Another Word for Nerd

TechTarget has published my latest article.

THE HISTORY OF UNIX ON THE PC: EXPLORING LESSER-KNOWN VARIANTS
Bill Bradford, Contributor

A list of my other writings for them can be found here.

One year ago today, I lost my best friend, partner, and wife of eleven years. I love you, Amy.

I’ve just been really swamped with work and lots of other stuff lately, plus I’ve tended to post shorter things to Facebook.

June 16th will be the one-year anniversary of Amy’s death. It doesn’t seem that long; it seems like a couple of weeks rather than twelve months. I’ve taken that week off work; this will be the first vacation I’ve had in over a year. Needless to say, I’m pretty burned out and stressed. My house is a mess because I’m too tired after work to clean, and too depressed some days to care.

Had to sell my MacBook to pay bills related to Amy’s passing. Don’t know when I’ll be able to afford another, as there are still more bills to pay.

I hope to spend the evening of the 16th out somehow with friends, but there are no concrete plans yet. I certainly don’t want to spend that day here at home alone.

This would have been our 9th wedding anniversary.

Today’s color: “Earth”.

Today’s color choice, “Pinkle”:

I love my new socks.

From here.

I now seem to own a silver bucket.

Suggestions (please leave them on Facebook, not here) on what to do with it are welcome.

Some changes lately.

Kathy and I are no longer in a committed relationship, but are still very good friends. I feel fortunate to have her in my life in any capacity.

Tomorrow will be the six-month anniversary of Amy’s death. June 16th and December 16th It’s gonna be rough.

After repeated problems, I called AT&T and cancelled my U-Verse TV service yesterday, saving $70/month. I’m keeping the phone and Internet service; in fact I upgraded to the next speed level for the ‘net connection. From now on I’ll just watch streaming TV online or download shows and movies with BitTorrent. I’ve already got Popcorn Hour media players on both televisions, and will be eventually building XBMC media centers to replace those.

From “fourteen years ago today”. An old friend and ex-coworker sent me this, found while digging through mail archives.

From: Bill Bradford 
Subject: Re: Gimme, gimme, gimme 
To: Jeff Bewley 
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 1995 15:32:15 -0500 (CDT)
In-Reply-To: <199510122020.PAA08909@ion1.ionet.net>
from "Jeff Bewley" at Oct 12, 95 03:20:30 pm

> Well, folks, sorry to whine again,

Oh, no problem, wabbit@tulsa-victim.ionet.net.   We're used
to it by now. 

> Seriously, I have one #2 Win disk left, and I haven't ever
> got any Win95 disks...I know you guys hate running the
> Disk-o-matic 2000, but I hate having people stop by
> and get in my face for not having the software.  

I'll tell Jay when he gets here to fire it up.

> Thanks! I'll buy ya'll a beer next time I'm in OKC (heh..
> have fun splitting that can of Natural Light between
> the three of ya!)

Honestly, I just might be OLD ENOUGH by the time you get
down here to actually DRINK it!  I turn 21 on 11/5.
NOW if I can just get Mom to buy me that Netra5 for
my birthday.....  

> Seriously, I'd really appreciate any help you could give me on
> this! Thanks!

Will do.

bill

Jeff's comment, "No matter how bad things get, they'll never be as bad as duplicating install disks for Win95 at ioNET."