The High School Years
Surviving, elementary school, Mark excelled in obscurity as he entered his high school years. His creativity could not save him from his insecurities. Or could it? A bad hair cut, some real bad fashion decisions and a unbreakable passion for technology soon proved that "No, it could not."
Thankfully, a new found indifference towards what other people thought changed everything. He took up student council and found himself elected as co-chair for the Frontenac student body. This set off a school spirit within him that no one could tame, leading to two Winter Carnival championships, and many subsequent days of voicelessness.
Making friends with the Art Club would be the popularity death knell for many a teenager. But to Mark it proved to be his source of inspiration and great friendships (Oliver, Amanda, Amanda, Sonal, Cassi, Ciara, Dave, Tyler and Mrs. Dell...you guys are the best.)
Summer camp, youth group, and church youth rallies proved a place where some of Mark's best friendships were formed. Steve seemed quite willing to imagine with Mark a software package built around the premise that everything the user did the computer would do something incredibly destructive or confounding. Little did they know, Microsoft would soon release this very product. Some called Mark and Steve visionaries, others called them pioneers. They called themselves best friends.
Mark was offered a full time summer job at the Timmins Daily Press after completing a successful stint as a co-op student in their graphics department. He had never used Quark XPress before, but he soon realized a deep seeded hatred for it. It was awful. Unfortunately, as an industry standard, he resigned himself to cut his teeth designing hundreds of ads over the course of a summer for the citywide Helpful Pages phone directory. No, the phone directory proved to be exceptionally unhelpful. The phone numbers were out of date. Olaf, Neil and Julie proved excellent tutors of the dark arts.
On his free time, he began dreaming up the next Mac OS interface, and became a hobbyist icon designer. Again, not gaining points with the ladies, but he had learned what to publicize and what to keep to himself.
On his expensive time, he learned how to make people laugh with his guitar and off-key vocals, became well versed in finishing last in the 400m, 800m and 1500m races and excelled at striking out at the ball diamond.
Thankfully, a new found indifference towards what other people thought changed everything. He took up student council and found himself elected as co-chair for the Frontenac student body. This set off a school spirit within him that no one could tame, leading to two Winter Carnival championships, and many subsequent days of voicelessness.
Making friends with the Art Club would be the popularity death knell for many a teenager. But to Mark it proved to be his source of inspiration and great friendships (Oliver, Amanda, Amanda, Sonal, Cassi, Ciara, Dave, Tyler and Mrs. Dell...you guys are the best.)
Summer camp, youth group, and church youth rallies proved a place where some of Mark's best friendships were formed. Steve seemed quite willing to imagine with Mark a software package built around the premise that everything the user did the computer would do something incredibly destructive or confounding. Little did they know, Microsoft would soon release this very product. Some called Mark and Steve visionaries, others called them pioneers. They called themselves best friends.
Mark was offered a full time summer job at the Timmins Daily Press after completing a successful stint as a co-op student in their graphics department. He had never used Quark XPress before, but he soon realized a deep seeded hatred for it. It was awful. Unfortunately, as an industry standard, he resigned himself to cut his teeth designing hundreds of ads over the course of a summer for the citywide Helpful Pages phone directory. No, the phone directory proved to be exceptionally unhelpful. The phone numbers were out of date. Olaf, Neil and Julie proved excellent tutors of the dark arts.
On his free time, he began dreaming up the next Mac OS interface, and became a hobbyist icon designer. Again, not gaining points with the ladies, but he had learned what to publicize and what to keep to himself.
On his expensive time, he learned how to make people laugh with his guitar and off-key vocals, became well versed in finishing last in the 400m, 800m and 1500m races and excelled at striking out at the ball diamond.