My dark and shady past...

Category: Lifestyle

In the summer of 2000, I got kicked out from my internship and was told that I shouldn't be in the computer science field. "You could probably do well in computer information systems, management systems, or something else business related," my boss informed me.

I can't thank him enough! Thank you, Gerry, for letting me know I don't belong in computer science.

Eight hours of programming a day just didn't sound like something I want to do for the rest of my life, or even for a couple of years of my life. Military and high-security government programming projects didn't excite me either.

"I could trust you with my home, my money, my life...but I can't keep you working here, sorry. You're just not cut out for this."

Ok, so I wasn't. I would've loved to prove him wrong, but luckily I got distracted by a new class I took that year, called... Web Design and Internet Technology. Well, you know the rest of the story.

Have you been watching The Apprentice? This season, Trump divided the teams into book-smarts (college graduates) and street-smarts (no college education). So far, the street-smart team has won quite a few times.

Back in 1993, I was at crossroads - to go to a prestigious private school, like Syracuse University and end up with $60,000 in debt, but proud...Or...go to a state college, and do my best to get a career. I chose the latter.

Every once in a while, though, I wonder what would've happened if I went to a private school. Would I have a better life? Better career? Better money? My guess is that I would've ended up at a high-salary but high-stress job, counting days to my vacation. And that's my best case scenario.

I don't think I had any particularly special professors or mentors while going to college. I do remember working very hard and staying committed to every class I took.

In fact, I would get so fascinated about each subject, I considered majoring IN it! My astronomy professor looked up at me in great surprise when I asked her, "What do you have to major in to become an astronomer?" My interest quickly subsided when she said "Physics."

So I ended up in SUNY Institute of Technology, in Utica, New York. The beautiful campus bridge, across which I marched a thousand times to get from one building to another. The stunning student hall, where I learned to play ping-pong and had my very first cheeseburger.

Things always work out for the best, don't they? At least, I like to thing I ended up with the better way.