Work History

well, the best I can recollect.  Here goes …

1. Paperboy (Upper Darby, PA) – did as a kid and it taught me how to handle money, keep to a schedule (had to rise at 4AM), keep track of who paid and who didn’t and be my own boss (at least when I was on my route).
2. Mowed lawns (Upper Darby, PA) – no sissy gas mower used here
3. Dishwasher (Arlington, VA) – not sure the company name but some restaurant.  A summer job.
4. USAF (Tucson, AZ) – Did 3 years and 1 day thanks to Nixon.  Joe College halted things for me and I don’t know if I was even there.  I guess proof is not needed in the military.
5. Janitor (Tucson, AZ) (4 months) – Not sure the company name but responsible for cleaning up two post offices before they opened.  I think I got up at 3 AM and worked 6 days a week.
6. Sweeper in pottery factory (Washington, PA) (1 week) – had to travel to get this one.   One week breathing in that dust was enough.  Memorable sandwiches for dinner though.
7. Shipping/Receiving clerk Hilton Inn (Washington, PA) (2½ months) – chef who hired me acted like a stereotypical mobster (Italian, tough talking, said he worked the room at weddings he catered for known mobsters) and hired me because I was in security in the AF and said he needed someone he could trust.  Was there about two months and he let me drive his caddy sometimes.
8. Exterminator (Tucson, AZ) (6 months) – this was 6 days a week, 10-12 hours a day and I probably took home between $125-$150/week.  Bought my first motorcycle from my boss (Honda CL350) and found out this business can be a real racket.  Especially when there are those willing to make a box to trap scorpions for less than $5 worth of materials but charge the client $150 and it probably won’t do much more than provide them with peace of mind.  After six months got a job offer from CA working with my brother; was I happy to leave!
9. Maintenance Man (Oakland, CA) (about 1 year) – well, the assistant manager position originally offered wasn’t really there and this was all that was available.  Seems the manager was my brother’s girlfriend and he worked as her assistant.  I was able to do this job even though I never had before in their 98-unit building across the street from the main office of BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit).  I did a lot of OJT in my life.  I have always been a fast learner and this job helped me a lot.  I tried to do it justice.  I did learn a lot though:  painting just about anything; plastering; carpeting; windows/glass; and whatever else came along.  I did this for about a year before I moved onto my next.
10. Student Laney College (Oakland, CA) (about 1½ years – dropped out) – here’s where I cashed in my GI Bill and started my dream of becoming a veterinarian.  The classes were pretty basic (English, Trigonometry, Physics, Chemistry) and were just the requirements I would need to transfer to Davis.  Everything was going ok even though I was walking a tightrope.  I had a girlfriend who had a low paying job at a department store so that helped a lot with the bills because the reality is the GI Bill doesn’t go very far.  I didn’t want to work and be a student.  I was taking about 15 credits and there was still just 24 hours in a day.  When my relationship ended with Jean Geyer, I had to figure out what I was going to do next as a large part of my financial support was now gone.  What I did next was a suggestion from my mother as I had never heard of CETA.
11. Student CETA (Oakland, CA) (about 4 months) – while being paid I could learn a trade.  I wanted to get into welding because I’m not afraid of heights, Jean’s father (he was an engineer for Bechtel and was part of the construction/planning of BART) showed me a little bit as he had one, therefore I figured I could do it, and it was supposed to start at $19/hour.  As I needed a paycheck as soon as possible, I found out that there was a year’s waiting list for this class.  My next question was Well. what do you have?  They said We have word processing.  I said What is that?  They said Not sure but it’s something to do with typing and computers.  Well, I had never worked with computers (remember, 1978) but I taught myself to type when I was about 13 but hadn’t typed in about 7 years.  As the CETA office was a block away from my apartment, I tested myself to find out where I was.  I typed 12/wpm.  I still remembered the keyboard and I needed to do 30/wpm to pass.  With a week’s practice, I did exactly 30/wpm!  Sweet!!  I waited a month for class to start and finished a 9-month course in 2 ½ months.  Now I know this sounds impressive but CETA had a 98% placement rate and they needed to make sure the slowest student passed too.  By the end I was able to use four word processing machines, how to type on a page properly (I never took into account margins or what pica or elite were) and was now typing up to 55/wpm.  I procrastinated for a month not getting because I found you had to interview for a job with a resume, something I had never done before.  I had always just filled out a job app and asked when do I start?  The first (and only) place I interviewed wanted to hire me.  I made almost 3 times ($750/month) what I made at CETA.   Here’s info on some requirements.  http://www.michigan.gov/careers/0,1607,7-170-46398-64721--,00.html
12. Crocker National Bank (CNB) (San Francisco, CA) (5½ years) – started work in their Training & Development department typing up the manuals for CNB for all of CA.  Started with 12 people; when I left I was all that was left.  I found that not only had my speed increased (about 100/wpm) but I would read (and sometimes understand) all that I typed.  I learned a lot.
13. Townsend & Townsend (San Francisco, CA) (6½ years) – was able to both work with my sister, who I and my mother had just moved here with her daughter from IL, but also being paid much more for what I did.  I didn’t think I would ever make much in the public sector and was glad for this opportunity.  I think this brought me, my sister and niece closer together.  Went from WP department to taking care of all computers.  No network.  When a Novell network was discussed, thought I would transition into managing it.  Instead the salesman who was selling us our computers was hired and given that job.  It took about two years but figured those I thought had my back, didn’t so I went elsewhere when an opportunity arose.  There may have been other considerations to this decision besides what could be perceived on the surface.  I felt that my boss, Joan and I, were friends.  After all, I went motorcycle riding with her husband, Reggie.
14. Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe (HEWM) (Palo Alto, CA) (3½ years) – with the recommendation of Julie Mar-Spinola came to this firm.  My duties were to include:  Training instructor to this office on the use of a computer or specific applications as needed; Word Processing supervisor (13 employees of various shift); Supervisor of the individual responsible for the Ameritech phone system (worked with ROLM before but not this one); MIS Manager of Banyan network – responsibilities shared with Office Manager, my boss.  The person who hired me left and the one who replaced her, Geri Rice, was a micromanager to the enth degree.  I finally got tired of it and what seemed like a dream come true in Indiana, I went for it.
15. Pythia Consulting (Indianapolis, IN) (14 months) – I got this job after being recommended by my sister-in-law to her former boyfriend, who owned the company.  His biggest client was the Statehouse where I spent 99% of my time.  I learned a lot about how government worked behind the scenes.  Shocking!  I even had my first and last brush with the KKK who demonstrated on the steps about three weeks after I started.  As weird a group of folks in person as they were on TV.
16. Computer Based Services, Inc. (CBSI) (Sheridan, IN) (19 months) – phone support for about 32 applications that clients (center owners) used to run a business.  The average startup cost was about $6-$8K, depending on which ones they chose.  Some would spend $15K.  Worked with people all over the country (and sometimes world) whose expectations of running a business was not always in touch with reality.  Cash from the floppy drive seemed to be the thought at times.  I would at times help with marketing ideas and would bring their equipment back to CBSI at our expense if need be.  This could either send them through the roof or bring great elation.
17. Entex (Indianapolis, IN) (5 years, 2 months) – started out configuring and repairing laptops to a Windows 95 environment for an insurance company.  Found out why they called a ThinkPad a stinkpad.   LOT’S of screws.  First time I took one apart it was 3 hours before it was back together.  I could do the same thing in about a half hour 3 months later.  I think I did about 25 of them in all and configured about 100.  I went from there to be part of the onsite help desk at Indiana Gas.  It became part of Vectren when it merged with an Evansville company (SIGICO) and DPL.  I went from the HD to be the tech in the northern part of Indiana.  At first I used my car but when I started working on their wireless laptops in their trucks, they gave me a truck.  I was also involved in the Vectren merger by going to Dayton and identifying and upgrading their equipment and then going to SIGICO and deploying some software to their existing infrastructure using SMS.  I learned a lot while at this company and had a chance to grow.
18. S&R Resources, Inc. (onsite at FHLBI)  (Indianapolis, IN) (8 months) – Hired as a consultant to migrate all their computers to Windows 2000 and their applications as directed.  Fun creating an image that fit on a CD and all one had to do is insert it and walk away.  30-45 minutes later it be done!
19. K-Force (onsite at Lilly) (Indianapolis, IN) (6 months) – I had a chance to hone skills I didn’t know I had.  I also walked about 5 miles each day!  My boss, John Peters, knew the ins and outs of all the equipment and willingly shared his knowledge.  I wasn’t there long enough but picking his brain made me better tech.  He was a good manager too.  No micro!
20. DCL (just shy of 4 years) – I really enjoyed working again with Sean (met him at CBSI and he also worked at Entex, but just at Cinergy).  He recommended me but I hope I convinced Bryan I was worth the money.  Unfortunately this is where my illness got worse and it became more and more difficult to keep my standards high.  I’m not sure everyone understood what I was going through cause I sure didn’t.
21. Disabled since March, 2007

Rules To Follow

1. Never date a co-worker.  I broke this twice.  Both times the girl was only using me to make her boyfriend jealous.  The first time involved someone at Crocker Bank.  She asked me to a Halloween party.  My time with her lasted that one night and never involved more than the party.  The second time was at T&T (Townsend) and involved the receptionist.  She asked me out and were together a few weeks.  She decided to go back to her prior boyfriend after he returned to town.  I think she said he had gone skiing.  I wanted to break this rule with a girl I met at T&T but found out she was already engaged.  Funny how he became my friend eventually.  Which brings me to my next rule.
2. Never date your friends.  The dynamic changes and if it doesn’t work out you may have lost a friend too.
3. If she has a boyfriend (or husband), hands off!

I sort of broke #1 twice while at CNB but she had just quit so I felt it didn’t apply.  I worked alongside her about 3 years and she just broke up with her boyfriend.  She was Jessie’s Girl http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie's_Girl.  I didn’t know her that well outside the office but I was enamored by her sense of humor and except for a dental issue (which I could certainly relate to) she was a knockout.  I finally went to her house and it just went downhill from there.  She had an 8-year old son.  When I first saw her house, it was in disarray.  Dirty clothes and dishes – well it seemed more like a bachelor pad or someone lived there who the word cleanliness just didn’t mean much.  Little in the cupboard or fridge either.  I was about to find out what was important.  The rent was due but she needed to get some cocaine first.  I didn’t really do that (although I did try it once without much success) but was willing to go with her while she scored.  We did get some and there wasn’t much left for rent.  Oh well.  I did snort some but all it seemed to do is numb my nose a bit and until it wore off I just felt weird.  I’m glad I never developed such an expensive habit.  I spent the night but I guess for someone used to the high her reaction was a bit different.  We never did anything and it sure seemed like after fanticizing about her for almost 3 years, I wanted it to be more.  I left in the morning before she awoke and never returned.  Her name was Debbie Bell and her son was Michael.  I hope they are doing ok.

If That’s True Then …

In November, 2008, my wife and I were sitting in the living room, probably watching TV.  This was after we got our new furniture delivered and about 6 months after I started using my wheelchair to go to and from.  I had started falling down after just a few steps and it seemed to make sense.  I could still wheel to the back porch and get to a chair on the back porch but I had to wait a spell before I would try and get up and come back in.  I don’t do that anymore.

Anyway, we were sitting there and she said to me, “I’m no longer giving in to you.  I’ve been doing it since Beech Hollow.”  When I asked her what she meant, she got up and walked out of the room and sat at her computer.  I waited and asked her a few weeks later what she meant and she did the same thing.

I can sort of guess what a person means when they say something like that as I certainly understand what the words mean but how they apply to me/us I was confused and a bit hurt.  I started trying to figure out what she meant and what she thought I had done but nothing ever came to mind.  I thought I had given her everything physically, mentally or emotionally she could want or need.  I spared no expense of time, money and emotion whenever she or anyone in her family wanted or needed anything and I could provide it.  It really did bring me lots of joy especially if it did the same for them.

We moved from Beech Hollow at http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=5830+Beech+Hollow+Dr,+Indianapolis,+IN+46254&aq=1&sll=40.046392,-86.114123&sspn=0.007704,0.019205&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=5830+Beech+Hollow+Dr,+Indianapolis,+Indiana+46254&z=16 in 1996 to a house we had built in Westfield at http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2902+Crosscreek+Cir,+Westfield,+IN+46074&aq=0&sll=39.951069,-86.261902&sspn=0.123435,0.307274&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2902+Crosscreek+Cir,+Westfield,+Indiana+46074&z=16 where after 21 years I finally spent my GI Bill.  I’m glad I had that too as she said her credit was bad and still recovering.  I felt bad just having it in my name but figured that could be corrected someday. 

In 2005 we had an opportunity to move into a house she never lived in but always wanted to.  Her parents (Dad #3) wanted to build a house in the town her mom grew up in.  They had lived here at least 30 years and to say it was a fixer upper ain’t doing it justice.  Seen The Money Pit http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091541/?  It did have some good qualities: near both our jobs (I was a bit closer); lots of property to take care of (we both liked to garden); nearer other relatives; in Indianapolis; we could carry on the tradition of the family/holiday dinners; and to top it off, it would fulfill a dream of her’s:  to live where all her family had lived but her.  Even though there were some challenges ahead, we both felt we had good-paying jobs and could handle it.  Life’s an adventure right?

Again, that being the case, why were these unsolicited comments made or deeds performed after we moved to Westfield in 1996:

• I got the best brother.
• I like watching you chop wood without your shirt on.
• I will lose weight so you will have a Carmel housewife.
• A surprise Christmas gift (‘99?) arrived for me while I was at the grocery store.  (What timing huh?)  It was a snow blower (never had one before).  I don’t know how she pulled it off but she sure made me smile!

Not to limit what was discussed but hope you get my meaning.

The Truth .. The Whole Truth ..and Nothing But

I married and moved to Indiana in ‘93.  I did it for really two reasons, one I always tell others they should never do:  running away from what I saw as a failed career.  My boss was a great micro-manager.  Since I wore four hats, I was happy to distance myself from someone who seemed to have little interest in my ideas or helping me get ahead.  I really needed Banyan network training.  I’m sure this would have led to more but I needed to get started.  There was other training I needed (and wanted) as well as I was the IT trainer, Word Processing supervisor (13 employees), in charge of the AT&T phone system (1 employee) and in charge of the network (which changed depending on who you talked to).  I yearned for a way to get away from a boss who seemed to have little interest in my future but was good at schmoozing others to enhance her own.

Getting married and becoming part of a big, loving family was the second.  I was marrying an old friend (met in about ‘73 in Tucson), I was encouraged to do so by a mutual friend (who I knew before that), and I could essentially start a new life!  I wasn’t too enamored about moving back into the cold.  I liked the idea that she was looking forward to being empty nesters soon (1 year for oldest and 6 for youngest).  We corresponded for about a year and then I decided to take a vacation (3 weeks) and come here and check out the situation.  I think I was a hit and made everyone smile.

When I first got there and we kissed at the airport for the first time, it seemed that everything disappeared and we were the only ones around.  She said she felt that way too.  I was here over a week before we decided to see if we were physically compatible.  It sure seemed that we were.  A few days passed and I decided to ask her if she wanted to get married.  Quick I know but we weren’t teenagers and I genuinely believed she felt as I do.

A few weeks later, when I could arrange it, I got her an airline ticket and she flew out to CA.  We drove to Lake Tahoe, bought the marriage license in Reno, and got married at one of those chapels that give you a tape of the ceremony.  It was misplaced during the last move here in ‘05.  We went back to my mother’s house the next day for a small reception where my sister, niece, some friends from work and Lillian attended.  We drove East later that day and the rest is history, which I’ll try to include the high and low lights.