Tom's Diary

Great. I’ll check with you just prior to 6:00 AM to see how it looks for you.

Good luck.

Tom

[Brandon],

I am staying at Homewood Suites on Contemporary Lane, behind the Goodyear store on 741. Not exactly sure how to get there when driving. However, you can see the building with gold letters if, when you’re looking at the Goodyear store from the 741 side, you look up and to the right.

You can reach me there at 937-432-0000, Ext. 1112. I’m done here at 6:00 AM tomorrow morning and will probably head there at that time to finish packing and catch a nap. Give me a call when you’re leaving work and I’ll go to the front desk and await your arrival.

Talk to you then.

Tom

Hey Marcy.

Thanks for writing. Sorry I have not gotten back to you sooner. But I’ve been on vacation since December 11th, and am only just now getting to all my email.

On [Z]: Last I knew, she was in apartment 1103 at her building.

You take care also. Hope the new year pleases you often.

Later,
Tom

Thanks   [Rick].

I’m here in Dayton now. No Y2K problems discovered as of yet. Hope your holiday time was good.

Later,
Tom

Kathy,

Just received word from   [Rick]   to email you. Hope your holiday season was restful and fun. mine was very nice. Visited Mom and sisters in Altoona for two weeks and am now here in Dayton, Ohio, covering Y2K duties. Will get back to Philly on January 8th, 2000. When do you start back to school?

Well, take care. Hope the new year brings you many new achievements and victories. Talk to you soon.

Later,
Tom Hesley

Hi   [Lynn].

Just got here within the hour. All is quiet so far. Ran into a network operations guy and he said that all routers, switches, bridges, repeaters, and system management devices are functioning properly. He also said that he has heard of no failures abroad in any of the network equipment that we use here at work. If the third world countries haven’t had much trouble so far, the chances are that we will not either. But we’ll be watching.

Talked to sister Joann this afternoon. She was babysitting 5 kids and going out of her mind. She was just about to ask the neighbor boys to leave so she could put her two boys and one girl down for an afternoon nap. They’re getting ready for sister Christine’s party, tonight. It is underway now.

Yes, seeing the coworkers in the flesh filled me with warmth and made me feel less stressful because of the way team spirit is reinforced by close proximity of its members. I’m not in this alone. *phew*

Hope your night out is safe and memorable. Will be thinking of you also. Don’t get too crazy.

Getting ready to head over to the party. Will write more later.

Take care,
Tom

Hi sweetie.

Just got to a PC here at the main campus. Ran into a few old buddies who had to work today and they helped get me oriented again. My, much has changed around here since my last visit in June, 1998.

Thanks for talking last night. I was really feeling like a trapped tiger in that hotel room. Not that the room is terribly bad. I guess I was just having the blues over the Christmas holiday being over. But you cheered me up. Hmmmm, you really seem to have a knack for that.

Sorry about the fire. Positive thoughts are heading your way for those poor people.

Jewish Princess? Yep, I know the type. Sounds something like   [Melinda], the Jewish ‘princess’ I came to know several years ago. She and I do not maintain an association today. That tell you anything? She was very refined and expected and demanded others in her company to be the same. That isn’t so unusual really. But it seemed like she was never happy — the perfectionist, searching for the unattainable in others. Once I learned her ways and could ignore her jibes and insults, I thought she was quite amusing, although I must admit that I never really mastered the art of selective hearing. She could still rattle me if she really tried. But nonetheless, I am glad to have met her. Dealing with her helped me to learn whatever patience I have today.

Have your kids returned? Or did they definitely leave?

Took a long walk around this area here in Miamisburg, OH today. Mid to upper 40s, overcast with occasional sunshine. Stopped at that Indian restaurant and had lunch — curry chicken with nan and mint chutney. Also enjoyed a glass of mango juice. Mmmmm.

Hope you are having a scrumptious day. Forgive any spelling errors. But this PC is not my own in Philly and I have not had time to set up the advanced email features on this one that I normally use when at home. So, do be patient.

Well, Going to head back to the hotel. It’s getting dark and wanted to get back there before nightfall. So take care, and will talk to you tonight.

Bye bye.

Tom

Hya   [Carlene J].

Well, today brought a dry, overcast morning to Philly with temperatures in the teens to low 20s. In fact, we’re under voluntary water restrictions right now. The Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, our two major waterways, are dangerously low as we’ve had little rain during the fall. But about an inch of snow is predicted for tonight and early tomorrow. So while that won’t restore our dwindling water supplies, it should be quite pretty. I’ve only ever seen accumulated snow here once, and that was in December, 1997. Last year, Philly only got about an inch of snow the whole winter, and most of that was on the day I saw it. They did have a few inches over Christmas break THIS year. But I was visiting my Mom in Altoona, and so, missed that. It was gone by the time I got back. But maybe tonight . . . :—)) Kind of fun working at home because it can snow all it wants, and I can still work. Now is that a blessing or a curse? *grin*

So how are things in Dayton? You have a nice holiday break? I imagine that keeping up with your (2?) children kept you sufficiently entertained / challenged / busy. My sisters have 4 boys and 3 girls total. And they often tease me because I’ve decided not to have children of my own. “How can you resist these little bundles of joy?” they ask incessantly. And I always tell them that when I need bundles of joy that I’ll just go to Altoona and visit theirs. When I’ve had enough of the bundles of joy, then I just come back to Philly. :—)) The older boys and two of my sisters have discovered the computer, and for SOME reason, they think I am an expert on them. :—)) So they often invite me home to teach them.

Well, better get going. Talk to you again soon.

Tom

Dear [Lynn],

Yes, Mary Ann is using Eudora Light, just as you were.

Income tax? What a thing to be thinking about during the holiday season!!! Put it off until January. You know. “Ponder it” until then. Mine are pretty simple this year, since I’m single and do not own a home, and have no kids. But I pay for that simplicity in higher taxes.

Packing the suitcases in preps for the journey to Altoona tomorrow afternoon. Starting to feel the Christmas spirit. Nice. Just charged the camera and rounded up all the airline and train tickets for this trip. Hope nothing was forgotten.

What Santa from Philly? That was and early birthday present. I already have something for you for Christmas that I plan on sending you. That is, unless you whine very loudly, insisting that I do not. *smile*

Talk to you later.

Tom

[Lynn],

Cool. I’ll be watching for this full moon.

Wet and cold this afternoon. Went to buy another copy of Eudora. The store was sold out. So, will order it online and have it shipped right to my sister. True, it will not be wrapped In foily Christmas paper. But she’ll still love it.

Later,
Tom