Parental advisory: Like most people, you've probably always thought of Rob as a rugged sex symbol, a leader, an Olympic-class athlete, and a role model for our youth. And so he is. But Rob also has a hidden side: a life as, well, a geek. Now, for the first time, behold the photographic evidence.
In late August 2001, Rob and his PowerBook G3 made the pilgrimmage that most devout Mac freaks can only dream of: a trip to Apple Computer.
There, he learned many marvellous things:
That the journey to Apple is long and arduous, taking as long as an hour — even in light traffic...
...and that modern computing is as much about landscaping as it is about innovation.
Whoa. The mothership at last.
As part of the Apple Visitor Non-Disclosure Agreement, Rob is not allowed to show you the ground-breaking bathroom fixtures that will be part of Apple's 2002 MacExpo launch, "Tinkle Different." But they're just around that corner...
Little-known fact: smoking is mandatory on the Microsoft campus.
Here he is surrounded by Apple-compatible merchandise. Only the poor performance of the Canadian dollar saves Rob from retail suicide.
Note that the famed Steve Jobs Reality Distortion Field affects digital cameras as well, making Rob's forehead appear unnaturally bereft of hair. (Click on the photo to see the effect in all its glory.)
On his way back to his temporary base in San Francisco, Rob drops by Imagine Media, home of MacAddict magazine. His hope: to receive the acclaim that is his due for winning a minor award in the magazine's March decorate-an-iMac contest.
Sadly, nobody is at the front desk, and Rob is forced to content himself with a complimentary copy of the September issue. (We'll be generous and assume it was complimentary, and that the lock Rob had to pick was part of Imagine's well-known sense of adventure and playfulness.)