My next job was with the Philadelphia Bulletin, where I worked in the advertising department. This is where I met my husband. After we married, we lived in Delaware County, and within several months we bought a house in Chester County. Life was good.

In 1980, I found myself with a new job title. I left the Bulletin to become a full-time mother to my oldest son. In 1985, he was joined by his brother, Kevin (also a member of the MLMUG). [Ed note: Kevin was MLMUG's Member of the Month exactly two years ago, in September 2002.] Unfortunately, our world was shaken when my husband met an untimely death in 1987. From that day on, my life was divided into two parts..."before" and "after".

Of all the jobs I've had, or will have, I think the most challenging and important has been that of single mother to my sons. And it is because of my sons that I was introduced to the joys of owning a computer.

My sons and I have been using Macintosh computers since 1995. Our first Mac was a Performa 6230 (still in use), but we have since upgraded to a G4 (for Mom), and each son has his own laptop. I enjoy using the computer as a means of communication with family and friends, and I feel that I have a veritable library at my fingertips. I can research any topic I want with my favorite search engine, Google, which I do with great frequency.

I first discovered the MLMUG online, and have been a member since 1997. In 2001, I was asked to take over the Missing You project and to handle the responsibilities of Social Secretary. In 2002, I began coordinating the yearly MLMUG picnic. In 2004, I was asked to edit the Member-of-the-Month column for the MLMUG newsletter.

I currently work in the offices of the Chester County government where the operating system of choice is Windows. Oh well...

— Gail Montgomery