An excerpt of this column originally appeared as a special to the Kenosha News, Sunday Mornings With Basil Willis, April 8, 2012.
Much like the handwritten letter, the art of the phone call is being lost. We don’t use the phone much anymore. When I say “we” I am talking about The Herd, but specifically I’m referring to people I know.
An excerpt of this column originally appeared as a special to the Kenosha News, Sunday Mornings With Basil Willis, January 15, 2012
It was at our house on New Year’s Eve, sometime after the Basil-tinis started flowing but well before the ball dropped, when I was blinded by a bright flash. It went off inches from my face and was followed by a familiar whirring sound. After blinking the spots out of my retinas, I realized someone had just taken my picture. With a Polaroid instant camera.
An excerpt of this column originally appeared as a special to the Kenosha News, Sunday Mornings With Basil Willis, November 13, 2011
There is an old Wisconsin adage that says: If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes. In today’s world the same can be said about almost anything, especially the workplace. The pace at which technology marches forward is dizzying and those who ignore it and are being left behind. For better or worse, the new economy rewards those who embrace change.
Window 8 Blue Screen of Death. A kinder, gentler BSOD.
This column originally appeared as a special to the Kenosha News, Sunday Mornings With Basil Willis, January, 9, 2011.
Working with technology is what I love to do. It puts milk on the table and Kenosha News on the front porch. I feel very fortunate to be able to make a living doing something that is essentially a hobby for me, something I do in my spare time at home out of curiosity, for free. Please don’t share that with my employers as we are right in the middle of annual reviews.
While my love of computers and technology led to a career I enjoy, it did not come without a cost. Very quickly I became the default tech support option for everyone I knew. And not just for computers, but anything that plugged into a wall or had blinking lights. I actually found myself troubleshooting a mirrored disco ball this holiday season. I told the owner that I unfortunately skipped class at UW Madison the day they taught disco ball repair.