Real Kato Blog: What Might Have Been

I wonder what might have happened if I had not become an engineer.

First, What Actually Happened.

When I was about nine, I figured I would be an astronomer when I grew up. By then I had already developed an affinity for science and math. In other words, I was already a geek. I wasn't exactly sure what it meant to have a job in astronomy, but I knew I liked looking UP. Much better than the alternative... you know, DOWN.

When I was eleven, computers were just starting to become commonplace, and I took to them naturally. I remember in seventh-grade pre-algebra class, I would finish my assignments early so I could go program the Commodore PET computer we had sitting in the back of the classroom. I was the only one who would use it for programming; everyone else would use it to play "Snake".

By the time I was a teenager, I guess I was pretty much locked into a future in the computer industry. After majoring in computer engineering at the University of Michigan, I set out looking for work.

At that time, there weren't really that many jobs in the field. We were still in the midst of the Bush Sr. recession. I faced the possibility that I wouldn't actually get a job in computers, and I might have to try my hand at something else for a while. I even considered, of all things, truck driving, because in those days we were constantly bombarded with TV ads for a truck driving school in Detroit.

But I eventually did find a computer job, here in North Carolina, and I've been in this industry ever since. I guess I really wouldn't have made a good truck driver, anyway... I don't own enough flannel shirts.

Recently I've been thinking quite a bit about other career paths. I wonder what might have happened if I had been influenced by something other than that PET computer in the back of the classroom.

I Didn't Become Johnnie Cochran.

Growing up, I was always terrified of public speaking. I couldn't imagine any sort of job that involved getting up and speaking in front of people. That pretty much axed my chances of getting into the legal field. My high school argumentation class nearly gave me an embolism. Oh, I'm still mad at my argumentation teacher because she decided to have a "fun" day in class where we would all be given comical topics to debate. My assignment was to argue how it would be better if we replaced our siblings with gerbils. THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE THAT FUNNY, and I had to go up there and just improvise. I BOMBED. That also axed my career as a stand-up comedian, by the way.

But what I find now is that I like the idea of being a lawyer. I actually find law quite similar to engineering, in that it requires a lot of precise language and in-depth knowledge. And law deals with issues that directly affect people. At work, I am the one who deals with most of the intellectual property and licensing issues, because I actually enjoy the arcana of End User License Agreements. Weird, I know.

Despite the fact that I know a few friends who have run away from the law profession screaming, it's something I'm still considering.

I Didn't Get My Hands Dirty, Either.

I wasn't much for the sight of blood and guts as a kid, either.

In ninth-grade biology class, we dissected a fetal pig. I got through it, but only with a lot of guilt and mumbled apologies to the pig for having to cut into the poor little guy. But actually, what was worse was when we had to prick our own fingers to get a drop of blood so we could determine our blood type. It took me about forty-five minutes to get that drop of blood out.

Fast-forward to today: I got a splinter in my right index finger. (Do you call them "splinters" or "slivers"? My family always called them "splinters" but the other kids called them "slivers".) In the last ten years, I've performed minor surgery on myself so many times, it just doesn't bother me any more. That's what happens when you combine alcohol and living alone. If I get something embedded in my skin, I'll go right after it with a razor. This time I couldn't actually find the damn thing, though I can still feel it in there. So I did a bunch of cutting and digging for nothing.

The point is, it didn't bother me all that much, cutting myself. It would probably still take a while to get used to cutting into someone else, but I think I could do it. So I've thought about being a doctor, too. Again, medicine requires lots of precision and knowledge, just like engineering, so it's something to which I have a natural affinity.

Of course, I'd still prefer to be a bloodless doctor... what do you call 'em, "psychiatrists". That would keep me from getting all dirty.

So What's It Going To Be?

I think, someday, I'll be all three things: a doctor, a lawyer, and an engineer. Then I can walk into a bar and be an entire joke all by myself.

But seriously, more than any of those things, I want to be a writer and a musician and an artist. These days I find more satisfaction in creating things than I do in solving problems.

The thing that struck me recently is this: I am already, to some degree, all the things I want to be. I am an engineer, I deal in legal issues, I'm an amateur psychiatrist for my friends, I'm a writer (of sorts), I'm a hobbyist musician, and I'm an occasional artist too. So I guess I'm doing okay.

I just need to look UP once in a while.

Permalink 10 Comment

Posted by Ken in: life

Comments

Comment #1 from Jen (Guest)
2005 Apr 11 - 10:22 pm : #

Definitely "splinter".

I believe you are a writer. Did you know that I am frequently haunted by the last line from a story you wrote and showed me a long time ago, possibly high school, probably college?

"It tasted terrible."

Comment #2 from Ken (realkato)
2005 Apr 12 - 12:22 am : #

Wow, Jen, I'm flattered. I'm sure I still have that story somewhere. I didn't think it was all that good, but since you've buttered me up, maybe I'll post it. :)

Comment #3 from Jen (Guest)
2005 Apr 12 - 9:43 am : #

I have it, too, if you can't find it. Let me know.

Comment #4 from MonoCerdo (Guest)
2005 Apr 12 - 11:16 am : #

1) Buce oist, (That's "Nice post." when the right hand forgets its place. Oops.)
2) Splinter or die.
3) Story please!

Comment #5 from pinky (Guest)
2005 Apr 12 - 7:47 pm : #

i'll definitely look for you at Rilo Kiley :-)

Comment #6 from Crouching Hamster (Guest)
2005 Apr 12 - 11:45 pm : #

You're going to Rilo Kiley?!

Comment #7 from Ken (realkato)
2005 Apr 12 - 11:50 pm : #

MonoCerdo: tgabj tiy. The story is now posted.

Pinky: Cool. You'll have to find me, though, since I don't know what you look like, and it'll be weird for me to go up to a bunch of strangers and say "Are you Pinky?"

Hamster: June 4th. Are you going to be in town?

Comment #8 from Crouching Hamster (Guest)
2005 Apr 13 - 1:08 pm : #

Hmmm. I might come down. I "discovered" this band back in 2001 (by sheer mistake). I've never EVER been able to see them.

Comment #9 from pinky (Guest)
2005 Apr 13 - 8:17 pm : #

I could provide you a very self-deprecating description of myself, but instead, just don't be surprised if a random woman comes up to you and says "are you Ken?"

Comment #10 from Nicholas (Guest)
2005 Apr 14 - 12:47 pm : #

In high school I thought about being an air traffic controller. I hear there is a shortage of them now. I've always wanted to be a long haul trucker or a UPS/FedEx guy. Just drive around all day. It'd probably get old after the first month.

Instead I became a professional glue sniffer.

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