After Tech, I attended Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, now NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Having enjoyed physics at Tech, I entered Poly as a Physics major. Midway through, I thought better of that and switched to Math. Graduating with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics, I figured I could go to graduate school (no), drive a taxi (also no), or work with computers, since I’d enjoyed them at Poly. That led me to IBM in Poughkeepsie, NY.

It was a wonderful first job, but Poughkeepsie was too sleepy for me after growing up in New York City. I told recruiters to focus on New York City and Boston, where I had friends and relatives. A recruiter who didn’t pay attention asked, “How about Washington?” I said sure, since I’d enjoyed visiting relatives there. So, I came to DC to work at Mitre, a non-profit government consultant and never left. After Mitre, I joined a small enterprise software company and left in 1992 to become a freelance technology writer/editor/consultant.

I wrote for the Washington Post for seven years, co-edited three giant McGraw-Hill technology books, and contributed to many trade publications. I’m almost-but-not-quite retired but busier than ever volunteering with local and national technology organizations, the Fairfax County Police Department, and, since my wife is a retired federal employee, our chapter of the organization for federal employees. I’ve attended the Fairfax County Citizens Police Academy, the FBI Citizens Academy, the Fairfax County Fire & EMS Citizens Academy, and the United States Park Police Citizens Academy. I highly recommend these opportunities, which are available in many areas.

A Tech coincidence: A couple of years ago, sitting in restaurant in Sedona, Arizona, I heard a patron and waiter discussing New York City bridges. I chime in and we chat a while. At some point, introductions were made. The other patron: “”Hey, I’m from Brooklyn.” More conversation: “Where’d you go to high school?” “Brooklyn Tech.” “Hey, I went to Tech. What year did you graduate?” “1964.” “Hey, I’m class of
1964, too!” Of course, we didn’t know each other, which, with 1200 graduates in our year, was not really surprising. But still, an interesting and unlikely coincidence!