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 )