In case you were wondering just why I happen to be a mathematician, you can head over to Second-Rate Minds and read an essay that was just published that tells my mathematical origin story:

I interview a lot of mathematicians and one of my favorite topics is the origin story, the why behind their study of mathematics. I have received answers that range from heavy Martin Gardner influence to falling in sideways from engineering. One thing that I have not received is the story of a single moment, a single turning point that turned a civilian into a mathematician; this is just such a story.