A talk to Radha Mistry's students at SCI-Arc that traverses the intricate relationship between engineering, imagination, and the speculative visions I've been inspired by through science fiction. The talk and discussion rambled into and through my somewhat transformative journey which, after college, I went straight into a traditional engineering role, which wasn't super engaging but a learning experience, and then wandered around the country and wound up in the virtual reality racket and this was the beginning of my dip into speculative engineering and fictional futures. I was also trying out some material highlighting how prolific science fiction authors influence societal norms and technological advancements, maybe more so than 'certified futurists and foresight' types. I also got into the contrasts between structured, rational disciplines with creative expressions like art and storytelling.