10-4-01

The sun was out today and I road my my bike around the North end during my lunch hour. The wealthy neighborhoods built on the bluffs overlooking Puget Sound are entertaining to pedal through. There is some marvelous architecture overlooking the 20 mile fetch North toward Seattle. I haven't written much here lately due to all the work I've been putting into my new interface. I've tested it in all the browsers, from Opera, Netscape 4 through 6, Netscape on the Mac and IE on the Mac. I haven't found a serious flaw yet. I intend to start pouring in content soon. We've slowed down a little at work.
     My perpetually bad ear has been kind to me for the last two days. I've stopped taking an antihistamine called Claritin. I started taking it a couple years ago for reasons that are hazy. It keeps my eyes from itching, and I recall speculating that it might help control my inner ear problem. Like most prescription medicines, it has soared in price, as my income has dropped. At 3 dollars a day, I am willing to live without it for a while. I've also stopped taking the Glucosamine vitamin that was supposed to help my joint cartilage. So now, I take no medicines at all.
      I heard from an old friend of mine via e-mail yesterday. A and I worked together in a print shop up in Seattle back in 1997. At the time, I had never touched a computer and considered them as big a waste of time as TV. A and I used to argue about computers as we ran our printing presses, working the 3 PM to 1:30 AM shift, four tens. Over time he wore me down, and eventually I accepted his offer of a free beater 486 for a month, just to prove to me that he was right and I was wrong. After 2 weeks, I was completely hooked and bought my first computer, a Pentium 133Mhz. Dad still runs it today, although it has trouble getting online.
    I was telling this story to one of the guys at work today. He was surprised, and commented that I had come a long ways in a short time. And I guess I have. I am no longer stuck in a dead end profession, earning my meager wage using 30 year old technology working nights as my family grows up without me. It's true that this high tech stuff is not quite as stable as the older industries, but in times like these, I don't think one can plan on retiring in any job. Probably the most important job skill any of us has is the desire to continue learning new skills and honing the ones we already have. I looked at the paintings I did on my vacation...it's a good thing I have a day job.

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