The Hardest Working Man in Engineering

My wife was cleaning out a cabinet and found my daily planner from my last semester in college. I was paging through my daily life from exactly five years ago in awe of all the shit I did compared to now.

I don’t really like having to go to the store at night after work now.

Back then I was a full time student, had two part-time jobs (High School Tutor and Hospital Janitor on second shift), was interviewing for a real jobby-job, was designing my tattoo machine for the university invention competition, getting ready to graduate, getting tattooed, going to concerts, and was married.

Here was my interview travel schedule.

11-5-03: Drive to Beloit, WI
11-6-03: Interview with Fairbanks Morse. Drive back to Madison at 4:00
11-13-03: Drive to Milwaukee, WI
11-14-03: Interview with Harley Davidson. Drive back to Madison at 3:00
11-18-03: Drive to Milwaukee, WI Interview with Bucyrus Erie. Stay in Milwaukee
11-19-03: Interview with Modine Manufacturing. Drive back to Madison at 4:00
11-30-03: Fly to Akron, OH
12-1-03: Interview with Goodyear. Fly to Madison at 6:50
12-2-03: Drive to Peoria, IL
12-3-03: Interview with Caterpillar. Drive back to Madison at 5:00 pm
12-4-03: Fly to Seattle, WA
12-5-03: Interview with Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
12-7-03: Fly back to Madison

In a month I traveled over 5000 miles, had 4 flights including connections, took 4 road trips, and was in ten different cities (including connections). All this fit into a school and work schedule.

I took any second interview. It was a way to make extra money. The mileage and meal allowances were a third job. I had interviewing down to a science.

I got offers from Harley, Modine, Goodyear, Caterpillar, and Puget Sound. I paid my bills. I got AB’s and B’s and graduated. I got fourth place in the invention competition.

How the fuck did I do all that?