Opal Reflections
Perspectives through Prose, Poetry and Photography
Category: The Engineer’s Journal
An Engineer’s Journal: Open-minded
He turned to me and asked why had I come, “To be an engineer” was my reply, To which he scoffed and rudely put me down To think a girl was pushing out a guy. A few months hence, regardless how I tried, My… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal: Open-minded”
An Engineer’s Journal: Senior Class Trip – Spring, 1967
Another chapter from my personal journal (An Engineer’s Journal). Senior Class Trip – Spring, 1967
An Engineer’s Journal: April, 1978… “Tuning My Piano”
A new installment in “An Engineer’s Journal”, on leaving one company for another, while seeking perfect pitch.
An Engineer’s Journal: June 1967, “Lunch”
***** An Engineer’s Journal: June 1967 As a graduate chemical engineer, I expected the vagaries of being a woman in a traditionally male profession. Yet, on that first day as a Process Design Engineer, I could not have predicted my first problematic situation in… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal: June 1967, “Lunch””
An Engineer’s Journal: The Summer of ’66
It was with some trepidation that I boarded the #1 bus at Penn Station. A summer job at Stanley Tools seemed to be the next best thing to an actual internship in industry; and the summer between junior and senior year at Newark College… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal: The Summer of ’66”
An Engineer’s Journal: January 2005 – An Interview in The City
January 13, 2005 It was my husband’s birthday. There was something surreal about driving north on the snow-covered NJ Turnpike with my mate of 38 years, en route to Manhattan for a meeting (interview); in the dead of winter, on a Sunday morning! Bob… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal: January 2005 – An Interview in The City”
An Engineer’s Journal: June, 2001 – Turning The Page
“Until the day I die, I’ll never forget those glassy, unblinking eyes.” they haunt me still, Years were cut abruptly, I regret, His callous satisfaction, feigned conceal. To some he was a buddy, someone real But I, a distaff staffer, stood outside, I chuckled… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal: June, 2001 – Turning The Page”
An Engineer’s Journal (January 2012): Retirement Reflections Reconsidered
Seagull Perspective It was January, 2012. When I look at this photograph I am transported back to that beautiful Santa Barbara beachfront resort, where we spent our pre-retirement weekend, replaying the events and conversations from the previous few days. I had given notice of… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal (January 2012): Retirement Reflections Reconsidered”
An Engineer’s Journal (October 1963): Chemistry 101
October, 1963 She missed the bus. Building up a ‘psychological head-of-steam’, she envisioned her ‘grand entrance’ into Professor C’s Chemistry class. His rants were the stuff of urban legend. To make matters worse, the lecture hall was an intimidating venue, with tiered seating that… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal (October 1963): Chemistry 101”
An Engineer’s Journal (September 29, 1963): Sunday Night Bowling
Crouching over textbooks at Hayne’s Lanes, ignoring the din. Engineering? Really? Jill rolls a spare; our team cheers her on. I complete my Thermo assignment, hoping that someday, I will see my ROI. http://www.flickr.com/photos/thomasleuthard/ This was written for Trifextra, and is part of “the… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal (September 29, 1963): Sunday Night Bowling”
An Engineer’s Journal: Orientation Day, 1963
Journal Entry: September 18, 1963 Today’s assembly was nerve-racking. I got through the bookstore successfully, managing to get every book on the list, the K&E slide rule, drafting instruments and seven college-lined notebooks. My biggest problem (or so I thought walking over to the… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal: Orientation Day, 1963”
An Engineer’s Journal: April, 1967 – Interview Day
Journal Entry, April 21, 1967: Interview Day on Campus Why did I add my name to so many sign-up sheets? Hedging my bets, I suppose. That little insistent voice in the back of my head is still gnawing at my insecurities. Maybe I’m not… Continue Reading “An Engineer’s Journal: April, 1967 – Interview Day”
Lighthouse in the Mist, Cape May, NJ
Bandit
Festive View from the Pub, Peddler’s Village – Lahaska, PA.
Home Sweet Home
Opal Reflections 