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To: Simon Green

Fundamental Chemistry

I had spent about 5 years partying and wasting my life... and one night I was so bored at my stupid night shift job that I picked up the only book I could find to read, and it was like my brain sucked it in like a vacuum cleaner- and I immediately started college and ended up with 3 degrees in physics, computer science, and accounting.


5 posted on 05/01/2018 3:22:24 PM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing Obamacare is worse than Obamacare itself.)
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To: Mr. K

“it was like my brain sucked it in like a vacuum cleaner- and I immediately started college and ended up with 3 degrees in physics, computer science, and accounting.”

that’s an awesome and inspiring epiphany.

something similar happened to me: while taking the first two years of general engineering courses towards a four year engineering degree, Fortran 101 was one of the required courses. Engineering didn’t inspire me, but bells and light bulbs went off in my brain with the Fortran 101 course, and i switched majors to Computer Science and earned a BS degree in CS and then went on to earn an MS in CS, then went on to be employed first as a programmer, then a computer and network systems analyst, and then as a network engineer. I’m semi-retired, but still dabble with programming.

As a programming instructor while getting my MS, I recognized a few (very few) kids that instantly got it and were super-excited by the beginning programming courses. I realized that certain people have what i call the “programmer gene”.

Two of my best friends in the world were thrashing about early on, one as a long-haul truck diver, and the other as a dope-smoker and pizza maker; they both saw how excited i was a programmer, and it inspired both to go to junior colleges and get Associate degrees in IT. Turns out both of them had the programmer gene, and both went on to make excellent livings doing things they really loved until they finally reached retirement age.


52 posted on 05/01/2018 3:50:33 PM PDT by catnipman ( Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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To: Mr. K

“Fundamental Chemistry

I had spent about 5 years partying and wasting my life... and one night I was so bored at my stupid night shift job that I picked up the only book I could find to read, and it was like my brain sucked it in like a vacuum cleaner- and I immediately started college and ended up with 3 degrees in physics, computer science, and accounting.”

Wow, that’s an incredible story!


117 posted on 05/01/2018 4:42:31 PM PDT by HereInTheHeartland (I don't want better government; I want much less of it.)
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To: Mr. K

Fantastic!!!! Thank you for sharing this and congrats on an awesome shift and for such an achievement.


172 posted on 05/01/2018 5:31:13 PM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: Mr. K

That is one cool story.


190 posted on 05/01/2018 5:51:38 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: Mr. K
and ended up with 3 degrees in physics, computer science, and accounting.

So now you track cost overruns at Oak Ridge, Los Alamos, and CERN?

279 posted on 05/02/2018 6:43:58 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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