Thursday, January 15, 2004

Recycled Electrons

I did check a CD ROM and found some very old, word-processing files. It's no longer in doubt: MS Word in 2004 is able to read Wordstar from 1986. This just goes to prove how the world revolves: Here's a journal entry that I created seventeen and a half years ago. It's not only from a pre-blogging era, but even before my computer had a hard disk. Duel 5 1/4 inch, bendable floppies worked just fine, thank you. Reading the message did remind me of all sorts of things about working at the Taif Army Ordnance Corps School though.

  • I had almost forgotten that Saturday is the first day of the work week in Saudi Arabia.


  • I remember the infamous US Defense Language Institute's books.


  • I do not remember about any references to cherries and custard in those books.


  • I fondly recall watching videos and driving my old Pontiac.


  • I cannot remember working on a computer without a color monitor.


  • I certainly do remember the bank statements from the Gulf!




  • Saturday, July 5, 1986

    This is the very first entry. We'll see if the intrigue of an
    electronic diary keeps me writing on a regular basis? Today was
    the tiring beginning of another school week. We struggled
    through the 1208 book. I think that we're finished; I do hope
    so, at least. I'd taught enough about "cherry and custard pie"!

    This afternoon Jay came to the room. We always watch a
    video from the library. After that, we removed everything from
    the truck of my wonderful old junk Pontiac. I wanted to stop the
    shimmy but alas it didn't work.

    This evening, I'd like to see about a color monitor at the MSK
    computer store downtown. I probably won't. Mail sent: Grammy.
    Mail received: absolutely none. I shouldn't expect anything
    until next week's bank statement.

    That's all for today.


    011504

    Saudi Arabia seemed most proud of her modern new cities. Yet,
    important historical artifacts, especially those that were pre-Islamic,
    were often swept under the carpet. This abandoned desert village
    was not far from the city of Taif. (It does look a bit like the Mars
    rover project found life on Mars, eh?)


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