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. 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:



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.

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

[FrankMCook]

Originally Posted by Nick Cvetkovic

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.

[Franca]

Originally Posted by FrankMCook

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.

[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]

Originally Posted by Franca

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.

[MollyM/CA]

Horses are so cute when they talk to each other.

[woodswell]

Originally Posted by MollyM/CA

Horses are so cute when they talk to each other.

And here's another one! We're gonna have an entire herd here
Is the horse in your avatar yours? Is it a buckskin?
Anne

[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.

Originally Posted by FrankMCook

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.

[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]

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>

Originally Posted by 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.

[Judy G. Russell]

Hey, Stu! Welcome aboard!

[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....

[estherschindler]

Originally Posted by Judy G. Russell

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.)

[Judy G. Russell]

Originally Posted by estherschindler

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...

[MarteB]

Originally Posted by estherschindler

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!