I got into engineering because I love designing and building things. My degree essentially gives me license to do some of the most soul crushing work imaginable, but in addition to that, the school I went to was really great in the practical side of it. So between my ability to be very good with tools, and my formal education on the hard “whys” and “hows”, I can also create things all on my own. I know how to design a circuit, design the pcb, have it made, assemble the circuit board, program the mcu, and write a little application on the computer to talk to it.

I can go to a thrift store and find some lost or abandoned piece of technology and adapt it for something weird or interesting that scratches an itch in my brain. I can’t seek satisfaction from work, I’ve more or less accepted that, but I’m extremely grateful I have the knowledge and abilities I have to either tackle, or know how to approach most technical challenges.

I can find a broken tv, figure out what’s broken, and order the parts and get a big ole tv for 45 bucks. I get no more satisfaction than saving something from the landfill with a little bit of know-how and a bit of effort.

I feel bad for folks who got into it entirely for the money and don’t have a passion project on the side that stops them from becoming an hero.