Do what you love, life is too short to not love what you do.
In her own words : Cindy Tanner
Cindy Tanner
I grew up in a small farm town in the Midwest. Title IX (1972) changed the world for women in academics and athletics (http://www.titleix.info/History/History-Overview.aspx) However, change happens slowly in the Midwest. Women had limited choices. We could stay home and have babies, be a secretary, teach or be a nurse. I did not want to stay home and have babies, I could not type very well, but I was pretty good at science and math, so I went in to nursing. Four years later in 1982, I had a BS degree in nursing from Bradley University in Peoria, IL. I worked for 10 years in Critical Care and really did not care for the patient care aspect. I was good at diagnostics and I loved all the high tech life support and monitoring gadgets we had in the Critical Care units.
I went back to the career counseling center at Bradley Univ and after a day of testing....they said...'no wonder you are frustrated as a nurse'...you should be an engineer. I thought they were nuts, but I promised myself I would listen to them anyway...so I took an Algebra refresher over the summer at a junior college, quit my full time nursing job and went back to Bradley full time in the fall. In 1995, I graduated with my engineering degree in Manufacturing/Mechanical design.
After that, every thing has just fallen together for me. I chose that type of engineering because of the heavy focus on computers. I learned computer aided drafting, computer numerical control programming and some robotics. We did not have networks in the early 90s like we do now. We were hi-tech with DOS, a Bulletin Board Service and a 14.4 modem. After I graduated, I decided that drawing lines on a computer all day was kind of boring and found my way in to desktop applications. I got a job teaching computer skills to people with disabilities. This was a nice combination of engineering and medicine. From the desktop, I went to servers and got my MCSE, from then I found routers (CCNA - 2000)...and that led to firewalls (CCSP - 2004). Networking has been a perfect fit for me. I love it. I could not have gotten my CCIE (2009) if I did not. I spent 1000s of hours studying over 3 years, 3 relocations and 3 job changes.
I have been laid off twice, I have 2 BS degrees. There is no guarantee of job security. It is much easier to get a job with a CCIE. When I was an engineering intern, a manager I had at the time gave me some real good advice, 'the only job security you will ever have is between your ears' How true this has been for me. From the nursing years, I have people skills, the ability to handle pressure and phenomenal documentation skills. From the engineering years, I have logical thinking and analytical reasoning and fine trouble shooting skills form years of networking and desktop support. It is all good - everything we learn is valuable - my best learning experiences have come from my mistakes.
To the women in the academy....if you don't like it, quit. Do what you love, life is too short to not love what you do. If you want to be an astronaut - do it. If you want to be a veterinarian - do it. If you want to play professional basketball - do it. If you want to be a cashier at Kmart - do it. Do not let anyone tell you can't or shouldn't do whatever you want to do.
Good Luck and I will be watching your posts!
Cindy Tanner