Re: Fw: Happy Winter Solstice!

[http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert (Robert)]

 > From: Karen Coyle <http://www.kcoyle.net/~kcoyle>
 > Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2003 14:33:42 -0800
 >
 > Robert,
 > 
 > first, I need you to switch to this email address for me, as I only
 > check the old ix.netcom.com address occasionally.

OK.  Thanks!

 > second, I'm attaching my end-of-the-year letter,

I'll read it.

 > and you'll see that I
 > am **retired**, which means that I'm consulting from home and it's great
 > not to be going into an office every day. It also means that I'm around
 >  and in control of my own time, so if you get up this way, give
 > me a buzz and we'll get together.

Yeah.  If I continue to be jobless, I'm going to try to go to the 
Critical Masses on a regular basis.  Those happen on the second Fridays of
every month at 5:30pm.  So, I plan on being in  then, and any time
before 5:30pm would work.

BTW, I went to a  Unix Users Group (BUUG) thing a couple of months
ago and saw Mike there.  (Unfortunately, I can't remember his last name; I
was lucky to catch his first name!)  He was involved in CPSR with you and
someone-else-who-I-can't-remember when I was involved.

 > Note that it is mainly childlessness
 > that has allowed me to retire so young -- everyone else my age is
 > putting kids through college. I'm sitting in cafes.

Well, right now, being jobless, I'm burning through money right now.  I
may not be so lucky!

 > third, congrats on the marriage. I saw the wish list and noted your
 > desire for folks to donate to PPGG (planned parenthood, golden gate). I
 > know you haven't been able to connect with them, but they are very
 > active. I haven't seen calls for volunteers, but you should probably
 > contact them by phone, or find a way to stop by.

Yeah, I should try that.  I know that Planned Parenthood is usually pretty
touchy about who they let in their doors.  (Boston was especially bad, but
that's where they had those shootings, so I could understand why.)  I may
have to make "an appointment" to get in there to talk with someone!  (The
 Planned Parenthood is just around the corner.  About a 10 minute
walk from here.)

 > Most really busy
 > non-profits that I deal with rarely answer email, aren't at their
 > phones, etc. But I dropped by the Food Project here with some blankets
 > and dishes, and they were thrilled, and then I ended up cooking 2
 > turkeys for them for their Xmas dinner, so assume that they are there --
 > you just may need to meet them f2f. ACLU of No. Cal. is also active and
 > usually in need of volunteers. They're in SF, easily reachable by BART,
 > and probably always need some computer help. I've worked with them
 > before.

I actually let my ACLU membership lapse after becoming unemployed.

It's amazing how much time Prosearch (the job seeker support
group/organization) takes; I only have to volunteer there 4 hours per
week, but it takes an hour to get there and another hour back.  But, if
jobs don't start popping up at the beginning of the year, I may take a
hiatus from the job search and do other stuff.

 > fourth, I'm in the process of moving from MS to Linux, now running one
 > of each in my new home office, but still having to keep some Windows
 > apps around for the work that I do. (Believe it or not, Library of
 > Congress, who I'm doing some work for, still uses Word Perfect...).

Boy.  PDF is annoying enough!

I remember a few years ago, there was actually Word Perfect for Linux.
But, I don't know the status of that product or whatever.

 > I'm
 > a UNIX beginner, but am enjoying the learning process when it isn't too
 > frustrating (which it is a good part of the time, of course).

Yeah.  Unix is way complicated.  It's getting better, 'though...slowly.

 > I wasn't
 > able to get a fixed IP from Earthlink,

Not to mention the fact that Earthlink doesn't allow you to run your own
servers.  (At least, that's what my friend who has Earthlink says.)

 > which complicates some things, so
 > I guess i need to learn more about network addressing behind the DSL
 > firewall.

I have http://www.sonic.net and recommend it.  They have excellent
technical support and the prices are reasonable.

 > Keep in touch, and I hope I get to see you.

Yes!