[sf-lug] [Semi-OT] [fwd] VCF Archives: Last Desperate Plea for Help Moving

[Bill Kendrick]

FYI!

----- Forwarded message from Sellam Ismail <sellam at vintagetech.com> -----

Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:50:12 -0700
From: sellam at vintagetech.com (Sellam Ismail)
Subject: VCF Archives: Last Desperate Plea for Help Moving
To: bill at newbreedsoftware.com

Dear Friends of VCF,

Okay, so this is taking much longer than even my worst-case estimates
a couple weeks ago.  The sheer amount of stuff that has accumulated
since I moved in six years ago is a shock to me.  Whereas I had
thought that my collecting activity had subsided over the past several
years, I think now that if anything it perhaps dropped back a bit and
then plateaued.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised, as I've been saying
all along since I started my electronic recycling business that I'm
absolutely the wrong guy to be in such work because I can't help but
keep a lot of what comes through.  So six years of recycling old (but
not vintage :) electronics and skimming a bit off the top here and
there results in a warehouse filled with more crap than can be
possibly moved in four weeks.

So now, a fifth week is required, but even then I can only do it if I
can get a gaggle of VCF fans and friends to come out and lend one last
helping hand to push me over the top.  About 70% of the collection has
been moved, so these last few days will be critical to get the rest
out by this weekend.

And since I don't like to beg, I'll instead insert an endorsement from
Lee Felsenstein, who has most graciously offered me so far several
days of his valuable time to help me with my stupid moving project:

   Folks,

   I went out around 4:30 Sunday to help Sellam, as I have done
   twice before.  Unlike the other two times, no one else was
   there, and no one had come out that day. There were two pallet
   loads in the truck when I got there and seven plus two large
   pieces of equipment in the truck by 8:30 when we finished. I
   can't take more time during the rest of the week as I need to
   prepare for two talks in Australia.

   It's basic warehouse work - wrestling boxes off shelves onto
   pallets, packing junk in boxes, using a pallet jack to get the
   loaded pallets into the truck. If you know a high school
   student who'se not feeble you might consider bringing them to
   learn some of these skills, as well as see some stuff they
   never thought they'd see (bring, don't send them, as they'll
   need supervision).

   Sellam's not the first of us to underestimate the time a
   project will take.  He's got a baby on the way and he'll be
   needed at home when it arrives. We - not just he - will have
   to get this done before that overriding event. I urge you all
   to look at your busy schedules again and make some time
   available for getting this collection moved!

   Lee Felsenstein

Now, I don't want people to get the impression that I recklessly put
myself into a crappy situation and am expecting other people to spend
their time and energy helping dumb me, like a big dumb bank that makes
trillions of dollars in stupid loans and then when it all comes
inevitably crashing down expect the people to whom they are already
charging usury interest rates to bail them out.  No, I am not like
that.  My year started out with a vast reduction in income, followed
by a broken ankle, hampered by the dirty dealings of one bank and one
shyster, all of which was input into the computer of life and output
as a big mess of a warehouse that had to be moved in less time and
with less resources but at higher cost and at a greater distance than
was originally planned.  Yeah, I know, cue up the violins.

If you've enjoyed the VCF over the years and want to express your
thanks for the enormous effort that goes into producing each one,
please consider offering one hour of your time to help me get through
this last week so I can finally put the move behind me and have the
time I need to spend with my family as we welcome a new member,
hopefully towards the end of the saga!  The effort will be ongoing
through this Saturday and wrapping up by Sunday.  Most of the help is
needed sooner rather than later.

P.S. Many people have asked, "From where to where!?!?"  And I kept
forgetting to mention (but not this time):

FROM: Livermore, California
  TO: Stockton, California

I only need help on the Livermore side, but can always use a hand at
the Stockton end.  And anyone is welcome to come out to see the new
building, which is a historical artifact in its own right (having
been the first Cadillac dealership west of the Mississippi).

Thanks for reading.

Sellam Ismail
Schlepper (running on empty)
Vintage Computer Festival


----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
-bill!
Sent from my computer