Journey to Becoming an Engineer

Introducing the InkShield

2011-09-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

I first introduced this shield two months ago at a Dorkbot Seattle meeting and have since made several revisions which I showed at Ignite Seattle/ ThingOut.

I have now launched a Kickstarter project to gather backing to launch this product.

This shield allows you to connect a HP C6602 inkjet cartridge to your Arduino turning it into a 96dpi print platform. It only uses 5 pins which can be jumper selected to avoid other shields. It is designed with a Arduino Mega footprint but fully supports both the Arduino and the Arduino Mega. It is designed with all through-hole components to make assembly easy even for beginners.

All source code (both hardware and software) will be fully Open Source and released when the initial production run is completed.

ThingOut and Ignite Seattle

2011-08-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

ThingOut was very cool. I met a lot of people and explained about RepRap and about my InkShield until my throat was sore. It was a very warm day and staying fully hydrated was hard. There was a nice write-up on GeekWire, with my picture at the top. Some of the other people there had things such as:

Swamp coolers
A rail gun
A yurt
A fan powered bike
A robot controlled by brain waves (with an emotv headset)
Liquid nitrogen powered hovercraft
A robot with a Nerf machine gun
and more...

This event was followed by Ignite Seattle. This was a very good set of talks ranging from a one armed juggler who juggled bowling balls (YES, TWO bowling balls with ONE arm!!!) to a talk about crowd control, one about record collecting, and many more.

All around this was a very fun event and I plan to attend both again in the future.

There are more pictures on my Flickr set.

Graduation or "now what?"

2011-06-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

Last Friday, June 3rd, I took the last test for my Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering. It went well and I then went to a wedding on Saturday followed by a week of just work. I am used to a week off between quarters but this time it was different. This time it was not just a week off, it was the first week of the rest of my life after my college degree. It has been strange...

I can think of some other words to describe it (although none quite fit):

Surreal
Happy
Sad
Freedom
Clarity
Confusion
Relief
Pressure
and many more...

It has clearly been an emotional week with many contradictions. But that all led to two amazing graduation ceremonies. The first was the huge ceremony at Husky stadium and the second was a much smaller Mechanical Engineering department ceremony. Both were unique and I am glad to have participated in them. I then had a party at my house with family.

Now as I settle in to this coming week I am starting to ask myself "now what?" I have been doing this for a long time. I have many things that were put on my "after I graduate" list and know generally what I am doing now but it is still very strange...

I will leave you with the list of things I am doing in the next few weeks and we will take it from there:

I plan to clean up my house and reclaim my yard (it is looking like a jungle out there.)
June 19th I am teaching an OpenSCAD workshop at Metrix Create: Space (they are having a 3D printing makeshop after) http://metrixcreatespace.com/calendar
July 6th I am talking at Dorkbot about the DIY inkjet printer. http://dorkbotsea.org/

UW Relay for Life 2011

2011-05-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Last night I participated in the UW Relay for Life. It was a fun experience, however it would have been better if more people I knew had been there. I raised $80 and walked 60 laps (15 miles). I did not end up staying through the entire event because I wore myself out walking so much. I was there from 2pm-midnight.

More pictures here

DIY Inkjet Printer

2011-05-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

This quarter at the UW we produced some documentation on the development of a DIY inkjet printer. This was partly in response to the fact that there are no DIY inkjet kits available. There was a kit available from Parallax however it is no longer made and the main book that was written to go with it is now out of print.

The goal of this project was to develop a low cost, open source inkjet printer utilizing standard inkjet technology, for personal use. This project was partly in response to the fact that there are no DIY inkjet kits available. There was a kit available from Parallax parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/robo/InkjetKitDocs-v1.0.pdf. This kit is no longer made and the book amazon.com/Inkjet-Applications-Matt-Gilliland/dp/0972015930 that was written to use that kit is now out of print.
The prototype design used a carriage assembly constructed from steel rods that were assembled using connectors that can be printed on an FDM machine. The entire carriage system is driven along the x-axis by a belt attached to a stepper motor. The print cartridge, taken from an HP point of sale printer, is driven along the y-axis by another stepper motor belt drive. The electronic controls use an Arduino Mega to run all of the printing systems.
The design resulted in a working prototype that fulfills all of the design constraints. The rod frame carriage design is lightweight, easy to assemble and easy to integrate with the other systems. The Arduino used in the electronics has a large library of resources available to perform things like LCD, SD card, and stepper control.
Areas where future work should be focused include making molds and casting printable parts to bring down the overall cost, developing host side software, and optimizing the speed.

The documentation is being released as a thing on Thingiverse, a photo album and a video.

The McCormick Code - help the FBI

2011-04-06T20:55:00.000-07:00

The FBI currently is asking the public for help in deciphering these paper that were found on Ricky McCormick's dead body in 1999. I first read about this on PhysOrg and then read the FBI's original write-up. I felt that maybe I could crack the code but that the chances would be much better if a very large group of people worked together to solve it. Therefore I chose to start a wiki as a tool for collaborative work by anyone and everyone. It is my hope that this will allow us to help the FBI solve this decade old mystery.

This wiki site was started to have a central location to discuss and work on decoding the McCormick Code. I have setup a Forum and a Theories page to start. I would like to see a page setup for any theory that is come up with. From there it will evolve and grow.

If you think you can help or are just curious please visit, sign up, and help crack the code. If you have information and want to contact the FBI directly they have a dedicated tip line.

The history of AdderFab

2011-04-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

For those interested in more information about AdderFab and what led up to its creation there is a write-up on Open3DP.

AdderFab is the combined result of three separate Capstone student design teams over a span of over four years. The original name of the project was P3P (personal 3D printer).

I have also created a picture set on flicker.

A new species is born!

2011-03-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

We would like to share something we made:

Patrick Hannan, Jared Knutzen, Nicholas C Lewis, Joy Markham

AdderFab
ME495 - University of Washington
March 9, 2011
Open3DP

Stay tuned for more details...

Machining Brass & More Electronics - OpenSCAD Workshop

2011-02-27T21:31:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since my last post. I have been rather busy this quarter with my senior capstone project (Stay tuned for that later...) One of the things that I have been working on for another class is machining a power cylinder for a Sterling engine. I changed the design to include machined letters.

I have also been playing around with a number of electronics things. I bought an Open Bench Logic Sniffer which is very cool but comes without a case. I found a design for one on Thingiverse but wanted to have cutouts for the optional headers so I modified it (here).

I also bought a Freeduino which is a very nice little thru-hole Arduino clone kit. It was very easy to assemble.

I wanted a case for it as well so I designed and printed one.

This case will also be one of my examples at the OpenSCAD workshop I am teaching at Metrix Create: Space on Sunday, March 27 from 2-4pm.

Scanner Teardowns

2011-01-12T20:15:00.000-08:00

I had two old scanners that I have had floating around for awhile and finally decided to tear apart and salvage the parts that could be useful. Here are a few pictures (more here & here):

Avec

uMax

At a minimum I was able to salvage the following (there is more I may be able to de-solder):
2 - 12v steppers with gears, belts, etc...
3 - smooth guide rods (with bushings)
1 - 12v, 1.5A wall adapter
1 - 26v, 5v, +12v, -12v supply (I don't know the amps...)
1 - White cold cathode tube with control board
1 - RGB cold cathode tube set with control board
2 - FFC with connectors (will have to de-solder the connectors)
2 pieces of glass
Assorted mirrors
Assorted LEDs, switches, etc...

Arduino and an Inkjet Cartridge

2010-12-29T23:40:00.000-08:00

I have started experimenting with Arduinos and electronics. This involved buying a Arduino Mega, breadboard wires, PCBs, and some other assorted goodies.

I have managed to get my Arduino to talk to a inkjet cartridge and spray ink.

This is going to be a part of my senior project at the UW, more on that later :-)

Snow!!!

2010-11-24T21:12:00.000-08:00

Monday we had snow at the UW. I was 20 minutes late to class and then after lab it took almost three hours to get home....

Some fellow students were even making a snowman. :-)

This turned into two snow days on Tuesday and Wednesday...

Movember

2010-11-14T13:39:00.000-08:00

I am participating in Movember to help raise awareness of men's health issues. I have been growing a Moustache since the first of November and have been posting daily picture updates on my MoSpace Page.

I also have a collection of items on etsy that I am selling to help support Movember. During the month of November I am donating 100% of the sale price of all of these items to the Movember Foundation. Some of these items were 3D printed on Willow.

An Update on Things...

2010-10-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I last posted here. After my brothers wedding I took some time to get caught up on things. I did not come here and post about them, so here is what the rest of my summer brought.

I started printing Mendel parts again and now have a full set on eBay.
I opened an etsy shop and have things ranging from wood-burned Celtic knots to 3D printed Moai and hand painted Bullroarers.
I started websites for myself (NicholasCLewis.com & RepRapBreeding.com) and my wife (SunnysideCakes.com & GoatvillePygmies.com).
I setup a demo with a local distributor of a uPrint at work. I think we may buy one for prototyping, tooling, and mock-ups.
School started and it is a little lighter quarter than I have been having. (I also turned in my paperwork for my math minor).

I think that is about it for now. I will try not to wait so long before posting again. :-)

My Brothers Wedding

2010-08-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

The kilt making turned into some last minute marathon sewing by myself, my sister Joiwyn, and the best man Curtis. Ivan (my brother) was trying to make his own kilt but became overwellmed with other things, so starting on Wednesday at 9pm my sister Joiwyn started working on it. She worked almost constantly until 8am Saturday morning (the wedding day). My kilt and Curtis' kilt were also completed Saturday morning... we cut some things close. I finished making belt buckles at around 11am and the kilts were still having the temporary basting removed at around 3:45 (the ceremony started at 4) :-). Even with all that the wedding went very well here are some pictures (and more here.)

Ivan & Amanda

The ceremony (I am in the kilt on the far left)

Some Dress Progress and a Frustrating Morning

2010-08-16T21:17:00.000-07:00

I have now completed the main work on the skirt including a fitting for the gathers and the hem...

The bodice now has sewn on loops for the back lacing and is complete except for the final silk outer shell (which is waiting on the embroidery, which should be back to me soon)

This morning bought frustration. I went down to my car to head to work only to find that it had been broken into...

Nothing major was missing except for the face plate for my radio...

All said and done the damage (counting window cost, a new radio, and a iPod charger) came to about $350... Why do people do things like this? They got less than $20 worth of value and caused me all that trouble...

Here was my fix for the window...

A New Toy for My Birthday

2010-08-10T21:23:00.000-07:00

My birthday is tomorrow and my wife gave me a very cool present.

It is a Droid X... the screen is amazing and it is very fast.

I am getting very close to the end of summer quarter (last day of classes is the 19th) and my brothers wedding is fast approaching. Now back to finishing up some homework and back to the dress and kilts...

Cutting Tulle and Making the Petticoat

2010-08-04T21:35:00.000-07:00

A crazy truck driver and sewing progress.

2010-07-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

To start with I had a wild experience today leaving school. While walking to my bus stop I saw a traffic jam at the main campus entrance. As I approached I discovered a over-sized load truck with a crane on it. As I got closer I saw it had run into a sign turning into campus and they had a reciprocating saw and were cutting down the sign.

I then managed to get to my bus stop and the truck managed to get free and moving.

Sorry bout the video quality/camera work

It preceded onto campus after much effort from both Seattle PD and Campus police to get the lead car past the congestion and then my bus arrived. We rode most of the way around campus with out incident until we reached the tight turn at the top of the hill by Meany Hall. The truck was stuck again.

They were turning cars around. And even turned a bus around by backing it on to a side street. At this point I decided to leave the bus and walk toward the freeway to catch a different bus.

The front bus was just turned around, the third bus from was the one I exited

I then walked toward the freeway planning to catch a 511 from the freeway stop, but at 45th and Brooklyn the 855 caught up with me so I just got back on that bus. In total it took almost 2.5 hours to get home....

Adding boning to the lining of the bodice

Boned lining on the dress-form.

Mocking up the lacing

Laying out the kilt pattern on the tartan (from my measurements and on the tartan pattern)

Progress on dress

2010-07-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

Tartan in the house...

2010-07-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

8 yards of double width MacDonald tartan (for two kilts) and 8 yards single width Dunbar tartan (for one kilt)

The start of a wedding dress...

2010-07-07T23:01:00.000-07:00

I have officially started cutting and fitting my soon to be sister in-laws wedding dress.

We also have received the tartan so kilts will soon be in work...

With the changes to the Community Transit schedules and my schedule for summer classes I am walking over 1 mile a day. It is nice to have a little extra motivation to walk (since I have to) but this week has been very hot and I can't wear shorts to work. I may have to start changing before I go to school and after I get back to work. Tomorrow I think I may try my zip-off pants.

Everyone be sure to drink lots of water on these hot summer days.

Watch for more pictures of the dress and kilts in the next few weeks...

A short break...

2010-06-15T19:31:00.000-07:00

I get a break this week before summer quarter starts. I chose to take classes over the summer so that next year will not be so heavy (only 362 more days to graduation!). I am taking two classes "Intro to Mechanical Design" and "Finite Element Analysis." I hope they do not consume too much of my time as I am still working and I am helping my brother get ready for his wedding. I am making the wedding dress and helping make kilts. Yes, I said kilts... I will be wearing one in the ceremony. And my wife is making the cake. Maybe I will post pictures of all the wedding stuff when it is done.

I have been enjoying tinkering with my new printer over at RepRap Breeding. If you have not been there you should check it out.

I have also been finishing up the video I am doing for the Hall Health Center on campus. I will post a link once it is done and up on the UW web site.

Approching the End of Another Quarter

2010-06-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

As I work to finish up the last of the things for this quarter I realized I had not made a post here in a while. I have been making many posts over on my RepRap blog, but none here. I have been spending most of my "spare" time, when not working or at school, either working on my Mendel or working on a film for the UW Hall Health. It has been a very bust quarter. I have started looking forward over the next year to determine what classes I need to take each quarter to graduate next spring. I am also planning the things I need to do to support my brother's wedding in August.

This next year will still require a tight schedule but will go by before I know it. I will try to post a little more regularly here, but also be sure to follow the progress of my Mendel and the ongoing exploration of its capabilities.

RepRap Mendel, Metrix Create: Space, & Engineering Discovery Days

2010-04-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

It has been a little while since I last posted. I have been busily working on getting the Solheim Rapid Prototyping Laboratory RepRap Mendel completed for the UW Engineering Discovery Days. We got it working after several problems with our electronics and a lot of help from the people over at Metrix Create: Space. Be sure to check out the pictures (here) of us working on it down there.

Here are some additional pictures of the Mendel and the first prints that we were able to get from it.

Now we are going to work on improving the print quality, repairing the electronics better and starting construction of a few more bots...

The end of another quarter and fun things from the lab...

2010-03-20T14:44:00.000-07:00

As the quarter comes to an end I am reflecting back on all the cool things I did. I am also looking forward to the projects that I have planned for next quarter.

Here are some of the highlights...

The plastic frog (lower left) was scanned then printed life-size and milled from foam bigger than life.

These heart rings are printed in glass...

A few da Vinci drawings made 3D...

This began as the following picture available under a Creative Commons License

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/captbrando/ / CC BY 2.0)

And next quarter I am planning to make my own 3D printer (a reprap Mendel), I also have plans to make a informational video for the clinic on campus. Both very exciting, I almost can't wait but I am also glad to have a little break, even if I still have to work.

And just as a final note for all those who have always wondered "How many feet of toothpaste is in a tube of toothpaste?" (A question our professor has posed several times)

Approximately 15.5 feet of toothpaste in a tube... (At least with the size bead I was able to consistently make)

From 3D Scan to Moai (think Easter Island)

2010-03-13T20:48:00.000-08:00

Here is a combination of several projects in one. I started with my recent experiments with 3D laser scanning, and the portable rig I built. (Based on a design from the David 3D scanner web site.)

For more detailed picture of the setup and assembly see my YouTube video.

I was inspired to take a scan of my face and morph it into a Moai after seeing some of the Moai Madness going on in the lab (over at Open3DP).

Here is the initial scan of my face:

Using AccuTrans 3D to re-orient and scale (stretch lengthwise) gives this result:

The important thing to note here is that I tilted the surface up (notice the axis in the lower left corner). This was for two things. First it minimized stretching the underside of my nose and second it gives the final Moai the right shape.

MeshLab was then used to clean the edges:

Then back to AccuTrans 3D to extrude:

Back to MeshLab to smooth (Laplacian Smooth, several times in different areas until it looked nice and even):

Finally some "mesh aging and chipping" in MeshLab:

Here is a 3D print of the final model:

Some designs on the University blog and scanning my face.

2010-03-01T21:13:00.000-08:00

Some of my work has now appeared on the university blog, Open3DP.
You should take a look, there is a lot of cool stuff over there.
http://open3dp.me.washington.edu/?p=502

I have been spending a lot of time exploring the DAVID laser scanner software. I have built a scanning rig that hold the calibration boards and lets them open so you can scan through the middle.

This design was adapted from a similar design I found on the DAVID discussion board. The way mine is constructed allows it it collapse down to flat boards. This should make it relatively transportable. I am also working with my lab partner on making a version that does not need the boards to scan.

Here is my latest scan (my face):

It can pick up an amazing amount of detail. (and this is the free version, the pay version is higher resolution)

Reality, Blender, Video Clip, MeshLab, 3D Printer, Reality Agian

2010-02-14T21:24:00.000-08:00

I just want to give an example of the doors that begin to open as we explore what it means to have 3D objects. A while back I took a image of a Boy Scout patch

and did a rendering of it in Blender (Open Source 3D tools, http://www.blender.org/)

This was animated as a opening to a video I did for the event.

I realized that I should be able to export the model from Blender clean it up some and print it.
Here is the result of exporting the model and opening it in MeshLab (a free mesh editor, http://meshlab.sourceforge.net/)

I then took the .stl file the the lab and printed it using the Z-Corp printer and now have a real object again.

It is very cool to be able to take something real make it virtual (in this instance manually, but I am presently playing with scanners...) and then make it real again. It won't be long before we have 3D copy machines. You will have a compartment you place an object in and another compartment where the copy comes out...

Food, Equations, Exersice, and Lasers

2010-01-31T19:27:00.000-08:00

Food

I have not been eating as well as I would like to be. I have been eating out way to much. I went a restocked my fridge and am going to start eating better again this week.

Equations

I have been playing a lot with SAGE and implicit modeling. It is very cool to have this:
c = Tetrahedral (18,18,60)
sp = Sphere(1.5)
sld = Join(c,sp)
swplt = Plot3d(sld,5,100)
swplt

where you just define the individual shapes like this:
def Tetrahedral (a,b,c) : return ((x^2 + y^2 + z^2)^2 + a*x*y*z - b*(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) + c)
def Sphere (r) : return (x^2+y^2+z^2-r^2
and a join like this:
def Join (a,b) : return Min2(a,b)

And what comes out is:

Yes that is a sphere floating in the middle... I plan to try printing this. It should work and have the ball trapped in the middle. (I will post pictures if it works.)

Exersice

I went for a run this morning. It was not a very long run, but it was a run. I think I am going to join the "Movers and Shakers" club at work. That is where you get a pedometer and log your miles. You then get prizes at certain points. It might be a good motivator....

Lasers

I think for my final project in my rapid prototyping class we are going to test and use a 3D scanner setup using free software called DAVID (http://www.david-laserscanner.com/). What is very cool about this is that it uses any camera and a laser with a line diffuser on it. You use the laser to scan the surface of the object while the camera records the shape of the line. This is then converted into a 3D shape in the computer.

Getting Back in the Groove

2010-01-21T21:14:00.000-08:00

Missed my weekly Sunday post this week. I had a party on Sunday night for my sister Joiwyn who turned 16.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOIWYN!!!

I am enjoying my rapid prototyping class. I just finished a lab report about a part I made to test printing threaded holes. Next we get to test a 3D scanner... Later we will be making our own 3D modeling software using SAGE and ISM, Implicit Solid Modeling. SAGE is a free, open source, computer algebra program. ISM is where you define a shape with a formula, f(x,y)=x^2 + y^2 - 1 for a disc. This then is used to determine what is inside, on, and outside the object.

I have also been playing with OpenSCAD which is a open source cad engine that lets you model with a script that defines the object and then will render it. Very cool...

The First Week of Winter Quarter 2010

2010-01-10T20:38:00.000-08:00

My school week was fairly uneventful, as the first week often is. We got the class syllabus, and the first assignments. I feel good about this quarter.

The first week back to work, after the Christmas break, also went well. No major issues, so I have been able to get caught up on some lingering projects.

The highlight of my week was that after about 7 months without a kitchen sink, do to a remodeling project, I have running water in the kitchen again.

New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-03T19:40:00.000-08:00

I have never been big on making new year's resolutions but I thought this might be a good time to start. I have recently started sharing more online and feel that this is a good time to try and set a tone for this new year. I have had some hard quarters and have chosen to take a lighter load next quarter and also to try and be more productive with the free time I have. I have many projects that either have been started and not finished or I have not found the time to start.

This all started to get me thinking. How can I do more? How can I fit more things into an already busy schedule? The solution is to add more structure to my life. This may seem like an odd solution but when thinking about it I get more done when I plan to get more done. Also when there are many projects it is easy to get lost in them all. If I add structure and plan time for them I will be more likely to get them all done.

Also I made some great progress toward the end of last year in starting to lose some weight and get in better shape. This gave me more energy and made me feel better both in mind and body.

So here are my resolutions for my life in this new year and start of a new quarter:

Continue to improve my eating habits
Continue to increase my fitness level
Schedule my time more
Watch less TV
Spend more time on projects

I may refine these and make a more firm plan over the next few weeks as my new schedule stabilizes, but this is the heart of my resolutions. Resolutions are one of those things that are often made fun of because they are often forgotten. I hope by sharing them it will help motivate me to keep them and for you to keep your own.

Finding Old Friends

2009-12-27T01:13:00.000-08:00

My recent exploration of the social world that is inside my computer has lead to reconnecting with friends I never expected to see or talk to again. This has opened my eyes to some of the wonder that I had shunned before.

What I would always say is "If all our communication is online won't that ultimately lead to a depersonalization of ALL communication?" Before I felt the answer was yes... now I have a new answer, "maybe." It all depends on how we use these tools.

I could try and come up with an analogy for this but we will just stick with what it is. I still feel that personal communication is a necessity, however I now see that there is also value in the mass communication (Tweets, status updates, etc...). Which is worse, not talking to someone or just sending out a message for all to see. I would say now that not sharing is worse.

So this leads to something that just happened. I had many old friends, (good friends that drifted away), many of which I could not remember their last names or even sometimes there first names. Friends I last spoke to between 2 and 10 years ago. I was looking around on Facebook and remembered someones last name. I found them, invited them to be my friend, and found more and more.

It is good to see them, good to know a little about their lives, and share a little about mine. Even open the door to possibility of seeing them in person again. This is what you lose by not using this tool. You can keep people informed with much less effort which leads to much MORE communication. Even if the bulk of that communication involves a less personal means the end result is more personal communication. That is a good thing, if it is used carefully.

The End of Fall Quarter 2009

2009-12-21T20:42:00.000-08:00

This week was finals week for fall quarter. All the finals went about as expected. I got grades lower than I would have liked in two of the three classes (Math 464 & ME 331). I got a 4.0 in the other class (ME 480). Overall reasonable grades for such an ugly quarter.

This quarters schedule was horrible. I had to get to work at 6am and work till 8am. Then catch a bus to get to school by 9:30 for my first class, Math 464 (Numerical Analysis). Then I had ME 331 (Heat Transfer), a hour break, and then ME 480 (CAD Technology). I then caught a bus to get back to work at 2:30pm and work till 7:30. Tuesday and Thursday were a little different but I still got to work at 6am, went to school in the middle and back to work till 7:30pm.

Of these classes the one I liked the most was the ME 480. In this class we had labs where we got to make parts using rapid prototyping machines. This is very exciting, you can design and "print" a part very quickly. I have posted a video of some of these parts on You Tube.

I have chosen to make next quarter a little lighter and only take two classes. The first is a follow-on class to ME 480. This class (ME 498, Advance Topics in Rapid Prototyping And Rapid Manufacturing) will be more hands on allowing me to actually use the machines myself (in ME 480 the TA operated them all). I will also be taking ME 373, Introduction to System Dynamics. This is a required core class for my ME degree.

Overall I am glad to have a break and am looking forward to what is coming in a few weeks.

The Beginning

2009-12-14T21:21:00.000-08:00

This journey started long ago, but became much more formal when I started going to Everett Community College. That marked the beginning of ALL my formal education. I was home schooled through all my earlier education.

The most common question I get about being home schooled is "How did you like it?" The answer is simple... "I don't have much to compare it to." I did spend one quarter in middle school band. That was an interesting experience. I had been playing in a youth orchestra and had stopped. My horn teacher said I should keep playing somewhere. So band it was... The kids there were far from the serious musicians I was used to. I then went back to a youth orchestra.

The second question I usually get is "How did you socialize?" Once again a relatively simple answer. "I had orchestra, my families community theater group, and my family."

The biggest thing I think I learned in all those years was the understanding that education is yours. Only you can learn, no one can make you. Teachers are people who share their passion with you. This can be your parents, your siblings, strangers on the street, children, anyone and everyone. Everyone has something you can learn from them. Life is a lesson and you should never stop learning.

This is my story, my journey. I am late getting started in this outlet of communication and plan to share past experiences as well as present and future. I hope to share my passions and my experiences to help others on this journey, and maybe learn a thing or two myself.