What is it They Say About All Good Things?

When I got the e-mail, I couldn't believe it.  Jason Dunn e-mailed me and told me he wanted me to run his new venture.  An Apple web site.  From the master of all things Microsoft.  No one I know knows Microsoft products the way Jason does, and I maintain that to this day.  Because of him, I was roped into the PocketPC community many many years ago, and on my first trip to Vegas for CES a few years ago, I made sure I said hello.  Jason is an awesome guy and I'm glad to have met him.

But admittedly, there was some trepidation.  To say Jason isn't an Apple fan is an understatement, and yet here I was on the verge of starting up the first franchised Thoughts Media site.  Talk about walking into the lions' den, huh?  Hell, just read some of the comments Jason got the day we launched.  I don't know how he held his temper!

Anyway, it's been a fun ride.  It pains me to do this, but I have to.

As of today, I'm no longer going to be part of the day to day operations at Apple Thoughts.

Suffice it to say, there are many personal reasons.  No, this isn't one of those "I need to spend more time with my family" retirement speeches.  The day job, the one that pays the bill and allows me to mindlessly buy Steve Jobs products, is a bit intense at the moment and I need to focus on that.  When the main source of your income requires your attention, you don't have a choice.  I can only maintain so much attention to Apple Thoughts and the amount seems to be dwindling more and more.  I really don't want to do a half-you-know-what job here because I believe Jason and you all reading are owed more than that.

We've had our moments.  My style is very simple.  I'm blunt, honest, and to the point.  I accept that because of that, people will either love me or hate me.  I'd like you to love me, but I don't lose any sleep over it.  If you hate me, sorry, but I'm not changing.  I'm passionate about what I believe in, and I like to think I bring that passion to what I write about.  Love me or hate me, it's me.  I don't put on my editorial voice, mainly because I don't have one.  I have one voice, and it starts at my heart and works its way out to the keyboard.

A few thanks are in order:

To Joe, Lita, and Michael: thanks for joining at the beginning.  I couldn't have started the site without you guys.

To Jeff, the new Executive Editor of Apple Thoughts, what else can I say?  Without you, there's no way I could've kept this site going.  Essentially, it's been a two-man operation for so long I can't even remember what it was like before you started.  You're my right hand man, a great friend, and I know that when I walk away and leave this site in your hands, you'll take good care of it and be a great steward for the community we've started to create here.

To the readers: Thank you.  You didn't let me get away with anything, and no matter how many "spirited" discussions we had, I always knew we shared a common interest.  This is Apple Thoughts.  We're Apple fans in some form.  Writers and Editors make this a news site, but you all make it a community.  Without you, there is no us.

To the Thoughts Media team: You guys kick ass.  Seriously.  You all don't get enough credit for what you do. Darius, Fabrizio, and all the others I've worked with since starting this gig...  You've all made this something I could do.  I always knew I had a shoulder to lean on when needed.

Finally to Jason Dunn, this was a great opportunity.  I only wish I could've made more of it and stayed on forever.  Sure, you're a Microsoft guy.  Sure you hate Apple.  Sure you hate Steve Jobs.  That's fine.  The fact that you let this site even exist in the first place is proof enough for me that you're a more openminded guy than I ever gave you credit for.  Thoughts Media is your baby, and you're raising one hell of a kid.  Thanks for being a friend for all these years.

This isn't goodbye, everyone.  It's just me walking away from the day to day.  The community, though, won't be getting rid of me any time soon.  I'll still be around the forums and you can still yell at me as needed!

Thank you for everything, to all of you.

Your pal,

Vincenzo.