Past Blasting

[susandennis]

I got a note this afternoon from a woman who is putting together a retirement party slide show for a guy I used to work for. I worked for him in Minnesota and in California but the holes in her show were Minnesota... did I have any pictures?

Well, yeah... The one below. (The retiree, Tom,  is the one standing behind and just in between the beige dress and the powder blue suit.  That's me in the ever so lovely cream number.)  The picture was a product announce award.  And the product was the AS/400.  In those days, you never announced a product before the first day of sale.  Until it was built, ready and announced, it was a state secret and a well kept one for the most part. 

However, it's my personal theory that the AS/400 paved the way for changes in product announcements.  We had a bunch of customers that we made early disclosures to.  They had to sign more documents than a ball player does autographs and, as I recall, pledge their first born son to a variety of deities but they did get early product info and the end of the world didn't come. 

These days, of course, you get the full product spec before you even get the slideware.  But. What.Ever.

Back then Announce Day was still a big fucking deal.  For the AS/400, they set up a photog studio in the plant and every team was marched through it and had their picture taken with the hardware.  Then everyone was given a framed copy. It was a huge crowd pleaser and the picture is really nice memento even after all these years.  June 1988

Comments

[vasilatos]

That *is* amusing. You look like a bunch of lilliputians with those two giant white guys keeping you in herd formation. Not an uncommon configuration at places I worked. :-)

[susandennis]

Good call. Those dudes were big.

From the left:

Dick, the chief of staff; xxx (I cannot remember this guy's name to save my soul - he was just the nicest guy but I cannot remember his name), his assistant; me (speechwriter); Judy secretary to all but me and Tom; Maureen, my secretary; Tom, lab director; Geri, his scretary; Joel, HR guy; Bruce, head technical guy.

[jawnbc]

You look so...Laura Ashley corporate. And are those....heels????

*thud*

[susandennis]

911!!!!!

Sorry for the shock. Yes, those were heels. And panty hose and makeup. It was a totally different me. Very nearly terminally corporate.

[fj.livejournal.com]

You're the most lovely dressed of the visible women. Their suits are so boxy, your seems to have a hint of curved tailoring, and a lovely color for your complexion with that dark shirt.

[susandennis]

Thanks... Judy and Maureen and Gerri were/are all Minneostans through and through. I'm fairly sure that none had ever been farther than Minneapolis when this picture was taken. I ordered all my clothes from 'far away places' Maureen used to say. That suit I have on there was from Spiegel. I'm sorry you can't see the blouse. It was just delicious.

[pheon.livejournal.com]

That looks slightly like a ring on the ring finger of your left hand. Were you still married then?

[susandennis]

You and jimcarson both saw that (and I didn't!) I think it's a pearl ring I had made from some earings that my Mom had made for my 21st birthday...

My wedding ring was a simple gold band but I had been divorced for several years when that picture was taken. Maybe I was trying to fight off those Minnesota boys.

[nt.livejournal.com]

Nice pic, and don't you look spiffy! I used to do AS/400 programming around that time (and dressed like the guys in the photo).

[ms-hackman.livejournal.com]

We'll need proof of that, I'm afraid, Neil.

[susandennis]

And I'm thinking it's not the programming that's she's wanting proof of...

[nt.livejournal.com]

Ha! Well, I'll see what I can find...

[ms-hackman.livejournal.com]

What /Is/ that thing!?

[susandennis]

Minnesotan laptop?

[cinenaut.livejournal.com]

My first permanent job after college was working with an application running on AS/400s. I love those things. Absolutely rock-solid hardware.

I think it's a nice touch that Big Blue included the staff with the product on launch day.

[susandennis]

It was the funnest product I ever got to work on. The people who birthed truly 'got' the value of QA. They were a great bunch and I have a very soft spot in my heart for that machine.