Photo via Omer Wazir via Flickr.com’s Creative Commons. Click on the image to be brought to his fabulous photostream!
In an effort to undo some of summer’s brain drain honor of my son’s birthday, I am giving you the opportunity to ask him questions.
This idea fascinates me, and yet I am simultaneously terrified.
I mean things could go horribly awry.
I’m relinquishing all my control to a soon-t0-be teenager, people.
If you don’t know TechSupport – the pseudonym that I use to refer to my son — you probably haven’t been reading my blog for very long.
That’s okay.
Here is a crash course.
- He’ll soon be 13-years old.
- He recently discovered girls.
- Were it not for Parental Controls, he would play Minecraft all day long.
- He is a math/science guy, but he is also a voracious reader.
- He just made his bar mitzvah.
- He loves the Big Bang Theory.
- He is a fencer. (No, he doesn’t steal stuff. He stabs people with a saber.)
- He just got home from summer camp where he got a Schmo-hawk.
How do we get this party started?
In the comments below, ask any questions (serious or wonky) about me or his dad; about life as an only child; about 13-year-old boys; anything technology related, like what to do when your iPhone freezes up; or anything else you’ve got rattling around in your head.
But let’s keep this rated PG okay? Pervy questions will be deleted for being pervy.
You have until 8/12 to ask Tech a question, and then I will force ask Tech to respond to your questions in a guest post before he returns to school in September.
I don’t know what I’m more excited for: your questions or his answers. I have a feeling that tonight’s gonna be a good night no matter how you slice this pizza, it’s going to be delicious. Unless there are anchovies. Because anchovies ruin an otherwise perfectly good pizza.
Happy birthday, son. Best present ever, right?
Tweet this Twit @rasjacobson
renée a. schuls-jacobson 
My question to Tech support . What are you doing on August 14th? By the way, Happy Real Birthday.
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Ok, TS, let’s see how good you are. I’m a tech guy, and this one’s got me – why does iTunes make four copies of every song I own?
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Ooh Renee I like this one! I want to know what he thinks about rookiemag.com, from a guy’s POV ( just make sure you’re Ok with him searching around before you give him this question, it’s intended for teenagers, but I’m not sure which convos you’ve had and which you haven’t..)
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Question: Do you still plan to return to camp next year and the next year?
Spoiler alert: I hope the answer is “Yes”.
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Okay, allowing for the years when you probably couldn’t read (ie, birth, one year old, etc) how many books have you so far read in your lifetime and what was your earliest favourite? Oh and happy birthday! 😉
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Can he survive without television and Facebook for a month?
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Happy Birthday TS–my question for you is: how can I sound up-to-date and savvy about tech stuff if I am not up-to-date and savvy and want to impress my tech savvy 21 year old?
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what type of music do kids your age listen to? Can you tell me some of the bands you listen to? Do you listen to the same music as your friends? (I was always the kids who never knew the kewl groups and when someone asked what I liked I said “Kiss or Aerosmith” because my brothers listenened to that for a short time.
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Okay – here’s a research question. In the early 90s I worked for a company called Silicon Graphics which was founded by Jim Clark. What did he and his graduate students invent and where did they invent it (what university)? What industries used (use) this technology and what do they do with it (three examples, please)? What are two other companies that Jim Clark was chairman/founder of and what did the companies create? And a bonus question – When did Jim graduate high school and where did he go to college?
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I ask because Jim has been a real pioneer in high tech and I think you’ll find the answers interesting. 🙂
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How would you rate your bar mitzvah? My kids aren’t Jewish, but they do like parties and getting gifts. Is the party worth converting?
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Who’s your favorite video game character and why?
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What are you curious about????
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Homework? OKAY! I gotcha covered.
Dear Tech Support,
This is one of the hardest riddles I know. And for the record, I was not able to figure it out on my own.
Riddle: Paul is 20 years old in 1980, but only 15 years old in 1985. How is this possible?
p.s. I’m a big fan of yours. You’re a super cool kid.
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What items would you place in a time capsule to represent your life and the times you live in?
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Tech! Long time no see on Skype.
Besides dancing, what’s something goofy that your mom does that drives you a bit insane?
What’s your favourite book?
If you could visit any country in the world for one week (for free), where would you go and why?
Give your mom a hug from Canada. Or props. Or whatever. 🙂
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Dear TS – How do you envision the next 13 years will differ from the first 13?
p.s. Happy Birthday!
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If I want to impress my 13 year old nephew and also look really cool in the adult world what should I focus on in music and video games,also what is your favorite Olympic sport and why.
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Oh and Happy Birthday!
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Hi Tech – Happy Birthday!
My question is this: is the alternate drive on your computer (D drive on my crashed computer) something that can be taken out and put into a different computer? Or does it have to be accessed and copied?
PS: Don’t tell me if this is a completely stupid question.
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If you could dedicate a song to your mom and one to your dad, what would you choose and who would sing it? And…what song best depicts your childhood?
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Love this, Renee! Love!
And this new-ish blogger must know: How do you feel about your mama’s blog?
{Happy early birthday!!}
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Happy birthday! I also love the Big Bang Theory. Do you have a favorite character?
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My 17 yr old is my tech support. And I love it when he takes over the mouse and says, “let me drive.”
I shall miss my boy when he leaves , so very much.
Thanks for being so good to your mama, TS. That’s important to do and girlfriends will watch how you treat the old lady.
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What are some of your favorite book series?
Have a great birthday, TS! 🙂
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What is your favorite fiction genre? What are some of your favorite movies? Do you think you’ll like playing with Lego’s your whole life, like I do? Have you been to a show on Broadway, if so, which one and did you like it?
There. That’s all the questions that your mom will let me ask.
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Here’s a math problem: Using only 3’s & any operators you want to use, write a math equation that equals 100.
If TechSupport wants some real home work, tell him to install VMWare Player on his computer, install Linux, and figure out how to build a web server or get his own Minecraft server running. Afterward, he can enter minion training. We can always use another minion. 🙂
Mazel Tov!
-Jay
@jaytechdad
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My son’s bar mitzvah was 3 yrs ago, but it was such a big thing that I still think about it every now and then. 🙂 What was your favorite part of your bar mitzvah (and least favorite)? 🙂
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Happy birthday, Tech! You’re awesome. Your mom -who is also awesome- told us about the book collection that you organized. That was wonderful! Do you have any other projects like that that you’d like to do or are already working on? Do you have someone you look up to when it comes to doing charitable acts (someone famous or someone you know personally)?
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Happy Birthday, Tech! I have two questions:
If you had a blog, what nickname would you give your mom?
What was the single biggest thing that helped you prepare for your Bar Mitzvah?
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Hi Cousin Tech! I wasn’t going to make you do this, but since your Mom asked some great questions on The Byronic Man blog, I decided I’d like to hear your answers, too. So…please respond to all the questions your Mom asked to The Byronic Man (I’m sure she can supply the questions for you). You can skip the ones about blogging if you don’t have your own blog. I’ll save the “Start a Blog” assignment for another time! Good luck with all this. Some of those look like tough questions!!
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This. Is. Brilliant!! I don’t have a question since I don’t know you or your son, and figure most of the goods ones have probably been asked anyway, but this made me think of my kid. He just turned 7. I have been forcing him, I mean encouraging him (where’s that strike out option in comments?) to write thank you notes. What I have discovered is that in the mere 6 weeks he has been out of school, his writing and spelling abilities have plummeted!! I have had to help him spell words and rewrite letters that I never would have 2 months ago. I really do think all of that knowledge just seeps out of their ears and into the pool over summer break. Good luck with jump starting your son’s noggin!! Hopefully all of these questions will help. 🙂 And happy birthday to your son. Mazel Tov!
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Happy Birthday! What’s the most difficult task you’ve tackled, and how did you feel about it before, during and after?
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Happy bday TS!!! Welcome to officially being a teenager.
Your little cuz is almost ten and dying to be a tween. He loves computers and reading and writing. Can you suggest a few books or series for him to read, and any cool web games/programs. (he’s currently into minecraft and making videos with adobe aftereffects)
thanks! Hugs to you, mom and dad!
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Happy Birthday! What are your favorite TV shows other than Big Bang Theory? Many geeks love animation so what are your favorite cartoons and comic books?
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