Here's hoping that you and yours are have a great holiday and new year.

May all go well with you and yours as well!  Work has been insane this month, but I decided to veg until the new year to calm down a bit. . .

Keeping this going.

Excellent! Not much going on here lately--but I am trying to get back to Germany again. . .

Still working in NJ for a global European bank.  Father passed on in March after a long fight with congestive heart failure and diabetes.  Things have settled back down now and the family is looking forward to a busy Summer.

You looking to be posted in Germany or just going for a visit?

My condolences on your dad.  I'm trying to get posted there for a three-year tour.  It's been a while since I got to wander around there and it will give me an opportunity to see a lot of my German friends again.

In reply to Ssrivan Tlokhar (msg # 141):

Just a quick summertime bump!  Hope all is well with you, Adam!

Time for a fall ping!  Is all OK with you Adam?

Hey there.  Sorry for not responding to your earlier posts.  I'm doing fine.  Implementing security-based segregation of duties at a client.  Every two weeks, I shift location from Jersey City to/from New Orleans.  Now that most of the technical requirements have been met, this effort has become more turn-key as we roll it out globally.  Flying home tomorrow.

I spoke with Kevin around a month back.  He's settled into teaching media arts instead of theatre and is enjoying it.  Gaming like this has fallen aside.  Having run a game here, it's difficult to maintain the needed level of posting.

How are you and your family?

Best ... Adam

I totally understand the work-life balance issue.  Sometimes work drops life into a deep, dark hole for a while!

I'm glad to hear that Kevin has found a niche where he is happy.  I'll have to try and reconnect with him.

I took the boys to a small computer fair in Chicago a couple of weeks ago.  They had a blast on a road trip with Dad--we drove there.  They've discovered the joys of elongated cents.  I had to stop at almost every rest stop in Ohio so they could make more of them, since there were different designs at each one.  They want to go back again next year, so the trip was a definite hit with them.

I hope all is well with you and yours, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate.

Adam

And a happy springtime to you too! Work's been a killer lately, so I haven't had much online time to do anything.

Hey there :)

Between gigs at the moment.  Positioning for a 4-month gig sizing privileged access management at a big bank.  Client keeps moving the start date.

It's beautiful here in New Orleans.  A big storm this past weekend has all the flowers blooming; a real explosion of color.

Everyone's healthy.  Son's going to UNLV next Fall for a degree in Lighting Design.  Daughter continues to make strides with cello.  Wife still loves me.  All good!

Thought you were doing a tour in Germany.  Is there where you are now?

Best ... Adam

I keep trying to get there--and keep not getting the position! They've selected someone else twice, and both times it was because the person was already there. . .so their hiring costs were lower, even though they still have to send the person here afterward!

Maybe I'll have better luck next time.

I'm glad to hear all is well with the family! The weather here has been up and down--cold one week with snow and three days later it is near 70. It has done that three times now! I have a lot of flowers in the garden though--a huge bed of hyacinths and daffodils everywhere. My irises and my crocuses are already finished. . .

Jim

Nudge ... No bit bucket.

And again

Well, the adventure to the Aegean went off without too many problems--so long as the luggage going on its own week-long adventure without us was considered normal. LOLOL At least it caught up with us in the end. The wife was happy too, as she got to see lots of her family--and the boys got to learn some Turkish. If only it had been a bit cooler--95-98 degrees is just too warm to live through without A/C. . .

Glad to hear that your visit went well and that, all said and done, you had only the heat to complain about.  Mass media makes it very difficult to gauge the situation on the ground.  And Turkey is a large country.

Here in New Orleans after Hurricane Issac a few years back, we enjoyed a week without electricity and 99 degree days.  While we had brief respites in the pool, there's only so long you can stay in water.  The rest of the time was miserable.  Sleep seemed impossible.  Leaving doors open for a cross-breeze wasn't possible without losing our cats.  The heat and humidity were so oppressive that my father ended up in the hospital.  Now, we have a natural gas generator.  Hopefully, we never have to endure that kind of sustained heat again!

As much as I've traveled for work, I've never made it to the Middle East.  Some day, perhaps I'll be able to travel with my wife.  No time soon.  All surplus funds are now going towards my son's college.  Three years from now, we get to do it all over with my daughter.  No doubt, we'll have to take out a first mortgage on our home.  At least interest will be deductible.

After eight years, I've now moved from being a consultant to an employee for the same consulting company.  Income is more certain.  After reinventing myself a few times, it now looks like I've found an opportunity that could last for as many good years as I have ahead.

On the work side, that is definitely good news! Steady work is a very good thing.

I've been thinking of adding a gas generator to this house as well--I have a portable one using gasoline, but that one's utility ends when whatever fuel I have at home runs out, as the gas stations have the same problem everyone else has in an emergency--no power to operate their systems.

I plan to go on a road trip with the boys early in November, to go to a nice retro computer faire. That should be a lot of fun--and the boys love the old machines, which actually surprised me. They have a blast playing games on my 35-year-old machines, and I have a blast designing new hardware for them and turning those designs into reality for them and the rest of the folks still using the old iron. . .

Designing new hardware or software? Regardless, any quality time with the kids is good.  While my degree is in computer science, I never had a passion for game-writing.  Surplus time is scarce and cherished.  At present, I'm PM'ing two major implementations of the Oracle Access Governance suite.  As I'm more of a process/risk guy, the is more of a value-added fill-in between consulting engagements.  Also, I'm able to add more value to requirements and design than a standard PM.  Regardless, it pays the bills.

Are you gaming these days?

I tend to design hardware for 30+ year old computers. It is a lot of fun--and there are enough people out there still using the ancient beast that our group buys of parts to build stuff keep the costs down. . .I like it when a hobby ends up at near break-even, cost wise.  :) The boys had a blast at the Faire. They got roped into doing a demo for some games by a friend of mine from Holland. He's good at convincing people to help him out with problems (he was playing the games, but the results were not so good). The boys pulled him out of that hole. . .

My last hardware project worked too--a really nice multicart with about 120 pieces of software in it to show what the cartridge board could do.

Ack! Oracle! I just had to decommission an Oracle system we'd been using for about 10 years. We're still working the kinks out of the replacement, although it does do everything it is supposed to--just not with finesse.

When I was living in California, I had just taken up woodworking when Katrina hit.  In my garage was literally $18K worth of new equipment that I had taken classes in using.  I was on the verge of having my dream shop.  Within two weeks of my purchase, my 3-car garage and house was so filled with our furniture and that of my father that I literally could not physically see, much less get to, any of the new equipment.  Two years later, when we moved to New Orleans, all of the large new tools had to be sold.  Most were still in their cellophane that they shipped in.

I enjoy the precision and beauty of fine woodworking. Perhaps when/if I retire, I'll take it up again.  And perhaps it too will pay for itself.  For now, all extra space is rented, which is what needs to happen so that we can afford college for our kids and save a bit.

It was great hearing from you.  Glad you and the kids had fun at the Faire.

Have a terrific holiday!

Happy New Year ... Adam

I just tried calling Kevin at home (909) 790-6715.  Has his number changed?  If you have another way to get in touch, please pass it along.

Thanks ... Adam

In reply to Shih Nacunya (msg # 158):

That's the same number I had, Adam. I'll have to look to see if I have any working email addresses for him.

And happy holidays yo you as well! This has been one strange year, mostly in a good way.  :)

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