So, I'm here to annouce the end of our building season. Yes, it's all done, Chairman's, Animation, Robot, all done. Guess you won't be hearing from me until the team leaves to the Midwest Regional, or when they come back. And it is with great satisfaction that we end the season, for we'll finally get some rest, but it also leaves a great void within ourselves (as cheesy as that may sound...). But still, we have the whole competition ahead of us, and we raise up our expectations for it.
Mission accomplished. I haven't got anything else to say to you, unless good luck for all teams, good luck Team #383, I'm damn sure we'll do just fine. To me, we are already winners. I'll be joining you again next year, hopefully, and I'm very very glad for spending the last sixty days (or so) with you guys.
I guess you know who this is... Here I am again to show you some more of the robot. It is here, it is working, it is hanging! And it's also available on Chief Delphi Forums.
Check it out:
Once and again (and again, and again and again), I'm here to tell you about how things are going for Team 383. We have been rushing things up a bit, because our deadline is down to 7 days (sounds much like "The Ring", but it's really not) and the guys have been working late on the past days. Quite fun though, lots of pizzas have been ordered, but tons of work has been done.
I am quite happy to say that our robot has been accomplishing the tasks as well (or even better) than expected, and that... well, I can't say much more, otherwise I'm gonna spoil the surprises! And the Team is also gonna kill me, but I don't have to remind you of that... Anyhow, good news is that the Team counts with another partner now, "Ferramentas Gerais" has contributed with a loooong list of tools and other gadgets that we were in need (true, true, I've checked them myself). So, I wanted to thank them in behalf of all team.
The animation storyboard is well set, and Monsieur Kranz and the guys are working on that, I've watched a bit of it, very very nice, but we are running against time. Maybe I'll tell you more about it later on...
For those of you who are aching to know how the robot is, just click on the thumbnail down below to find out how it's doing, and what it looks like (I have a... suspicious oppinion, but I think it looks fantastic!).
Guess who's back? If you thought Fernanda, you're a hundred percent correct, here I am once again. This post is actually just for the record, because things are quite like they were last week. I've translated almost a hundred percent of the things I had to, cheers to that, and the fellas are working on the animation, we have to hurry! And also, the driver and operator of the robot are being selected.
I must say too, that after reading and translating those documents from FIRST, I can finally understand a little bit more of the whole ideology that this graciously professional organization holds and represents. And so we come back to the 19-day-race that is ahead of us, let us have as much (or even more) luck and competence as we've had so far!
Hugs,
Lopes
P.S.: Note to self: find out what shampoo Monsieur Kranz wears (right Laura?).
So, I’m here again to tell you what’s been going on around here. And Mayah is here to help me (and bother me, just as well). We are now exactly 23 days down to the deadline we’ve set, and people are doing various things here. We’ve set how the animation storyboard is going to be like, thought of designs for the robot and some of us did nothing (that includes me).
One of the things that I did was going to one of our main partners and sponsors, “Metalaser”, to award them with one of our medals, it is an incredible demonstration of true friendship. The guys from Metalaser literally stop working to cut the parts of the robot that we need. And FIRST, in Brazil, doesn’t have the same recognition that it does in the United States. And I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them, (out loud, in a certain way) for the help they provide us year after year. I would also like to thank “Meta Correias”, for their help with support and for providing our beltings.
Now, back in the house, most people are focusing on the infrared sensor and the animation. The week has been quite calm. The folks from Communications haven’t worked much (because there really isn’t too much to do), so we have spent the last few days “resting” (and eating). Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go get myself something to drink…
Hugs,
Lopes
P.S.: By the way, “Milhopan”, tastes like nothing.
Hello, this is Fernanda, yatta yatta yatta, I'm here once again to tell you what has happened on the past week days, or at least all I can remember... Anyway, I can definitely say the week has been full of work, and fortunately things are getting done. We have brainstormed, we have practiced for driver of the robot and human, we have scheduled and set the "to do's", we have played soccer (by we, I mean ‘the guys’), we have argued (by we I mean ‘I’), we have watched videos from the previous competitions (and by we, I mean ‘the group responsible for communications’). Anyhow, the videos were so amazing, seeing all those people, seeing the team winning the regional, the wrap parties, our current mentors on the news, back then just as students... really nice.
The whole team has lots to do, I myself have to translate so many, many things… It is Sunday, and I’m working! That’s madness! Good thing we took Friday afternoon off (and I also missed Friday morning… shame on me) so that we could rest (and by we I mean ‘we’). The bad thing is that Laura was supposed to make (or bring) a cake (hm, yummy...) on Friday afternoon, and that didn’t happen…
Well, that’s all I have to tell you, I guess, and the next week is upon us, we have less than 30 days up to our deadline. And let me say, if I see anyone not working this week, Fernanda has lots of things she didn’t finish. Don’t disturb my concentration!
Hugs,
Lopes
P.S.: Oh yes! We finally found the lyrics of the song Volare...
Hello, this is Fernanda, so busy she can’t find time to write: (sorry...)
After resting on the weekend, the team came back for a reunion for us to find out what we had to do on the week. Things became a lot easier since we divided in specific groups (less people wandering around wondering what to do and when...). I myself, volunteered for communications, and I’m telling you, there’s lots of work to do.
Kids. The big deal is that you cannot put candy anywhere near them (that also counts for carbonated soda). And because of that, we went to the supermarket again (yahoo, Monsieur Malinowski on the wheel again), and I’m afraid to tell you: no candy this time, you people are addicted to cookies.
We also started practicing for the [much expected] selection of the driver and human. Once again, I must say, things are going well, at least compared to last year’s First. Today (January 20th) we have scheduled the next brainstorms, there’s lot to think about. Not to mention the Chairman’s Award, which we are getting warmed up for.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go back to work, no time to rest...
P.S.: We really should take the cyber shot to the supermarket next time... by the way: ALWAYS have change when you go there... always.
P.P.S: Fellow teams from the Midwest Regional, keep in touch (help Fernanda, pleeeease!).
Indeed Monsieur Manoel, I think you got me there... but look on the bright side, I still know what are the mariachi! I guess that makes us even.
However, that's not the reason I'm posting, I have to tell you what happened on January 16th (today). Things are starting to shake (or move, to be more accurate). Monsieur Malinowski was once again on the wheel (or should I say joystick?). The guys were all very excited, things are really moving fast. Some of us went out for lunch and didn't come back, for we had not much to do (I was one of those people, just for the record...). That's pretty much all that happened so, I guess I'll be back with another post on either Monday or Tuesday morning.
Hugs and kisses,
Lopes
P.S.: Murphy's Law, never fails: the day I went home for lunch, the team had lunch... damn.
Hello, this is Fernanda with another post, hope you enjoy reading it, it’s about the last two days (January 14th and 15th):
I can't say these days haven't been productive (because they have). The brainstorm has begun, and we've developed a whole new set of ideas, and many doubts and uncertainties just as well. But, I wasn't able to attend the begining of the reunion (that was January 15th), for I was (once again) risking my life: Monsieur Malinowski took us on a ride, with Monsieur Manoel, Mayah and also Laura (darling....). Actually, "ride" stands for going out and getting some stuff we needed (nope, not Nescau, nor Toddy), and as we came back the team was all gathered and they were discussing a few aspects of the game and robot. Which as Monsieur Malinowski said, we are not allowed to publish here, so, don’t expect to hear anything about how the robot will be or do (see ya at the competition, fellas).
Something very particular and also amazing I've noticed on the last few days, is that the working atmosphere changes every day, and that you've gotta get yourself in inertia, otherwise things start to pass you by. But I guess things are alright, so far. The group has reached the proper dynamics of the thing, and we have improved above all expectations. I also noticed is that we're gonna have to go to the supermarket more frequently. It will be chaotic if we run out of cookies. What? We already did?!
Hugs and kisses,
Lopes.
P.S.: Note to self: make sure Laura's face is REALLY in front of the car's air conditioner on the next ride.
Note to self II: Get myself a list of songs of the "Gypsy Kings"...
Hi,
I'm Malinowski one of the team mentors. As some of you may know we are participating in a robotics competition (www.usfirst.org). The main idea of this blog is not to show how the robot is built, it really is about showing everyone how the team is built.
There is a lot people who is expected to post in this blog... at least 1 post a day ( I hope ).
To all blog members: Write something and post it.
Hello everyone, this is Fernanda again, welcome to team #383's weblog. As you may or may not know, there will be frequent updatings (no, Monsieur Malinowski, not every single hour, unless you're trying to make me go crackers), and I'm the person responsible for writing down what's been going on these days (or most of it).
On January 13th, in the early morning, we started getting organized, and divided specific tasks for most of the team. As I've said, I'll be taking care of the weblog, so prepare yourselves, you're gonna be reading me a lot. We finished almost everything in the "to do" list, and that made us very, very happy and turned out to make us eager for more on the day after.
It was a quite tiring day, reading and re-reading rules, organizing schedules, setting up priorities and, most importantly: establishing deadlines. Not to mention Monsieur Wapler, having tiny little problems with his car.
To end this post, I'd really like to thank the guys that praised me for the last (and also first) post, thanks, it was very sweet of you.
Lots of hugs,
Lopes.
P.S.: Monsieur Wapler, would you go out on the street, your car is about to be towed...
First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Fernanda, I'm fourteen, and I have joined the Team #383 this very year. Second of all, I must welcome all visitors, fellow competitors, fellow teamworkers and mentors.
I have to admit I felt tempted to accept the [very] subtle invitation of my dear mentors to post on this website. So subtle it was, as I realized, I was already onto it.
Anyway, I was given the task of summarizing the events from the kickoff ceremony until this moment. Tough, huh? Challenge accepted.
The kickoff was broadcasted at a university in São Leopoldo-RS, called Unisinos, pretty much around 1 o'clock in the afternoon, local time, just after we did some workshops with the other brazilian teams. I believe all the teams were very anxious and curious to know what the game would be like and to begin with the brainstorm, developing strategies and ideas. Myself, as a rookie among many veterans, I must admit that as the broadcasting finished and we were aware of [some of] the game's rules, I was actually overwhelmed by the magnitude of "First", and how difficult the game could (and would) be.
The actual work started by the afternoon of January 10th just after we returned to Porto Alegre (with an amazing soundtrack, by the way), and so we started organizing the environment we would spend the next 6 weeks on, and fortunately (for us girls) the boys got all the heavy work, literally. We re-started that on monday (January 12th) and the day wasn't quite finished 'til Monsieur Malinowski took us to the supermarket to get ourselves (and for the team, of course) some snacks and drinks. I don't care what you say, Nescau is still yummier than Toddy.
Hugs and kisses to ya'll,
Lopes
P.S.: Note to self: ALWAYS wear a seatbelt when Malinowski is driving.
