From the Editor

Stroll Down Memory Lane

by Rebecca Taylor, Product Marketing Analyst, Hewlett-Packard Company

I was cleaning out some of my files a while ago and came across old school work that I had packed away. Yes, I am the world's biggest pack rat—I still have my science fair paper from the 6th grade!

Out of curiosity, I sat and read through my old papers, ranging from 6th grade through college. It was astonishing to think that the ill-formed hypothesis and summary in that 6th grade paper was a product of mine. And it was even more astonishing to find that throughout my high school years, I never developed a sense of good writing (or writing that I take to be good now).

So somewhere in college, a switch flipped and I became a writer and communicator. I reached a point where I was good, but I was also passionate about it. To this day I don't know exactly what it was that opened the door for me, that flipped that switch. All I know is that it was timing (perhaps it was that terrifying Calculus II class, which convinced me that astrophysics would never make me happy!) and a few awe-inspiring mentors whose enthusiasm and talent drew me in. I honestly believe that had it not been for those professors, technical communication would not have presented itself to me.

When did you find technical communication? Is there a special mentor or group of mentors who made a lasting impact on your life and profession? I'd love to hear your stories! Send them to me at newsletter@stc-houston.org.