Tom's Diary

Dear sister Joann,

Mom mentioned the shingles last night. Quite a shock. Will send lots of positive energy your way. Are shingles contagious?

All went well in Florida. Learned very much, brought back lots of books, flyers, white papers, and pamphlets. Lots to read about over the next few months.

I’m here in Dayton, Ohio this week. Will be heading back to Philly on Saturday. All this traveling around is kind of nice. Hoping to get out to other conferences this year, perhaps out west or south west (say in Arizona or New Mexico). The managers want us to do more of this stuff. So more traveling is on the horizon.

Will be spending two weeks at the end of March with you all in Altoona.

Well, take care of yourself. Get lots of rest, and so on. I’ll give you a call during the next couple of weeks.

Later,
Tom

Dear sister Diane,

Another nice day here. Low 70s. I’ll be here until Thursday. Then, I’m off to Dayton, Ohio for nine days. Then, finally, back to Philly for the winter stretch.

Bowling sounds fun. I love to do it. Didn’t the whole family go one time back in the 70s? I know Mary Ann, Joann, and myself did it. But I can’t remember if you twins were part of it. It would be a blast to get all the siblings to do it sometime.

Enjoy the ride to Lancaster. You should try the train sometime. The one I take to Philly stops in Lancaster. And the ride is pleasant. Not too bumpy and nice, scenic landscapes.

Well, I must head back to conference. Take care, and we’ll talk again soon.

Tom

Hey you [Lynn],

Welcome home. Ironic, isn’t it, that the rain was threatening you, when you were about to visit the flood plains.

It’s been a nice fall here in Dayton also. Lots of sunshine the past three weeks. Only rained once or twice. And there’s still much color around. However, Mom says that in Altoona, most of the leaves have assumed those “muted” colors that they do when they’re about ready to come down. Yep, winter is approaching. What a year this has been.

I don’t have the new title yet, as I have not yet been promoted. The raise I mentioned was a separate thing. Hopefully, if I can complete this strategy assignment by the end of the year, the promotion will be granted shortly thereafter.

The two new contractors are coming along and almost up to speed enough to begin contributing. My job here is almost done. Looking forward to getting back to Altoona on Sunday.

Had dinner with [Emeebee] last night. Very nice. She said that her boyfriend was jealous that she was coming to meet me, and wanted to know where we were eating. She did not tell him. Then, later, she related a story of how they had broken up for a time because he had abused her physically, and she asked me if I thought she should leave him. This made me a bit nervous. I kept imagining this crazed person entering the restaurant with a gun and running a muck. But, that didn’t happen. However, I think I’ll stay away from her until this guy is out of her life.

Well, I have two hours of training today (as a student, not a teacher) to prepare for. So I’d best get going. Take care. Talk to you soon. Will probably give you a call sometime next week.

Later,
Tom

Dear   [Lynn],

Congratulations!!! In the long run, this sacrifice [your daughter] made (giving up Tim) will probably pay off big time. Besides, she’s too young to be “attached”. Wish her well for me. What finally convinced her to cut ties with him?

This week’s news from Dayton: The Philly trip was a success on several fronts.

• I passed both MCSE exams. Now, I have one more to pass before the end of the year. Then, I’ll be completely certified as “an expert” in Windows NT 4.0 and the supporting networking infrastructure. The performance objectives for this year required that I only pass ONE exam. But since I’ve already passed TWO, and will likely pass the third one, that means I’ve exceeded the objective. And the financial rewards for this should be nice come next March.
• An apartment has been secured in Philly. I take possession on November 1st. Two bedroom, central air, in walking distance of an Acme grocery store, several shopping centers, and three busses. This is in a much nicer neighborhood than my last place but only costs about $65 more per month. Plus, the heat, hot water, and cooking gas are included in the rent. The place is located in the Bustleton section of the city (in the far North East), about 7 miles from where I lived last year. And the apartment is soundproofed. Encased in concrete, virtually no noise from the neighbors is heard. I’m very eager to get back.
• And, the manager tells me I’m getting a pay raise, that should appear on the October 15th paycheck. However, he has not yet told me the amount. That makes it fun to imagine the possibilties.

Well, I’m here on the Dayton campus for the next two weeks, and every day here is full. So I best get to work.

Take care, and I’ll talk to you soon.

Tom

Dear   [Lynn],

Yes, lots of changes and decisions. Those commodities seem to be the only constants in my life. But, this is a price to pay for “moving up” and getting a bigger piece of the pie.

Boy, it’s really getting hard to study for these tests next week. Strategic Planning has been very challenging this week, and by the end of the work day, I just don’t have much mental energy left to study. But I know the stuff pretty well and I do pass the simulation exams pretty consistently. So the odds are good that I’ll pass the real things.

Yes, Cubby managed to tie lots of strings of emotion around all our hearts. She was so friendly, purry, and vocal, and was very pretty.

But her young seem to have her personality. They climb all over my shoulders and purr in my ear each morning when I come into the office. In fact, they want so much attention that I have to fence them out when dialing into meetings.

We are not allowing the new cats outside. So far, they’ve been using the litterbox pretty consistently.

Lobsters for 22 [people]? How did you manage to cook all that in your little kitchen?

Ah yes, you know that winter is approaching when the cats hang around home more – especially Killer.

Well, time to go. Talk to you soon.

Tom

Hi   [Lynn].

Thanks for writing. Actually, my Philly trip is between September 30th and October 8th. There were some logistical issues at work which forced a delay in this vacation. So, the apartment hunting has yet to be done. Hope to have signed the papers on a place in the Bustleton section of the city by this time two weeks from now, although there is a chance that no apartments I would want are available at this time of year. So this effort may be put on hold until the spring.

But I have two Microsoft certification exams to take there next week, and so this week, I’ll be studying madly. They’ll happen on October 2nd and October 3rd. Then the rest of the week is for apartment hunting.

Then, on October 8th, I’ll be traveling to Dayton for two weeks, and working at the main campus. With my new assignment, I must train three new people [...], to do what I’m doing now. And we felt that an in-person visit would be best. Teaching over the phone can be a bit trying, especially without whiteboards. My manager even decided to spring for a hotel for the entire two weeks! What a guy. Also, I have to meet with about 30 other people during that period, ranging from senior engineers, to architectural gurus, to product managers, and senior directors, to gather information which will be used in this [...] migration plan I’m working on. Lots of lunches and schmoozing. A bit nervous I am. But this is the type of high level exposure I need to get the next promotion. So, it shall be done.

Should be getting a pay raise in the next few weeks. Don’t know how much yet but will find out on October 9th.

Sounds like your weather is about what it is here, although we’re in the upper 40s to low 50s right now and heading for the 60s today.

Bought several new shirts, ties, and pants this weekend, for the Dayton trip. Must look like a leader now, and dress for success – at least while there. *grin*

Mom, Curt, the sisters, and their children are doing well. They ask about you from time to time, sending their regards and well-wishes each time.

How are things up there? [your daughter] and Sarah settled in at school? How was [your aunt’s] party? Did your parents go back to Texas yet?

Well, time for work. Take care, stay healthy, and all that. Write soon.

Tom

Dear   [Lynn],

I’m scheduled for the Microsoft Windows NT exam on 9/5/2000, the day I return from Philly. So, while I’m at your place, if I don’t work, I’ll be studying.

Sorry to hear about your soggy day, again. Never fun, is it.

Packing is underway. Should have the formative portion of that done this evening. It’s so exciting. ! ! !

Talk to you later.

Tom

Looking backward from 2009-11-28.

1984-01

• Started college and experienced my first official computer class, CS-7, which taught the Pascal programming language on Digital Equipment’s VAX-11 mini computer, running the VAX VMS operating system.
• Met Paula Eide and we dated, mostly by phone, throughout this winter.
• Withdrew from my first college class, which was History 41.  I had, naively signed up for 15 credits in this term, and found the work load excessive.  This class was the first, but not the last casualty of my ignorance.
• Joined the Visually-Impaired Students Association (VISA) at the university.  Paula Eide was the present.
• Unemployment compensation ran out, and it took several months to start receiving disability payments.  So I was pretty poor this month.
• I resumed the rubbing of snuff after a 2-month hiatus. 

1984-02

• I wrote lots of papers for my  Basic Writing   class throughout this entire term, on a Smith Corona cartridge typewriter.
• [Z] visited me and spent the night.
• I actually enjoyed the math work for the Algebra and Trigonometry class.

1984-04

• Finished my first term of college.  I successfully completed introductions to Sociology, basic writing, computer programming, and college math.
• Started reading talking books on cassette tape for the first time as an adult, prompted by [First Love].
• Paula came for a date / visit, and I fixed us a spaghetti dinner.  I remember her commenting about me giving her such a bit bowl of lettuce: “What?” she said.  “Do you think I’m a rabbit?”
• [First Love] and I fought over the usual stuff — her, not giving me as much of her time (or body) as I desired.

1984-05

• Entered my first Calculus class.  At first, I signed up for the six-week version (in half the time).  But it moved too quickly for me to keep up with the assignments.  So I switched to the full-length version of the course, which covered the same material but took over twice as long. 
• Paula Eide and I stopped associating.  Our relationship had deteriorated into constant bickering and arguing, and her health was heading south as well.

1984-06

• Left Mellon St. for Moorhead.
• Bought the bed with the metal head and foot boards and an open-style spring board — not a box spring.

1984-08

• Successfully completed the introduction to Calculus course in college; I received an A.

1984-09

• Returned to college, full-time again, to finish out my freshman year.
• Entered my first FORTRAN computer language class.
• Ditto for the introduction to music listening / appreciation.
• I experienced dating a black woman for the first time.
• Received a job offer to return to work as the head electronics technician at The University of Pittsburgh.  But since I was already fully challenged by my college coursework, I declined.
• Purchased my first CD player and my first CD. 
• Withdrew from my second class this year, which was a Calculus-based introduction to physics.  I had problems applying the Calculus theory to real-world problems such as are found in physics. 

1984-11

• Enjoyed my first intimate experience with the African American woman I met in September.

1984-12

• Finished my freshman year in college.

Tom Hesley

Looking backward from 2009-11-25.

Somewhere around the middle of October, 1980, I decided to see if I could buy a mercury vapor lamp somewhere. Back then, these lights fascinated me with their intense, silver-bluish glow, and I wanted to know how they worked. I’d seen them used as street lights for as far back as I could remember, and I so wanted to have one for my very own.

I remember talking to other students at Connelley Skill Learning Center, where I was attending trade school for electronics at the time.  They recommended that I inquire about the lamps at an electric supply company such as Browne and Powell, located on Baum Boulevard in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh.  So, over lunch, I called the store and they said they had lamps and the ballasts to make them work, and that they’d sell me a builb and balast for around $50. 

After school let out at 2:00 PM, I headed out to the store.

The man there was most helpful, and was as eager to sell the lamp to me as I was to buy it. 

I took it home.  Actually, what he sold me were the innards of a common street light, where the ballast and the lamp socket were attached.  In this type of lamp, if the ballast went bad, you could just replace the whole modular unit.  That way, along with the new ballast, you’d also be getting a fresh mogal bulb socket as well.

At first, I sat the whole thing on the green dressor with the white top in my bedroom at Jackson street.  That worked out pretty well, although the unit hummed quite a bit.  Not even sitting it on wads of napkins or several folded towels muted the mumming and buzzing sufficiently.  I thought about this and then came up with the idea of separating the lamp socket from the ballast, and connecting the two with a long piece of power cord.  The open-circuit voltage at the output of the ballast never exceeded around 250 volts.  So I figured I could find a piece of power cord somewhere from a dead appliance to use.   It turned out that my roommate at the time had an old vacuum cleaner, which she was about to pitch.  So I whacked the cord off of it.  I then removed the socket from the ballast frame (secured by two screws). 

Tom Hesley

Looking backward from 2009-11-25.

We, the WPSBC class of 1979 graduated on Thursday evening, June 7th, 1979.  Here’s a recap of the later parts of  that day that I recall.

05:30 PM: The last supper.  Mario, the school’s head cook sensed that I was nervous and sad to be leaving.  He came to me and said that I would go far in life; much farther than he did, and he said that he was proud to have been somewhat of a mentor to me.  After he was the first boss I ever worked for as a pot washer in the kitchen. 

06:05 PM: [Tad] and I got ready for the biggest evening of our young lives in room 306, and I do believe that [Tad] was a bit drunk. 

07:00 PM: The graduation ceremonybegan.  Prophetically, my partner this night was [First Love].  I gave a speech, since I was the class president, and [First Love] gave one as well, as she valedictorian.  KDKA radio DJ Art Pallan (now deceased) gave the keynote speech, that in some ways so subtle while in others not so much, encouraged us seniors to make the most of our lives. 

09:00 PM: The ceremonyended at around this time, and I milled about the chapel and then moved downstairs to the front hall with my classmates and underclassmen to say good-bye. 

10:00 PM: Mom and Dad drove me home, and as we rode, I thought of how anti-climatic this evening had been.  I felt a little sad but mostly numb.  Peculiar since for years, [Tad], [First Love], [Olga], [Z]. and me, all talked about how great it would be to never have to return to school again after graduation.  But now that it had happened, the thought of never having to go back suddenly seemed kind of scary actually; at least to me it did.  Unlike the night of   my first spring concert   six years earlier, there was little joy on this occasion.  I felt more relief than happiness, not becasue of  leaving for the last time as a student, but rather, because I wished to finally be finished with saying farewell to my closest pals. Thought I fantasized over this night often, I did not actually want to be done.  But since I was done, and thus had to leave, I just wanted to get it over with quickly.  No, while I’m proud today that I got through high school without dropping out, I would not describe my high school graduation as a particularly happy event though it was nonetheless, a very special one for me.  More on that in other posts.

Tom Hesley