[Rebels1972] Big Gamble

[Fred Atkinson]

Greetings, everyone, 

      I wanted to let everyone know that I've made a very big change.  
It is a big risk but it's one I have decided I must take.  

      Several months ago, I could see that things weren't going like I 
wanted them to go at the University.  There were a number of factors 
that brought me to this decision.  Perhaps the biggest one was that they 
have decided to do away with the T.E.T. (Telecommunications Engineering 
Technology) program at the University.  That greatly limited my options, 
IMHO.  It was a hard decision because the western North Carolina area 
was so beautiful, the people in that area so nice, and my colleagues 
such a wonderful group of people.  

      About three months ago, I told them that I had decided not to 
renew my contract at the end of this semester.  Friday (December 15) was 
my last official day with the University.  I spent the day cleaning out 
my office and getting a storage room.  I've got two big guys lined up to 
help me put my things into storage on Saturday, December 30.  

      I'd done some research and discovered that the Atlanta job market 
has a big demand for people with my skills.  I've spoken to some folks 
in the know that work in that market.  They both said that they'd be 
very surprised if someone with my skills couldn't land a job there.  

      Additionally, I found a Cisco NetAcademy program in Marietta, 
Georgia (Chattahoochee Technical College) that is supposed to be the 
best NetAcademy program in the Southeastern United States.  I've applied 
for and already been accepted for classes there.  Additionally, they are 
dicussing the possibility of my teaching night classes.  

      I had put my name on a roommate board.  A couple of weeks ago, I 
got a call from a man who owns a house (also in Marietta, Georgia on the 
northeast side of Atlanta not far from the college) he rents rooms out 
of.  He seemed very nice on the phone.  His work is writing proposals 
for computer companies.  Most of the men that rent a room from him work 
in the computer industry.  One fellow moved there from out of state 
arriving without a job.  He was able to help get him placed.  I'm 
driving to Atlanta from SC (I'm here in SC with my father and my brother 
for Christmas) on Tuesday to see the place and see if it will work out.  

      I hope to be in Atlanta by the first week in January.  I'll ask 
all of you to keep me in your prayers that things will work out for me.  

      I wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  

      Have a joyous holiday season.  Even with the state of the world, 
we all have great deal to be thankful for.  
http://johnnyhihat.tripod.com/id26.html 




                                               Fred Atkinson