My firmware engineering career was one where I had to learn how to work with all the hardware since that was what I was programming.....hooking up all the test equipment after learning how to do it was really easier than I ever thought it would be.

After my career ended......out on pernament disability....but basically look at it as retired, all my friends need computers hooked up or their TV system wired to work.......I get the fun of making their things work. I usually can figure out what is wrong when something isn't working.....but that pressure of feeling what if I can't is always there & sometimes it takes a couple of tries to figure out exactly WHAT is the problem.....but can usually figure it out.

Now, the funny thing about this.......when I had just changed majors in college to my accounting/computer science major....I was working part time at a paint warehouse doing the data entry. My data entry machine (basically the old keypunch......dating myself here) was working the night before when I left.......came in & NOTHING.....couldn't even get it to power on......ended up calling the IBM guys to come out & look at the machine......to my embarrassment, somehow the electric plug had been unplugged between the time I left the night before & when I came in the next morning (cleaning crew????? probably). That was my major lesson in life......when something doesn't work......FIRST CHECK IF THE POWER IS PLUGGED IN.....lol. I learned my lesson good......never was so embarrassed in my life. Now anytime something isn't working as in not even powering up....first thing I check is whether it's plugged in to the electricity or not.

Never would have thought that I could go from someone who couldn't even tell if a machine wasn't working because it wasn't plugged in......to someone who everyone asks me to fix their connection problems & show them how to do the techie things even on the computer. Showing friends how to do things that I have never done before myself is the real challenge......but I can usually figure it out with enough time & patience......but when pressure is on....all bets are off on getting things to work quickly.