I hope Steve doesn't mind, but I couldn't think of a better blog posting today than this email I just received. An old friend and co-worker from almost 20 years ago stumbled across my weblog today and, after reading my postings, felt as if he had caught up after all of that time.
It's a great email and I really appreciate the effort Steve went to recall those old times when we used to work together and how his life has evolved over almost two decades. I've said it once, and I'll say it again, Weblogs are a great way to keep up with your extended family!
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From: "Steve Smith"
To: jratcliff@infiniplex.net
Date: 05 Dec 2003, 03:01:33 PM
Subject: Old Friend
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We lost contact about 10 years now but somehow I stumbled onto your blog and it
seems like I haven't missed a minute of what is going on in your life.
Of course by now if you don't remember me by my email address, you have already
stopped reading. But how could you forget? SLU Medical Center and the
characters we worked with there are things I can't imagine either of us could
forget even it we wanted to.
Me? What am I doing? I am of all things and for lack of a better title,
basically a computer network engineer. I work for a company that likes to
call itself as a vertically integrated environmental services company - - -
basically business-speak for a trash company. Very large. Billions of dollars
of revenue, Fortune 300 list and all that, but simply a very debt-laden
organization with good cash flow, limited appreciation for technology and an
even smaller budget to work with. I support about 3 1/2 states worth of
facilities' computer systems, some 500+ devices, and do a lot of traveling,
fixing, maintaining, and overall mundane repairs. In some ways it seems a
little like what Mr. Metzner is doing, perhaps, but most of it is on the very
low end of the spectrum. All of it a far cry from helping develop new medical
techniques and sometimes I really wonder what I am doing.
Ironically enough, I ended up working in a technology field when about 15+
years earlier I could only envision technology as a way to get a job done. If
only I had paid a little more attention to my friend John, who used to make
about three bus transfers in from his UCity apartment to come to work for the
fellow named Kennedy! I can still remember those times, and wouldn't want to
trade the experience for anything, but can't imagine ever living like that
again. But then again who could do anything with 10-meg hard drives the size
of a kitchen table! I remember when you bought the Miata, and didn't you have
an RX-7 before that? They have come back again and I figured you to be pretty
much the same person when I saw the picture you posted of your poor convertible
sports car with the perfect imprint of a telephone pole.
Personally, aside from being about 50 lbs heavier than when we last met (I
could use our Atkins motivation), I am doing fine, divorced, with my son who is
almost 12 years old. Like most 12 year-olds he is very busy with all the
activities he can absorb, but he's a very good student and happy to now be
living near his dad. I live in Glen Carbon, near Edwardsville and when not
traveling I work out of offices in Edwardsville and in Bridgeton. I know what
you mean about commuting and have had it both ways. A four mile drive beats an
hour-long commute anytime, but you gotta go where the opportunities are and if
you manage you time, you can still get things done while commuting.
Anyway, it sounds like you are about to enter into another bold adventure that
will bring you back near your old stomping grounds. Perhaps sometime when you
have a spare moment, drop me a line or give me a call and maybe we can get
together to reminisce.
I look forward to hearing from you. If I don't hear from you beforehand, Happy
Holidays to you and your family.
Regards,
Steve Smith
It's a great email and I really appreciate the effort Steve went to recall those old times when we used to work together and how his life has evolved over almost two decades. I've said it once, and I'll say it again, Weblogs are a great way to keep up with your extended family!
========================================================================
From: "Steve Smith"
To: jratcliff@infiniplex.net
Date: 05 Dec 2003, 03:01:33 PM
Subject: Old Friend
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We lost contact about 10 years now but somehow I stumbled onto your blog and it
seems like I haven't missed a minute of what is going on in your life.
Of course by now if you don't remember me by my email address, you have already
stopped reading. But how could you forget? SLU Medical Center and the
characters we worked with there are things I can't imagine either of us could
forget even it we wanted to.
Me? What am I doing? I am of all things and for lack of a better title,
basically a computer network engineer. I work for a company that likes to
call itself as a vertically integrated environmental services company - - -
basically business-speak for a trash company. Very large. Billions of dollars
of revenue, Fortune 300 list and all that, but simply a very debt-laden
organization with good cash flow, limited appreciation for technology and an
even smaller budget to work with. I support about 3 1/2 states worth of
facilities' computer systems, some 500+ devices, and do a lot of traveling,
fixing, maintaining, and overall mundane repairs. In some ways it seems a
little like what Mr. Metzner is doing, perhaps, but most of it is on the very
low end of the spectrum. All of it a far cry from helping develop new medical
techniques and sometimes I really wonder what I am doing.
Ironically enough, I ended up working in a technology field when about 15+
years earlier I could only envision technology as a way to get a job done. If
only I had paid a little more attention to my friend John, who used to make
about three bus transfers in from his UCity apartment to come to work for the
fellow named Kennedy! I can still remember those times, and wouldn't want to
trade the experience for anything, but can't imagine ever living like that
again. But then again who could do anything with 10-meg hard drives the size
of a kitchen table! I remember when you bought the Miata, and didn't you have
an RX-7 before that? They have come back again and I figured you to be pretty
much the same person when I saw the picture you posted of your poor convertible
sports car with the perfect imprint of a telephone pole.
Personally, aside from being about 50 lbs heavier than when we last met (I
could use our Atkins motivation), I am doing fine, divorced, with my son who is
almost 12 years old. Like most 12 year-olds he is very busy with all the
activities he can absorb, but he's a very good student and happy to now be
living near his dad. I live in Glen Carbon, near Edwardsville and when not
traveling I work out of offices in Edwardsville and in Bridgeton. I know what
you mean about commuting and have had it both ways. A four mile drive beats an
hour-long commute anytime, but you gotta go where the opportunities are and if
you manage you time, you can still get things done while commuting.
Anyway, it sounds like you are about to enter into another bold adventure that
will bring you back near your old stomping grounds. Perhaps sometime when you
have a spare moment, drop me a line or give me a call and maybe we can get
together to reminisce.
I look forward to hearing from you. If I don't hear from you beforehand, Happy
Holidays to you and your family.
Regards,
Steve Smith
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