Tuesday, May 29, 2012

How I met R2D2, Mike Senna and the future

So I had no idea what I was in for Wednesday, April 4, 2012. I knew R2 would be coming but not The Mike Senna! I didn't know he was pretty famous for a while after I met him. My friend Justine ( Justine Senna )had said her dad's R2D2 would come at lunch time.A little background info.....


 I've had a real fascination with robots ( started when i watched my first mythbusters episode ) for a while but my dad does mainly programming and doesn't know the first thing about robots. I wanted to build a robot, possibly star wars themed for my senior project ( basically half a year long project where you research your future career, job shadow someone in that field or build something relating to that field, I want to build something ), and wondered if I could ask Mike about robotics and all that. I was also looking for a mentor/adviser ( someone who helps you build your project and you meet with them once or as many times as needed a month to work on it ). At that time I was going to ask the tech lab teacher at Tuffree middle school. He might know stuff but he is a teacher and they are always buried in work. I would follow up on recommendation he gave me for other people and if they couldn't do it I'd have to start from zero. I have a few people I might ask before I ask Senna,but it will be hard to find someone who can do this specific project, and I don't plan on giving up. For me this is a little more of a personally project, I'm lucky school and person interest have collided for once.

 That day I had forgotten about it while dealing with the math test crisis, so lunch came and I literally dropped everything and ran ( like a little kid to free candy ) over to the senior quad to see this little droid. I got a picture with him and immediately went over to the person I thought was the owner. At first I thought he was from LucasFilm but Mike busted that idea saying it was his droid and that he built it himself. I started to ask him questions and we talked for most of lunch. I was ready to stay there all day and keep going but I went to class and went home to talk to everyone about nothing but the droid. So that day was my inspiration to really get serious on my dream to build a non-kit, big robot. I love this stuff and want to learn all I can about this kind of technology. I plan on going to Fullerton Community College to get some classes i can't get in high school and some general Ed's done before transfer to a University where i plan to major in some field of computer science and maybe double major in Robotics and minor in Industrial Design or something else. 
 
 This hobby is one I'll keep forever and look back on it and feel really accomplished. I also plan on taking R2 places to inspire others, help kids learn about this stuff, and bring joy to those who remember this little droid with all the mad skills. I bet this would brighten up some senior's day in his or her little retirement home. 

                                         Maddy 


                                            
                                   Me and Justine Senna at El Dorado's spirit day ( bad  I-pod quality shot )



Beginning my adventure

I've finally made a blog where I can share my " adventures " building robots, going places, seeing things, making my own R2D2, other projects, ideas, and events that come off that. Hopefully some curious kid or someone will see this and learn or just enjoy seeing stuff I make and become interested in robotics or science. I kind it kinda sad that all anyone wants is to sit in front of the TV and watch crap like Jersey Shore and Real Housewives of OC when they could be outside seeing the world or expanding their knowledge of something they find truly fascinating or find self-worth and drive in doing or building something they can look at and say " look what I've done with my life.". Most people now expect everything to be simple and fast and easy. They don't want to get up and hike to Vernal Falls in Yosemite or catch a 10 foot wave on their boogie board and while riding it wonder how they haven't died yet or go boogie boarding during rough surf and get cartwheeled with their board 3 times and stand up to realize their alive and feeling really dizzy and sick.

Like most Astromech builders I've decided to make my own blog. I've been a star wars fan for a while now and my favorite character is R2D2. Anything to do with R2 In interested in. So to start off I am going to order my wood frame soon and get working on some small details and draw out my plans because I need to wait for my next "paycheck" before I can get the big parts like the skirt and dome and whatnot. Quick thanks to Mike Senna, Justine Senna, Victor Franco, William Miyamoto, those who brought stuff to show off at R2 Builders Day on May 5th 2012 and anyone else on Astromech ( who answered my threads or made tutorials and whatnot )  or elsewhere who has given me advice and inspiration and a chance to do something bigger.

Maddy