I must say.. I am super excited about January!
Why?
Because I get to help my daughter teach an Arduino class at theClubhou.se..
So, for some background:
Rockwell has been staying after school helping with the 6th grade first robotics class.
Melinda expressed disappointment that she did not have the opportunity to do that in middle school.
Well, of course, my ears perked up hearing this.. I asked her if she would be interested in teaching a class on using the ardino, while learning how to do it herself.. to my surprise, she quickly replied “Yes! That would be great!” (Not really the answer I was expecting from my somewhat shy/reserved Melinda.. 🙂 )
So we put together a lesson plan that involves 5 days (the 5 Tuesday evenings in January) where we would get a half dozen or so girls together at the Clubhou.se, and teach them about how the arduino works, and put together a 2 line LCD display that they can program to display inspirational messages that they will be able to bring home with them at the end of the class.
We proposed it to the Clubhouse, and they liked it! I’m in the process of getting together with Chase Lanier to solidify the plans so we can get an invite out. It will be limited to about 8 (female, sorry guys) participants, and will likely be free to clubhouse members, or cost 99$.
The class will be called “Learning Arduino with Melinda (Girls who code)”
Time is going by so fast! I can’t keep up. Half the things that happen I have not even mentioned here.
Melinda came up to me excited and said “Do you know who James Thurber is??” And I did not. I knew the name, but did not know why.. Turns out he was a artist and writer 50 years ago. She said “You must check this guy out, he’s awesome! I found a book about him in the little library outside… I’m going to stalk his whole life!” All While hugging the book… lol.. Anyway, I looked him up and read some of his quotes. I started to read one of them out loud “Women are wiser than men..” she interrupted me at this point and said it from memory “Women are wiser than men because they know less and understand more”. I guess Thurber has found a new fan!.. 🙂
Melinda has a friend visiting for the night, Emily. Emily and Melinda are friends from school. They have most of the same honors classes together. I am confident they are both in the top 10 of their class, probably higher. Anyway, they hung out outside today for a little while with some chalk.
It’s obviously a butterfly, but i called it a coffee cup.
The whale that sprayed up on the fence.
The huge chalk bunny.
Rockwell and I finally broke open the Geode that we had gotten this winter in Maggie Valley. It was much nicer inside than I expected!
This Thursday Rockwell and I went to the BMX track to get some practice in.. we have not been as actuive this year so far, and need to get going.. I was practicing jumps, and the very last time I jumped, heading for the car, I endo-ed big time and landed on my head and shoulder. I thought I broke something, but I think at this point its just banged up.. I feel like It should be back to normal in a week or two hopefully. Just pulled some muscles. I went to the local pharmacy to get a sling, and was reminded how cool my little town is. I can still spend a penny!
Anyway, I have been riding a lot lately.. Here is a early AM picture of my bike (a specialized “rockhopper”) at the lock/dam at sunrise.
And Young Makers this week, we made some more little libraries! A church wanted on, and someone wanted to put one in a park in a poor neighborhood. Works for me! The kids liked working on them too.. Using the nailgun and whatnot.
Today Hannah was in Atlanta for another band performance. After that, they went to 6 flags over Georgia I believe.
Anyway, last night she texted me and said “Our hotel is officially ridiculous!”.. And I replied “In a good way I hope”.. and she replied “Our room has two tv’s and a kitchenette!” and then said “the whole place is like that” and forwarded this picture.
Yep, that is pretty nice! 🙂
Rockwell gets the most attention this post. It’s been a while since we raced. Melinda, Rockwell and I went to practice last Wednesday, and went surprisingly fast on the new hard track.. Melinda did 56 seconds I think? That was a really good time. And Rockwell did his first sub 50 second time ever, even after not practicing for a while.. Go figure. Melinda did not want to race this week. However, Rockwell and I raced, and tonight, Rockwell actually won the first heat, and won the main too. Good job Rockwell!
Here he is winning the First heat.
Biggest trophy yet!
He crashed trying to jump a double AFTER the race… whacked his wrist too.
Commercial photographer was there too:
One more.
Here is something off topic… Melinda and Hannah have calluses… from so much writing!
Rockwell got to do some soldering at young makers this week. Learning something new is good!
Melinda, Rockwell and I took a nice ride yesterday afternoon. Hannah was disappointed that I waited until she got out of the shower to ask if we wanted to go for a ride… Oops. sorry.
Yesterday morning we went to the Zoo in Columbia.. It changed a LOT in the last couple years! We met Christine there and dropped Ethan off.. We also had a lot of fun checking out the “new” zoo.
Cool Nannyrama shot in the penguin house.
Saturday Melinda and I went to the Paddlefest. Its a river event that benefits the Savannah River Keepers. It rained half the way.. but it was still fun. Couldn’t get any pics in the rapids… because…
It looks like she is not paddling, but for some reason that is how she held the paddle.
Rockwell attended his first Hackathon. He and a friend built a “voltorb”.. Did not quite compete it unfortunately. But He got some time in with a razor knife!
Some interesting cleanup from when the girls plasma cut out the letters for the Little Library.
And someone added some books!
Melinda’s first time at Soup Kitchen… The other girls (Hannah and Amber really) gave her cruddy jobs.. so she did not enjoy herself… I guess it was a initiation.
Last weekend we went to the Saturday morning street fair in Augusta on 8th street.
We started out the 4th Holiday weekend with seeing Hannah and Sterling off on an adventure to RTX, (Rooster Teeth Convention) Hannah has really been working on improving her Cosplay of Yang. (Check out the chain mail)
Oh, the day before Hannah left for RTX, she was interviewed as the “Fox 54 Kid of the week”!
The kids love Swimming over at the banks.. This picture is almost in the dark, sorry for the poor quality.
The SnoCap drive in had a car show on the 4th. Check out this crazy custom!
Had to get my picture with it..
End of one of the pool parties at the Banks.
So today I recruited the Girls and Rockwell to help Build a “Little Library” for the park out in front of the house! They really got into it! More Young Makers!
Gluing as Nailing. The nailgun does really help.
I think they were enjoying the nailgun a tad too much. That little library is built like a tank now!
THe only thing I did was cut the wood.. the kids put the whole thing together.. For real, it was all on them.
And they did a great Job too!
Painting is next!
It’s going to look great! The door and the roof goes on tomorrow, and then we will mount it in the park!
Melinda got to ride the Motorcycle for the first time this week. She is a natural.
I kid you not, she did not even stall it once. She asked to go to Arthur’s to ride in the woods.
Last weekend was the Pride Parade in Augusta. Wow, I was impressed with the size, and also the participants. Lots of Businesses where represented.
Big Parade! And there was a party in the park across the street afterward. Fun!
Again, we have done much more than we have notated here.
Last night we went to a show called “The Midtown Men” a group from NYC that sing a bunch of classic rock and roll. Hannah and Her friend Amber loved it!
2 Weekends ago, we went to the Midlands Astronomy club cookout. Nice dark sky, Hannah saw more stars than she has ever seen. (at least according to her) She also noticed “Coma Bernice” in the sky, a cluster of galaxies of note. Here she is with Charles and his nice ‘scope.
This is a 24 inch homemade reflector.. you had to climb a ladder to look into the eyepiece. The guy made the 24 inch mirror himself! The sky is amazing with this much light gathering.. It’s almost like looking at a slightly white background with bright stars in front… It makes you realize just how many stars are out there!
Hannah and I where having fun with the Nannyrama function of the camera. Many Hannahs!
Hannah caught a dragonfly on broad street last Saturday morning.
In addition to these things, we went to the WRDW Family fair and repserented the Young Makers, we went to “American Idiot” A rock opera / musical with a bunch of Green Day music in it, and we went to the First Friday Hackathon.
<bragging> Hannah received a 99% on her final in honors english. Again, highest grade in the class. but the BEST part is, it took her final grade from a 92% (B) to a 93% (A) ! Now THAT she is happy about ! </bragging>
Last night we went to the Mythbusters tour that came through town last night. It was a lot of fun. The kids got to talk about thier lighting display that we put on the roof of the Bell, And they even made the news that night!
Here is a Nannyramma of the inside of the theater during the show.
Here are the kids manning the “Young Maker”s booth. The kids explained how they built the lighting display that ended up on the roof (awning) of the Bell auditorium.
Here is Hannah haning out on the roof of the Bell during the install
🙂
One of Hannah’s compatriots in the Young Makers (Josh) was interviewed by the local TV station.
Hannah is in the middle of finals week. Today is Chemistry and Spanish. She says it’s the hardest day. <bragging> Tuesday was American History.. Hannah received 104 on that one, highest in the class. </bragging>
Tonight is the mythbusters tour in Augusta. We have tickets! We also have worked on a special display on the awning of the Bell auditorium.. The “Young Makers” group, a friend and I have been leading, created it. The kids have been working with a program called “VIXEN“, and the Arduino, to control the lights. This has 32 individual channels. I’d say it worked out wonderfully! Here is the final product:
Hannah got to try out the Oculus rift this afternoon at the clubhouse. My Friend Charles is a developer, and managed to get a development kit for it.
It. Is. Amazing. As soon as you put it on, it feels like you are in the room. The effect is immediate. It was fun!
Here Hannah is riding the roller coaster. If you are not familiar, the Oculus rift is a 3D headset that has gyros and Acceleration sensors in it, so it knows which way you are looking.
