Too Excited

So after deciding robotics really was what I wanted to get into I started looking around for robotics clubs or projects going on at BYU I could join, but I couldn't find one anywhere. It was really puzzling to me since BYU has such a great engineering program.

But then a few days ago my brother Patrick mentioned a whisper in the machine shop, a nameless secret he had heard (except not really, they just don't advertise much.) It was the BYU Mars Rover Project!

Basically a bunch of Universities build mars rover-like robots that compete in a bunch of challenge at the Mars Desert Research Station down in southern Utah. It's pretty dang sweet. 

Actually I was surprised that I couldn't find it earlier, it has its own website. 

http://marsrover.byu.edu/ 

Though not very up to date.

And it's own Wikipedia page.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BYU_Mars_Rover 

So I came to the meeting and I'm joined!

Basically right now I'm just a machine shop lackie, but it's an opportunity to learn so much!

I might be a little too excited about it, but hey I love this kind of stuff. 

A Passion is Born

When I was writing my college essays, I kept being told I needed to make them about "my passion" It was really hard. I pretty much loved everything, but there wasn't really anything I was passionate about. It really stressed me out. That's steadily changing though thanks to this guy.

Meet my creation/pal/son/room-mate,

Jeffrey

Even though we've only known each other for a few days we're pretty much best friends.

When he made his first wheel rotations it made me the proudest mad scientist in the world. He was a little wobbly at first, but he's getting better everyday.

Sometimes he gets on my nerves, but it's okay because I can just take out his batteries. I can't get too mad at him though, seeing how I'm the one that programs him.

He's got some issues with authority. It took me almost two hours to try to get him to listen to his PC overlord, but he gave in eventually. I admire that fighting spirit. He might be helpful in any tussles with advanced AI that turn against me in a violent robot rebellion. 

But most of all Jeffrey is making me realize more and more how much I really love robotics. I can't help but think about it every day throughout the day. I think I've found my calling.