“She walks in beauty like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies” (Lord Byron).

By the time we had left on so called holidays and ended up living in Las Vegas, we had a reasonably a good size of contract with DND with the responsibility to do work for Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC).  Simply because DND was paying us since they had initiated the project, we, as contractors, were obligated to keep the folks at Headquarters informed of the progress and report back to them in case there were any problems.  While the DRDC folks were happy with the progress and Adam’s ability to manage the project, the Headquarters folks were asking questions about what happened to me.  Obviously, I was the main person who should have been leading the team. 

In any case, the person at DRDC who oversaw the project from the client’s side, had asked Adam to get me back in Ottawa to meet with the folks at the Headquarters to answer their questions. 

It took two weeks for me to meet with the folks and go through the process I had out in place to continue my involvement in the project. Perhaps the most important for those was that the people at DRDC were totally satisfied with the progress regardless of whether I was there or not. When, I got back to Vegas, I made sure that almost every week I called one of the major contacts in Headquarters to keep them up to date which helped. 

Life in Vegas was good.  Lynda and I were getting used to the people we were dealing at the place where we were living.  We also started going on day trips with a group of folks to visit places in the area. 

On one weekend we decided to go on Lake Mead Cruises which offered a “Champagne Brunch Cruise” that included a buffet breakfast and scenic views of the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. The cruise was a popular way to experience the dam and surrounding area while enjoying a meal. The Desert Princess, one of the boats used for the cruises, offers climate-controlled indoor seating and an open-air promenade deck. There was a tape playing to help folks on board learn about the features as well as the history of Lake Mead as well as Hoover Dam.  

We found out that: 

  • It is the largest reservoir in the US in terms of water capacity; 
  • Lake Mead provides water to the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada as well as some of Mexico, providing sustenance to nearly 20 million people and large areas of farmland; and 
  • At maximum capacity, Lake Mead is 112 miles (180 km) long, 532 feet (162 m) at its greatest depth, has a surface elevation of 1,229 feet (375 m) above sea level, has a surface area of 247 square miles (640 km2), and contains 28.23 million acre-feet (34.82 km3) of water. 

We also learned about the history of Mead Lake that in the area that was chosen to become Lake Mead, Native Americans referred to as Ancestral Puebloans settled in the area. Many archaeological sites were submerged by the creation of Lake Mead, including the most representative, which is referred to as the “Lost City”.  The lake was named after Elwood Mead, who was the commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation from 1924 to 1936, during the planning and construction of the Boulder Canyon Project that created the dam and lake. Lloyd Joseph Hudlow, an engineer with the Bureau of Reclamation, came to Boulder City in March 1933 to assist in the survey, and ended up as the project manager.  The other points of history included: 

  • Lake Mead was established as the Boulder Dam Recreation Area in 1936, administered by the National Park Service; and 
  • Both lakes and the surrounding area offer year-round recreation options. 

The accumulated water from Hoover Dam forced the evacuation of several communities, most notably St. Thomas, Nevada, the last resident of which left the town in 1938.  The ruins of St. Thomas were currently visible (as of May 23, 2022) via dirt road and hiking trail, due to Lake Mead’s low water level.  Lake Mead also covered the sites of the Colorado River landings of Callville and Rioville, Nevada, and the river crossing of Bonelli’s Ferry, between Arizona and Nevada. Six years after the dam’s construction, the lake filled to an elevation of 1200 feet. 

Another interesting point to mention is that at lower water levels, a high-water mark is visible in photos that show the shoreline of Lake Mead. The high-water mark is white because of the deposition of minerals on previously submerged surfaces. Even though the folks, our friends, had been there before, they decided to go with us on the cruise and they were very helpful to repeatedly pointing out important aspect of Lake Mead which Lynda and I thought very helpful for non-US citizens like us. 

I was trying constantly to keep myself busy.  In addition to the morning routines for me to do exercising and swimming, I continued to spend time in the clubhouse to have coffee and chat with the other folks. I continued to write and publish articles in various Canadian as well as American magazines on the topics of Activity Based Costing (ABC), Business Process Reengineering (BPR).  I was also attending the activities at the Chamber of Commerce. Victoria, the coordinator, was very kind to me.  She was not only inviting me tor various business activities, but she was also introducing me to different small business owners which was helpful to get to know the people; but I was finding it very difficult to share my experience with them as I was at the peak of doing ABC (Activity Based Costing) to help optimize the performance of the resources, when I left Ottawa.   

I was also publishing articles regularly in various magazines in the States as well as in Canada on various topics including ABC, Business Process Reengineering (BPR), eCommerce, and Smart Cards which was opening doors for me but wasn’t good enough to get a contract. 

I also realized that the work I had been doing in Ottawa didn’t come easy.  Typically, for initial contracts, clients look for the organizations with reputation to award the first contract, but I had no organization with any reputation to represent here in Vegas.  Folks in Las Vegas had no clue what was happening in the real business world.  They were making enough money to enjoying their lives in Vegas and they didn’t seem to be interested learning different or better ways of doing business.   

It was turning out to be much more difficult, but then again, I wasn’t supposed to be doing business in Vegas.  I was supposed to be retired.  Throughout my professional life, Lynda had been a rock for me.  She always provided unwavering support and stability, especially during challenging times but unfortunately, I couldn’t possibly discuss anything with her. I was afraid that the first thing she would say was let’s go back home which I wasn’t prepared to do at this stage of the game. 

I decided to do something different.  I felt as I needed a break from marketing activities.  I used to be a member of the Association of Information Technology in Ottawa and actively participated in the professional activities under their umbrella.  As a matter of fact, I had gone through the process with them to earn a tittle called Information Systems Professional (ISP) which was well respected throughout Canada.  As a matter of fact, the ISP associated with my name, helped me to get contracts in Ottawa.  I realized that I couldn’t possibly expect ISP to be recognized in Vegas.  Nevertheless, I decided to get involved with the Association of Data Processing folks in Vegas.  I became a member and started attending meetings.  I met some folks with the Information Technology (IT) background who were retired in different states and decided to live in Vegas. More specifically, I met Earnie Mayor who was a retired banker with IT background.  Coincidently, his office used to be right across from the offices of Hartford Insurance where I worked in Chicago.  We had quite bit things in common, and we became friends.  His wife Betty was also a very nice lady who got along very well with Lynda.  We started socializing regularly. 

Earnie understood what kind of contracts I had in Ottawa and what kind of things I had done.  He immensely appreciated my experience.  Finally, I found somebody who thought I had accomplished a lot in the field but at the same time he wasn’t convinced that I will find some organizations in Vegas who’s run by creative people.  I remember exactly what he told me about casinos. He said “Don’t bother getting in touch with the casinos in Vegas because they already have a successful formula which is working for them, and they are also arrogant enough not to pay attention to any technology. I was trying to convince Earnie that Smart Card technology has so much potential to be deployed in the casinos as well as in the hotels which were connected to casinos.  I also gave Earnie an example of using Smart card not only for accessing the premises but also financial transactions.  He liked the idea, but he wasn’t optimistic at all. At the same time, Earnie knew somebody who was very knowledgeable about casino business, and he arranged a breakfast meeting with him so that I can explain my idea about the use of Smart Cards in the casinos.  To make a long story short, we met with that guy and after listening to my idea or ideas about Smart Cards, he said to us that it has a potential, but he wasn’t sure if he was the right guy who can help us. As soon as we finished the breakfast meeting, I told Earnie that I may have to give it a rest for now. 

In the meanwhile, to keep Lynda happy, I started going out with the folks for dinners and visiting interesting places in the surrounding of Vegas. The next weekend we decided to gather a group of folks and rented a van to visit Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area which was located only 17 miles west of Las Vegas.  It didn’t take that long for us to get into the area and the first thing we noticed was striking red sandstone formations, desert landscapes, and scenic drives. We all were amazed with the some of the best desert scenery you can find. The vibrant colors that can be seen in the rock formations are stunning. The scenery is truly unique. It was indeed a scenic drive, a 13 miles-one-way, paved road, provides access to explore the many special canyons and sandstone hills in the heart of the Conservation Area.  There were 2 different trailheads and parking areas to begin the outdoor adventure. We stopped for lunch at a very nice restaurant and took our time to have a relaxed lunch.  As soon as we finish the lunch we drove around for a couple of hours before we decided to head back home. Lynda was very happy that I was chatting and joking around with the folks we went with.  While she was extremely happy with our house and friends in Vegas, she also wanted to make sure that I am not getting bored.  She had a feeling that it will take a while for me to totally integrate with the folks and the environment where we were living but she wanted to make sure that I am not totally fed-up. 

The following Monday I tried to investigate about the University of Nevada (UNLV).  I wanted to explore the possibilities of getting an opportunity to teach or do some research to keep myself busy and at the same time make some money. I found out that UNLV was a public land-grant university in Paradise, Nevada, United States.  The 332-acr campus was about 1.6 mile east of the Las Vegas Strip. I also found out that UNLV was a public, urban research institution that holds the nation’s highest recognition for both research and community engagement from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching –R1, the gold standard for research institution. Almost all day I made telephone calls to various places related to the university and left messages, explaining that I am interested in exploring the possibilities of doing some part time work and described my background and qualifications. I never heard back. 

Then somebody mentioned to me that the Community College of Southern Nevada is well known in Las Vegas and has campuses all over the map. I started looking into to finding out who they were and what kind of courses were being offered by them.  I found out that they have several campuses offering various courses including computers.  I thought I may have a better chance if I get connected with them.  Accordingly, I made telephone calls and left messages with no luck. 

I went back to my usual activities of attending the Chamber of Commerce meetings and going around and meeting with the members of the Data Processing Association.  I had lunch with one of the members and he thought my skills better suited for more business-oriented cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles.  But I was not going to relocate as we were happy where we were and I wasn’t planning to go back to working full time. I also tried to get in touch with some consulting companies, but they all appeared to be doing all kind of technical work in the casinos and other businesses and I neither had those skills anymore nor I was interested.  I wanted to find contracts where I can exercise my management consulting experience with the focus to exploring and deploying technology. 

One day we were watching tv, Lynda asked me if I am okay.  I said what made you think that I am not. She said you don’t seem to be as chatty as you used to be and even Jean noticed that you were a kind of different.  I said I am just looking into finding some kind of activities to keep myself busy and I don’t want you to be worried.  Nevertheless, I am enjoying living in Vegas without any doubt. She said how about if you started helping folks with their computer problems? I said I never thought about that. She said Doreen was talking to her and said that she had been having problems with her emails and she had somebody to help her, but she had no luck.  She still got the same problem after spending a couple of hundred dollars. I said unfortunately I am not technical anymore but if you like I can take a look and try to help her. She said I will mention to her tomorrow morning as we bunch of people get together every morning for coffee at the clubhouse. 

The next day I had lunch with Earnie, and we discussed all kind of things that we could do to find a reasonable contract.  I told him that at this stage of the game, I am not necessarily interested in making money, I am interested in finding something to keep myself busy. Earnie agreed with me. I asked Earnie, if he and Betty would like to go out tonight for supper with us as Lynda found a new casino, and she wanted to play there for a few minutes. I said to Earnie, I don’t know how I am going to support Lynda’s gambling habits. Earnie said you don’t have to worry about that.  Lynda’s a smart gambler.  She knows when to stop playing.  In any case, he said they will be delighted to company us as they didn’t mind having nice food and gambling for a little while. We went out that night and I took my book with me to make sure that while they were gambling, I can read about something more interesting than gambling. We all had a nice time that night and, on our way back Lynda said.  I made an appointment for you to help Doreen with her problem.  I also told her that you may not be able to help her as your technical skills are a kind of rusty.  She said she will be delighted to have coffee ready for you. I thanked Lynda for arranging my time with Doreen. 

The next morning after my routine and breakfast, I went to see Doreen. Doreen was very courteous and pleasant.  I had met her several times in the clubhouse but never had an opportunity to chat with her.  She was single and relatively older than us.  She had decorated her house impressively.  She said let’s have coffee first.  Lynda told me that you don’t take anything in your coffee except coffee.  I said she was right. She brought some cookies with the coffee, but I only drank coffee and didn’t touch any cookies.  

I remember asking her about her problem with the computer. 

She said her husband used to be a computer genius and he taught her to use the computer but since he’s gone, she’s struggling to continue to use the computer.  I asked her what she uses computer for. She said she used email to communicate with her family in Chicago, used for writing letters or anything else using “Word”, and sometimes she uses Excel for balancing her bank account. I said you must be smart enough to use computer for those things. She said most of the time she feels proud of herself but from time to time she runs into difficulties. I said not to worry we all go through those experiences whether we like it or not. I said before I ask you to define what was wrong with her computer, I want to tell you that I am not sure if I would be able to help you simply because I have been away from technicalities.  Nevertheless, I am prepared to give it a try. I said what really would help me if I understood the problem before suggesting any solutions.  So please tell me very slowly what you wanted the computer to do. 

She said I have my family living in Chicago and Wisconsin.  I don’t write them letters anymore.  I have been communicating with them all the time but whenever I must write to multiple people, I must keep adding their email addresses individually and sometimes I forget some of them which is nothing but the result of my age. I said don’t feel bad.  I don’t even remember what I ate for breakfast.  But just explain to me how many names that you totally have in your family? She said 15, including my kids and grandkids. I said that shouldn’t be a problem but let me ask you this:   

  • Do you ever include all those members of your family in an email? 
  • She said – Yes. 
  • How many ways you communicate with your family? 
  • She said sometimes I only like to write to my kids. 
  • Do you sometimes feel like writing to all your grandkids but not their parents? 
  • She said yes. 

I said at this stage of the game you appeared to need only three labels. 

She said what is a label. I said a label is a group of contacts which is made to send emails to.  The name of the group must be unique.  For instance –If you create a group of email addresses to send emails to everybody in your family.  You may call it: 

  • Family. 

And if you would like to create a group only to send emails to your kids, you may like to call it: 

  • Kids 

Similarly, if you would like to create another group for your grandkids, you may call it: 

  • Grandkids. 

 However, you cannot use these names for any other label.  She said understand the concept but how can you make it happen? I said I am not going to do anything.  I am going to show you how to create those groups and hoping that based on that experience, you may create any other groups without my help. She said, I will try my best. 

I asked her if she knows how to create a contact. She said yes. I said let’s write the names of the members of your family on a piece of paper. She wrote down 15 names. I said please identify beside each name either kid or grandkid which she did right away. I said let’s go and create three labels to cover your family, kids and grandkids and I showed her exactly how to create each label. I also showed her how to populate each label with the appropriate names which she did successfully by clicking the newly created label. 

Finally, I showed her when she is sending an email to her kids, what all she would have to do is to write “Kids” under where it says “To” and it automatically will include all your kids as defined under that label. I said you will follow the same instructions for sending emails to everybody in the family, just write “Family” and all the names related to that label will be included in that email which she did complete successfully.  I suggested to Doreen why don’t you try to send an email to all your grandkids by following the instruction as I just explained and asking them to confirm the receipt of the email. Doreen did exactly I asked her to do. I said my job is done and hope it helped you to understand how to do what you wanted to do. She said indeed now I understand the whole thing and thanks a million, Mir. 

When I got home, Lynda said, Doreen just called to let you know that she started getting emails from her grandkids to confirm that they had received her emails. When I checked my messages, I found out there was a message from UNLV and another from the Community Colleges. I was surprised and didn’t think there was any reason for Lynda to know about it.  Nevertheless, I called them back and had a nice brief chat with both of them.  Made appointments with them to meet with the folks at UNLV in the morning and the other folks at the Community Colleges in the afternoon. To make a long story short, I ended up getting two classes at UNLV to teach computers two days in the mornings and two classes in the evenings at the Community Colleges.  Needless to say that I was really surprised how things turned out for me for a change.

Our Story – Chapter 60

Greely, Ontario, Canada 15 September 2023