Sometimes I Just Know Things and Am Never Wrong About Them

First, some background: the project that I have been investing most of my time in at work (since I started!) almost completely unraveled today, setting me back weeks.  I also found out that several other people had spent months trying to get this project to work and had failed before I was hired.  I'm not sure that anyone has a good handle on exactly what the problem I'm facing is or how to solve it, though there are some very promising avenues that I'm going to be following in the days and weeks to come.  In short, this task looks extremely difficult and many would throw their hands up and say "impossible!"

Second, some clarification: I have a very strong sense of intuition.  Ideas, convictions, and other thoughts will sprout into my head with very little set-up or thought.  Typically they take two forms: the first form is that a hundred facts will coalesce into something truly profound and the second form is a strong confidence in my ability to carry out a task.  An example of the first form came during a car ride home from my grandmother's house.  The car was silent when I began laughing.  When asked what was so funny, I replied that my father's password to the family computer had just occurred to me.  I don't know if it was changed when we got home, but I didn't bother trying it.  I had no reason to be sneaky and I just knew that I was right.  Years later, my dad told me that I was, in fact, correct.  The other form came this past winter.  The previous winter I had run the mile twice in 4:20 and change but didn't seem to be quite as sharp heading into a meet at Boston University.  Somehow, I knew that I could run faster than 4:20.  The track coach said that he thought I should run conservatively to put myself into position to run around 4:20 in two weeks.  The cross-country coach told me he didn't think I could do it.  I just knew I could.  Sure enough, I ran aggressively and ended up with a 4:19.70 that will likely stand as my PR for a long time.  Sometimes, I am wrong about things, but never when I just know.

Third, the pieces come together: This time around, I just know that I can overcome this challenge and complete the project.  Intellectually I am sure but the intuitive knowledge that I can is comforting.  I don't expect it to be easy or always fun or pleasant.  But I expect success because I know I can deliver.

A Very Long Day!

Today was a long day.  I got to work a bit before 8am and left around 7:30pm.  I spent nearly the entire day in the "flow lab" which is actually not a bad place to work except that it's uncomfortably warm and the radio was on all day and I noticed that "Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga played at least 5 times.  It's a good project and the data collection part is over (for now) and I can get back to my regularly scheduled projects at work tomorrow.

Luckily I ran before work and made enough dinner for tonight when I was making dinner last night!  I try to act like an adult and it feels like a major triumph when I see far enough ahead in the future to make my life just a bit easier!

Engineering Lessons

I've officially been working as an engineer for two-and-a-half weeks now and I have learned a lot.  Not only have I learned things that I need to know for my job, I have also learned things about engineering in general that are good to know:

• There are few things as cool as engineering when it's going well.  On the other hand, there are few things as frustrating as engineering that is not going well.  When I'm working with an analysis program, I live a life time in the seconds it takes between hitting the "go" button and getting either an error message or a confirmation that the program did its job.  Most of the time I get an error message but that makes the elation from success all that much better.
• Engineers are always thinking critically about everything.  When I'm shooting the breeze with my co-workers, I am amazed by the observations that are made and the analysis that goes on.  I am fortunate to work with people who never "turn their brains off".
• For salaried workers, the 40 hour work week doesn't exist.  I haven't worked an 8-hour day since I started.  I would say that I average about 8.5-9 hours a day and there are people who are headed into design reviews or other milestones that are at work much longer than I am.  I don't mind because I'm paid to get a certain job done and so it makes sense that I stay until I do the job.

These are just the beginning but I can't imagine doing any other job and liking it as much as I like engineering!

-Lane