Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Introduction: A Bit About Me

Hi everyone! My name is Brandon Hennessy and I am an Electrical Engineering Senior. This is my last semester at OU and I’m extremely excited to graduate. I’m from the Dallas area and have recieved a job offer from AT&T when I graduate which will let me move back to that area this summer. I’m very excited to have a job, but am definitely a bit nervous to really get out there on my own!

In my spare time I like to workout, read books, play video games with friends or go on adventures. I usually will go to the gym three or four times a week because it helps keep me from getting too stressed out. I’m a big fan of fantasy books like the Lord of the Rings when I’m reading, but I also really enjoy reading biographies. The most recent biography I read was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s and it was actually extremely interesting. Whenever I play video games with friends I almost always stick with Nintendo stuff like Super Smash Bros or Mario Kart. And lastly I enjoy going out hiking, camping and climbing around wherever I can find a good place to go!

This winter break I had the chance to go on a couple fun adventures. First, I went camping and hiking over a weekend in the Wichita Mountains with several friends and had a great time. We climbed around the mountains for four or five hours each day  before heading back to our campsite. It’s always fun doing semi dangerous things like climbing mountains just for the thrill of it, and camping always gets me in touch with my inner lumberjack (I even grew out a beard for the trip).

Me in the Wichita Mountains
Second, I drove wth a few friends to Pagosa Springs, Colorado and did a little bit of snowboarding as well as hiking. We were there an entire week, but due to an unfortunate car accident we were only able to get to the ski area one day. We actually rolled a car off a cliff! It was a fairly small cliff and everyone was thankfully unharmed, but it was still scary. Instead of going to snowboard we went to the hot springs in town and did some hiking around the area. Even with some unfortunate events I had a great trip with my friends.
The group I was with in Colorado 

The car after the flip
That is a little bit about me as well as my adventures this winter. I ended the year with a crazy car accident (it actually happened December 31st!), but I am absolutely looking forward to what 2015 has in store!

18 comments:

  1. Brandon,

    That's amazing that you were able to get a job set before graduation! It's an exciting time. I started a job Jan. 5th. It's very different from the college life. Take full advantage of your last semester now! The real world is different (in a good way!), but the student world is one I miss already.

    I've hiked the Wichita Mountains a few times, but never camped out. That sounds like it was a really great time. Although I would never do it in the winter. You and your friends are brave for that! You have a solid beard going, but I'd say you have a few more weeks to go before it's lumberjack status.

    I can't believe you and your friends walked away unharmed from that car accident! What a scary experience to have. And you still went on to enjoy skiing and hiking? I'd say you and your friends are far more adventurous than I am. Colorado is a great place to visit and explore. I've been once and it was my first experience skiing. That was fun although I was a little unprepared to go down the big mountain at the end of the day. The instructor said "you can take the lift down or come down with the rest of us". Well, I couldn't back down from that! But maybe I should have since I basically just fell down the mountain, haha.

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  2. Hey Brandon! I'm a senior too and this is also my last semester. So glad to be finally done with school! It's so cool that you like to workout. I work out a lot too, it keeps the stress away and it's important to stay fit.
    Sounds like you had a fun winter break, I love snowboarding and hiking and your crazy adventures make me wanna go to the mountains.

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    1. Oops, think my comment is kind of short so I need to add more to it. That car accident looks scary, glad none of you or your friends were hurt! Oh jeez, but that is quite some adventure.

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  3. Hi Brandon! That is fantastic that you already have a job lined up for after graduation, congratulations! It will definitely make it easier to focus on completing your studies this semester without having to worry about what comes next. I just finished nursing school in December and had a job lined up before finals. It was so relieving to know that I wouldn't be searching for work after graduation. I am a big worry-wart, so I also use exercise as a time to de-stress.
    You certainly had an exciting winter break last year! I cannot imagine how terrifying it must have been to experience that car accident. I am glad that nobody was harmed and that you were able still able to enjoy your trip with your friends.

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  4. Hi Brandon! First of all, I just want to say I am obsessed with Lord of the rings. I am also from the Dallas/Ft Worth area, Colleyville to be specific. One of my best friends actually is working for AT&T and she loves it so best of luck to you! That’s awesome that you love being outdoors, I am going to hike the Wichitas for the first time next weekend. I am terribly sorry to hear about your accident. Thank goodness you are still alive!!

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  5. Oh yes, fantasy books: that will be such a great intersection for this class, Brandon! I wonder if Tolkien was aware at all of the Indian storytelling traditions...? I know that northern European legends had a huge influence on his writing of course... and now I am curious if he ever had occasion to read about Rama or Arjuna or any of the great heroes of the Indian epic tradition! And look at that car: talk about an epic adventure! I am glad you and your friends are all okay... adventures like that are great in movies and books, ha ha, but I like for real life to be nice and safe! Anyway, I hope you will enjoy the class... and now I think I am going to go Google a little bit and see if I can learn anything about Tolkien and India! :-)

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  6. Hey, Brandon, I’m Lynze! Like you, I enjoy reading, especially fantasy. I have never read The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, though. Man, that would be such a commitment to get through. Also, when my friends and I play video games we also pretty much only play Mario Kart, Super Smash Brothers, or even Nintendo Land, which is also super fun. Congratulations on getting a job after college, especially one that lets you move back home! I have wanted to go hiking at the Wichita Mountains for a year now, but no one will go with me. I want to try and do it over spring break. Also, your accident looks terrifying, I am glad that everyone is okay and that you were able to have a great time anyways. I hope your last semester here at OU is a wonderful one.

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  7. Hello Brandon!

    Nice to 'meet' you! It's wonderful to have a clear path ahead with a job lined up for after graduation--you should be proud! But I understand the nerves, it just means you care about your future.

    I enjoy all the things you listed, except working out ;) I get my exercise through horseback riding, but I can relate to the effect of decreased stress as a result. I almost always feel 100 times better after riding. I enjoy fantasy more than any other genre, and I can always get down on some Nintendo! But outdoor adventures, of course, exceed the joys of reading and playing video games.

    Sounds like your break was a lot of fun! I love Colorado, and really want to go back ASAP. I have a friend who lives in Pagosa Springs--BEAUTIFUL area. I love the hot springs. I'm sorry that you guys had a wreck, but it's truly amazing that no one was hurt! Thank goodness.

    Enjoy the rest of your semester and relax; you're almost done! :)

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  8. Hi Brandon. We seem to have many of the same interests. I'm a Health and Exercise Science major so fitness is very important to me. I like Lord of the Rings also, although I haven't had the chance to read the books. I did see the Hobbit series as well as the Lord of the Rings movies. I'm currently reading Game of Thrones and am on the fourth book. That car crash looked pretty scary. It's amazing no one was hurt. But the Wichita Mountains are pretty cool, I went after I completed basic training. Good luck in the class this semester!

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  9. Brandon, I am also a senior this year and graduating in May. I'm kind of terrified, but also excited. I am a big fan of the Harry Potter books, but have never read Lord of the Rings. That car crash looks terrifying, and I'm glad that everyone was ok! Good luck with everything!

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  10. Hi Brandon!
    Congratulations on your job after graduation! I'm sure that it is nice to know exactly what you're doing after you graduate, so you don't have to stress about that! I am also graduating this semester and can't wait! That car accident looks so scary, but I'm glad that everyone was okay! Good luck with the rest of your semester!

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  11. Hey Brandon!
    A fellow engineer! It’s so exciting that you’re graduating. I’m currently trekking through the struggle of hoping that maybe someday there is a light at the end of the tunnel ha ha. It’s always nice to see someone come out of the college, instead of leave (as I’m sure you’ve witnessed as well). I grew up with the Whichtas about 10 minutes from my house so I loved to hike around there as well, although I never had the courage to camp out there. Something about knowing there are rattlesnakes and the fact that my rattlesnake house was just up the highway…. Anyway, congrats on graduation and a new job! Hope your last semester goes well!

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  12. Hi Brandon, sorry about your unfortunate adventures but thankfully they weren’t too unfortunate and everyone was okay. Congratulations on graduating and getting a job. I’m also nervous about being on my own, but that nervousness will be gone once you get used to it. It sounds like you are really busy but have it all together. Good luck this semester, and I’m sure that it will be better than the last of 2014.

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  13. Hey Brandon! Congrats on getting a job at AT&T! Please tell them to make their cell service better :) haha! I also went to Colorado over the break. It was so fun, and relaxing. Going to Colorado always makes me feel at home, and I hope to move there after I graduate (if that ever happens). Anyway, best of luck on your last semester at OU! I hope you are living it up!

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  14. Hey Brandon! Electrical engineering is pretty difficult, so congratulations on your job!! That must be nice to get to go back home. I love reading LOTR too! If you like that, you should definitely read Game of Thrones. I can promise you that you will be hooked. Your adventurous pictures makes me want to go and do something fun right about now! Good luck to you on your new job! What an amazing opportunity!

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  15. Hey Brandon! Congrats on graduating this semester and having a job all lined up for you for after graduation! That's great, and I'm sure it relieves a lot of the pressure of job searching. I also love hiking and skiing; I've been to the Wichita Mountains once and hiked, as well as did yoga there. But I go to Colorado every year to ski! It is one of my favorite places. But I'm glad you and your friends are okay after that car accident! That would definitely be scary. But I hope you are having a great semester!

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  16. Hi there! I can’t believe the semester is so close to finishing and I haven’t commented on your blog before! Congrats on your job and on being so close to graduation; you must be so excited! I’ve actually spent a LOT of time in the Wichita Mountains; my grandma lives in a little tiny town down there! Hiking and just generally being outdoors is always so much fun!

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