How did that happen? I am 60.

Happy Birthday to me. I am old(er), turning 60, so some reflections are in order. Looking forward to getting discounts at movie theaters — for the young ones, those are large buildings where people would pay to gather and watch movies together, as strangers. Think of a public Netflix party without the chilling.

On computing…

• First line of code written, FORTRAN 77. Took the class by suggestion from advisor. Had a hard time with English and I ran out of Math & Spanish classes (without majoring in those subjects). My academic advisor said “this is like Math.” 🤯. Next semester changed majors, never looked back. Mind you, this was pre-Macintosh days.
• I learned data structures and file system with languages that most people don’t know today. DS was in PL/I using an IBM mainframe OS 360 with… punch cards!! And file systems class was in COBOL. For reference, the first commercial implementation of SQL was in 1979, my file systems class was in 1982. Almost predated SQL. I had never taken a networking course, but had to teach one a few years ago, that was the hardest prep I had ever had to do. Oh and I ran into serious arguments with 2 know-it-all students who, like sharks, smelled blood in the water. They probably knew more about the topic than me, but hadn’t learn the respect that is due to someone in front of the classroom. BTW, I taught that class because a colleague was going up for tenure and need one fewer preparation, so I took one for the team.

On teaching…

• I am probably one of the few profs that has taught in a wide variety of institutions, including: for profit (Huertas Business College in Caguas, PR), community colleges (Puerto Rico Jr College, and what is today UMET), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (UPR Mayaguez and Recinto Universitario de Bayamón), a nationally ranked R1 (Virginia Tech), an open access urban research university (UNCC) and a semester as a visiting professor at a military academy (US Naval Academy in Annapolis).
• Until very recently, every job I had applied to and been invited to interview led to a job offer. Don’t be impressed, I applied for many that didn’t invite me to interview. A couple of times I also have interviewed and removed my application before a decision was made. Until recently, I had a crazy batting average. Again, not surprising, as you progress you apply for higher level jobs where the competition is fierce.

Oh the job’s you’ll have…

• Some other crazy employment fun facts. When I was a senior in high school, I worked at a toy store during the Holiday season. Have you seen the movie Jingle All the Way with Arnold? It still gives me nightmares. Hardest job I have ever had. People can be rude! Good training for using Twitter though. Nothing compares to the person trying to return a doll that had been purchased at ANOTHER store and argued with us that “but you sell it too, why can I return it to you?” As crazy as that job was, it reaffirmed in my head that I needed to go to college and get a different job. I was not cut out to the service industry. Some people have that skill, that’s not one in my toolbelt. So that experience scared me into getting a Phd. Isn’t that weird? Selling toys during the holidays was my “would you like fries with that” motivation.
• I also worked at my father’s law office filling papers in court. That was fun, most people doing the job were retired older gentlemen (yes, mostly men). I was an 16–18yr old young-in hanging out with 70 yr old people waiting for courts to open so papers could be filed early in the AM. Guess my roles have been reversed now, I am the old guy working with 18 yr students. Have great memories of those days. I would ask a friend of mine to go with me, we would get up like at 5:00 in the morning, so stand in line by way before 6am so we would take a good spot. Then when the office opened, it was a 5 minute transaction. We would go grab breakfast and possibly go to the beach. Sometimes we had to file papers at a course away from my home, Arecibo and Humacao come to mind. Those times we had to leave the house around 4pm, drive 1 hour and then get in inline. There was something fun about those jobs.

Sports…

• I played sports in high school, volleyball was my passion and I was good at it. I was captain of our varsity team in my senior year and played in the club team at Ball State, a team that was ranked in the top 10 that year (no thanks to me). I was actually invited to play in the team in my sophomore year, but my low level programming (assembly!) class had other plans for me. Coincidentally, the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Tournament is always the first week of May so it coincides with my birthday. With the occasion of my big birthday, wouldn’t you know it, BSU were ranked #4 in the nation this year (unfortunately they lost last night in the NCAA semi finals).
• I love watching baseball. Still get goosebumps thinking of the first time I walked into an MLB stadium. It was the Orioles Memorial Park (yes before Camdem Yards) in 1988 — a year the Os started the season with 21 losses, the worst start of a season in Major Leagues. I saw one of those 21 games. Still remember walking out of one of those ramps that connect the concessions with the seating area. I remember seeing the grandiosity of the stadium, the green grass, the lights, the large crowd… goosebumps. I went on games at Memorial Stadium many times, even got to watch (in person) the next to last game at Memorial Stadium (October 1991). I have also visited some of the oldest baseball stadiums still in operation and some new ones, including Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Philadelphia Phillies (Veterans Stadium), Boston’s Fenway Park, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Chicago Cubs Wrigley Field, Colorado’s Coors Field, Dodger Stadium, Nationals Park, and SunTrust Park in Atlanta. That list includes the four oldest stadiums still in use.

And music…

• Love watching live music and have attended all kinds of concerts, from large stadium filled concerts (Spectrum in Charlotte, Bithorn in San Juan), theater venues, to even small Jazz clubs (Blues Ally in DC). I have also seen in concert lots of different types of music, though my favorite by far is Salsa, followed by Jazz. But I have seen even Kiss in concert (yeah, I am admitting this in public for the first time). Some of the big names I have seen include Fania All Stars, Rubén Blades, Eddie Palmieri (in DC and in Roanoke!), Machito w/ Lalo Rodríguez, Dizzie Gillespie, Gato Barbieri, Michelle Camilo, Tito Puente, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Panic at the Disco, Haciendo Punto en Otro Son (in Indianapolis), and on and on.
• Finally, there is a song for every occasion. This song resonates… find it online (Andy Montañez) and enjoy it.

Las Hojas Blancas
Autor: Don Roberto Angleró

Estan cayendo
Hojas blancas en mi cabellera
Por los años que han ido pasando
La experiencia sigue madurando

Estan cayendo
Hojas blancas en mi cabellera
Y mi cuerpo sí se sigue agotando
Cada día mas y mas

Ha llegado el momento de sentirme contento
Por todo el bien que he hecho
Y tambien el momento del arrepentimento
Por los errores que he cometido

Estan cayeeendo
Hojas blancas en mi cabellera
Y mi cuerpo si se sigue agotando
Cada día mas y mas

Las hojas blancas siguen cayendo