I was sitting in a senior English class at Monacan High School when my teacher assigned me The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand as my reading and reporting project. He had assigned it to me because I was an ardent student of architecture. I got through about the first three hundred pages, then put the book down--for what ended up being a couple of years.

When I picked up the copy of The Fountainhead--now long overdue from the library--I read it all the way through this time and by the end was incredibly intrigued by the ideals presented by Ayn Rand in the novel. I was fascinated to read a book where individualism and sticking to one's principles was lauded as a GOOD thing.

Although I found out that Atlas Shrugged was the "next" book, I decided I wanted to know more about what Ayn Rand had to say to the world, so I chose to read "The Virtue of Selfishness" next.  Wow! That was my first "dry" book to read.  I had to force myself not to skim and skip.  I wanted to be sure what I was reading!

After finishing Virtue of Selfishness and utterly devouring Atlas Shrugged, I was completely hooked.  The thing that most fascinated me was Ayn Rand's reputation for challenging people who told her that they loved her work and agreed with her.  She would demand that they explain WHY they agreed and if their explanation was insufficient, she would challenge them to study and learn more.  Ayn Rand was the first person I had encountered who insisted that one agreed with her only when and if they were convinced--through reason and logic--of the validity of her assertion to their own satisfaction.  Finally! Someone who did not expect me to accept "because I said so" as a reason to agree!

Over the ensuing years, I have continued my study of Ayn Rand's work and have attended a few conferences and even agreed to take over two Objectivist organizations, The Rattigan Society and The Association of Objectivist Businessmen.  I still remain involved in these organizations through to today. 

The important part here is not how much I study, nor even how much I "support"...  The most important part about Objectivism in my life is my ability to APPLY it to my life and be better for it.  I'll not claim to be an expert just yet, but I continue to work towards it.