Lots to learn

I'm starting to get ready for my new job. There's definitely no lack of new things to learn. And, what fun would it be if I didn't make the challenge extra-hard? Given the fact that Newco is focused on biofuels, I thought it might be interesting to learn more about conventional fuel production. So I looked at a book called Petroleum Refining: Technology and Economics. The very first sentence of the introduction is: "Modern refinery operations are very complex and, to a person unfamiliar with the industry, it seems to be an impossible task to reduce the complexity to a coordinated group of understandable processes." Wow ... and I thought it would be easy to get up to speed on this stuff. Well, perhaps the science side of things will be easier. Just ordered Organic Chemistry I for Dummies. The first sentence of the book description is: "Organic chemistry is rated among the most difficult courses that students take and is frequently the cause of washout among pre-med, medical, and nursing students." Hmm ... perhaps that won't be any easier. But, if freshmen and sophomores in college can tackle organic chemistry, I don't see why I can't too. My theory going into my career search was that there isn't any subject I can't learn. It's time to put that theory to the test.