I first learned about numerical methods when in college. It wasn't exactly love at first sight. It was, in fact, program or perish -- and for a time I thought perish was going to persevere. I survived the class, went on to get my degree and, once safely out of academia's way, discovered that the combination of numerical methods and computers could be quite a blast. Unlike anything I had encountered in my life, this was a combination that would do exactly what I said without regard to consequences. The combination could also be applied as a terrific tool in many of the other interest areas I had at the time, and have had over the years.