A fleeting memory now–the beautiful brick building lettered with BOTANY over the main doorway. It was on my right-hand side as I looked out the car window. Why didn’t I ask my parents to stop? For families with rising high school seniors, summertime can mean college visits. Parents pack their offspring in the car and … Continue reading
Posted in April 2022 …
Welcome to engineering school…if you’re male
It was a light-hearted reception during college freshman orientation. More than sixty new engineering students assembled to shake hands with the professors who would teach and guide them for the next four years. “Hi!” I looked into the eyes of the first stranger. “Welcome to _______,” he smiled. The line moved. It was a small … Continue reading
Career inspiration from Hollywood and Jimmie Smits
Money, glamour, excitement, and an office full of gorgeous co-workers–anyone want that job? Hollywood may have more influence on career choice than anyone imagines. Sure, viewers might understand young doctors could be drowning in debt, not all lawyers have hot bodies, and detectives have to do paperwork, but in a perfect world a TV-life could … Continue reading
Directions from a toll taker
When the green station wagon slowed to pay the toll to enter the Maine turnpike, I knew we were in need of better directions. My dad leaned out the window with change in his hand “We want to go to ________,” he spoke in a loud voice. The old-timer collected the money and smiled.“Well, why … Continue reading
A near-death experience for a Sony Walkman
“Cool” gadgets in high school define the “cool” kids, and nothing compared to the status symbol of having a Sony Walkman in the early 1980s. Gen X loved jammin’ to their mix tapes on Walkmans much like millenials obsessed over their iPhones and thousand-song playlists twenty-five years later. Yet, there is always those that “have” … Continue reading
I needed to eat
The list was in the newspaper, and I knew I needed to eat. The black and white print revealed the top ten average starting salaries for recent college graduates. If I was going to go to college for four years, it made sense to pursue the field that would lead to the best paying job. … Continue reading