John Collingwood:  

ly compares. College Well, pretty much all my roommates were unique. First, there was William Chancellor, an engineering major who should have gone into literature. He wrote excellent stories and poetry. Hope he continued with it. Then There was Paul Harrison, one of my neighbors from the first place I moved into. He was American, but he resided in Germany. We had some similar qualities as far as determination was concerned, but that was just about it. We had the best pad, out at Walden Pond Apartments. Our friendship didn't go beyond the time we lived together that second year at A&M. We kinda lost touch after that. Then, I lived with George Radtke and Frank Popp that next semester, followed by the addition of Chris Buck. All four of us were student bus drivers for A&M. We had a good time with that, but I tell you, it was one of the craziest times I ever experienced. The combination of guys and girls living in this one area that we were living in made for a series like Melrose Place. I mean, the drama and the escapades (if you know what I mean) that went on during that time period was just mind blowing. After that semester I had to leave that whole scene behind and not look back on it. Anything to get out of that situation. Well, my sister was moving up here. So she, her best friend, and I got a place at Treehouse Village Apartments. It was a great place to be as far as a social environment was concerned, because it was mostly known for its lavish partying all of the time. Well, needless to say, I had to get pretty creative that semester as to how I was going to survive my last, most challenging and difficult semester in aerospace engineering. I was just about to graduate, and everybody I was surrounded by were just coming into this university, tasting freedom for the first time. Meanwhile, the courses I was taking were aerospce vehicle design, space technology (which included orbital mechanics), technical writing, and a few other courses. Needless to say, my last semester at A&M was probably more of a challenge than anybody elses who was in aerospace engineering. But I survived it all, and I got that degree after all. There was one instance I remember quite well concerning all-nighters. I was doing a lab report for my AERO 305 lab class that was taking a little longer than I thought it was going to take. What I remember the most about it was that I spent approximately seventy two continuous hours in the computer lab room completing this lab report, living on nothing but Snickers candy bars and soft drinks from the nearby vending machines. The TA messed up the date of giving me the assignment, so I got shafted on preparation time for my report. Anyways, I hadn't been home in three days, because the deadline for this report had passed already. When I went to turn it in to my teaching assistant at his place, I was just about to pass out. It was Thanksgiving day, so as I got to my pad (somehow), I called my folks and told them I'd probably not be able to make it home that day. Well, I got bitched out. Anyways, I really didn't care for anything except sleep right then and there. So, I dropped myself onto the bed, and before I knew it, I was out. Funny thing, though, I woke up just a few hours later feeling completely refreshed. Well, I got home in time for Thanksgiving dinner, and everybody was happy. What I think of most when I look back on my college days are the great times I had in study groups at all kinds of places. Also, I met and engaged in so many different kinds of relationships with student girls of all races and ages and cultures at Texas A&M. Even though I still feel as though I hardly know anything about women, I have some experience with them. Through my successes and many failures I have learned this one truth. The best relationships are those that are nurtured with time and patience, having no expectations of each other, and developing a growing, loving, enduring trust between each other. Workplace Well, what I can truly say is that at this point in my life I am quite in mode to succeed in my next venture in the economic community. I've had my own business now for about almost three years now, but it's still a hobby . . . I'm not really making any money with it. I'm having a wonderful time working on it, though. It is a love-child of mine (one of a few that I have), and I try to nurture it as sensibly as I can. It's wonderful to be your own boss, even if you aren't making any real money. I like to think of it as a work in progress that's a work in progress. It's nice, though, to be working for yourself, also having the God given gift of having the time to be able to do so. Let me tell you this. I think I was made out of magic, because magic fills my life all the time. I can't really explain it, but my life, all things considered, is rather taking a direction for the better. I got some new stuff just recently. I mean, I got some gifts galore! A new phone . . . With Bluetooth As Well!!!!! Some really nice clothes from my folks (my mom took me on a couple of shopping sprees), and I got some super stuff! Last time I got colthes was about a decade ago, so you can imagine my emotional mood swing to sheer happiness. My doctor would flip if she got word of that. So please keep quiet about it. I don't want my medication changed again (God no). So that is "Classified!!!!!!" No one else needs to know. Well, that's about it.