My favorite movie of all time is 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'. So before I knew anything about computers, I decided that my fate included me doing battle with the machine.
I graduated from Denver's East High School. I came to appreciate diversity there. I went to junior college in Coalinga, California, a town of about 7,000. There was nothing to do. I learned some discipline there. Then I got a scholarship, and went to Middle Tennessee State University to play football. It was fun, but I wasn't a person anymore, I was product, and I distinctly remember when coaches met me there, they patted my shoulders and chest and arms to see if I was solid. Teachers didn't expect much of me. I set a standard for myself there, I wasn't product. I graduated from Adams State University, with a degree in creative writing, I found what I loved there. And, I found, what I love doesn't pay that well.
Upon graduation, my family was going through a rough time. Homelessness. I got the first job I could find that would hire a big guy with little work experience. I was a 'door guy' for several years. I became a barback, and a manager at the Tavern Downtown. I taught myself conflict resolution there. There are only so many people you can carry ou tof a building before you learn a different approach. I then bounced around bartending and serving and writing, and made a decision that I wanted something different for myself. I researched all of the highest paying certifications, and elevator mechanic was out of the question, because I'm terrified of heights.