Hello everyone, my name is Joel and I’m here writing my late introduction because I did not read it was due Sunday. Nothing I can do about it now except actually write it.

I am majoring in CET, Computer Engineering Technology. I currently have a part time job working in a liquor store, but I am having serious second thoughts on holding a job and taking classes. Over my break I worked, and worked, and worked. For the summer I’m planning something more fun. Summer work. My only goals right now is to complete me degree. After that, I’ll let future me worry about it. My current interests are reading, movies, video games, and running. I’ve always had an interest in Science Fiction, it being my favorite genre. in all my hobbies, sci fi has been my go to genre, mostly in books and movies, but it does not mean I will shun everything else out. For instance, Warhammer 40k has been my current reading addiction and I’m looking forward to the new movie Jupiter rising, mostly because of how pretty it looks to be.

I feel my writing skills are pretty solid. for my major I am required to write a number of lab reports, and going by my grades, I do pretty well on them. If that’s not a good indicator of my writing skills, then lab reports are pointless. If the papers I write get below a B, I will describe myself as being delusional. Although creative writing is something I have not done much of, so I cant say for sure how well I will do writing stories.

I enjoy reading because of the immersion it provides, same with my other interests. They provide an exit and adventure the normal lives we live. When I am reading a warhammer 40k book, I am with the space marines on some distant planet, watching as they fight off xeno scum, or watching an enormous space battle take place for the fate of the world they battle over. They provide worlds and pictures that come from people whose imaginations thought them up. I am not saying I am incapable of creating something similar, but rather I am too lazy to do something like that. It is because of this that I love reading.

I had a class before where I had to post my lab reports on open lab, but that is the extent of my experience with open lab. To me science fiction is made by those who work in the field of science and whose imaginations run wild, or those who look up at the stars and dream about them. These people manage to build worlds that are filled with adventure and wonderment, whose landscapes can fill one with awe. Whose creatures both frighten and capture our attention. Sure there are some that think of Science Fiction as being for nerds and geeks, but that’s not true. Its for those that enjoy having their imaginations stimulated, who enjoy reading about the latest expedition through the wormhole or if the alien invasion was stopped. It is about stories that cannot exist within the real world and this exoticness catches our attention. I think the reason the course is full of dudes is because it is normal for guys to like Sci fi, something that “is not for ladies”. I believe that its not becoming the case as more girls get into the genre, but there were other classes that were not focused on Sci fi, and those were probably a more comfortable choice. I am sure in the new classes, more girls will be present. As for why a woman professor is teaching the class, I figured it was just another class for her to teach as she did mention she teaches a number of English classes. Perhaps being a lover a literature, science fiction managed to become another genre for her to like much like a movie watcher can like dramas, comedies, and horror all at the same time. I don’t really have a favorite author because that is something I don’t ever pay attention to, except for the authors of series I am reading. So I guess I actually have a favorite. Dan Abnett is an author of Warhammer books  and I have noticed his work being much more engaging than others.

I’m hoping this course will open up more stories to me. I normally read stories that involve a lot of war and battles, but I am interested in reading the other stories that exist in the genre. I do think this class will be one of my favorites.