); architecturally, EDVAC was more of an evolutionary dead end, and its fair to say that whatever you’re reading this on is a logical descendant of the Manchester Mark 1/SSEM.
          For the record, Kirsch’s SEAC didn’t start work until May 1950, but which time several other stored program machines had been produced.
          By way, while SEAC was the platform that lead to the first digital image, the Manchester Mark 1 brought us the first computer game (a subset of chess), while Australia’s CSIRAC delivered the first music!
          Despite all of the above, don’t lose sight of the fact that Russell Kirsch was one of just a couple of dozen pioneers, all of whom were working more-or-less independently. However, many Americans are surprised by the influence that the UK had on the development of what has become a quintessentially American strength. Of course, one of the major factors in this was the nationality of one man: John von Neumann.
          (not that Britain has been totally asleep in the time since then, as the Olympic Games opening ceremony reminded us: “This is for everyone!”)

          Reply
  83. Stephan says

    August 7, 2012 at 1:55 am

    what a great story and yes I agree most uf us never do new things, because we are afraid to stumble on our path. Let’s go outside and try new things!
    kind regards from Germany

    Reply
  84. Gokul Pillai says

    August 7, 2012 at 3:08 am

    Simply Amazing!!
    No words to express further!!!

    Reply
  85. Heike Matthiesen says

    August 7, 2012 at 3:53 am

    wonderful story– I am having an impossible music career thanks to internet… so thanks to him, without computers my music would not be listened to worldwide.. If you ever see him again say “THANK YOU” from a classical musician!!

    Reply
  86. Rene says

    August 7, 2012 at 4:53 am

    You make my day with that story. Early in the morning sitting in the train and reading it, the whole story motivates me enormous to hold on my decision to give up on my 9am to 6pm office job and to do something that no one ever done before. The whole quote about it is awesome.

    Regards from germany, René

    Reply
  87. Kevin UK says

    August 7, 2012 at 7:00 am

    Who cares about some small factual inaccuracies???

    What an experience 🙂

    Great article!

    Reply
  88. Paarkhi Parekh says

    August 7, 2012 at 8:09 am

    Nice Inspirational Post and some of the comments are also very good. Thanks for both the things

    Reply
  89. paawun says

    August 7, 2012 at 9:27 am

    Very interesting anecdote! Loved reading it. A friend recommended this blog and I have bookmarked it :). Since I am not a programmer, I can’t argue with genius…but I don’t know if you can dismiss apple just on that premise. Apple is not just about the iPad. And a lot of Apps made for the Apple line of products have and are changing the world as we speak, and they are good programming too. I used to be anti Apple on some misguided notion that they were too arrogant and controlling and exclusivist, until I held my first iPhone 2 years ago. AND I changed my perception and became a loyalist in 1 day. It was a mindblowing experience to have an iPhone.Pretty, uncomplicated, so wonderously useful, and ready with a nice fresh surprise in terms of Apps every few days!!! I was in the middle of an experience that allowed me to use an uncluttered, intuitive device, yet, it was constantly evolving. Not being a cold logical thinker or a great rationalist, I still know what experience speaks to me. And while I still like the keyboard on windows better because I am so used to it…I love Apple Products. I love their quality. Allows me to trust, that I am not going to be lured into buying empty hype. There is solid substance there! And not everybody can create. You need consumers too 🙂

    Reply
  90. CM Laspa says

    August 7, 2012 at 10:16 am

    What an inspirational chance-meeting. I do have to agree with Kirsch, that as a whole, we have become largely consumers ‘poking’ at the digital world. The good news is . . . everything happens in cycles, so this phase too, shall pass.

    Reply
  91. Kate M. Merriwether says

    August 7, 2012 at 11:44 am

    Thank you for sharing this. I greatly appreciate the reminder!

    Reply
  92. octopusgrabbus says

    August 7, 2012 at 11:46 am

    Thanks for posting this. It’s excellent. I remember when there were multiple hardware architectures and that was for 16, 32, and 36-bit, and when people built things, whether it was hardware or software.

    Reply
  93. Dan says

    August 7, 2012 at 11:51 am

    Thought you would appreciate this Joel. Even into his 80s he is still at work. Check out this link from Wired. In 2010 Kirsch was still trying to solve a problem with square pixels.

    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/smoothing-square-pixels/

    Reply
  94. Max says

    August 7, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    Maybe he invented the computer but he doesn’t realize that thanks to the accessibility of the appstore, a lot of pple, including me, became programmers without a computer science degree. Same goes for Garage Band, iBook Author, iMovies, iTunes and other Apple software which empowers common pple to produce creative content and gives them access to a massive market.

    Reply
  95. Buzz Hill says

    August 7, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    Your topic in this post is what I like to write about all the time, Joel. Thank you and Russel for the inspiration.

    Fellow Portlandian,
    Buzz

    Reply
  96. Geekoid says

    August 7, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    “Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.”
    And if ti is, well then you didn’t want it bad enough.

    What a bunch of clap trap.

    Reply
  97. David Beavers-Bair says

    August 7, 2012 at 2:11 pm

    And he’s still at it! What a fascinating person.

    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/smoothing-square-pixels/

    Reply
  98. Chip Wilkes says

    August 7, 2012 at 2:30 pm

    “What the mind of a man can conceive, he can achieve!” — Napoleon Hill

    Reply
  99. Sheila Anderson says

    August 7, 2012 at 3:00 pm

    This guy reminds me of Walter Russell.

    My introduction to him was this free online book. http://www.scribd.com/doc/29714843/Glenn-Clark-Walter-Russell-The-Man-Who-Tapped-the-Secrets-of-the-Universe
    Read all Russell’s writings and went to his old home in VA! Been awhile. I needed this bad! Thanks for the inspiration and motivation!!

    Reply
  100. Brent Pittman says

    August 7, 2012 at 3:12 pm

    I learned that I should talk to old guys in coffee shops more often. Great inspiration and motivation.

    Reply
  101. Thag says

    August 7, 2012 at 3:21 pm

    I love that the quote from God is from the Tower of Babel, which gives Russel’s use of it such nuance. The danger of the Tower was everyone thinking alike, cementing everything in place for fear of change, of encountering the different, the challenging. No individual stones; only bricks, which must be identical.

    But talking to random old strangers in coffee shops? Definitely an out-of-the-tower idea. Props (to both of you).

    Reply
    • Mat says

      August 10, 2012 at 9:30 am

      Actually, it gives it more than nuance, it give it a complete misuse. The quote from Genesis 11:6 is a warning of the capacity of man to do evil. God was not saying that it would be a good thing if mankind did everything that he imagined to do. Ironically, he said he was the only one that believed, yet his understanding of it was completely wrong.

      Reply
      • God's Not Mad Anymore says

        August 24, 2012 at 10:28 am

        This would be true if God had never sent Jesus to this earth. You see, the Cross changed everything. God’s no longer mad at this world. As a result, Russel’s understanding of the scripture in Genesis is correct.

        Reply
  102. Melissa says

    August 7, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    What a great message. There are no coincidences and that was a meeting you and he were to have. I just finished typing a note to a friend trying to articulate what you so eliquently posted about your encounter: Thank you so much for sharing this for us all. 🙂

    “Nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do.”

    That’s good, who said that?

    God did.

    What?

    God said it and there were only two people who believed it, you know who?

    Nope, who?

    God and me, so I went out and did it.

    Reply
  103. Fidel Ferrer says

    August 7, 2012 at 4:54 pm

    Excellent article!!!

    Reply
  104. Mark F says

    August 7, 2012 at 4:57 pm

    Who took the picture?

    Reply
  105. Black Eyed Susans Kitchen says

    August 7, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    Thank you for writing about this experience…nice to read what the man who listened to god had to say!

    Reply
  106. Linda A. says

    August 7, 2012 at 5:39 pm

    Oh man….I don’t read blogs but came here from Lars.

    This is a great story!!!

    Forget about meeting a celebrity, I’d rather meet Mr. Kirsch! He literally “changed the world”.

    How many people can say they’ve met someone like that? I envy you.

    Reply
  107. Jan R. says

    August 7, 2012 at 6:40 pm

    RESPECT!! Awesome story.. 8) Here is Russell talking about his inventions, http://vimeo.com/22179638

    Reply
  108. Ben Bradley says

    August 7, 2012 at 6:44 pm

    When he was asking about the Mac it seemed like he was some crotchety old man, possibly Truly Crazy, but what really piqued my interest was his words “…using technology to consume things instead of making things. With a computer you can make things.” This brought to mind the DIY movement and the back-tracking thought “hey, maybe this guy’s on to something.”

    And indeed he was and still is!

    Reply
  109. Joel Conrad Bechtolt says

    August 7, 2012 at 7:40 pm

    In other news, creator of typewriter lambasts first programmer of computer for championing device that is bad for the future of storytelling.

    Anyone who thinks you can’t create webpages, write code, edit photos, create stunning pieces of art, create and enrich relationships, build and work with 3D models, edit movies, write songs, record guitar, et motherfucking al on an iPad or iPhone doesn’t know what they’re talking about.

    I don’t care if you’re 100 and invented silicon, you’re dead wrong if you say iOS devices are “not computers.” Even worse if you think Apple is behind consumption culture. I write code on an iPad with Coda, made by Panic right here in Portland. I’ve tons work and connect with people daily using Instagram, which doesn’t even have a desktop interface. When I photograph an Oregon football game and need to get 4,000 raw images to my editor heading back from Eugene on I-5, the iPad with LTE is just what the doctor ordered. Last week I did some troubleshooting for The Portland Art Museum’s backup Drobo with TeamViewer screen sharing on my iPhone. In my car while the Hawthorne bridge was up.

    I know I’m an edge case and that most people don’t use their iDevices that way, but to be perfectly fair, most *computers* are consumption devices. Most people surf the web and use social networks for 90% of their computer usage with a 10% foray into the wide world of Word.

    I think that people sitting around waiting to be poets, musicians, artists and writers as soon as Apple would stop standing in their way is a strawman argument wearing a red herring t-shirt. Or, as we say in the development community “fucking horseshit”.

    It’s too bad that “I don’t understand modern computing devices” gets so quickly transposed into “People don’t understand, modern devices aren’t computers” by someone who must have had to do insanely high-level creative thinking and problem solving in his day.

    Bottom line: The difference between creators and consumers is not their tools.

    Nice story, though. Old people are cute.

    Reply
    • Jim Krenz says

      August 7, 2012 at 8:56 pm

      Mr. Bechtolt—thank you for renewing my faith in blog replies that are packed with truth and are an unexpected ass kicking in and of themselves.

      Reply
    • Robert Sullivan says

      August 8, 2012 at 12:26 am

      Actually the analogy doesn’t work because with a typewriter, or a computer, you can still write. There are those who would say some of the finer points of writing is lost with the ability to quickly edit, vs. writing a manuscript, but I digress. So I think you angry people are missing the point here, he’s not dissing the creative types who are doing movies, photoshop, garage band, etc. (And by the way, as a programmer, with an appreciation for the artistic folks that can make a web site rocking beautiful, all respect.) But dig this – What he’s talking about is code slinging. And yes, as others have pointed out, you can hook a keyboard up to an iPad, and SSH to your home or work computer, and crank out the code. So again, he’s specifically talking about coding, that’s his area, he probably had no intention of angering the multitude of folks doing amazing creative stuff that’s never been done before using an iPad. Maybe what he’s talking about it is that we are all mindlessly perusing blogs and getting in flame wars instead of actually contributing anything useful. So – to the OP – thanks for the contribution. In my opinion, you all angry folks missed the point a bit, it’s not an attack on iPaders, it is actually a good point. So – anyone out there going to work on a nice development environment for an iPad? I will buy it, wouldn’t mind saving the money over buying a Macbook Air. Awesome dev machine, by the way, Russell 😉

      Reply
      • Jim Krenz says

        August 8, 2012 at 1:04 am

        Robert—I can’t speak for what you perceive. My perception is that people are contributing to a vibrant discussion here, sharing their individual viewpoints. I don’t see anger or flamewars at all.

        It is a pity that Kirsch isn’t here to defend his statements or his intent. I think this is one of the dangers in blog journalism: when a third party is involved, communication from the originator is absent at worst, or filtered at best.

        As far as native development environments on the iPad, take a look at one (or all) of these: Koder;Textastic; Codea; Gusto; and “for i”. There are numerous others, but not knowing your environment, I am just making general suggestions.

        Reply
      • Arnette says

        August 9, 2012 at 6:16 pm

        Well said !

        Reply
    • Webbing20 says

      August 13, 2012 at 8:02 pm

      The fact that you guys keep discussing Apple products demonstrates that you completely missed the point of this story…

      Reply
  110. Izzy says

    August 7, 2012 at 11:06 pm

    This is not only a truly incredible story but very inspiring. I am just blown away by all of it. I love the lessons that you put forward here. I am at a stage in my life, where this really resonates with me.

    Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.

    That is such a beautiful and powerful line. I guess it starts with conceiving and next comes action. Once we can conceive it, then it becomes possible.

    Then it comes down to taking the actual journey to make it real.

    A very powerful post Joel.

    Reply
  111. Ben Bradley says

    August 7, 2012 at 11:59 pm

    I’m reminded of a PBS Nova episode from decades ago, this guy is telling a story: “I was out vacationing, some man came up to me and asked ‘why do you have Feynman diagrams on your VW Microbus?’

    “I responded ‘well, it’s my VW Microbus, I guess can put whatever I want on it. Oh by the way, I’m Richard Feynman.”

    Reply
  112. Jane Lorenzen says

    August 8, 2012 at 12:02 am

    You truly had a brush with greatness.

    Reply
  113. Mitsu Hadeishi says

    August 8, 2012 at 12:06 am

    Love this blog post. Of course, I program on my Mac all the time — it’s a great computer for programmers. Based on BSD, etc. But, a great blog post all the same.

    Reply
  114. Carlos Ramos says

    August 8, 2012 at 12:30 am

    Wow! What an astounding story. I enjoyed quite a lot reading it. It reminds of a phrase I once read: “Do the unexpected”. I am going to follow this blog for sure!

    Reply
  115. Mr.Jay says

    August 8, 2012 at 1:23 am

    Creating is beautiful.

    Reply
  116. Helen says

    August 8, 2012 at 2:11 am

    Joel, what a wonderful experience. I love the delight you have obviously taken in this unexpected meeting with Mr Kirsch.

    I think Jim and one or two others totally miss the point, and therefore will miss out on many of life’s unexpected treasured moments.

    You met a LEGEND, and took the time to allow a treasured memory to unfold, while they will keep their blinkered approach, and won’t notice any such moments.

    You have done things that THEY have never done before, and are highly unlikely to! :-))

    Reply
    • Jim Krenz says

      August 8, 2012 at 6:55 am

      Wow, Helen—it feels like you are judging me without due cause. I’ve never dismissed the value of Joel’s meeting with Kirsch. I simply questioned Kirsch’e opinions, as reported. I’ve met many legends in my life, and will meet more. Not because of happenstance. I seek them out. And I question them. I think they respect me all the more for it.

      For example, I met Ray Bradbury in the library that he virtually lived in when growing up. I grew up loving his words. When I heard that he was lecturing, I had to go. He gave a small talk, and he answered all of our questions. If he had claimed that he invented the first typewriter, I would have questioned it. All he claimed was his absolute love of stories, of writing and of life.

      I would have never met Mr. Bradbury while hanging around in a coffee shop.

      Growing up, I made it a point to meet with Doug Henning, David Copperfield and Penn & Teller. I’ve shaken the hands of Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman and Chuck Palahniuk. None of them were by chance. If you have the chance to meet with your heroes, out of respect for yourself (and your dreams), do it.

      Think about one of your heroes right now. See if they are scheduled to appear at a convention, a book signing, or any other event. Try to contact them today, ask them questions from your heart and see what happens.

      Reply
      • Randy Carpadus says

        August 16, 2012 at 10:39 am

        “I’ve never dismissed the value of Joel’s meeting with Kirsch.” By your comments you sure fooled me. With the nit-picking (hey, I’m not the only one) over the Ipad issue you come off as (again as someone else said) “an Apple FanBoy with his panties in a wad”. Give it a rest. Stop being so defensive over your Apple products, they stand on their own.

        Reply
  117. Trupti says

    August 8, 2012 at 2:38 am

    Superb! Your experience is EPIC! The humbleness of Rusell is commendable and his contribution to this world is Something that we are not even eligible to comment upon! Hats off to this Great man!

    Reply
  118. Egzon says

    August 8, 2012 at 3:18 am

    Great article!

    Reply
  119. Elizabeth Lang says

    August 8, 2012 at 3:21 am

    That’s an amazing encounter. And…it is time to step it up.

    Reply
  120. Aramis Erak says

    August 8, 2012 at 3:41 am

    Next time you run in to him, you might want to point out that the non-apple tablets, equally as consumption focused, have dozens of programming environments. Many available at no charge. My Android tablet (running ICS) has 4 programming languages and 5 dev environments installed.

    Reply
    • Mark says

      August 10, 2012 at 2:16 pm

      Well said, Aramis, we do all tend to miss the point when we become too platform or brand specific.

      For instance, even though I develop daily on a Mac at work, I find that our Android and Linux platforms give me a huge range of freedom to customize and streamline my workflow, helping me enjoy the process and getting results faster because the setup is my own.

      Code on the ipad? Please. If the fan boys on most of these blog flame wars would settle down and look around for some positives in the fine work done both inside AND outside the Apple garden, we’d all get along much nicer and perhaps would learn more from each other in the process. (And I’ve been designing and developing on Apple machines since the early 90s! 🙂

      I appreciate your outlook; here’s to multiple approaches to solving problems! Again, well stated.

      Reply
  121. takeshi says

    August 8, 2012 at 3:58 am

    Maybe encourage people to “do the impossible” and teach themselves physics, calculus, or a programming language instead of the some empty victory of no consequence like a triathlon. Like mountaineering, or even landing on the moon, carrying out these kinds of programs produces the same sense of futility that comes from doing anything merely to prove to yourself that you can do it.

    Reply
  122. Kelvin says

    August 8, 2012 at 7:38 am

    Fascinating…but he was wrong, the world’s first programmable computer was Collosus, built in secret in WWII at Bletchley Park in England. It was built by a post office worker who originally wanted to make an automatic telephone exchange, but realised that he could do so much more.

    Unfortunately, it was so secret that after the war he couldn’t do anything with the knowledge of how to make a computer. When he went to approach people with the idea he couldn’t say “I’ve already built one and it worked fantastically” because it was still secret…

    Reply
  123. paawun says

    August 8, 2012 at 8:40 am

    @Jim Krenz – I like your informed and balanced perspective. Mr. Kirsch is a great pioneer, but it does not mean that his opinions are always so correct, that that is the only way to look at things.

    Also, like someone else reasonably pointed out…we are hearing his word’s from the mouth of a third party. His own opinion is implied here…not really clearly stated.

    It’s a very nice personal story, and the opinions of an important person are put forth with honest intent.But that’s about it. People have the right to agree with that perspective or not.
    @Kelvin – Who is that person? Even that is a secret?

    Bottom line…I am not going to Stop loving APPLE, just because It does not allow me (questionably) to be a great programmer. I am not even a programmer.

    Majority of the world is not programming! Only Some are…and those some don’t make the whole world. I love Apple. It is a great product with a great culture of outstanding Quality and Design 🙂

    Reply
    • Phil Ruse says

      August 9, 2012 at 9:49 am

      I believe the person was Tommy Flowers, but like Kelvin says, he wasn’t allowed to make anything of it after the war since it was all official secrets. It’s only recently they’ve started showing documentaries here in the UK about what happened, particularly in the light of the centenary of Alan Turing’s birth.

      There are so many “firsts” in computing (I suspect “internally programmable” applies here) and for me it doesn’t detract from what a great story this blog post is.

      Reply
      • Rachael says

        August 19, 2012 at 6:29 am

        I’m glad someone has mentioned Alan Turing, Tommy Flowers, Colossus and the vital work done at Bletchley Park during World War II that undoubtedly introduced the idea of computational ‘thought’ to the world, albeit in secrecy.

        People who worked at Bletchley Park (11,000 at one point) during the war signed the Official Secrets Act and when the conflict ended all evidence of the codebreakers’ efforts, all scraps of paper, the bombes, Colossus, all records and intercepted codes were destroyed.

        The existence of Bletchley Park and its wartime activities remained secret until 1974, meaning that much of the progress with computers made there was halted, except for the knowledge of people like Turing who continued to work in similar fields. Alan Turing spent time in America, during the war and at the end, so it’s possible that there’s a connection between Kirsch and him?

        Please don’t take this as nitpicking! With all great firsts there’s a collective knowledge or experience behind them. Joel – will you stay in touch with Russell? Loved the post and the photograph. I wonder if he’s read this thread?

        Reply
  124. Thomas says

    August 8, 2012 at 10:22 am

    Encounters like this make great memories. back in 1981 my friends and I were at a convention in Saint Louis, sitting up late, in the hotel lobby, discussing theater and acting. During the debate over Method vs Technique we drew the attention on an elderly man and a couple of his friends who had just arrived. While his friends when over to check in, the man joined our conversation. He was polite, charming, clever and seemed to really understand acting as a craft and passion. As the conversation wound down, nearly two hours later, we all said our good nights and he left for the elevator. A few minutes later, one of the people who had come in with him came back to the lobby and offered us all tickets to the Muny Opera production of Camalot. Then told us Mister Harris enjoyed the conversation very much and wanted to thank us. As in Richard Harris.

    Reply
  125. RobG says

    August 8, 2012 at 11:30 am

    Thought-provoking post, but the comments expose the real problem. As a society, we are losing our ability to receive wisdom. An old man telling his life story to a young man is not a lecture or a history test. It does not necessarily need to be fact-checked or dissected. In the course of any good story, there will be hyperboles and strategic omissions. The old man to young man message is, and has always been, learn from the past, make a better future.

    Reply
    • Laurie says

      October 21, 2012 at 11:00 pm

      RobG – THANK YOU! What a blessing to meet and learn from this older gentleman, regardless of the specifics of computer invention. Sorry to see so many folks who are completely missing the point of the story.

      Reply
  126. Notorious Ph.D. says

    August 8, 2012 at 12:14 pm

    That.

    That is incredible.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  127. Dan Welch says

    August 8, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    Thanks for posting this encounter. I remember you from your shirt and saw you talking to Russell but just thought it was another pleasant conversation among strangers. While it was I certainly didn’t know of the depth. What a great story. We posted it on our FB page and its getting quite a nice amount of play. Again, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  128. Scott says

    August 8, 2012 at 12:55 pm

    After looking through many of the responses to this wonderful article, it seems as though the main point of the story is being missed entirely.
    How was the God reference overlooked? Mr. Kirsch drew his ambition to do something bigger than himself from, well, the one something bigger than himself. Our generation seems to think our frail little human minds are individually special and capable of awesomeness on our own. I’d be willing to bet the guy lives his life by the Bible, thus conforming to God’s plan for him. If we could get away from our own arrogant thoughts of ourselves, and our dependence on the material and meaninglessness, we’d accomplish so much more greatness while avoiding many pitfalls of human existence.
    I know the responses will come hard and heavy now…they always do…I will respond to no insults or ridiculousness. If you wish to have an intelligent debate, I’m game. A dialogue is best achieved if all participants are well-informed (don’t talk trash about something you’ve not explored, read, or become in some way accustomed.)
    Mr. Runyon: fine article and a very uplifting read, sir. I hope that interaction created a desire for you to find out what he’s talking about…we’re only tools for the job…

    Reply
  129. aerg says

    August 8, 2012 at 1:23 pm

    Fuck you

    Reply
    • Scott says

      August 8, 2012 at 3:07 pm

      AERG:
      May God bless you, and may you seek wisdom.

      Reply
  130. Pat says

    August 8, 2012 at 1:52 pm

    Do that which others believe cannot be accomplished. I’ve managed to do that once in my life.. but only because nobody told me the eggheads at Watson said such until after I’d finshed 🙂

    Content consumption device users, Marching Morons, same difference 🙂

    Reply
  131. Rosanna Shaw says

    August 8, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    Expansive!

    Reply
  132. Vida B Good says

    August 8, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    Like attracts like_my impossible quotient is high. I tell my lovers “I do the easy things, you do the hard things.. and I do the impossible things.” Glad I found your blog, stay in touch. 🙂

    Reply
  133. Vern Edwards says

    August 8, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    I enjoyed your blog post very much. Thank you for it.

    Reply
  134. josephFOByam says

    August 8, 2012 at 6:02 pm

    This article is well written. Unlike the crap that Yahoo writer, Chris Chase puts out.

    Reply
  135. Gary G says

    August 8, 2012 at 6:25 pm

    Just think how this might have gone had it been a Tech Snob with no respect for elders. What a unique experience you received. Good for you.

    Reply
  136. JDE says

    August 8, 2012 at 7:05 pm

    That wasn’t an ass-kicking. It was an incredible encounter – probably an example of synchronicity.

    Reply
  137. Kathy Clark @ KathyClarkRecommends.com says

    August 8, 2012 at 7:15 pm

    Wow!! Very Inspirational Article. Glad I noticed the shared story on Facebook. This has my mind entertaining many avenues of thought. 1. To be more open and interactive with the people I meet everyday. 2. To just be more aware. 3. Listen for God’s Leading and Promptings. 4. Create more than Consume 5. Live a life worth living. etc.
    My Daughter lives in Portland and Loves it there. Now I know why. She is definitely one of the creative types.
    Thanks for sharing this article (even learned from the comments. I will stay tuned for more.

    Kathy Clark
    Alabama

    Reply
  138. Terry G says

    August 8, 2012 at 7:19 pm

    This is grandiose!!!I’ve read a lot of inspirational blogs but this is one to remember and to learn from!I was waiting for this.

    Thank you

    Reply
  139. René Fabre says

    August 8, 2012 at 7:20 pm

    This just makes my day! What a heart warming story. Regardless of what Apple is up to, Kirsch makes good points. What a wonderful chance happening. Thanks for the share.

    Reply
  140. Vanessa says

    August 8, 2012 at 7:50 pm

    Wow! This is quite the experience and while I’m often around computer scientists –some of those who create amazing things and push the envelope every day– I, like most others, need to fan the flames of the fire under my ass to keep on going!

    I’ve thought of consuming vs producing for a while now, and with the world full of great content (and more and more these days), it seems like filtering and curating is a job in itself, but it’s still not *creating*.

    Thanks for sharing this story! and thanks for that awesome mind-blowing picture, I like the meta-reference (oh and via this post, I found your blog which is pretty cool too — so thanks for the 3rd time!)

    Reply
  141. Derek Osborne says

    August 8, 2012 at 8:22 pm

    I love Russell,

    I met him a few years back at a local SIGGRAPH event, he’s a very lively and entertaining man who loves to talk tech.

    He does show up randomly at the Cascade SIGGRAPH events to check in from time to time.

    Reply
  142. Martín says

    August 8, 2012 at 8:31 pm

    Wow!!! Mind blowing and enlighthening!

    Reply
  143. Carl says

    August 8, 2012 at 8:53 pm

    Thanks for sharing this. I’m thinking ahead to when I’m 80 years old myself, and I end up talking to some kid in a coffee shop who’s using the latest holographic laptop or whatever, and telling him about how I used to study Fortran and register for classes using punch cards or play chess against a huge university mainframe that had one millionth of power of his iPhone 25.

    Reply
  144. Leslie Wagner says

    August 8, 2012 at 10:05 pm

    There are no coincidences in life!!!

    Reply
  145. Cindy Baronette says

    August 8, 2012 at 10:15 pm

    Amazingly written. Thank you for sharing a piece of your afternoon coffee with Russell.

    Reply
  146. David Brown says

    August 8, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    So, what programming language are you going to learn first?

    Reply
  147. George Dixon says

    August 8, 2012 at 11:17 pm

    I’m really thrilled such a thing happened…imagine meeting the inventor. I’m also thrilled I met The Inventor in 1952 of the universe.

    Reply
  148. Service says

    August 9, 2012 at 12:10 am

    What an awesome experience!

    Your story has totally made my day!

    Now to head out to a cafe and wait for a random old genius to approach me for a chat …

    Reply
  149. Blaine Kozak says

    August 9, 2012 at 12:47 am

    See Time Life Books: 100 Photographs that Changed the World. You will find Mr Kirsch with the first digitized image which he created of his infant son who also lives in Portland.

    Reply
  150. Joel Runyon says

    August 9, 2012 at 1:09 am

    In 1957 the SEAC team unveiled the drum scanner, to “trace variations of intensity over the surfaces of photographs”, and made the first digital image by scanning a photograph.

    http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/releases/image_052407.cfm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_A._Kirsch

    See the wikipedia page on the digital image.

    Reply
    • Joel Conrad Bechtolt says

      August 9, 2012 at 2:34 am

      Why was he scanning photographs instead of getting out there and taking his own?

      😉

      Reply
      • Pat McGuire says

        August 20, 2012 at 2:36 pm

        You are aware that there were no digital cameras then, right?

        Reply
  151. Hannah Twitty says

    August 9, 2012 at 1:17 am

    So fun, thanks for sharing that experience. My favorite is his nonchalant and very normal insert of God’s involvement in his creativity. Such a sweet picture.

    Reply
  152. Seliah says

    August 9, 2012 at 3:23 am

    Be thankful that you had the oppurtunity to talk to the man. That had to have been a wonderful experience.

    And he’s right; pads are for absorbing and taking, not giving and creating. Part of the reason I’ve resisted the change to them, and still do not and will not have one.

    I use a computer for writing, listening to music, and artwork creation. That is what it gets used for on my end. And it’s true – these things allow us to CREATE if we choose to do so.

    He’s right on all of his points. That is a wonderful memory to take with you through life – that you got to talk to the man who invented the computer and digital imaging. Love it!

    Reply
  153. Marcus says

    August 9, 2012 at 3:49 am

    What an experience. This is something to tell your grandchildren and blow their mind. I think I would have completely lost my nerve half way through the encounter and called my wife all my friends to come round and meet Mr. Kirsch as well.

    Reply
  154. Alexis says

    August 9, 2012 at 6:38 am

    As WH Murray (a fine scottish mountaineer!) said:
    “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
    Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!”

    Reply
  155. André Lefort says

    August 9, 2012 at 8:34 am

    This is amazing stuff and is very inspirational…

    Reply
  156. Hans Lee says

    August 9, 2012 at 8:40 am

    I like this article,so I translate it into Chinese and put it on my own blog.
    I really like it and it’s very inspired.Now I want to publish the translated article on a China’s magazine.
    I think I need your permission first.
    PS:I try to send this message on your “contact” page,but I failed.Like this “Failed to send your message. Please try later or contact administrator by other way.”,I don’t know why…

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 9, 2012 at 9:38 am

      Send me an email at joel [at] joelrunyon [dot] com

      Reply
  157. warbler says

    August 9, 2012 at 9:05 am

    Joel, great and very inspiring blog.
    With all due respect for both your piece and Mister Kirsch, I would propose that one thing the man hasn’t mastered is humility. His proposal that God and he are in a class of two and his taking credit for something which almost certainly was the result of a coming together of people and ideas seems a bit much. Definitely a remarkable meeting though and hats off to you for unpacking it so well.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 9, 2012 at 9:43 am

      He was very specific about his creation (clarifying as soon as I asked him to). He’s not putting himself in a class with God, he’s just recognizing that unfortunately, too many people don’t live up to their given capabilities.

      In my opinion he had a very humble mannerism about him. If that did not come across, that’s my fault in the storytelling.

      Reply
  158. Barb Tyler says

    August 9, 2012 at 9:20 am

    It just goes to show, if we slow down long enough to pay attention, we can learn some wonderful lessons. This post really hits home for me this week. I hope others are as inspired.

    Reply
  159. Justin Young says

    August 9, 2012 at 9:33 am

    Fantastic experience and fantastic post. Thanks for sharing.

    This made me want to do two things today:

    1. Speak to a stranger, particularly someone older than me. Probably someone older than my parents. I want to hear their story (or stories).

    2. Do something that makes me nervous or unsure of the outcome.

    Thanks again for sharing!

    Reply
  160. eric says

    August 9, 2012 at 9:41 am

    So, why is this an ‘ass kicking’? Sounds like you had a cool conversation with a cool dude & learned some things.

    maybe a little shakabuku, but ass kicking? hardly.

    Reply
  161. Mia Jackson says

    August 9, 2012 at 10:57 am

    What an awesome experience! And I don’t think you could have been more productive than you were by simply listening to the man who just did it. Love it.

    Reply
  162. Rich says

    August 9, 2012 at 11:38 am

    Hi Joel, this article was so cool! A good friend of mine suggested that I read it, and I’m so glad I did. I’m a chiropractor, and I work to emphasize the amazing abilities of our bodies to heal themselves and the capabilities of people change the trajectory of their health naturally. I’ve really been slacking with my own blog on my website, but I’m inspired to put a new post after reading this.
    I’d like to ask a favor; may I use this quote, “Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do” as the starting point for my blog entry? Thanks for posting about this experience!

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 9, 2012 at 11:47 am

      Sure, feel feel to link back here if you like. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Rich says

        August 9, 2012 at 11:50 am

        Thanks, Joel.

        Reply
  163. MaryLynne Christman says

    August 9, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    Amazing story, thank you for sharing it. It is my inspiration for today.

    Reply
  164. Kristi Currans says

    August 9, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    This is a wonderful story. Gave me the goosebumps. I love people.

    Reply
  165. Harrison says

    August 9, 2012 at 1:32 pm

    Wow, that’s awesome to meet the first guy to program a computer. Definitely an inspiration to do more!

    Reply
  166. Konstanz Silverbow says

    August 9, 2012 at 2:10 pm

    That is an incredible experience! And I love what he said. I think I am going to go do something that has never been done before. 🙂

    Konstanz Silverbow

    Reply
  167. mothy says

    August 9, 2012 at 2:19 pm

    nice interesting story.

    Reply
  168. raj says

    August 9, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    It is surely a remarkable experience, but I don’t like the way you use the words “created” and “invented” interchangeably when referring to Kirsch and the computer.
    Yes, he *created* the first internally programmable computer (which, by the way, does not mean the first computer at all), but he didn’t *invent* it.
    Internally programmable computer was invented by John von Neumann ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_von_Neumann ). He invented the very idea, design and architecture of such a machine and published a paper on it in 1945. Kirsch implemented his idea. What’s funny, von Neumann worked for the team that built EDVAC, which *had to be* the first internally programable computer, but it’s construction was delayed and EDVAC began operation in 1951, while SEAC built by Kirsch was operational in 1950.
    So, Kirsch is the *constructor* of a first computer but by no way is it’s *inventor*.

    Reply
  169. Geoff Arnold says

    August 9, 2012 at 2:46 pm

    In today’s instantly-quoted, Google-indexed world, a casual attitude to the truth has consequences. You write about “the world’s first internally programmable computer”, Xeni Jardin at Boing-Boing picks it up and goes with this as the subject line, and before we know it the top Google hits for “inventor of the world’s first computer” lead to Russell Kirsch via your article.

    And that’s simply false.

    It’s bloody disrespectful to all of the other people who worked on the problem, and it emphasizes all of the wrong things about your interesting encounter with an interesting man. Look at this comment thread. I’m sure you hoped for a lively discussion about this piece; did you really want – or expect – that it would all revolve around your uncritical repetition of an old man’s innocent hyperbole? Taking a little care, thinking through the consequences, doing a little fact-checking: this isn’t nit-picking, it’s the cost of doing good work.

    Good writers shouldn’t need to fudge the truth to make their points. Ask Jonah Lehrer where that leads…

    Reply
  170. Sharon Ogle says

    August 9, 2012 at 3:08 pm

    I can see why my son is jealous… nice job Joel. :o)

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 9, 2012 at 3:44 pm

      I don’t know…that Sean kid has an awful lot going for him :).

      Reply
  171. Popius says

    August 9, 2012 at 3:12 pm

    First i thought you saw the ghost of Konrad Zuse. But Wikipedia makes “I invented the first computer.” to “created America’s first internally programmable computer”.

    Never forget: The world is bigger than the US.

    Reply
  172. Steve says

    August 9, 2012 at 4:26 pm

    Wow. I am definitely going to share this with my high school students!

    Reply
  173. The Old Wolf says

    August 9, 2012 at 4:52 pm

    My mind has been officially rotated 90° out of your space-time and mine. What an amazing encounter… how fortunate you were. I agree with everything Kirsch said, but to hear that from one of the fathers of computing? That was a “I won the internet” day. Mad props to you.

    Reply
  174. Alouette says

    August 9, 2012 at 6:38 pm

    I’m writing in hopes that you’ll examine the part of your public statement when you say “another crazy homeless person in Portland”. That kind of cliche summation of humans who don’t have homes is reductive, unkind, unnecessary, and uninformed.
    Your statement infers that humans who are mentally ill and living outside are a real bother to those of us writing on our computers in coffee shops. Every person who is ill and living outside is an individual who deserves more than to be tossed off derogatorily in an intelligent blog.

    Reply
  175. Judis says

    August 9, 2012 at 6:44 pm

    Simply awesome.

    Reply
  176. Adrian says

    August 9, 2012 at 7:06 pm

    What an interesting and meaningful conversation. I’ll bet this memory will surface time and time again in your life.

    These old guys can be pretty interesting. We had an old guy with Alzheimer’s at our church. Very sweet man, but no one you would pay much attention to. Until my husband went to his house one time to do some fix-it work. Found out he had been a literal rocket scientist and had worked on the space program at Nasa for most of his career. So sad that a brilliant mind like that was destroyed by such a terrible disease.

    Reply
  177. Yiftach Levy says

    August 9, 2012 at 7:35 pm

    My mind. It is blown.

    Reply
  178. oregongurl (@oregongurl) says

    August 9, 2012 at 7:52 pm

    Damn what a very cool experience for you that you are going to remember forever. Which coffee shop did you go to? My sil works for Caffe Umbria in the Pearl District. I don’t drink coffee….

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 10, 2012 at 6:27 am

      World Cup & Tea. 18th and Glisen.

      Reply
      • Dan Welch says

        August 10, 2012 at 12:26 pm

        As an address and name correction it’s World Cup Coffee & Tea. The location was NW 18th and Glisan.

        Reply
  179. Kevin says

    August 9, 2012 at 8:09 pm

    Wow, that is truly amazing. I’ve run into a couple people like Russel Kirsch in my life and they left me transformed. Something to be cherished.

    Reply
  180. janet says

    August 9, 2012 at 8:30 pm

    late to the game but wanted to comment..

    holy shit, an unexpected impromptu convo with Russell Kirsch!! When I read the name, I didn’t have to google. I learned about him back in college when learning about the history of the internet. Pretty interesting stuff. Had no clue he lives in Portland! And out of all the coffee shops and out of all the people he chose to talk to you.. mind blown!! His quote about conceiving things reminds me of Napoleon Hill’s quote.. “What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” The God bit probably throws people off, but I get what he’s saying. The magic happens when you surrender to that universal flow.. and just do your part to make shit happen.

    Reply
  181. wes spurling says

    August 10, 2012 at 12:33 am

    “What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” — Napoleon Hill, ‘Think and Grow Rich’; 1937 (.. the summary of PMA)

    Reply
  182. Sunita Kurup says

    August 10, 2012 at 1:01 am

    vow!!! such a wonderful discussion and you have penned it down so well 🙂 🙂 Am jealous u got to meet him 😀 :D… so true what he said, takes willingness to attain your goal. Difference between dreams & reality is that the former requires you to sleep and the latter requires you to never sleep 🙂 :).. thanx for sharing this 🙂

    Reply
  183. Massimo says

    August 10, 2012 at 2:49 am

    Mind. Blown. Thanks for the great story. Inspiring, indeed!

    Reply
  184. Greg Zsidisin says

    August 10, 2012 at 3:34 am

    ‎1) Wow, just wow. 2) Thanks for sharing. 3) Shouldn’t it be “Nothing is withheld from us THAT we have conceived to do”? lol

    Reply
  185. Jill Hurst-Wahl says

    August 10, 2012 at 8:32 am

    Back in the mid 1990s, I met Douglas Engelbart, who invented several computer-related devices including the mouse. It was at an event where I was too awe-struck, so I didn’t savor the moment the way I should have. But I’ll also never forget it.

    Thank for this blog post. Inspiring thoughts.

    Reply
  186. Matt Curtis says

    August 10, 2012 at 9:55 am

    That’s pretty fantastic.

    “Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.”

    This is a paraphrase of Genesis 11:6: “And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.”

    Anyone? Bueller? It’s from the story of the Tower of Babel.

    Verse 7: “Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.””

    Reply
  187. Dustin DuBois says

    August 10, 2012 at 10:24 am

    That’s pretty awesome man! What an experience for a techy to have!! Really not terribly surprising to run into him in Portland though, I love our city.

    Reply
  188. Monica Ricci says

    August 10, 2012 at 11:36 am

    Holy crap what an amazing experience!! Agree that people are too eager to take the well worn path rather than the road less traveled. (Thanks to the late great M. Scott Peck for that turn of a phrase)

    I work with families all the time in my business and at the risk of sounding like my grandmother, kids today are mostly coddled and seem to need constant stimulation from the external world. Many of them largely spend their time responding and reacting rather than exploring their world, learning natural lessons and proactively creating.

    Not to mention their time is SO structured from the time they’re very little with lessons, classes and clubs! There is very little room for their natural curiosity, creativity, exploration, and imagination to blossom. Awesome awesome post!

    Reply
  189. Randy says

    August 10, 2012 at 11:38 am

    This was the single best thing I’ve ever read on a blog, and Russell was right … time to do things that have never been done. Thanks for the story.

    Reply
  190. Salman Alvi says

    August 10, 2012 at 12:13 pm

    Excellent motivational post!

    Reply
  191. KeithDAndrade says

    August 10, 2012 at 12:23 pm

    Very cool! What an experience!

    Reply
  192. Tammie Cook says

    August 10, 2012 at 12:27 pm

    People cross our paths for a reason. I believe you were meant to pass his inspirational words on to many. Thank you.

    Reply
  193. Challice says

    August 10, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    wow. This serious gave me the chills when I read it. That almost never happens.Thank you so much for sharing. I actually bookmarked it. Something I wish to never forget. And Russell …thank you as well on so many levels

    Reply
  194. Bathes in Milk says

    August 10, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    That was beautiful. He is right; too often we consume instead of making things. I cherish my random talks with strangers – call him! (Thanks for sharing)

    Reply
  195. James Rohr says

    August 10, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    You know that quote (Nothing is withheld from us…) is, in fact, from the Bible:

    http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+11%3A6&version=NIV

    (it comes up with different translations in different versions, but all say the same thing).

    Reply
  196. Lauren says

    August 10, 2012 at 1:43 pm

    Joel, it literally took me aback to see someone from my college debate days share a link to the blog of a high school classmate in my Facebook feed. Awesome story, awesome work, and all the best!

    Reply
  197. Mrinmay says

    August 10, 2012 at 2:52 pm

    You made my day 🙂 Thanks a lot for sharing your encounter with Mr. Russell Kirsch 🙂

    Hats off Mr. Russell Kirsch 🙂

    Reply
  198. John Redford says

    August 10, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    Wiki says that Kirsch was born in 1929, so he would have been only 21 when SEAC became operational in 1950. He was actually in college at that time at NYU. He could have worked on SEAC as a student, but it seems highly unlikely that he led the project. His name is not on the main papers describing it, but is on a review of it some years later. The work on digital scanning in 1956, though, could have been all his.

    I don’t mean to take away from his accomplishments, or from the inspiration you received from him. The scanning work alone is profoundly important. Almost everyone from that era is gone, so it’s wonderful to have actually met one of these pioneers!

    Reply
  199. amanda says

    August 10, 2012 at 4:36 pm

    Wow. You never know who you will meet out there. Thanks for sharing. What a cool story.

    Reply
  200. Mathew L says

    August 10, 2012 at 4:43 pm

    Great article; inspirational. One slight correction: Russell Kirsch invented *America’s* first programmable computer. The Bombes developed by Alan Turing & co at Bletchley Park, UK to crack Engima are earlier examples.

    Reply
  201. Lloyd L. says

    August 10, 2012 at 7:53 pm

    Joel,

    Yeah, really… do you ever wonder where this guy came from? Beautiful story. In Portland, of course. Maybe I should spend more time in coffee shops.

    Like at least one other commenter, I almost never comment on blogs. Perhaps it takes something special to move me. Your exchange with Russell, and your sharing of it, is indeed noteworthy to me, perhaps as inspiring as your moment with Mr. Kirsch.

    It’s two men meeting, one not only older but deeply experienced, one younger, willing to SEE each other and listen and share.

    It’s two creatives meeting from the vantage points of different times.

    It’s a spiritual reminder, kick-in-the-*ss as you observed.

    For me, it’s not even about his field of mastery. I do no programming, but am heartbroken and optimistic at the same time at state of consumption versus creation in the sleeping culture today. I create beautiful objects via my MBP, but it could be, and sometimes is, via other means as well.

    His observations are sage wisdom. Wisdom is not about fact, though it is based in deep experience.

    I’d call him, Joel. Not as a guru or some guy on a pedestal, but as a unique opportunity that few recognize.

    (Jeez-I’m also not one to offer “advice” to someone I don’t know. It’s more like cheerleading. “Go Joel go! )

    Truth is, many of us are envious, too.

    Reply
  202. Howard Sprouse says

    August 10, 2012 at 11:20 pm

    Impossible….This is nothing!….Being out there(creatively)is not for everyone and is rarely a taught skill. This is something learned along the way. Creativity is something that will always feed a person but sometimes the diet is not what was expected. Your a lucky man to be the recipient of an elder kindred spirits story! Thanks for posting this bit of inspiration!
    From the upper left (of Washington State)

    Reply
  203. Bibhtu Patel says

    August 11, 2012 at 2:10 am

    How did you measure the 0.29 second in which you found out so much?

    Reply
  204. Warren Paul Harris says

    August 11, 2012 at 5:56 am

    Great read.
    I’ve always lived by the same rule. I started my first business at the age of 25.
    It’s far better to be the one breaking new ground than the one following in someone else’s footsteps.

    Reply
  205. Tom says

    August 11, 2012 at 6:19 am

    “Do things that have never been done before”

    You may add a quote from Mama Cobol here:

    “And dont’t ask for permission – you may appologize later.”

    Reply
  206. Joel Runyon says

    August 11, 2012 at 8:20 am

    You can read the follow up post “7 Lessons I’ve Learned From My Encounter with Russell Kirsch” here.

    Reply
  207. Amy Putkonen says

    August 11, 2012 at 9:39 am

    That is pretty cool, Joel! I think that it is kismet that he showed up and said those things to you when you are the man who does the impossible. How cool is that? Great story and I love the photo to go with it!

    Reply
  208. Controlled Jibe says

    August 11, 2012 at 10:04 am

    “If you will it Dude, it is no dream.”
    -John Lennon

    Reply
  209. Danny says

    August 11, 2012 at 2:27 pm

    That is so friggin cool!

    Reply
  210. lee laurino says

    August 11, 2012 at 7:51 pm

    this makes you think twice when you try to avoid old people. of course i didnt know who invented the ocmputer but am so glad i do now!

    Reply
  211. Monica Giffhorn says

    August 12, 2012 at 11:35 am

    I love the thought of doing and creating, but I beg to differ with what Mr. Kirsch said at the beginning that Apple has stifled this ability with the iPad. Yes, Apple has made the masses into consumers of media more that creators, but I also think they have made it easier to create software–namely in the form of apps. My husband is a high school math teacher and his students make apps for fun, creativity and sometimes items that can be really useful. My husband has always been an early adoopter (first computer was an Osborne 1)and a self-professed tech geek. He wasn’t happy with alot of the apps that were out there for education, so he started developing them himself. Of course, he’s still teaching and I’m still working my “day job” but it is great to be a part-time entrepreneur selling apps in countries all around the world via iTunes. I’ll often say to kids (including my own) who like to play computer games, text and watch YouTube, “Hey, why don’t you look into computer programming? It’s amazing what you can create.” And thankfully, my daughter won’t have to take the old 1980s DOS classes I had to where we would literally draw a shark with green zeros and ones–or was it gray–on a black screen. Congrats on the chance encounter and thanks for sharing the words of wisdom. -Monica

    Reply
  212. Ubuntu says

    August 12, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    meh. ipads dont help you create? Not true, but presuming it is….does a book “give you a platform to create”…an empty argument.

    Reply
  213. Judy from Clarks Hill says

    August 12, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    You are one very lucky, or blessed guy. Talk about being in the right place, and right frame of mind. Thank you for sharing. Perhaps old age isn’t so bad after all.

    Reply
  214. Jeff says

    August 12, 2012 at 8:55 pm

    Just to chime in on “firsts” – the first electronic digital computer was the ABC (Atanasoff-Berry Computer) conceived in 1937 by John Vincent Atanasoff at Iowa State University.

    Wikipedia link here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atanasoff%E2%80%93Berry_Computer

    While not programmable – it was one of the firsts.

    Reply
  215. Mingliang says

    August 12, 2012 at 9:35 pm

    Awesome! Sharing wisdom with older generations is valuable.

    Reply
  216. no says

    August 13, 2012 at 5:25 am

    Yep. I’ve stated this for years. When I was a teenager (in the 90s), you had to make an effort to have and use a computer. And you primarily used them to learn and build. Learn how to build and run a BBS. Learn about telephony. Learn about software. Learn about networking. Learn about coding. Etc, etc.

    In the last decade? Computers are used for kids to chat about their boyfriends via IM, consume porn, play video games, read celebrity gossip, and post inane self-whoring crap on Facebook and Twitter and Youtube (kids don’t even bother learning how to design a basic web page anymore, because Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr are “just enough” for them!).

    All people do, now, is consume. It is rare to find someone who actually *creates*. And all too often, people are happy to attribute “I wrote a blog post” or “I write tweets” or “I make self-involved stupid youtube videos” as “creating stuff”.

    Reply
    • NoxArt says

      August 17, 2012 at 12:05 pm

      While I don’t want to zealously defend this generation, your criticism seems to me on the line of “people no longer make their own paper from wood or parchment from skin, they just buy the paper and write some novels or draw pictures on it or whatnot”. Couldn’t it just be, that the central point of focus turned into a tool?

      Reply
  217. Rachel Cobleigh says

    August 13, 2012 at 11:05 am

    Great post, thanks!

    Those two lessons you identified ARE excellent, but I’m fascinated by the general silence on the biggest lesson in Kirsch’s story:

    Listen to God.

    Why ignore it? Russell Kirsch certainly didn’t, and look where it got us. 🙂

    Reply
  218. Skip Hunt says

    August 13, 2012 at 12:01 pm

    Just what I needed to read today. Have found myself resting too much on what I’ve already done without truly recognizing the real power is in the doing rather than accomplishment.

    Thank you!

    Skip Hunt
    Austin, Texas

    Reply
  219. c.o. says

    August 13, 2012 at 12:05 pm

    Odd that someone so technologically minded would still believe in myths.

    Reply
    • Mat says

      August 13, 2012 at 12:17 pm

      Odd that anyone would believe that everything came from nothing. Or that the Creator wouldn’t have anything to say to His creation. Very strange.

      Reply
      • George Dixon says

        August 17, 2012 at 4:58 pm

        Odd that accident happened from nothing. Surprising that Life came……? No? Then why not God who is Life, who gave us Light, and light expressed in The Word and His Word.

        Reply
    • NoxArt says

      August 18, 2012 at 2:41 am

      If you were being raised in that way from birth it’s difficult to make a clear judgement, no matter how technical or brilliant the mind. Not sure this was his case, just my guess.

      Reply
    • Gordon says

      August 20, 2012 at 11:04 am

      Google Monsignor Georges Lemaitre.

      Reply
  220. Paul says

    August 13, 2012 at 2:25 pm

    This is probably one of the coolest things I have read in a while!

    Reply
  221. Rita says

    August 14, 2012 at 6:07 pm

    Are you kidding me? 9000+ tweets on this post? HOLY MOLY Joel!! I think you’ve just hit a whole new dimension! 🙂 This is amazing! I’ve read thru most of the comments too and it’s awesome to see! wow! WAY TO GO! I’ve read the post a couple of times already, but don’t think I commented on it, and just wanted to say, I’m grateful Jacob was there to capture the moment and that you were impacted enough by the experience to share it here. Thank you!

    Reply
  222. Eric says

    August 14, 2012 at 9:03 pm

    Thank you for sharing this story! I came here from Reddit, and was pleasantly surprised with your experience.

    Thanks for helping motivate me to get out there and start ‘doing’ again.

    Reply
  223. George says

    August 15, 2012 at 1:43 am

    His generation came from an era of great innovations – technology was a virgin land just waiting for the exploits of entrepeneurs and adventurers. Today these lands have been turned into well organized farmlands where entire businesses have as their sole mission to lead people from one feeding station to another. I agree with him that nothing can stop you if you just decide to go ahead with something you’ve conceived in your mind, but things are a lot different these days. Heck, even during the nineties, there were no such thing as “social sites” – if you wanted to be present on the web, you had to learn the goddam code and establish you personal home page youself, linking it to other personal websites and creating a true social network. Today, companies like Facebook have set all the standards and made all the formulas by which social activity on the web is even thinkable. To reach the productivity level of guys like Kirsch, we need new virigin lands to exploit and new frontiers to explore.

    Reply
  224. Joel Andrew Glovier says

    August 15, 2012 at 11:05 am

    Wow. I think my brain just melted.

    Seriously thought that is an amazing story. What an experience! And what great words of wisdom and inspiration. The best part I think is that it is true – so often we are focused on what we cannot do, rather than what we can accomplish.

    I think there’s a strong bit of faith in that thinking reversal.

    Reply
  225. lex says

    August 16, 2012 at 6:37 am

    Don’t know why. This blogpost and the pic of you and Rusell gave me goosebumps while reading it. Especially with the 2 quotes he left you with.

    Reply
  226. Laura Vann says

    August 16, 2012 at 11:25 am

    His comment on God was refreshing. No doubt Russell Kirsch was referring to Philippians 4:13 “For I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

    Reply
  227. Marco Berrocal says

    August 17, 2012 at 1:00 am

    Thank you mate. It’s often a great read to get inspiring stories. You were a lucky guy to meet him. The first phrase is just mindboggling.

    Reply
  228. Claus Heinrich says

    August 17, 2012 at 5:55 am

    That is truely a great story 🙂 Jaw dropping type of experience.

    Really inspiring and a person I would also have loved to meet.
    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  229. Jas says

    August 17, 2012 at 9:11 am

    What a wonderful story. Thank you for sharing!
    I didn’t read through all the comments so I’m not sure if this has been mentioned already or not, but it kind of debunks the myth of the digital native knowing more than the older generation, doesn’t it!

    Reply
  230. Kuy says

    August 18, 2012 at 4:31 am

    What Russell Kirsch said is indeed true that God himself said “Nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do” . This is the exact wording according to God’s word that he is “able to do exceeding abundantly beyond whatever we ask or IMAGINE according to the power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).

    Reply
  231. Justin Dunn says

    August 18, 2012 at 7:57 am

    What a brilliant experience.

    Reply
  232. Khoa & Michelle says

    August 18, 2012 at 8:35 am

    Wow! What a amazing chance encounter
    …but I wonder if russel goes to coffee shops all over Portland and waits for some young guy with a computer to sit down and then pounces and blows peoples’ minds!

    Reply
    • Steve says

      August 19, 2012 at 12:13 am

      Well, he’s most probably retired and has a little free time on his hands. Can you imagine a better way to spend some of it? I bet he had almost as much fun blowing Joel’s mind as Joel had having his mind blown.

      Reply
  233. Guy Chapman says

    August 18, 2012 at 10:36 am

    Not to belittle the man in any way, but that was *America’s* first programmable computer, not the world’s. The first was built at Bletchley Park in the early 40s – though to be fair it was still classified when Kirsch did his amazing work.

    Reply
  234. Gail Moss says

    August 18, 2012 at 5:00 pm

    Hmmm,

    Great post. Part of me wants it to be an elaborate hoax, complete with a fake Wiki page. However there are lots of sites with references to this man, I’ve not bothered date checking them. So fake, or real – it’s pretty fantastic.

    Reply
  235. Jeff White says

    August 18, 2012 at 7:10 pm

    Surely there’s a point at which there are so many comments that leaving another is pointless and probably redundant, especially since I openly admit I’ve not taken the time to read every comment to make sure this point hasn’t already been made, but since it wasn’t made in the first hundred, I thought it might be worth adding.

    I applaud the adventure and novelty seeking lifestyle, and recognize the great value we derive from those who insist on pushing limits and creating new things.

    But in the argument of creation vs consumption I think it’s important to acknowledge that without consumption there is virtually no point to creation in the first place. If you use high end tools or even invent new ones to, say, make a new movie, create a new type of literature, make anything at all, what good is it if no one bothers to “consume” it?

    The whole attitude that creation is everything and consumption is a fool’s pastime leads inevitably to the conclusion that it’s not worth it to create anything.

    Let me also say that other words for “consumption” are “discovery”, and “learning”, all completely valid human activities that I pursue with vigor, just as I read this post, and added my own perspective, on my Apple iPad.

    While it is undeniable that Kirsch is an amazing and unique individual, it is amazing to me that someone with such insight, along with the esteemed writer of this blog, can so totally miss the point of this valid and important technology.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      August 18, 2012 at 7:29 pm

      You make a good point, but I would say that you completely dismiss another valid point of view: that there’s value in the act of creation itself.

      Reply
    • Joel Conrad Bechtolt says

      August 18, 2012 at 8:24 pm

      Excellent observation and comment. I can’t seem to see anywhere where you said there was no value in creation. Shit tons of people see value in creation, the majority of which are consumers.

      With today’s technology everyone has the opportunity to be a creative, regardless of what the old guy says about our devices of choice. In fact, if you’d like to fast forward to the future, where we live in a world where everybody is a content creator, just turn on cable access television. Enjoy.

      Reply
  236. Elizabeth Karr says

    August 18, 2012 at 9:12 pm

    Best thing I read today. Story had auspicious start in that you were kind to a stranger, particularly an elderly one. The payoff is incredible. Long live Russell Kirsch!

    Reply
  237. jim hayes says

    August 18, 2012 at 10:36 pm

    follow-up get the oral history
    take a visit to Computer History Museum, or The Computer Museum.

    thanks for the cc by 3.0

    Reply
  238. John Hamilton Farr says

    August 18, 2012 at 10:40 pm

    Great article. Friggin’ excellent. Time to step up ALL our games.

    Reply
  239. Steve says

    August 18, 2012 at 11:46 pm

    What an awesome experience! I don’t know what else to say. That’s just totally cool!!!

    Reply
  240. Jeff Carter says

    August 19, 2012 at 6:23 am

    Great post on so many levels. One of the best posts I have read in a while.

    Reply
  241. james says

    August 19, 2012 at 7:12 am

    I think a lot of people commenting on this blog are over intellectualising the post. The post is not about the state of the education system or the wiseness of old people its about making stuff and not being a passive consumer.

    Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.
    Do things that have never been done.

    so get out there and make stuff, learn to code WITH your kid, sew, paint, fix your own car, plant stuff, make a website, make a simple computer game, whatever it is just make stuff. Then with the basics in place we can try and make something that has never been done.

    Reply
  242. Kirk Johnson says

    August 19, 2012 at 1:41 pm

    Thanks Joel. I shared this in my class. I really appreciate learning not only about your experience, but also the way you didn’t initially dismiss the unexpected encounter.

    Reply
  243. Steve says

    August 19, 2012 at 3:40 pm

    Great little blog… Two things that stick out to me are:

    1. Too many only consume and don’t create. This can be anything tangible or more difficult to identify; things like emotions, good will, cooperation, etc.
    2. “Nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do.”

    Number 2 may require some hard work, effort and come after difficulty…making it all the more worthwhile. I think our politicians need to read and heed this blog….

    Reply
  244. Jeremy Cook says

    August 19, 2012 at 5:44 pm

    Wow, that is very cool! I kind of agree though, the iPad is a pretty incredible device, but very poor for creating content. I’m always trying to work on my blog or post stuff to various sites, so after getting one a while ago (for my wife and I), it rarely gets used. Maybe I’m just to used to having multiple workspaces (Ubuntu) and a physical keyboard!

    Reply
  245. JR Griggs says

    August 19, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    That’s awesome! I’ve always found it intriguing to talk with older people who have been around and learned lots of lessons to share. This may be the tops for that example.

    It is a nice needed kick in the pants too! Thanks.

    Reply
  246. Lakepress6 says

    August 19, 2012 at 6:44 pm

    Great story … here is slightly different take on “doing things” from Stonewall Jackson – “You may be whatever you resolve to be” … it’s written on one of the barrack porticos at the Virginia Military Institute.

    Reply
  247. PacRim Jim says

    August 19, 2012 at 6:47 pm

    Why risk success when failure is so comfortable?

    Reply
  248. Rlynh says

    August 19, 2012 at 6:52 pm

    Wow. How lucky are you!?!

    The human race will endure as long as people like that still appear among us.

    Reply
  249. Clay Franklin says

    August 19, 2012 at 7:00 pm

    Wow! Thank you for sharing this wonderful story.
    Next step is to memorize the sayings and keep them fresh in my mind.

    Reply
  250. Bart says

    August 19, 2012 at 7:13 pm

    Excellent anecdote. I certainly don’t mean to disparage Dr. Kirsch’s admirable and salutary advice, but it made me laugh a little when it made my mind wander to this movie quote:

    “There’s a force in the universe that makes things happen; all you have to do is get in touch with it. Stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball.” -Ty Webb

    Be the ball!

    Reply
  251. fustian says

    August 19, 2012 at 8:18 pm

    Interestingly, I doubt he invented anything in a coffee shop. Which is where he really could have used an iPad.

    I’m surprised this guy didn’t understand what the iPad actually is and what its potential is.

    Reply
  252. Orion says

    August 19, 2012 at 8:48 pm

    I’m sorry. I can’t help myself.

    He didn’t build that. Oh wait..Yes, he did!

    Eat THAT, President Obama. LOL

    Orion

    Reply
  253. Michele Cozens says

    August 19, 2012 at 9:03 pm

    A beautiful, wonderful story. Would love to adopt him as a grandparent, if it were possible. Life needs more of these moments, especially lives of those who spend their energy on meaningless destruction.

    Reply
  254. DADvocate says

    August 19, 2012 at 9:47 pm

    “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

    W. Clement Stone / Napolean Hill 1960 in “Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude”

    Reply
  255. teapartydoc says

    August 19, 2012 at 10:58 pm

    That part about being able to do whatever is conceived is a derivation of one of St. Anselm’s proofs of the existence of God. Then he goes on to give God credit for his accomplishments.

    Reply
  256. Mark J says

    August 20, 2012 at 3:46 am

    I think Mr. Kirsch was referring to Jesus’ words in Matthew 7: “7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

    Jesus said it, Christians quote it, but rare is the person who really believes it.

    Reply
  257. Ugrin says

    August 20, 2012 at 4:50 am

    “Without the man in the photo, the photo of this man wouldn’t exist”
    Well all the photos of me also wouldn’t exist if I didn’t exist…

    Reply
  258. @lakey says

    August 20, 2012 at 7:06 am

    I actually welled up a bit after reading that. How wonderful. Let’s make it so.

    Reply
  259. Despsier says

    August 20, 2012 at 11:59 am

    With the indebted behemoth that are the many layers of Govt in the way you can’t invent anything anymore… Even if you manage to invent something the chance of getting it to mkt with the current regulatory nightmare is between 0-0.01%

    Unless of course you have some pie in the sky idea about “Green Energy”… Then it only needs to be an idea without any basis in reality.

    Reply
  260. George Dixon says

    August 20, 2012 at 1:02 pm

    Generally true that not many seniors voluteer information. Probably afraid they will be accused as being not -up-to-date if not out and out out-of-date. But I volunteered to be put in the lion’s den with some 150 youth and field one and all questions. It will be interesting to see how it goes….I’m now 80. George Dixon

    Reply
  261. Lexie says

    August 21, 2012 at 1:06 am

    aweSOME!!!!

    Reply
  262. JerryBoyd says

    August 21, 2012 at 9:33 am

    Great post. Reminds me of an exchange with then-Governor Ronald Reagan and some student demonstrators.

    “Governor Reagan, it’s impossible for your generation to understand us. You didn’t grow up in a world of instant electronic communications, of cybernetics, of men computing in seconds what once took months, even years, or jet travel, nuclear power, and journeys into space….”

    Reagan, “You’re absolutely right. Our generation didn’t have those things when we were growing up. We invented them.”

    Reply
  263. Glitchus says

    August 21, 2012 at 1:08 pm

    This is precisely why I’m now a Linux guy and was formerly a DOS/Windows guy. Apple was always far too proprietary with its custom hardware/software, yeah, it worked good, but you couldn’t build “Frankenstein” systems with it like you could with a PC, which was my particular hobby. With the older Windows and DOS you could build whacky stuff but the newer Windows OS’s are a nightmare, while Linux has a veritable cornucopia of OS derivatives to match any platform.

    Reply
  264. Jerry Ballard says

    August 21, 2012 at 2:50 pm

    Wonderful story.
    I do take exception with…
    “Without the man in the photo, the photo of this man wouldn’t exist.”
    That implies the ‘great man’ theory of history that says that only that person would have come up with the idea. Don’t buy it. Not to take credit from him, odds are that he was ‘first’, but ultimately not ‘only’.

    I would also have loved to show him the applications I use daily that let me code, write, CREATE music, communicate and (to a degree that I frequently find superior to a traditional computer interface) edit photos.

    Judging a technology by its current state is always a mistake. All things progress. iPads, faster than most.

    Reply
  265. Lawrence says

    August 21, 2012 at 3:42 pm

    Your article is one of the most inspiring, moving, and challenging set of ideas I have come across in a long time.

    Gratitude, humility, wonder, and a desire to dust off the laid-aside plans of creating things were some of the initial responses to your piece; oh – and shock and awe .

    Some of the commenters have proven your points by responding to this awesomeness with vitriol that comes from having run it through their own filters, without having learned a thing from it – only using what they want to see to reinforce their existing beliefs.

    How sad.

    Reply
  266. Edgarska says

    August 21, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    So, did you get rid of your mac?

    Reply
  267. gal tzhayek says

    August 22, 2012 at 3:31 am

    wow, thats an awsome morning 🙂
    i reallized i need to get out of the house more often.

    Reply
  268. Natalie Luffer Sztern says

    August 22, 2012 at 11:09 am

    Shivers just up and down my spine. Don’t we always tend to look at ‘old people’ as just that and never into what they have contributed to the world today.
    That you didn’t poo-poo him off was very galant of you.

    Reply
  269. Camille Rey says

    August 22, 2012 at 1:05 pm

    What an amazing story! So inspirational! There are no coincidences. God (the Oneness, etc. ) and the Archangels (non-denominational) are working in this post-2012 world to lift the vibration of humanity. The world as we know it is changing. Russell Kirsch is a living example for the rest of us. We should all strive to fulfill our God-given potential to co-create the world in which we want to live. His life is an example of the power of faith and creativity. It is also a lesson that it is not science vs. spirituality, but science in service of the spirit within–the inspiration to create! It was time for that example to be given to the world through Joel. It was no accident these two were brought together. It was a miracle and the words Joel wrote and the ones Russell spoke are lifting us higher already! Thank you, Joel, for sharing and, Russell, for believing!

    Reply
  270. Laurie Chin Sayres says

    August 22, 2012 at 2:40 pm

    Thanks for the blog, inspiration, and lessons, Joel!

    Great to see momentum building towards creating versus consuming and understanding how and what we consume.

    Now to move my work day to a Portland coffee shop. . .

    Reply
  271. Logan Green says

    August 23, 2012 at 12:07 am

    “Mat” and “Matt Curtis” are correct. The scripture Kirsch referred to is Genesis 11:6.

    “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”
    (KJV)

    Reply
  272. Monja Wessel says

    August 23, 2012 at 12:18 am

    A truly blessing experience! Many might have jumped back on their work, not paying any attention to that “old” man. I put old in quotation marks because I think we listen much too less to their experience.You did, thanks for sharing the story

    Reply
  273. Sherlene Gatrell says

    August 23, 2012 at 11:18 am

    You are my breathing in, I possess few blogs and infrequently run out from post . “Never mistake motion for action.” by Ernest Hemingway.

    Reply
  274. Christopher Regan says

    August 23, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    Delightful. Never judge any book by its cover, especially these days, and tomorrow, and the next….
    Thanks!

    Reply
  275. miamiman says

    August 23, 2012 at 5:02 pm

    The hubris of youth, the wisdom of age… where’s that cup of coffee?

    Reply
  276. M.S. Babaei says

    August 23, 2012 at 9:53 pm

    Tnx for the lessons. Very inspiring!!

    Reply
  277. Teresa Berners says

    August 23, 2012 at 9:58 pm

    Well, while amazing persons like Russell Kirsch motivate us after retiring, it is equally amazing to observe that personalities like Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, find time to inspire others while even being in Office.

    I salute them.

    Reply
  278. Brad Fennell says

    August 23, 2012 at 10:08 pm

    Extraordinary!!!

    Reply
  279. Michele says

    August 24, 2012 at 3:16 pm

    This is about more than just ass kicking.

    It was also a perfect illustration of how you chose to “tune in” rather than “tune out” to a moment….and how that choice usually delivers a delicious surprise.

    Well done.

    Reply
  280. Skyler Malley says

    August 25, 2012 at 3:30 am

    Beautiful story. This is what life is all about. I love the little thinks that happen to us and inspire us.

    Reply
  281. Chuks Ogbaga says

    August 25, 2012 at 11:38 am

    A truly inspiring piece! Thanks for sharing this amazing experience.

    Reply
  282. giggles says

    August 25, 2012 at 2:03 pm

    All you gotta have is 2 people believing in something,you and God,that is the majority.Great post!!

    Reply
  283. George Eager says

    August 25, 2012 at 10:54 pm

    Your story reminds me of an occasion ca. 1968 when my dad introduced me to an ordinary looking gent on the Cornell campus, saying, “This is my favorite physicist, Hans Bethe. He figured out what makes the sun shine.”

    All I could think to say was, “Wow, that was a good one!”

    He chuckled very amiably, saying “Ja, a pretty good one I guess.”

    Little did I realized that Prof. Hans Bethe had received the Nobel Prize the year before.

    Reply
  284. Jim Bean says

    August 26, 2012 at 3:49 am

    That was really an awesome experience for you 🙂

    Reply
  285. Berto says

    August 26, 2012 at 12:22 pm

    Wow… Just wow. That quote and the whole experience is just amazingly inspiring.

    Reply
  286. Angel says

    August 29, 2012 at 4:28 am

    What an incredible experience and a great story to tell the grandkids one day.

    Wouldn’t it be awesome if he could see this post with over 400 comments in just a few weeks. I hope you at least got his email 🙂

    Reply
  287. Jami Broom says

    August 29, 2012 at 7:53 am

    WOW!! Thanks for sharing this — what a great story. And may I recommend a book to you and your readers that goes along with everything Russel was telling you – it’s called “The Science of Getting Rich” by Wallace Wattles and it was written over a hundred years ago. A very powerful book if you’re interested in doing things. It’s changed the way I see the world, and I’ve gotten so much out of applying this “science” that it’s unbelievable sometimes, yet still makes so much sense.

    Reply
  288. Mat says

    August 29, 2012 at 4:22 pm

    Awesome experience! What a great man!
    BTW: the inventor of the first computer is John Atanasoff: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Vincent_Atanasoff

    Reply
  289. MG says

    August 30, 2012 at 4:10 pm

    You just won me as a fan a million times over dude!
    And your follow-up post is just as awesome (maybe even more) that you original post…
    Thank you for sharing this!
    Its something that I am never going to forget for the rest of my life…
    really appreciate it bro.

    Reply
  290. Stacey E says

    September 4, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    It seems like lately that when I try to do stuff, I am swimming upstream because a lot of people don’t want to change toward a direction of trying something new – on the surface, they seem lazy to me or distracted by menial things. Now, I don’t know if that is generational, or due to iPads or what….seems like a bit of a streach to say iPads have made lots of people resistent to change. Might be more due to lack of “education”, or people are too interested in the latest gadgets, coolness, fame, etc. Versus focus on what improvements are best for the holistic picture. Did iPads really help with world hunger, or human suffering, or US poverty, or SUSTAINED economic improvements, or leaving a better place for the next generation (education, understanding)? Maybe / maybe not…I do know that iPads made some Apple stockholders and board members richer and (in their minds) happier.

    Reply
  291. ctkwingchun says

    September 4, 2012 at 4:06 pm

    Big up to Yoni over at Weighty Matters for sending me here!

    Reply
  292. Roger Wilco says

    September 5, 2012 at 2:57 pm

    “Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.
    Do things that have never been done.”

    The intersection of these two statements, wherein you can do something that hasn’t been done before, and then achieve it because you want to, is really quite narrow. The likelihood that you thought of something that someone else has already thought of and executed upon is tiny. There is already intersecting discovery and there has been since the turn of the 20th century; see Tesla vs Marconi: both conceived of wireless radio transmission, but who was “doing something which had never been done?”

    Reply
  293. Adam says

    September 10, 2012 at 3:39 am

    The man who invented the first computer is against Apple. Maybe we should really pay attention to that. “when people use iPads they end up just using technology to consume things instead of making things”. This is just one aspect of a greater issue: Digital Restrictions Management or DRM. Most people who purchase an iPad don’t know that they are giving up most of the basic freedoms that one is entitled to, with a computer. The iPad is the first general purpose computer which blocks the user from running programs not approved by the maker of the computer. It is a fact that you cannot create anything on the iPad without Apple’s permission.

    Reply
  294. andrew says

    September 10, 2012 at 8:09 pm

    Just goes to show you never know who you’re going to run into. What a truly small world we live in. Experiences like this are always stimulating, especially when one shares a similar interest.

    Reply
  295. In2Deeps says

    September 23, 2012 at 8:05 pm

    Awesomoe! Thanks for sharing!!! There are lots of things who never were done before! And I can conceive some – like writing these lines – and other greater ones as giving my time and respect to all those enlightened encounters who are about to come!
    There is one more thing that will be not withheld from me anymore as to express myself in english with full proficiency; and I´m building this skill up!

    It was great to learn those two points:

    *I Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do.
    *Do things that have never been done.

    Reply
  296. Gaby handyman says

    October 6, 2012 at 10:59 am

    My opinion is a general one. I love in this blog all topics written by the blog author. Nice blog and nice type of expression. For my part for the blog author: I decorate him with twelve stars. Very nice blog.

    Reply
  297. kapsh says

    October 13, 2012 at 11:56 am

    what a encounter. lucky u

    Reply
  298. Marie Usedom says

    October 15, 2012 at 10:03 am

    What an awesome experience!
    but, the inventor of the first computer was Konrad Zuse?

    Reply
  299. Frankie says

    November 1, 2012 at 2:28 pm

    That is an absolutely mind-blowing story. So many questions, yet Russell seemed to sum them all up nicely into two memorable quotes. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  300. Aaron says

    November 11, 2012 at 12:12 am

    Such a cool experience. Makes me wonder how many times I should have been more patient with people who try to strike up conversations while I’m just too busy being busy.

    Reply
  301. aaditya says

    November 16, 2012 at 4:37 am

    wow… really good to read you blog… what a coincidence 🙂 … why what did you feel when he said that “He has made the first programming computer.

    Reply
  302. Whitney says

    November 20, 2012 at 10:17 pm

    We can really learn a lot if we just take the moment to listen from the older people around us. Being able to meet and talk to Russell Kirsch is incredible, but we can learn from any older person around us from their wisdom gathered from experiences in their life.

    Reply
  303. Alfian Effendy says

    November 22, 2012 at 10:29 am

    I still can’t believe it, you may be so lucky to meet him . Thanks for great quotes, it’s ispiring me

    Reply
  304. Tracy says

    November 27, 2012 at 10:33 am

    I wish I had been there! These guys are the total stuff that we should all learn from. Some of them college educated, some not! Definitely were able to amuse themselves ;]

    Hats off to you, and hats off to Russel. Touching lives seems to be his real specialty, even if he doesn’t realize it.

    Literally, Billions of lives!

    Reply
  305. jperd says

    December 20, 2012 at 1:57 pm

    That’s really amazing! To meet a person that changed the world possibly more than anyone else is pretty sweet!

    Reply
  306. Marvis says

    December 22, 2012 at 4:30 am

    Fake. Photo evidence is not valid proof. Could have been any old guy who did research on the topic and thought he would try it out and what do you know he fooled you. You were conned.

    Reply
    • Joel Runyon says

      December 22, 2012 at 6:18 am

      I have his business card, contact info and his personal email address. Not a con.

      Reply
  307. Rick says

    December 25, 2012 at 4:13 am

    Oh look, another story that starts with a writer with a macintosh laptop in a coffee shop. How nice.

    Reply
  308. Haggins says

    December 31, 2012 at 5:33 am

    This reminds me of something I saw a while back. Good stuff!

    Reply
  309. RobAid says

    January 16, 2013 at 1:44 am

    I would have so many questions 🙂

    Reply
  310. James says

    January 30, 2013 at 6:00 pm

    This is a really amazing story, thanks for sharing. I first heard about Kirsch in a story about how he wanted to improve the square pixel. For me, learning about his work has really driven home the importance of taking action.

    Reply
  311. Steven Stewart says

    February 19, 2013 at 11:36 am

    Fascinating article, great to hear about an amazing meeting with a legend of our lifetime

    Reply
  312. Seth says

    February 24, 2013 at 10:41 pm

    I am totally camping that coffee shop.

    Reply
    • Dan Welch says

      February 25, 2013 at 4:38 pm

      Seth – He still stops by on occasion. I chatted with him and he can go on about “stuff”. He is a great storyteller and great man. Hope you get a chance to meet him.

      Reply
  313. Celine says

    March 2, 2013 at 5:51 am

    Oh. My. God.

    I read his name, and I was like, “I’ve heard that before…”

    But, wow, holy SH.

    Reply
  314. Jihane says

    March 4, 2013 at 4:21 pm

    What an experience! JUST awesome.

    Reply
  315. Talitha Schreder says

    March 9, 2013 at 4:12 pm

    A burnt childish person dreads the fire.

    Reply
  316. Sceko says

    March 28, 2013 at 6:47 pm

    All like Apple 🙂

    Reply
  317. Bob says

    April 8, 2013 at 6:59 pm

    Thanks for the great, inspiring story.

    Your writing, however, really sucks. 🙂

    Reply
  318. Breann Napp says

    April 21, 2013 at 9:30 pm

    Next time I read a blog, Hopefully it doesn’t disappoint me just as much as this one. I mean, I know it was my choice to read through, nonetheless I really believed you’d have something helpful to say. All I hear is a bunch of moaning about something you could fix if you weren’t too busy searching for attention.

    Reply
  319. Glen Checkley says

    May 4, 2013 at 5:09 pm

    That story is beyond cool. Read it like 3x in the last 10 minutes.

    Reply
  320. Serge Marchuk (@MrMarchuk) says

    August 17, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    wait, what? he lives in Portland Oregon?!

    Which coffee shop was this?

    Reply
  321. Spook SEO says

    August 18, 2013 at 6:07 pm

    I know that this article was published last year but REALLY?! 565 comments?!

    The second advice reminded me of the saying…

    “If you want to archive something that you’ve never archived before, then you’ve got to do something that you’ve never done before”… Not sure if the wording is correct (I highly doubt it though) and who said this (I think he’s an american president) but it sure fits the second description.

    Reply
  322. Julian says

    October 17, 2013 at 6:42 am

    That is an awesome story Joe.I grew up in the 80s with the Sinclair Spectrum and a Commodore 64. Moved on to the Apple II, the Olivetti M64 (286) and coded my first website in HTML on a 386 DX2-66. You get the picture.

    I’m with Russell

    I get to feel real old sometimes when I listen to my teen son’s. Young people often act like they invented the technology. The early Internet was an exclusive place reserved for people who knew what they were doing, and we used it to do things that had not been done before.

    I love what computers and the Internet have become – the free flow of information, to be able find out things easily, the ability to communicate and the ability to teach. I’m trying hard not to sound like an old man, but I’m going to bemoan the drivel, driven by the consumerism Russell talks about. Connecting is great, but I can only bear so many cutsie pictures of animals on Facebook.

    Mr Kirsch was right, technology is now all about money, and to make it, companies like Apple, are driving a kind of popcorn information consumerism. It could have gone so many other ways.

    What is awesome though that the iPad is finding a place as an educational tool. Placed in the hands of a rural child who is struggling to get an education, it becomes his or her means to do things that have never been done before

    Reply
  323. pritvi says

    September 10, 2014 at 2:44 pm

    well I’m trying something here in mauritius with the project #CorsairHackersReboot

    the aim to make people understand how computers works
    and the second phase make kids learn to tinker with hardware

    Reply
  324. Fernando Basso says

    September 10, 2014 at 6:45 pm

    Thanks for sharing this awesome story with us. That was really nice of you.

    Reply
  325. Robert says

    December 10, 2016 at 12:35 am

    Incredible story. I cannot believe the amount of comments on this though. How in god’s name did you get 600 comments?

    Reply
  326. JEFF STOKES says

    December 16, 2016 at 11:31 am

    Thanks for writing this. I refer my mentees to it as a way to understand the knowledge opportunities around them every day 🙂

    It’s all about attitude after all. You could have just blown the guy off and went to work.

    Reply
  327. alexa says

    January 21, 2020 at 6:42 am

    I wondered if he thought it through like

    Reply
  328. Ron says

    August 15, 2020 at 9:02 am

    RIP Russel Kirsch.
    You were part of the generation of pioneers who created the basis for much modern technology but never gained *widespread* recognition for it.

    Reply
  329. Guest says

    May 25, 2021 at 4:52 pm

    God really needs to have his ass kicked in for destroying our world today.

    Reply

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    […] An Unex­pected Ass Kick­ing | Blog Of Impos­si­ble Things. This entry was posted in Allgemein by Dogma Pillenknick. Bookmark the permalink. […]

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  11. Do You Consume, or Do You Create? « Ken & Kiyomi: A Boy and His Dog says:
    August 7, 2012 at 10:29 am

    […] An Unexpected Ass Kicking | Blog Of Impossible Things One random afternoon in Portland, I walked into World Cup & Tea expecting to get some work done and maybe answer a few emails. What followed was an unexpected ass kicking from the guy who invented… […]

    Reply
  12. Do things that have never been done before. » earth. shattering. kaboom. says:
    August 7, 2012 at 10:48 am

    […] wonderful story about a blogger who unexpectedly has his world view shifted a little by the man who invented the […]

    Reply
  13. Teilenswertes #1 « spatzkultur says:
    August 7, 2012 at 2:23 pm

    […] das man sich ruhig und gerne einmal durchlesen kann. Share this:TwitterFacebookGefällt mir:Gefällt mirSei der Erste dem dies […]

    Reply
  14. Internets of Interest for 6th August 2012 — EtherealMind says:
    August 7, 2012 at 3:13 pm

    […] An Unexpected Ass Kicking | Blog Of Impossible Things – Guy in a coffee shop get table-checked by the guy who was a computer pioneer: I created the world’s first internally programmable computer. It used to take up a space about as big as this whole room and my wife and I used to walk into it to program it. […]

    Reply
  15. Nothing is withheld « K.M. Alexander says:
    August 7, 2012 at 3:37 pm

    […] Runyon posted a great article on his blog entitled “An Unexpected Ass Kicking” that is a story about Joel meeting Russell Kirsch – the inventor of the first […]

    Reply
  16. 意外的一课 | 吃杂烩 says:
    August 8, 2012 at 12:02 am

    […] 假如你与他邂逅,你期待发生怎样的对话?而这样的事情,就真实地发生在 Joel Runyon,一个致力于“突破不可能”的年轻人身上。他用一篇博客记录下了这一段意外的经历。 […]

    Reply
  17. Just because it’s never been done… « Hey Sparky! What Time Is It? says:
    August 8, 2012 at 1:20 am

    […] morning I was on Facebook and a friend posted a link to a blog post that blew me away.  It was a great story with a great photograph, one that will be priceless to […]

    Reply
  18. Fundstück: The man who invented the computer | how I see it says:
    August 8, 2012 at 5:41 am

    […] ist es dem Blogger Joel Runyon passiert. Der Artikel auf seinem Blog ist zwar auf Englisch, sollte jedoch nicht zu schwer sein zu lesen. Worum gehts? Weiter nach dem […]

    Reply
  19. Without the Man in this Photo, the Photo of this Man Would not Exist. « Jess Smart Smiley: the Internet Version says:
    August 8, 2012 at 11:01 am

    […] incredible blog post from Joel Runyon, on meeting the man who invented the first computer. “I’ve always […]

    Reply
  20. Just Do It « The Big Think says:
    August 8, 2012 at 3:34 pm

    […] An Unexpected Ass Kicking | Blog Of Impossible Things: “I’ve always believed that nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do. Most people think the opposite – that all things are withheld from them which they have conceived to do and they end up doing nothing.’ […]

    Reply
  21. “Nothing is withheld fr… « The D.A.S. says:
    August 8, 2012 at 5:40 pm

    […] Citation: https://impossiblehq.com/an-unexpected-ass-kicking Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. […]

    Reply
  22. Genesis 11:6 motivates inventor of the internally programmable computer « misterwolverton says:
    August 8, 2012 at 9:29 pm

    […] half of the above quote. The title of the post has little to do with the content in my opinion, but what the author wrote is very much worth […]

    Reply
  23. Back, baby. - Zoe Trope says:
    August 9, 2012 at 1:37 am

    […] – A good reminder to be open to the possibilities inherent in coffee shop conversations with strangers. […]

    Reply
  24. Why I Am Leaving All Social Networks « Overroot Blog says:
    August 9, 2012 at 3:29 am

    […] recently read an account of Russell Kirsch’s meeting with some guy in a coffee shop where he says: I’ve been against Macintosh company lately. They’re trying to […]

    Reply
  25. Create a business on Mars! « Grobmeier on Dart, Java, Struts, PHP and more says:
    August 9, 2012 at 8:34 am

    […] I read the great blog post “An unexpected Ass kicking“. “Do things that have never been done.” – Russel […]

    Reply
  26. The Hardest Part About Blogging (That You Never Expected) — Location 180 | Location Independent Living for the Masses says:
    August 9, 2012 at 9:31 am

    […] week my good friend and travel partner Joel Runyon had the biggest day ever on his blog because of this post.  Not only did he hit the front page of Hacker News, he landed the very top spot – sending […]

    Reply
  27. Great Story! says:
    August 9, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    […] Story! An Unexpected Ass Kicking | Blog Of Impossible Things Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do. Do things that have never been done. ~ […]

    Reply
  28. How To Win At Life | D.E. Pascoe says:
    August 9, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    […] Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do. […]

    Reply
  29. The First 10,000 » Photography Highlights and News, August 2012 says:
    August 10, 2012 at 12:11 am

    […] Olympic gymnast and gold medalist Gabby Douglas, and a chance encounter experienced by Joel Runyon, An Unexpected Ass Kicking that’s a good reminder to get out there and just keep doing what you […]

    Reply
  30. The code behind curiosity, a 48-state entrepreneurial tour and more | 21times says:
    August 10, 2012 at 5:32 am

    […] An unexpected ass kicking […]

    Reply
  31. Happy Fun Friday Links: Hacking Mat Honan, Lessons from Russell Kirsch and What Kids Can Teach Us About Life | Conspire: A @Mindjet Publication says:
    August 10, 2012 at 6:56 pm

    […] An Unexpected Ass Kicking […]

    Reply
  32. Weekend Reads « Visible and Real says:
    August 11, 2012 at 6:10 am

    […] An Unexpected A** Kicking This one just made me get all shivery and smile. ”Do things that have never been done before.” […]

    Reply
  33. Saturday Summation – 11 August 2012 | It'll All Work Out says:
    August 11, 2012 at 11:41 am

    […] Writer Joel Runyon had an unexpected encounter with a majorly influential person in a coffee shop recently: Russell Kirsch, creator of our first programmable computer and digital images. His take away message is inspiring (“Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do. / Do things that have never been done.”) and just for fun, I looked Kirsch up for more information, and found this recent (June) article from Wired about Kirsch’s reflections on the choice of their approach to pixilation for imagery. “Square Pixel Inventor Tries to Smooth Things Out” […]

    Reply
  34. A Saturday Morning “Schooling”. | Doth Grin: The Blog says:
    August 11, 2012 at 4:15 pm

    […] blog, by Joel Runyon, called “An Unexpected A—Kicking”, quickly did the same to me.  I cannot give Runyon justice, so read it yourself, and do not get […]

    Reply
  35. A Conversation With a Pioneer | The Blog of the Frog Tosser says:
    August 12, 2012 at 1:28 am

    […] I've always loved conversations with older generations. Most of the time, you don't get “I can't believe kids these days”. As a lover of history, what you usually will get is a peak into a history long forgotten by someone who was there. Someone who lived it. That's what Joel Runyon ran into at a coffee shop in Portland. You can read all about it here. […]

    Reply
  36. Attitude adjustment starts now… « The Project: Me by Judy says:
    August 12, 2012 at 5:49 am

    […] https://impossiblehq.com/an-unexpected-ass-kicking […]

    Reply
  37. This Week in the Universe: Creativity Edition « Gaming and Tech Network says:
    August 12, 2012 at 7:50 am

    […] Companies are always trying to make their computers more “user friendly” trying to make it so no knowledge is needed to use them, they do this because it makes them easy to sell and, recently at least, makes it easier to sell “apps” for them. I think this closed source nonsense has gone to far, why should we buy hardware and use it only as intended? Well it looks like I am not the only one who thinks this way. Joel Runyon writes about a chance meeting he had in a coffee shop with the creator of America’s first internally programmable computer. An Unexpected Ass Kicking […]

    Reply
  38. Sunday Pleasures #123 « Shanna Germain says:
    August 13, 2012 at 1:03 am

    […] My coffee shop conversations rarely turn out like this. But sometimes, they do.  […]

    Reply
  39. ticktack #32 (6.8. – 12.8.) « ordinary disaster says:
    August 13, 2012 at 5:12 am

    […] from Life. Gelesen: An Unexpected Ass Kicking Gehört: Kettcar Gesehen: Vatertage – Opa über Nacht (Sneak) Gekauft: Umzugskartons […]

    Reply
  40. CE Inspiration Vol.2 says:
    August 13, 2012 at 5:51 am

    […] Read the full story > https://impossiblehq.com/an-unexpected-ass-kicking […]

    Reply
  41. A Social Compact « Take It To The Limit says:
    August 13, 2012 at 10:10 am

    […] some good discussion on an article (via Lisa): “That’s the problem with a lot of people”, he continued, “they don’t try to […]

    Reply
  42. How to Get Lucky (Please, Keep Your Pants On) says:
    August 13, 2012 at 12:10 pm

    […] on his laptop and accidentally striking up a conversation with an old man who just happened to have invented the first ever programmable computer and spent the afternoon chatting with […]

    Reply
  43. Great article | Our Dinner Conversations says:
    August 13, 2012 at 5:12 pm

    […] night’s dinner conversation was about this article that we recently read. It is so great I thought I’d pass it along for you to enjoy! It is […]

    Reply
  44. Do unto others…you never know says:
    August 13, 2012 at 5:23 pm

    […] is one of those articles that is a nice – make that important life lesson for all of […]

    Reply
  45. Try not says:
    August 14, 2012 at 5:29 am

    […] riuscite a leggere l’inglese potete raggiungere il post originale, in caso contrario quella che segue è la migliore traduzione dell’articolo di Joel Runyon […]

    Reply
  46. An Unexpected Ass Kicking | The Passive Voice says:
    August 14, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    […] computer and the creator of the first digital photo (which was a cute baby picture, of course). The whole article is amazing, charming, and humbling, all at the same time. Read the follow-up article too. The core […]

    Reply
  47. Some life lessons from a coffee shop encounter says:
    August 15, 2012 at 9:11 am

    […] here’s one of the great stuff: a guest post by William Ockham, linking to an article by Joel Runyon about a coffee shop encounter that will probably open your mind about a few things. Read and […]

    Reply
  48. Once a Weekly › Issue 4 says:
    August 15, 2012 at 10:52 am

    […] — Joel Runyon of Joelrunyon.com and impossiblehq.com If you haven’t read An Unexpected Ass Kicking yet, read this first. […]

    Reply
  49. Never Yet Melted » So He Sits Down in This Coffee Shop in Portland… says:
    August 15, 2012 at 11:30 am

    […] turns out that blogger Joel Runyon has just run into the 82-year-old Russell A. […]

    Reply
  50. Reasons to be cheerful – Part 8 « gamboling.co.uk says:
    August 15, 2012 at 11:55 am

    […] https://impossiblehq.com/an-unexpected-ass-kicking/ Like this:LikeBe the first to like this. […]

    Reply
  51. An Unexpected Ass Kicking | Nuno Quina says:
    August 15, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    […] An Unexpected Ass Kicking […]

    Reply
  52. Impossible Ones: A Brand New Impossible Thing (or Two) And How You Can Help | Blog Of Impossible Things says:
    August 15, 2012 at 9:16 pm

    […] and the blog lately. We’re releasing a fitness program in a few weeks, and over the weekend we  murdered our servers from last week’s post (thanks to Jeff for un-murdering them), but that’s not all. Today we’re announcing 2 […]

    Reply
  53. 7 Things I Learned From My Encounter With Russell Kirsch | Blog Of Impossible Things says:
    August 15, 2012 at 9:20 pm

    […] If you haven’t read An Unexpected Ass Kicking yet, read this first. […]

    Reply
  54. Some Inspiration « paddatjieblog says:
    August 16, 2012 at 8:38 am

    […] other day on Twitter, just before the six pack challenge, I saw a link to a blog post by Joel Runyon where he met Russell Kirsch (inventor of the worlds first internally programmable […]

    Reply
  55. In the News - 8/17/2012 - Vigilanteweb says:
    August 17, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    […] A computer genius walks into a coffee shop (joelrunyon.com) Don’t want to give away too much on this. It’s a great read. /* […]

    Reply
  56. An Unexpected Ass Kicking | Blog Of Impossible Things « Head Noises says:
    August 18, 2012 at 1:30 am

    […] via An Unexpected Ass Kicking | Blog Of Impossible Things. […]

    Reply
  57. In Need of an Ass Kicking? | says:
    August 18, 2012 at 7:34 am

    […] Then check out these two short posts about a bloggers encounter with the amazing Russell Kirsch: An Unexpected Ass Kicking & 7 Things I Learn from Russell Kirsch. This entry was posted in Uncategorized by Admin. […]

    Reply
  58. Welcome to Starbucks: Blog Of Impossible Things meets the inventor of impossible things « Club of Awesomeness! says:
    August 19, 2012 at 12:54 am

    […] first internally programmable computer. A marvelous story captured inn this lost: An Unexpected Ass Kicking “I guess, I’ve a https://impossiblehq.com/an-unexpected-ass-kicking lways believed that […]

    Reply
  59. An unexpected ass kicking | Aaron Allport says:
    August 19, 2012 at 4:22 am

    […] the post here: An unexpected ass kicking Share this:More August 19, 2012      aaronallport        […]

    Reply
  60. Breakfast Links | Points and Figures says:
    August 19, 2012 at 6:20 am

    […] Love this post on so many levels. You have to read it. […]

    Reply
  61. Friends with a book « Librarian for Life says:
    August 19, 2012 at 11:14 am

    […] Sam read this article out loud, about an unexpected encounter in a Portland coffeeshop. Read on until the end — it’s worth […]

    Reply
  62. Unexpected wisdom from a 80+ years old man in a coffee shop « Kempton – ideas Revolutionary says:
    August 19, 2012 at 6:23 pm

    […] Love these one posts and one video featuring the wise 80+ years old  Russell Kirsch. “An Unexpected Ass Kicking“ […]

    Reply
  63. Boot up: Google’s MMI sues Apple, HP thinks tablet, RIM’s US web woes and more | Technology News says:
    August 20, 2012 at 1:48 am

    […] An unexpected ass Kkicking >> Blog Of Impossible Things […]

    Reply
  64. Boot up: Google’s MMI sues Apple, HP thinks tablet, RIM’s US web woes and more | Tech News says:
    August 20, 2012 at 2:12 am

    […] An unexpected ass Kkicking >> Blog Of Impossible Things […]

    Reply
  65. “Do things that have never been done before” – The guy who invented the computer | Jacintopc says:
    August 20, 2012 at 5:58 am

    […] https://impossiblehq.com/an-unexpected-ass-kicking […]

    Reply
  66. Impossible?….Hardly « A Simple, Village Undertaker says:
    August 20, 2012 at 6:17 am

    […] Who found it at the Blog of Impossible Things […]

    Reply
  67. Pick-n-Mix: – HEY NATASHA says:
    August 20, 2012 at 7:04 am

    […] Be inspired to do things that you’ve never done before. […]

    Reply
  68. Great Story. Just Read It. | LOHAD - random rumblings on marketing and more says:
    August 20, 2012 at 9:40 am

    […] the man in the photo, the photo of this man wouldn’t exist. Click on over to this blog post to find out why, to read a great story about a serendipitous meeting and to explore hundreds of […]

    Reply
  69. “Nothing is withheld from us what we have conceived to do” | Junior Ganymede says:
    August 20, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    […] There’s some folks what it’s an honor to be whupped by. Comments (0) Filed under: Martian Rose | Tags: Russll Kirsch, vision Tags: Russll Kirsch, visionx August 20th, 2012 10:37:21x $("#tags-8016").click(function(){$(".date-alert,.tags-alert").hide("slow");$(".tags-alert#a8016").fadeIn("slow");}); $("#close-tags-8016").click(function(){$(".tags-alert#a8016").fadeOut("slow");}); $("#date-8016").click(function(){$(".date-alert,.tags-alert").hide("slow");$(".date-alert#b8016").fadeIn("slow");}); $("#close-date-8016").click(function(){$(".date-alert#b8016").fadeOut("slow");}); no comments Leave a Reply […]

    Reply
  70. Unexpected Inspiration | says:
    August 20, 2012 at 3:43 pm

    […] A few minutes ago I read this:  An Unexpected Ass Kicking […]

    Reply
  71. God Bless The Child « tutuing's labyrinth says:
    August 20, 2012 at 9:00 pm

    […] Ini ada lagi satu postingan yang luarbiasa mengiang-ngiang di layar komputer saya beberapa waktu ini. Cekidot. […]

    Reply
  72. Pick-n-Mix: Fairy lights – HEY NATASHA says:
    August 20, 2012 at 9:06 pm

    […] inspired to do things that you’ve never done before. Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be […]

    Reply
  73. An amazing story « Insomniac memos says:
    August 20, 2012 at 11:48 pm

    […] least I thought it was. And here is a follow up with some […]

    Reply
  74. A Good Story « The Street Where You Live says:
    August 21, 2012 at 7:28 am

    […] From a story by Joel Runyon at The Blog of Impossible things: […]

    Reply
  75. The Unexpected Blessing | Naples Girl Blog says:
    August 21, 2012 at 9:46 am

    […] re-posted it from Cultural Offering and Kurt re-posted it from Execupundit and he re-posted it from Blog Of Impossible Things. See how the blogosphere […]

    Reply
  76. A Pen Link Plus Other Delights « An Inkophile's Blog says:
    August 21, 2012 at 4:09 pm

    […] You just never know who might be lurking behind that cuppa […]

    Reply
  77. “Nothing is withheld from us which we have conceived to do” « Software Craft says:
    August 23, 2012 at 7:26 am

    […] link to an inspiring blog post: An Unexpected Ass Kicking. Believe me, the title doesn’t do it justice. Let’s say the picture above is the […]

    Reply