In case you're wondering....

[SMMAssociates]

"SMM Associates" is my consulting business. Ten years of agony, ducking bill collectors, keeping the kid out of my office when I'm working, and getting the coocoo spaniel who didn't know the difference between grass and carpeting outside before it was too late.

Well, the kid is living with my sister in Columbus and going to school there. The coocoo spaniel passed on - lung cancer - and I'm probably the only IC in town who knows what an AS/36 is.... Not setting the world on fire, but having fun.

Last January 2nd my daughter showed up: "Hi Daddy! His name is Sammy. He's 13 weeks. Bye!" and headed back to school. :D Fuzzy butt is a real time sink, and I spent a ton putting in a doggie door (in a "patio door") for him - lots of parts not supplied, and I'm an incomptent installer, but he's fun.

Third dog since we've been married, but the first puppy. Jack Russell Terrier, but I think Tasmanian Devil is more accurate. About six months in this picture:

http://tinypic.com/55003m

Anyway, I'm still "around". Mostly I've been active in the Concealed Carry movement here in OH and around the country. Old rent-a-cop. I expect that'll light a few fires.

Regards to all!

On the technical side, I've been using a couple boards of this type for some time now. Excellent choice! I've gotten to appreciate avatars and smilies and things like that - mostly 'cause they're unobtrusive, but sometimes useful. I'd like to see some avatars here, but let's keep 'em down to about postage-stamp size.

[Nick Cvetkovic]

You COULD have used something approaching a real name. :mad:

Just kidding.

Your name hiding behind that concealed weapon?

Yeah, this software is probably better than what you'll find at my online home( http://community.compuserve.com/photography ) but don't let that keep you from visiting

[Judy G. Russell]

Hey, Stu! Welcome aboard!

[FrankMCook]

Yeah, this software is probably better than what you'll find at my online home( http://community.compuserve.com/photography ) but don't let that keep you from visiting

I thought your home was RACING? Did you move or are you just in both places?

We're going to the 500 this weekend. Haven't been in a couple of years but we got an invitation from a suite holder so we're doing it in style.

[estherschindler]

It's all T's fault that I became a computer journalist, back in '92. Somehow, I've never found honest work since then.

These days, I'm editor at two tech sites (DevSource.com and Informit.com), and I write for several other publications (such as LabratMagazine.com and Software Test & Performance, stpmag.com).

After 25 years of renting, at the end of December, Bill & I bought our first house. We've thrown ourself into remodeling-mode in a big way: Bill now owns a table saw, band saw, router. And he's already finished a built-in shelf system in my office closet. It's been lots of fun; heck, I never knew that I'd married a man who knew how to grout!

[Judy G. Russell]

Esther! How are you? And would you please let me borrow Bill? I really need some grout work done....

[Sandy G]

Good grief, Stu. Wasn't it yesterday we were making plans for when Becky got old enough to be a Brownie?

[estherschindler]

And would you please let me borrow Bill? I really need some grout work done....

Did I say he liked it?

Actually, he's shown a remarkable talent for cussing. The house was built in '77 by someone we've come to call Mr. Handyman. There are several, er, features in this house that need to be repaired. And, naturally, nothing turns out to be a simple fix.

For example, nearly every room has a ceiling fan; that's a good thing, here in the Southwest. However, all of them were put up with... let's call it "an imaginative sense of problem-solving." Instead of doing it the right way -- poking a hole in the ceiling and fishing wire -- Mr. Handyman nailed the fans to the ceiling. Then he used several lengths of 8' lamp cord ("zip cord," Bill calls it) and affixed them to the ceiling, then down the wall to the light switch. Not that the light switch actually turns on the fan, that is (except in one room); that's just where he got the electricity.

And then there's the way he installed the landscape lighting using Romex...

Ah well. We are having fun! (There's a few photos of the place, from before we moved in, at bitranch.com. As well as pictures of the kitties.)

[Franca]

I thought your home was RACING? Did you move or are you just in both places?

We're going to the 500 this weekend. Haven't been in a couple of years but we got an invitation from a suite holder so we're doing it in style.Have fun - the suites are the best way to see the 500. <g> My husband will be around and about doing PR. I'm not going this year. We're off to Le Mans immediately after he returns from Indy.

[Franca]

There's a familiar name - hi, Nick! I was an OzWin person, never a TapCIS person, but I used to visit Racing every now and then. <g> My other half used TapCIS, though, in days gone by. Looong gone by now. Yikes.

[Nick Cvetkovic]

Motorsports Forum hasn't been on CompuServe for 3 + years.

www.motorsportsforum.com is their online home where I am ostensibly on staff. It has been almost exactly three years since I did any reporting but am still listed as being on staff there.

I thought your home was RACING? Did you move or are you just in both places?

We're going to the 500 this weekend. Haven't been in a couple of years but we got an invitation from a suite holder so we're doing it in style.

[Judy G. Russell]

Mr. Handyman nailed the fans to the ceiling. Then he used several lengths of 8' lamp cord ("zip cord," Bill calls it) and affixed them to the ceiling, then down the wall to the light switch. Not that the light switch actually turns on the fan, that is (except in one room); that's just where he got the electricity.
Oh dear... that sounds a bit like the plumbing in my house. If I ever have to do any major repairs to the plumbing in this house, I'm going to move...

[Nick Cvetkovic]

I used TAPCIS long before it was even called that.

For reasons now largely irrelevant, I never used or even recommended Oz*.

I didn't 'find' a home on RACING until I had been on CompuServe about 10 or 11 years doing 'other things'. But, RACING was an interesting experience for the 10 years I was there. Well, maybe not the last two.<g>

There's a familiar name - hi, Nick! I was an OzWin person, never a TapCIS person, but I used to visit Racing every now and then. <g> My other half used TapCIS, though, in days gone by. Looong gone by now. Yikes.

[jackofshadows]

And doing a right fine job for DevSource which is definitely one of the best newsletters I get, and I do get a LOT.

-- Bri

[Judy G. Russell]

Good to see you online, Bri!

[Toni Savage]

Hey! I'm still around, too, and *I* just finished my first grouting job! Waving to Bill... from onr grouter to another! (Kitchen Backsplash... SOOOOOO cool looking. I got special tiles real cheap on Ebay for the decorative part, and cheap ones for the rest) Also got *copper* ceiling tiles to replace the acoustic ones. AMAZING. Web sites provided on request.

[Judy G. Russell]

Hey! You wanna come grout my bathroom? (No, don't volunteer to teach me how. I'm not just all thumbs, well, I'd say all toes but Ms. Toes might not like that...)

[estherschindler]

I got special tiles real cheap on Ebay for the decorative part, and cheap ones for the rest) Also got *copper* ceiling tiles to replace the acoustic ones. AMAZING. Web sites provided on request.

That particular grouting job is done... for the moment. But there are more to come. As soon as I finish making the cushions to go around the beehive fireplace, I'm going to look at doing a line of tile along the front.

I've certainly learned more about home decorating and fixup than I ever expected to. (There are about 5 library books here about the Arts & Crafts movement. Surely I can find a way to use this knowledge for good, and not for evil?)

[annc]

Boy, am I glad to see someone else with an avatar! I was starting to feel like an exhibitionist.

[Franca]

<g> Now you have company. There's a certain similarity between our avatars as well....

[annc]

There's a certain similarity between our avatars as well....There is indeed. And we were both OzWin users, staff on DTP...

[Franca]

We're following each other all around cyberspace. :)

[jackofshadows]

Oh, I've been online. I just haven't been stopping by PCIS much these days; maybe once a month. That interface, even with my custom .css file and every hack I can throw at it is simply impossible with a slow dial-up. Mostly you'll find me teasing the bears over at SlashDot and a few other places here and there.

These days I'm spending most of my time beating up software for MS and a few others that I can't talk about. It gives me something to do and who knows, they might actually fix some things. [Yeah, right!]

[Judy G. Russell]

I simply can't imagine PCIS on dial-up... Ewwwww.....

[MollyM/CA]

Horses are so cute when they talk to each other.

[MollyM/CA]

Just noticed your signature --I didn't know you knew my husband!

[woodswell]

Horses are so cute when they talk to each other.
And here's another one! We're gonna have an entire herd here :D
Is the horse in your avatar yours? Is it a buckskin?
Anne

[jackofshadows]

I simply can't imagine PCIS on dial-up... Ewwwww.....

Well, it sure ain't fun, despite hacking the thing to death and using all the widgets that I have to accelerate it. Maybe someday I'll have high-speed and I'll stop by regularly but somehow I doubt it. To much (like) work just to keep in touch. This place is still the web with the attendent requirements for online and all, but at least it is pretty responsive and visually uncluttered. It gets even easier as I learn to fly the interface. Not bad. Not bad at all.

[jackofshadows]

Just noticed your signature --I didn't know you knew my husband!

Well, perhaps not your husband, but the general class? Yep. We even had specialized classes of them (they do come in sub-species) in the US Navy ;). Actually, I lifted this one off of SlashDot; I have a whole file of nothing but great taglines, some I made up myself, others patently stolen. Every once in a while I switch them around.

[MarteB]

Mr. Handyman nailed the fans to the ceiling. Then he used several lengths of 8' lamp cord ("zip cord," Bill calls it) and affixed them to the ceiling, then down the wall to the light switch. Not that the light switch actually turns on the fan, that is (except in one room); that's just where he got the electricity.
Uh oh... I think Mr. Handyman must have been related to some previous owner of this house, 'cause the ceiling light in our living room was installed in much the same way. Only our "Mr. Handyman" ran a length of zip cord through the attic and poked it down through a hole in the center of the ceiling to hang the chandelier from. Swell idea for a heavy chandelier hanging from a 12" vaulted ceiling!

How you doing otherwise, Esther? Long time no see!

[jackofshadows]

{Waving} Hiya Marte!

[Tom Conroy]

Hey Stu. Not sure if you remember me. I didn't post much in the Tap Forum, but remember you from the old SafetyNet days. Not in the security biz anymore?

I retired 1/04 (we're all getting a bit "up there.") Bruce W just retired in April. (Is he here?)

I'll try to post a bit more when I get the hang of these threads. Another board I visit uses this software, but it's implemented a bit differently.

(Now where did I put that old TapCis serial number?) :)

Tom