As a close friend once said, “life is about collecting memories of value, not things”. This weekend, I am wishing those whose fathers are alive and within distance of reach a very memorable day together.
Just like many fathers out there, my dad couldn’t easily show affection or be direct. When I was young, his communication was usually mixed with humor, anger, or frustration, and I didn’t have the skills to look through his outer shell, understand his story, or find a way to connect with him. Then, in the late 90s, I moved to the states which made even a phone call quite an expense.
But now, thanks to technology, I get to call my dad for free and as often as I like. Every year I wish him a happy Father’s Day his reply is exactly the same: “Happy Father’s Day to you as well, you are Chicago’s father.” At first, I laughed it off as I am million miles away from such a title, but then I realized it was his way of sharing his concern that I take on too much. I started learning how to locate the messages, feelings, and thoughts behind his layers.
As the years have gone by, his rock-hard outer shell has been worn down by the nature of life. His choice of words became sweeter, and tighter hugs followed. I had to adjust to this new man and reconcile my list of grievances from childhood. I’m still working on it every time we talk, and I find myself pause as he calls me my baby, my one and only, and so on. Every chance I get to interact with him, I remind myself of my desire to collect memories of value. I want to cherish the time we spend together and get to know him some more.
If you do have your father within reach, I wish you many moments of value together – hopefully enough to last a lifetime. Nothing and no one can change the past, but the present and future are within our means to shape, moment by moment.
Happy Father’s Day,
– Burak Sarac, Team Lead
How & Why to Blur Your House on Google
Google Street View offers up a window to the world in all its bizarre, intimate, and oftenraw glory. Thankfully, there is something you can do about it. Specifically, you can ask Google to permanently blur your house out — leaving only a smeared suggestion of a building in its place. The entire process is surprisingly easy and you can learn about it here.
Juneteenth
Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration of the end of slavery in the United States, is celebrated on June 19 because that is the day the news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, in 1865. It wasn’t until last year that this holiday was nationally recognized, and it’s important to know that recognition doesn’t mean the end of a fight for equal rights. So celebrate meaningfully – here is a list of ideas to help you get started
Better Audio for Video and Audio Calls (Apple)
There’s a newish feature buried in the Control Center that instantly improves the quality of your microphone during calls, whether you’re audio-only or on video. It’s called Voice Isolation, and it works on most iPhones, iPads and Macs from the last few years as long as you’re running iOS 15 or macOS Monterey. The feature basically eliminates all background noise and isolates your voices. Learn more here.
National Pollinator Week
National Pollinator Week is an annual event celebrated all over the world in the last full week of June. The event was started in support of pollinator health. Pollinators are insects and small animals like birds, butterflies, and bees that pollinate plants and make our gardens and world greener. During this week, nature lovers and conscious citizens come together to celebrate pollinators and raise awareness about different ways in which they can be protected. So, how can you participate? Here are some ideas. You can also look into volunteering at a community garden near you. Here is the link to CCGA for our Chicago-based readers.
