Introduction to an IT guy
My name is Dawson Pleasant and I am a fifth year senior majoring in Information Studies. I'm from Tulsa, Oklahoma and lived there basically all my life. Since freshman year, I have been involved in the competitive Ultimate Frisbee club here at OU. We travel around the country playing against other college teams at organized tournaments and have flown out as far as San Diego, California to do so.
Starting in the spring semester of my junior year, I have worked in the IT department here at OU. During my time there I found a passion for AV Design and Control Systems and am currently interning with the AV Engineering team within IT. I am hoping to work as an AV and Control Systems Programmer/Integrator after I graduate, whether it be with OU IT or another local company. I have been acquiring various certifications with companies involved in the AV Control industry over the last six months.
A common denominator in the books that I read are that they are all in the fantasy genre. Books like Eragon and Name of the Wind are just so immersive and just bring me into them for hours. I'm not too other genres like mystery or SciFi books. But I love the fantasy genre. I think the longest book series I read was the Sword of Truth series which had 11 books averaging about 900 pages each. There's just something about the story telling and world building in those books that are just entrancing.
Now I guess I could do some interesting facts about myself. One is that I have a twin brother. I am two minutes older than him and he also goes to the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Not the most interesting fact. But another one is that all the organs in my body are reversed! That was simply how I was born and is a condition called "Situs Inversus Totalis with Dextrocardia". There are no issues with it other than everything is just a mirror image of where it should be. That's about it. Nothing else is interesting about me.
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Book Image: Source - Name of the Wind
Starting in the spring semester of my junior year, I have worked in the IT department here at OU. During my time there I found a passion for AV Design and Control Systems and am currently interning with the AV Engineering team within IT. I am hoping to work as an AV and Control Systems Programmer/Integrator after I graduate, whether it be with OU IT or another local company. I have been acquiring various certifications with companies involved in the AV Control industry over the last six months.
A common denominator in the books that I read are that they are all in the fantasy genre. Books like Eragon and Name of the Wind are just so immersive and just bring me into them for hours. I'm not too other genres like mystery or SciFi books. But I love the fantasy genre. I think the longest book series I read was the Sword of Truth series which had 11 books averaging about 900 pages each. There's just something about the story telling and world building in those books that are just entrancing.
Now I guess I could do some interesting facts about myself. One is that I have a twin brother. I am two minutes older than him and he also goes to the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Not the most interesting fact. But another one is that all the organs in my body are reversed! That was simply how I was born and is a condition called "Situs Inversus Totalis with Dextrocardia". There are no issues with it other than everything is just a mirror image of where it should be. That's about it. Nothing else is interesting about me.
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Book Image: Source - Name of the Wind
Dawson, thanks for sharing a little about you. It sounds like you are extremely passionate about IT, so I feel confidant that you will be successful in that field! As for your fun facts, I had never heard of Situs Inversus Totalis with Dextrocardia before! Thank goodness you don't have an healthy issues because of it. That is so interesting. I try to tweet one new thing I learn a day, and I think mine will be about this condition!
ReplyDeleteDawson, its great to see another person with a tech/programming background in this class. Are there any particular control systems you specialize in or are you studying control systems as a whole? I have not done much work with AV Design before, not really a requirement for drones, but definitely have worked with Control Systems, and it is always fun to hear others opinions on the best way to model a system and what methodologies they use. My girlfriend, a nurse, was very intrigued with the Situs Inversus, she recently had a small infant case who had just dextrocardia.
ReplyDeleteHey John,
DeleteHere at OU most of the classrooms use Crestron as the AV Control System, so that's what I specialize in. However, I do have some experience with QSC Systems as they are starting to expand their Control systems and we occasionally use their products as audio DSPs. Extron is also another company whos' products we have used in the past. I like their stuff because third-party control of their hardware is very easy to do with the RS232 controls they have on most of their units.
As far as methodologies go, I am a fan of making the user interact with the system as little as possible and try to design touch panels to do everything in one or two presses. Thankfully, Crestron's software and the logic symbols available to me make this fairly easy to pull off.
Hi Dawson! This semester I am in my first information studies course because I am a general business minor. I'm kind of nervous for the class because I don't have any experience at all but I thankfully know someone in the class who is an information studies major! And also that's really interesting that you were born with all of your organs are reversed my aunt was born like that too!
ReplyDeleteHey Chelsea,
DeleteGood luck with the Information Studies major! I think you'll enjoy the online web-design class when you get to it. The work load isn't very bad at all and it's really interesting learning how websites are laid out. Most of it is a lot of trial and error from manipulating the CSS file lined to an HTML document, but it's very rewarding once you finally get the elements of the webpage to do what you want!
It is so nice to have an IT person in class, Dawson! I did a stint working for IT way way way back in the day (2001-2003); I had a regular job as a professor, but I wanted to teach online — the academic department I was in did not get that at all, so I quit, went to work for IT, and as soon as they started the online course program in Arts & Sciences, I joined in, and I've been teaching full-time online ever since. Kevin Buck is my hero for the awesome job he has done transitioning us to Canvas after over a decade on D2L.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for Situs Inversus Totalis with Dextrocardia, that is one of the coolest medical Latin phrases I have ever heard. Now I am wondering if you can work that into a story for this class... you are a traveler from a reverse-world, somehow you ended up here, and you can tell us stories from that reverse world, where maybe Ravana is the hero of the Ramayana, and Rama is the villain...
Anyway, I am sure all your fantasy genre experiences will serve you well here. The most popular fantasy books right now in India are books based on the epics, and if you are interested in doing some reading like that later in the semester, let me know. For example, Amish Tripathi's Shiva books; they are AMAZING: Amish Tripathi: The Immortals of Meluha ... his books are kind of hard for American readers to get into, but after you learn about the Indian storytelling tradition in the first weeks of this semester, you will be able to totally appreciate the fantasy writing that Amish is doing, inspired by the ancient traditions but very much his own fantasy vision. I think they are great!
Hey Dawson!
ReplyDeleteCannot begin to explain how amazing it is that you have a passion for IT. We are soon going to run out of IT people to help everyone who has computer problems lol. I completely understand your passion for fantasy books! I am a Greek mythology fanatic and I can't for my Game of Thrones series. Writing to you I just realized if we were probably in a physical classroom schedule I probably would not learned about the mind-blowing things you mentioned at the end of your post. I'm a healthcare major, so I'm planning on taking anatomy soon and I cannot tell you how cool it is that all the organs in your body are reversed. I mean I reread that sentence about ten times, just to make sure I was not needing what my wanted me to. I cannot wait to hear wait other things you have to say!
- Mansi Patel
Hello , Dawson reading through your intro there was something that caught my eye the most. First you have a twin and secondly you have all your organs mirrored inside you. I have a few questions about that: does your twin brother have "Situs Inversus Totalis with Dextrocardia" condition ? And do you have any X-Rays to see this condition ? But other them those questions everything else in your post was nice to hear.
ReplyDeleteHey Andrea,
DeleteMy twin does not have the condition. We are fraternal twins, but I'm sure he would have if we were identical. And I know my mom has some X-Rays somewhere!
Interestingly enough, my parents didn't know I had this condition until I think a year or two after I was born if I remember correctly. As a baby, everything is so close together that I guess it was hard to catch immediately.
Hi Dawson!
ReplyDeleteFantasy and Sci-Fi are my guilty vices. I loved the Eragon series; Sword of Truth has been on my list for years, but I keep putting it off. One of these days I need to give Terry Goodkind a chance. Have you tried out any of the Joe Abercrombie books, or ever read Fred Saberhagan and his Swords books? It's very encouraging to encounter people who enjoy a lengthy read, and what an interesting condition you have! Also, I very much enjoyed your King Dasaratha monologue story.
So nice to meet you!
Laura
Hi Dawson!
ReplyDeleteWow, I had no idea a person's organs could be mirrored! That's a super cool and unique trait to have, so long as it doesn't have any negative effects. I too enjoy fantasy and sci-fi books and other media. I never read the Eragon series, and I always meant to get around to it one of these days as it seems to be highly recommended from many people!
Hey Dawson!
ReplyDeleteI love Sci-Fi and mystery novels also! They are super interesting and fun to read. I know IT field can be tough but i believe you will do fine at OU. I hope you finish this semester well and lets enjoy this class together!
Hey there, Dawson!
ReplyDeleteI am happy to see that you have such an awesome passion for your studies and work. It is always great to see someone excited about their future field of work. I have never been able to play ultimate, but I have always wanted to try it out. It looks like a lot of fun! Interesting note: I have two older brothers that are identical twins.
ReplyDeleteHey Dawson, I have never heard of someone organs being mirrored to where they are supposed to be. I am curious if this is something that is common in twins? I haven’t read “Eragon” but sister has read all of the books so we went and saw the movie together. I really enjoyed the plot line and told myself I was going to read the series since they have never come out with anymore movies and left with a cliff hanger at the end of the movie. Good luck in your classes this semester, it is almost over!
Hello Dawson!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on making it to the end of the semester! I graduate next month also. I have never heard of the major Information Studies, but that is so great that you have found a major that allows you to pursue your desired career. I hope your ultimate frisbee team had a good season! I am in a class with a couple people on OU's ultimate team and they always make it sound so fun.
Hi, Dawson! I grew up in Claremore, so Tulsa is very close to home for me as well! I am a huge reader as well. Ill have to try your recommendations! My younger siblings are twins..such a cool bond! Thanks. So much for sharing a little bit of your story! Best of luck on the remainder of your semester. Jessie
ReplyDeleteHey Dawson! I'm also from Tulsa so I'm glad to see another person from there in this class. I think your plans for the future are cool and a job in IT would be great. I have another semester to go, but I'm jealous you're graduating soon! It must be awesome to have a twin. It must make life that much more interesting.
ReplyDeleteHello, nice to meet you Dawson!
ReplyDeleteI just finished up reading your introduction! Working for the IT department here at OU sounds like a lot of fun, however I can not imagine having to walk into the middle of a lecture and trying to fix the projector in front of an entire group of 150 people. I hope you get the job you want when you are done!
Hi Dawson great introduction! I know a lot of people at OU that are from Tulsa, but I have never been myself. It seems like you have really found what you like to do and that's great. Being able to work in college doing what you like is really cool and it is a good set up for the future. Good luck with finals.
ReplyDeleteHey Dawson!
ReplyDeleteHmmm...Information Studies. I’m curious is that...wait *quick google*
Ah got it. For some reason at first glance I thought it was something else haha.
I think it’s so cool you’re in IT. I work at a technology company but it’s on the retail side so I don’t really get to learn about the behind-the-scenes cool stuff. Maybe someday ;)
I haven’t read many fantasy books but I do love Harry Potter (I know, like everyone).
HOLY COW that is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard. I have never heard of “Situs Inverse’s Totalis”. That’s bananas! Bodies are really strange things, how we develop, genes, epigenetics etc. Fascinating.
Hi Dawson, loved reading this introduction! My mom's from Tulsa so I've been there a lot, great city! I haven't read much fantasy but one of my friends is getting me into them at the moment. You should read the Red Rising Trilogy, they're not super long books but they are so good and really build a world well. Good luck with finals!
ReplyDelete