Do you get the idea that I'm cleaning out my house? I mean, we could move someday, it could happen. And we have tons of junk and things and closets with who knows what at the back. Ya gotta get rid of it some time. And, since I'm unemployed, nothing like the present. Unfortunately, my upper back issues precludes me from doing a lot of it. It's physical work dragging things from closets and lugging it around.
My current work zone is the closet under the stairs. People love (myself included) just shoving stuff back there and slaming the door closed. Dennis put a plywood divider back there to stop cold air coming in from the garage. I'm almost back there. Behing that is the really old weird stuff.
But today, these items fell out and I thought I could comment on them.
Business cards from the 1980s....
I worked at ADP Network Services from 1979-1983. My professional job when we moved to Seattle from Chico. Jobs practically fell out of the sky at that time. I was young and had data processing experience. I started work there before we actually moved. Started out in the old Tower Building, which had been there approximately forever near the now defunct Frederick & Nelson Building. I did have a moment of panic when, in mid April, when I lived here mostly on my own; my workmate Don looked out the window of blowing rain and brisk winds and leaden sky and remarked "typical April weather!" and I thought, waidaminute, April is balmy with mild temperatures. California, yup.
ADP Network Services was truly ahead of its time. Mainframes were giving way to the new personal computers. You didn't need to communicate with another computer when you could have everything on your own desktop. We offered a worldwide network where you could communicate with many other computers at remote locations. Does this sound familiar? Remember this was 1979, way before the business world had heard of the internet. ADP had developed specialized software for concentrating bank deposits from remote locations, financial planning, economics forecasting, project management. We had this economist, Alan Greenspan, who worked with us as a spokespan and expert. You could use this software from different locations, didn't have to develop it yourself. We had email; you could communicate with other staff members with these electronic messages.
At that time though companies embraced 'microcomputers', so exciting, way of the future and the client server approach seemed like extra cost and complication. Ha!
I did technical and sales support. Many of my days involved going to the Boeing Renton plant and calling on our users. I was to take somebody to lunch every time I was there, I had my regulars who enjoyed this! A major competitor was BCS Boeing Computer Services. I used to have an effective line. When users complained about our costs as a vendor, I would solemnly say "Yes, I can see that, maybe you should bet BCS to do that for you" Their panicked answer "No! No! Not BCS! Please, I think this is just fine"
Eventually, I struck a radical deal. I wanted to work part time. Professional workers, particularly women working part time? Unheard of! Obviously you did not have the appropriate commitment! In 1983, with dwindling revenues, a reorganization and split and my part-time position (which counted as a whole headcount) was on the 'wrong side'. Took me about 5 seconds to realize I would be laid off. Which I was. In fact, that was the last time I collected unemployment.
The entire Seattle office closed within a year and everybody else was also laid off.
But I learned a lot, particularly the limited sales training they offered. And that wild month I spent in training in Ann Arbor (rolls eyes).
The other card, for Dennis. He started at Kaplan Paper and eventually worked at the parent company in it's nascent data processing department. I don't remember the dates.
Long ago and far away!
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