That Old Gang of Mine

Not farm stuff tonight, but something sweet and personal. 

From 1980 to 2003, I worked for American Cablevision of Kansas City, which was bought out by Time Warner Cable, and for two years, we were AOL-Time Warner. 

What fun we had in the nascent days of cable... our company was very, very diverse, and we had folks from all walks of life who worked for us.  I started in the construction division, and then spent 21 years in marketing and sales. 

We had wonderful company parties, and every quarter, a breakfast at a local "hot spot" which we moved around the Kansas City Metro area. 

One was in an airplane hangar at the downtown airport...another at the zoo! 

We were there when all your favorite tv and satellite stations were born... ESPN, HGTV, Comedy Central, Nicolodean, and ALL of them.  Each new station meant new training and new tchotchkes given to us. 

This afternoon, Shirley, who worked side by side with me for numerous years in the sales department, celebrated a birthday, I won't say which one.  Shirley is in the front row, on the right. 

I had not seen these folks since I was bought out ten years ago, with the exception of Terry, third from right in the back row.  

Our friend Mayling got there too late for the group photo... and my camera card was full (I didn't figure that out) when she did get there! 

How good it was to see and visit with all these dear friends.  

The sad thing is... since I have left, they have lived with lay-off after lay-off, and some of the ladies in this picture lost their jobs in the last two weeks.  It was very, very sad, but, as Shirley said... it's not the same as when we started and were all so young and happy. 

I'm forever grateful to have worked with such fine people ... it was a true blessing, then and now.