You know you're addicted to FIRST when...

[Firewolf]

Originally posted by ryanspensley
I've been having dreams about robots alot lately. I am the driver for team #171 and the night before the last day of competition in St. Louis, I had a dream the we made it to the finals, but we got beat for the second year in a row by the Baxter Bomb Squad (#16). But my dream was wrong, we made it to the finals and won the St. Louis Regional. We never played Baxter at all.
And my parents informed me this morning that I was sleep walking last night. They say that I walked into their room at 3:00AM and kept crying, "My robot won't go up the ramp." HaHaHaHaHaHa, I think its really funny. Its taken over my life.
Everyday since I've gotten back from St. Louis, my Algebra 2 class has done nothing but talk about the competition and the highest score possible. I'm OBSESSED!:D

wow ... you DO need to join that however many numbered step program that was in a thread here a while ago...

I've had dreams, but never to that extant :eek:

~ when you worry about the psychological damage you might
be inflicting on your robot when you put it in it's box crate for
so long.
~ when you're ready to dedicate a room of your house as a storage place for the old robots

[srawls]

Originally posted by Firewolf
~ when you're ready to dedicate a room of your house as a storage place for the old robots

haha, I can one up you

~ when you've placed an old robot in your backyard shed as a storage place, and you check up on it in the middle of the night to make sure its not rusted or anything

Stephen

[Guyute]

when you're walking through the halls of school and you come upon a crowd and want to yell "robot comming through, robot!" so you can get through them.

[TD78]

When you miss the competition so much that you're going to a regional you aren't even competing in to watch and scout (UTC this weekend) :D

[Ashley Weed]

Originally posted by RollinTDollin
When you miss the competition so much that you're going to a regional you aren't even competing in to watch and scout (UTC this weekend) :D



hehe... me too, except I'm going to Annapolis to 'brain suck' before my first Regional. :D

[Scott Shaw 237]

Originally posted by RollinTDollin
When you miss the competition so much that you're going to a regional you aren't even competing in to watch and scout (UTC this weekend) :D

LOL, me too. Im going to UTC just to have fun and then off to New York for us next week!!! :D

[Team238-aholic]

i was going to go to UTC this weekend as well....

but it think it makes me more addicted when...I'm out of high school....in college and my team isn't even there at all...hahahaha :)

[Koko Ed]

I thought of a rather somber one...

When your worries about the possibility of an upcomming war leans more on if the championship will be cancelled than whether it's morally right or wrong or the reprecussions that it will have to the state of peace in the world(which will be severe IMO).

[Warren Boudreau]

When you can remember the names of the robots you've help build, but not the names of your children.

[AlbertW]

when whenever anyone says "stack" within earshot you immediately perk up and start listening.

[Josh Hambright]

When you drive the robot so hard at a competition that you mangle a piece of angle aluminium to the point it must be replaced and you put said angle piece on your shelf.

Or you have the frame of your teams first robot in your bedroom (CNCboy461 has the old robots frame in his room)

You randomly shout your teams cheers in class
LETS ALL GO NUTS ROBOTS ROBOTS!

You memorize your team number in binary: 111001101
And Hex: 1CD

[Vincent Chan]

You print off the consolidated rule book, and then you try to drill through the paper because you don't have a three-hole punch.

[Danimal]

NOTE: This is coming from an adult volunteer

You know when you are addicted to first when...

You avoid answering your cell phone for the entire three days because you are busy making pit announcements....even when it is your wife.

You avoid callng back customers at night because you need to get to sleep early so you can be sharp the next day.

You look for ways to annoy that "Follow the rules woman" at the event who does not like the fact that you are not sticking to the stricted interpretation of the "Guidelines for announcers".

You lose your voice from 3 days of Pit Bossing and don't care one damm bit.

Best,

Danimal
Pit Boss NE Regionals
'01, '03

[Carlo]

Today was Annapolis regional. We had a blast, but in our semifinal matches, we messed up some of our stabilizer rods, and that being my function to fix, ran off to make more, beings we ran out of spares. Well I took Joe3 with me, and we had no view of a tv or the field, but knew exactly what was going on. You might ask how, well its easy, the faster and harder and louder the moe stix were, the better we normally do.

So Joe is looking for a hacksaw blade and im grabbin a file, and all we hear is a roar from the crowd accompanied by loud banging of moe stix. This signified that our autonomous program worked, and then from there on out we knew we were doing good, 'cause our team never stopped the banging from then on out.

Bottom line, You know you're addicted to first when you can successfully judge a match with MOE in it by the sound of the Stix.

[Alaina]

When you wish you could be more of a geek and speak binary and take classes like AP Physics and Pre-Calculus...

Am I the only one that's not like that? o.0

[Ashley Weed]

While on a scouting mission to the Annapolis Regional... you take the scary shuttle ride in, walk into the arena... and just through the doors:

DEAN KAMEN!!!! ... you are so 'star struck' that you are standing next to him, your jaw drops... and you have no idea what is going on. Finally your parents 'push' you enough to walk up to him and shake his hand and have him autograph your shirt. (I think I am going to get that shirt framed!)

*... thanks evuilsh, wouldn't of had the guts to walk up to Dean by myself!

[Katy]

Originally posted by Tetra248
-Whenever it's 10:37 AM or PM and I realize that's my team number...everyone has to tell me to shut up because apparently, I keep saying "1037! 1037! Look that's my team number."

You think that's sad? I have sort of the same thing...except there I can never make a digital clock say 360 so I just get excited at four instead.

When one of your friends says she is fairly sure she could take the robot apart and put it back together who isn't on the team...and hasn't seen the thing

When even you realize more stories than not start with "one time at robotics"

When you say "the team" any everybody tries to change the subject

When as you drive by you put house numbers and teams together

When you are reading Shakespeare and every time you pause you note the line number...and match that with a team

When you are done reading and check the page number so you know where to begin again you remember that team too

When you have trouble sleeping because you don't hear any saws or other loud machines running

When you pick up broken things in school and tell nobody in particular why they broke and how to fix it

When you go home with the team's safety glasses on top of your head and don't notice

When you have more washers in your pockets than coins

When you file Al see the shavings all over the floor and think "glitter!"

When you see fireworks and think of the sparks from welding grinding or cutting steel.

When you absentmindedly put washers in a vending machine or attempt to pay for something with them

[Jeff Waegelin]

You have 1000 posts on Chief Delphi. :D

[Hailfire]

...when you have a team of 7 people taking the robot apart in 10 minutes just to paint the chassis red. :yikes:

...when you go out and play laser tag with two other robotics teams. (You know who you are) ;)

...when you're going to play bowling with those same teams in a few days even though you're not that good at bowling. :rolleyes:

...when you have more posts than any of your team members put together on Chief Delphi :D

[Team238-aholic]

Soccer3Ace: dude i just wrote an essay and the word count is 238
Soccer3Ace: wahooooooooooooooooooooooo


thats when you know your addicted to FIRST....

[Melissa H.]

When you reconize who's cell phone is ringing (Coach's, Mentor's, Engineer's, or College Student's) by their ring and the time of day...if you can actually determine the time of day...or night...all while you're dozing off under a bin structure:D

[Firewolf]

When you suggest to your fellow robotix team member
to 'weld' fish liner (nylon string) in physics class
b/c you don't feel like tying a knot
......
and then when you DO weld the nylon sting
w/ a lighter ...
((this idea comes to you when you've haven't slept for 2 days, literally))
and it says! holding 200 g weight!
woooho! just don't tell our teacher we did this:p

[Matt Krass]

-- When you rack up a huge text msg bill on your phone because you've been counting down the hours til regional with your teammates by sending a "T-minus <hours>" message every hour from ship to competiton.

-- You walk in late at night and your parents call the cops cause they dont recognize you

-- When you have the entire kickoff video's audio encoded in mp3 and downloaded to your player.

-- When you listen to the whole thing and can visualize the video as it plays.

-- When you sit in the pit catatonic with a laptop, staring at the screen mumblng "bad auto bad!".


Oooh some more just came to me

-- When you see a car go flying down his street and you say to yourself "Wow he's got his PWMs at 254!"

-- When you get in your uncle's new car and your first thought is "Where are the joysticks?"

-- When you can sing all of 99 Red Balloons in both English and it's original German (99 Luftballoons).

-- When you can tell your team every score and ranking for the entire regional without looking at the scores once.

-- When you meet Dean and he says "YOU AGAIN?"

-- When your car abttery dies but you quickly jury-rig up the spare robot batteries you happeend to have and are abck o nthe road in five minutes.

-- When you finally find a way to tip the Segway.

-- When you've learned to hate the phrase "We'll fix it in programming"

-- When you bring backpacks full of mountain ew cans and ice packs to every competition.

-- You start telling people "I might have to get medieval on your heinie"

-- When you see signs of insanity as signs of good health.

-- When you can recite the entire robot program from memory.

-- When you do so randomly and frequently.

-- When you try a disguise to ride the Segway again.

-- When that works.

-- When you and friend build an entire sound system in his backpack in twenty minutes, then walk around proclaiming to be the DJ-in-a-bag team

-- When you keep adding things to this list just so that stupid "You've posted to recently" msg has a chance to resolve itself.

-- When you give up and just edit your old post

[Katie Reynolds]

... When that 1/8" silver of 20x20x extrusion looks so cute, you decide to make a charm out of it for a necklace (it turned out gorgeous, by the way!!)

... When it's your spring break and everyone is talking about going to Mexico, Alaska, Florida, Cancun etc., and you are more excited than them because you're going all the way to Chicago - for a FIRST regional!

- Katie

[hacksaw692]

When you get excited over your calculus teacher mentioning washer during a lesson and you ask, "What kind of washer? Lock washer, Belleville washer, 7/16" washer, 3/8" washer, etc. etc."

When said calculus teacher draws a cylindrical shell, asks what it looks like, and you resond specifically with, "A nylon spacer!"

When he says that he got the same reaction out of his other calculus class with a few robotics girls in it as well.

When you relate the dates that assignments and projects are due to the date of a regional or championship: "My test is two days before SVR."

[AlbertW]

when, if anyone ever says "stack," you perk up and turn towards it as if they had said your name

when your teammates refer to you as the human reciprocating saw because of your ability to cut anything on the fly without removing it from the robot

[Hailfire]

...when you're a "Chief Delphi Addict" like me. (Hint: My sweatshirt had that message on the back at the GLR. So if you saw that, you saw me.)

...when one of your team members hands the announcer the sign that says "Dip your bot in the Creek. Go 1037!!!"

...when your team starts the wave, the congo line, etc.

...when you're just having fun.

[scuba_sm]

( So you were there too? Well then, a great big AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! from team 862!)

-When you know that you can tear apart and reassemble a Bosch 3360 1/2 drill motor with your eyes closed.... You know because you tried.

-You know the guts of your robot by touch, including wires, because you've had to make so many repairs, and are tired of taking off the top.

-a Thunderchicken doesn't sound all that wierd to you...

-Your conversations about your weekend involve more numbers than some of your math assignments.

-You can't talk, you have no voice.

[Anarkissed]

- When your thinking of cancelling your prom date because its the same weekend as a robotics competition

- When you cant talk but still cheer for your team and others no matter what

- When 8 foot poles of bamboo don't seem out of the ordinary

- When you can pretend to be your robot

*shuffles forward "POPPED BREAKER" starts turning in a circle "Breaker reset" starts walking up ramp "OH NO" falls on back*

- When you volunteer for inspection and run to your pit whenever your finished with an inspection just to check on progress

- When you dance a jig because everyone else is doing the cha cha slide and you don't like the cha cha slide

- When others cheer for your jig :D

[blue]

when, over a five day period you spend 80+ hours in a NASA engineer's garage during a snow storm; freezing because the garage isn't heated, using a forge as a space heater and almost dying of carbon monoxide posining. Not only that, but enjoying it the whole time.

[Hailfire]

...when you're a rookie team trying to win All Star Rookie and everything, including the wiring, is extremely organized, 3 part time engineers, etc. but it ends up you didn't win.

[patriots86]

-when you read all of these posts and are still interested in reading more
-when you are already counting down the days till next season

[J2Kraatz]

You know your addict

When blood, sweat, and gears are all you have left
When you answer questions like this all the time.
When rookies try to their hardest and that isn't enough,
When you miss the the thousand screaming fans at a regionals
When you campaign for a varsity letter for robotics.

[Gary Dillard]

...when you plan your wedding around robotics season.

...when your search for a honeymoon site starts with the list of FIRST regionals dates and locations.

...when you forego the traditional wedding march for "3, 2, 1, GO...da-da-da-da------da-da."

...when you have a robot roll the white runner down the aisle (in autonomous mode, as soon as your Bride steps on the mat)

...when you say "I graciously accept your choice of me as an alliance partner" instead of "I do"

...when your wife understands all this, and loves you anyway.

[Powers]

when you refresh your profile on chief delphi 60 times a minute to see if there are new posts.


when you bug the ppl you like the least on your robotics team b/c they are the ones who will know if you are going to nationals first

[JVN]

When you sit in this (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19607) thread hitting refresh till someone uploads the pics!

which turned out to be NOT cool for the site itself... sorry brandon...

[Cory]

That is the best one yet John

Cory

[Jeff_Rice]

When you agree with ^

When you reply to 2 and a half month old posts because you think it presents a cool problem.
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16386

When you dream about programming solutions.

[Edit]
Beat me to it.
[Edit/]

[Nick Seidl]

Originally posted by Joe3
when you carry a full set allen wrenches with you at all time because you never know when you'll end up at robotics.

When you've named that set of allen wrenches, and claim that you have the one set of allen wrenches to rule them all.

[Koko Ed]

Originally posted by Gary Dillard
...when you plan your wedding around robotics season.

...when your search for a honeymoon site starts with the list of FIRST regionals dates and locations.

...when you forego the traditional wedding march for "3, 2, 1, GO...da-da-da-da------da-da."

...when you have a robot roll the white runner down the aisle (in autonomous mode, as soon as your Bride steps on the mat)

...when you say "I graciously accept your choice of me as an alliance partner" instead of "I do"

...when your wife understands all this, and loves you anyway.

My wife would have killed me.
Messily.:D

[Adam Y.]

When you can look at a broken drill and can say,"I can fix that. All I need is a replacement chuck."
When you start taking home vacuum cleaners that were thrown out for the impellers.
When you understand why I need an impeller.

[Melissa H.]

~When your non FIRST friends actually understand the significance of build, robots, and know your flight times for Houston... :)

~When your pit orquestra director doesn't knows why you're 45 minutes late to rehersal... and says nothing because he already assumes it must be robotics related... (Bowling with teams 245 and 201) :rolleyes:

~When your little brother builds a mini replica of the Stack Attack field with legos...yet you had no idea that he knew the dimensions...:p

[Joe Matt]

-When you are on the computer and your parents ask "Are you on that $@#$@#$@#$@# robotics site?"

-You don't want to find the angle of accent of a triangle on paper, but you would willingly do it to the Stack Attack field.

-You wear your FIRST shirt when you go out of town to see if other teams there will see you.

-You ask your principle to make the school Segway friendly.

-You think about girls every 6 seconds, but robots every 2.

-Despite the fact you play video games, do homework, go to amusement parks, and go out with friends, you still spend an un-holy amount of time on robotics.

-Your ranking for collages is based on local FIRST teams.

-Your PDA has the whole Stack Attack rules on it in PDF form.

[Hailfire]

Originally posted by JosephM
-When you are on the computer and your parents ask "Are you on that $@#$@#$@#$@# robotics site?"

Wow, talk about harsh. Anyway...

...when your team captain tells you that he's looking for a song titled "SCREAM" on Kazaalite. Then later, you even do it yourself. :D

...when you're asked by your parents... "who are you talking to?" and you reply... "it's a message board" every single time you are seen on CD.

...when your optical mouse all of a sudden doesn't work while trying to post a message. (Did happen once)

[Scott Shaw 237]

-When you can correctly score a match long before the judges can and with complete accuracy (happened during most matches at New York :D )

-When you find yourself supposed to be researching a project at school and somehow end up on the Chief Delphi Forum

[Elgin Clock]

Yeah.. I'd have to agree with ya' Scott.

FIRST is responsible for my procrastinator lifestyle when it comes to chosing between school work or workin on FIRST stuff. LOL

[Powers]

When all you want to do is watch the CD forums all night long, even on weekends

[Firewolf]

Originally posted by Hailfire

...when you're asked by your parents... "who are you talking to?" and you reply... "it's a message board" every single time you are seen on CD.



happens to me - everytime - without fail - everytime

[J2Kraatz]

When you are on Chief Delphi every hour.

[Vincent Chan]

Not sure if I mentioned this...

--you avoid this thread because you're too lazy to unsubscribe from it, and you don't want to receive all the emails.

[Jack]

... you're sitting at a laptop plugged into a hotel "Business Center" (direct quote) making flyers to hand out to other team's as a selling thingie. Actually, the flyers are beging printed out now on the hotel's printer (meaning free ink and paper) :). So, because I'm bored, i decided to steel the internet connection that went to the destop here and am on cd half asleap dictating evenything i'm saying to another team member who's making spelling corrections with whiteout on some of the version 1 flyers.

this has been wayyyyyy too much to say, and i really don't care any more, but it's funny to me so...

GO FIRST & Team 201 & Exhaustedness!!!!

ps: I'm not lying :cool:

[tonyargote]

...your up at 2:00am in the morning working on a autonomous program the day before your first Regional competition, with a total of 4 hours of sleep from the night before.

...you dream about driving your teams robot through a field of stacked boxes!

[ChewyMasterFlex]

You know you're addicted to FIRST when it's 2AM week and a half from Nats, and you're profiling bots!

Yeah! Caffeine Rocks! WOO HOO! (fallsoff chair spasming)

Dah, been profiling and watching silicon valley live webcast for past 10 hours....

[Hailfire]

Originally posted by Firewolf
happens to me - everytime - without fail - everytime

Doesn't it just bother you? It drives me nuts how many times I have to explain it.

...when you're bored and you decide to build gearboxes and transmissions out of technic. :D

[Powers]

When you take a year off between high school and college so you can still work with the team (also so you can go to Olin)

granted this isnt me, it is someone on my team

[Pin Man]

agreed

[cbudrecki]

Originally posted by DanLevin247
[B]....You spend at least 4 hours a day on Chief Delphi's forums/B]

try 24/7 on ChiefDelphi!!!!!

[Pin Man]

True... As soon as I started going on delphi I couldn't stop...

[Alaina]

...you want Mark Leon's autograph.

[Jonathan M.]

When you spend hours upon hours looking to hitch a ride to Nats because your team can't afford to go. (Still haven't found one)

When you spend 5 hours of the night perfecting the newest logo for your team because last years was so terrible ("RoboDawgs - 845 'We Byte'" We Byte? What's wrong witht his picture?). And Then when they don't use the revised logo on the web page you get mad and find the time to slip it in with out anyone noticing. <_< >_>

When you almost burst into tears because you finish the animation right after its due date.

When you realize that you would rather be at a FIRST competition then at your own home with your family.

When you have watched every single webcast that has been shown- for your own gratification.

When you can't stand the fact that you have to wait an entire year to start building again.

[BaysianLogik]

For the only ones that can truely say they are addicts, because they keep doing it after HS...

You have an AIM away message specifically saved for each phase of the 6 week deadline.

You are on a first name basis with one of your professors because she is also the advisor for the college students on the robotics team.

You go to spring break, and go to a robotics competition with your old team

You plan to fly back to your college early during winter break so you can help out in the strategy phase of the competition.

[Powers]

Even though your future college fights to remain the only #1 seed in the NCAA men's bracket you refresh the CD site as you watch looking for news about nationals.

[hacksaw692]

When you're in a hotel room the night before the Saturday competition day with a group of eight talking about robotics for 5 hours straight until 3 in the morning. We were seriously having a "girl talk" about robotics... lol.

When frustration kicks in due to the robot, you chew on a zip tie.

When other teams come by the pit to ask about the robot, you don't notice that you have said zip tie in your mouth.

When members of your team pester the DJ into playing the Chicken Dance at competition.

When you hear the chicken dance, you automatically know your team is out there on the field and run off to join them.

When you say that you're going to sleep in the car on the way home from a competition because you're tired and yet you stay awake talking about robotics with the other people in your car.

When your choice of college all depends on whether or not your receive one of the scholarships offered through FIRST.

When graduating becomes really hard because you might be going out of state and will be away from your team.

When you say "Oh well, I'll be joining another team though." and yet think that it's not going to be the same on another team.

[Mr_I]

Strange ... about the same time (2/14) we started coming up with our own list entitled "You know you're a FIRST student when:"

I don't recall all of them, most of which involved sleep (or lack thereof), but some of the more memorable ones were:

- The bags under your eyes are packed for Houston
- You got three hours of sleep ... this week
- You ask for a stripper and no one thinks twice
- "Male" and "Female" refer to electrical connections
- You come home early and your wife calls the cops
- You've broken lexan
- You would have nightmares about competition, ... if you ever slept!
- You cut EVERYthing (paper, sandwiches, etc.) with a bandsaw



HEY 811 -- WHAT ELSE AM I MISSING?

[Katie Reynolds]

... When, on the way home from a competition, you hear four boys yelling, "No, I want to program!!!! It's my turn!" while fighting over a laptop. (I'm not joking!)

... When you tell your parents, "I was talking to ____ from _____ online today -" and they cut you off by saying, "What team are they on?"

... When you plan your family's summer vacations around which FIRSTer from different states you are going to get to see! :)

- Katie

[jzampier]

When you try and get the pit announcer to ask the pit area if anyone has a spare flux capacitor you could borrow....
and they do... and better, someone says they have one!

[Jonathan M.]

Originally posted by jzampier
When you try and get the pit announcer to ask the pit area if anyone has a spare flux capacitor you could borrow....
and they do... and better, someone says they have one!

Oh my gosh I remember that last year at the Virgina regional! That was so great!

Originally posted by Katie Reynolds
... When you tell your parents, "I was talking to ____ from _____ online today -" and they cut you off by saying, "What team are they on?"
Well I can verify I've done the first. And I plan on the second one as well. :D

--> You know you're addicted to FIRST when. . .
When you finally get home from a regional at 2AM and the first thing you do is connect to the net to update your teams home page.

When you get home from regionals at 2AM and after updating your page you check the Chief Delphi forum for news.

When you realize that FIRST girls are on a different level then normal girls.

When the robot means more to you then your school work does.

When you go out to watch a movie and all you can think about is FIRST.
When you go out to a movie and what you do notice in the movie is all the 3D modeling that goes into movies these days. (The Core.)

[Amanda Aldridge]

Originally posted by hacksaw692
When frustration kicks in due to the robot, you chew on a zip tie.


been there done that.

...when either you or someone you know has ghetto-rigged 4 hotel-room tvs to accommodate all of your movie, computer, and gaming paraphanalia all in the space of about a half hour.

...when you laugh to think how stupid the hotel people are, because they actually believe that their little "security devices" are going to keep people from hooking stuff up to the tv.

...when the Home Interiors displayer doing a sale at your fundraiser is upset that she forgot her zip ties, and you ask her what size and color she would like.

...when wire cutters keep mysteriously appearing in your back pocket, and you're not at all surprised.

...when the only thing more important to you than reading and posting on CD is actually going to a robotics meeting or competition.

which is where I am going now. to a meeting.

more later.

[Firewolf]

Originally posted by Katie Reynolds
[B

... When you tell your parents, "I was talking to ____ from _____ online today -" and they cut you off by saying, "What team are they on?"


- Katie [/B]

no, usually with me it's
'how do you know all this boys online?!
are you going in those chat rooms again,
you know what horrible stuff happens...."lecture lecture,
then i have to interject and say
'they're FIRST boys' and then they just pause
and walk away
:yikes:

[Wayne C.]

FIRST BOYS!

Cokeley doubles up the chaperones this season......

[Hailfire]

...when you are subscribed to every thread you post in and every day when you check your mail, there is about 20 e-mails from CD alone. Then, you go back to those threads and post in them once again and so on and so on and so on.

[Powers]

that definitely is happening to me, but CD mail is better than junk mail

[Alaina]

When you're kneeling on the ground rummaging through the most random box in the world looking for some certain screws, and you hear someone say your name. And you look up and the person says "Hey, it's Erica, we talked online." And you're so excited to meet someone from CD you feel like you've met someone famous, yet you talk with her as if you've known her forever. And better yet, she's from one of the teams you're good friends with. :D

[Hailfire]

...when you hear "You've Got Mail" every second with friends, robotics memebers, etc coming in and out of aol all while you're trying to post something on CD.

...when you do all of your tests and quizzes before Nationals to ensure you will get a good grade so you don't have to worry about it later.

...when you gather all of your homework to bring with you to Nationals.

[Melissa H.]

It's like 2 in the morning and you can't sleep...and the only thing you can think of is..."I know I put that roll of duct tape somewhere...where is it? I'm sure the bot is going to break at some time and no tape, electrical or scotch...is going to save it...":p

NEW: Drawing blue, red, and white shapes is the only thing you can think of when 5th hour gets boring...

[Powers]

When you refer to important dates dealing w/ school (yes, i would be referring to spring break/ any other holiday) in terms of FIRST competitions/deadlines, yes yes, this was already said, i just felt like repeating it b/c it is o so a good way to tell.

[Firewolf]

when you wear your safety goggles while baking, but the thought of oven mitts doesn't even cross your mind
~when you go tell college kids who don't even know you
to come to the competition because it's on their campus
(and they come)
~when you are willing to cook for your team mates simply because they ask ... which reminds me, chocolate chocolate chip brownies at RU
or cake??
haha

~when you can threaten your advisers with stories you know about them....... :p

[Carlo]

When while walking to 30th street station in Philadelphia, you hand out half the team's buttons to random people, inviting them all to come see the team's robot compete, and they actually show up on Saturday...

When driving through Center City Philadelphia you accidentally beep your horn to the tune of your team's cheer...

When going to Pat's Steaks, no not Geno's, you hand the lady buttons to hand out to the next three shifts, and she does it, asking for more so that they can wear them the entire next day...

Did anyone from other teams see this??

[codeoftherobot]

when you confuse the robot for your girlfriend

when you drive a car and you find that there aren't any joysticks

when you send your team photographer to take pictures of girls on other teams :D

when hallucinations of robots start to appear everywhere

[Kevin A]

when you miss robotics for robotics


Yep, i was volenteering in Silicon Valley instead of going to the team meeting!

Kevin Antaki
Team 481

IM Me: xpalendocious

[Melissa H.]

off topic:
Missing robotics for robotics? wow...never thought that could happen...I guess I was wrong...:p

[AlbertW]

when you spend 2 weeks learning how to swing dance so you can show up your mentors at a robotics competition ;)

[Dirty Harry]

addicted to FIRST when...

-you talk about robotics online until the wee hours of the morning

-your safety glasses have become permanently attached to your head

-you dream of falling boxes

-you yell out LIL MOJO whenever you see a snowblower

Yeah im sure i repeated some but oh well......

[EIROBOTICS86]

you are addicted to first when
-you see your team number everywhere
-you cnat go any where with out thinking of robots
-when you meet a girl she is probably on anothr robotics team

[scuba_sm]

The worst nightmare you've ever had was the one about missing the bus to a Competition.

When you talk to other team members, and that's the worst nightmare THEY'VE had as well....

[kristi006]

- when your bf says he loves you almost as much as he loves the robot
- when you consider it a compliment
- when you're going to prom with a FIRSTer
- when you decide to talk of Chief Delphi instead of shopping for a prom dress
- when your idea of a perfect date involves working in the shop on the robot...with or without your bf
- when you're convinced someone on your team is involved in a serious relationship with the bot
- when you're jealous of that person
- when you have a notebook filled with animation ideas...2 days after you started brainstorming them
- when the animation team thinks its perfectly natural to be woken up at 2 in the morning by a phone call from you about a new idea
- when the animation team doesn't need to be woken up at 2 in the morning by a phone call from you about a new idea because they're all awake and temporarily living at your house
- when a coke and a snickers or a mountain dew and a bag of skittles is a perfectly acceptable meal
- when people start to talk to you in PBasic because you always respond in it
- when, on one of the few days you're actually in science, your teacher puts on an educational video with Woody in it
- when you start hyperventilating when you see his bowtie
- when the rest of the class (mostly non-FIRSTers) knows why you're hyperventilating

[Hailfire]

...when you find out that 2 people from your own school are on Truck Town Thunder's Team.

...when you have a team party before every regional and national competition.

...when you're in your least favorite class and wish that you were doing something robotics related.

...when you do your math problems you see your team number as the answer.

[Jonathan M.]

Originally posted by scuba_sm
The worst nightmare you've ever had was the one about missing the bus to a Competition.

When you talk to other team members, and that's the worst nightmare THEY'VE had as well....

Wow I HAVE had that nightmare. *shudders*
May it never happen in real life.

...When you're taking your high school's Exit Exam and all you can think about is Robotics and the Girl from that other team.

...When you're at a build meating, and you go take a walk around your school to clear your head, but you really take a few steps and turn around to get back to work.

...When you truly believe you'll get picked for the finals, don't, forget about it, and start thinking about next year.

...When some one asks you what sport you play you answer 'I build Robots.'
...When some one tells you robotics isn't a sport and you spend 2 hours explaining how it is very much a sport.
...When you give in and say 'And you call Golf a sport?!' or 'Well Chess is a sort of the mind right? So is Robotics- but with much more application and other skills are needed.'

...When you post on Chief Delphi at least once a day every day since you've signed up. (I average quite a bit more then one a day. :) )

...When the first thing you do when you get home from school is connect to the internet to check Chief Delphi's Forums.

-'w00t!'

[Alaina]

-When you sit for 10 minutes thinking of a way to know when you're addicted to FIRST...and can't think of any...but you post anyway.

:D

[Thos]

...When you're taking your high school's Exit Exam and all you can think about is Robotics and the Girl from that other team.

^ Amen to that! I've been like that since our team left the Midwest Regionals Competition last weekend, and I see no end to the condition in the near future...

- when you can't deal with work and robotics at the same time, so you take a two and a half month extended leave of absence from work so you can continue working with the robot.

- when everyone in your family, including your eight year old brother, knows what FIRST is and can explain the competition from this year.

- when you have given up washing your hands before you eat, because you realize that grease, dirt, and Al chips only add flavor.

[scuba_sm]

When you manage to convince several girls (not being one myself) that machine oil and aluminum shavings make a much nicer hand lotion than any of the sparkly stuff they buy.

When you see an add for an autonomous vacum cleaner, and tell your mom you could build it.

You sit and think for 30 min, and have the whole thing planned in your head, including the cat scaring device.


-S cubed

[Thos]

- when your primary language is PBASIC.

- when your AIM signname involves the words 'Dean Kamen is God'.

- when you have a sign in your frontyard that reads, "Vote Dean Kamen for President!"

- when you actually do write in Dean Kamen when voting for President.

- when you swear upon the FIRST manual to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth... and suddenly nobody doubts what you are saying.

[George1902]

When you're driving down the highway and the mile marker you pass brings to mind your favorite bot from the last competition...

"Ooh... 343. Now there was a good design."

this actually happened on the way home from Peachtree =-]

[Jeff Waegelin]

When you see Bus Route 201 in Evanston, IL and get a sudden urge to hop out of the car and take a picture (it was raining, though... :mad: )

[Fiona]

~When the hotel you are staying at is 5201 and, along with the bus route 201, you think it is a good omen

~When you are staring at a math test and running out of time to do it, and the only thing you can think of when the angle is 111 degrees is "Wildstang has a good robot"

[kristen]

Math has become a lot more fun.. I'll see a number that correlates to a team number that I know, and I'll stop and stare at it for 5 min ;)

... When you're obbsessed with another team's robot. (SPARKY- love ya sparks!! :p ) and you plot out different ways of kidnapping it and eloping to it.... when you take pictures of it every time that you walk past it at a regional, and some of your teammates have to contrain you from taking any more... when you wear the wristband that they handed out for 3 weeks after the competition, and cutting it off was a very hard decision to make ;) (tons of people commented on it.. one person asked me if sparky was my name!)

[Ryan Foley]

when you come back from a day of working at the BAE regional and you thought it was the best day ever because you managed to get ean Kamen's and Woodie Flowers's autographs

almost all of your friends never heard of the above mentioned people, but you dont care


when one of the most important things you look for in a college is if they have a FIRST team


when 6 out of the 8 colleges you want to apply to have a robotics team

[codeoftherobot]

when you start thinking only about all the girls on the other teams and you could go on dates with them all :rolleyes:

[Alaina]

Originally posted by Foley350
almost all of your friends never heard of the above mentioned people, but you dont care
YES!

[Scott Shaw 237]

-You get really mad and offended whenever someone asks if this robot was in any way like a battlebot :mad:

[Simeon]

when any number less than 1300 or so (how many teams are there? i'm not exactly sure) makes u remember of falling boxes

[Joe Matt]

Originally posted by kristen
... When you're obbsessed with another team's robot. (SPARKY- love ya sparks!! :p ) and you plot out different ways of kidnapping it and eloping to it.... when you take pictures of it every time that you walk past it at a regional, and some of your teammates have to contrain you from taking any more... when you wear the wristband that they handed out for 3 weeks after the competition, and cutting it off was a very hard decision to make ;) (tons of people commented on it.. one person asked me if sparky was my name!)

So you were the one we got the restraining order for? ;) :p j/k

You know your addicted to FIRST when you would rather go to Deans house than the Playboy Mansion.

[computhief263]

...When ur parents forget wut u look like
...when its 2 a.m. and a senior is doing a solo rendition of the ymca
...when ur excuse 4 every mistake out side of botics is "give me a break im having a brain fart"
...When ur parents goto u 4 technical advice
...When sleep is a foriegn concept
... when this is a direct from 1 of ur freshman "FRESHMAN MAY NOT BE ELECTROCUTED, DUCT TAPED OR STUFFED IN THE BINS (REFERENCE: NO MIDGET STICKER)"
...when u need to listen to music so u develop the dj in a bag (a set of batt powered compy speakers and a cd player in a back pack) to bring to ur compitions
...when ur idea of sleep is the nap u got in 8th period
...when ur up from 6 a.m. jan. 4 till 3p.m. jan.6 plotting ideas u have 4 the design of the bot
...when terms like "argh,yep,yesum,and okies " become common language
...when all ur teachers know ur in botics and give u a break on ur work load
...when the mention of battle bots makes u want to throw something

[Specialagentjim]

Originally posted by Thos
[B- when you swear upon the FIRST manual to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth... and suddenly nobody doubts what you are saying. [/B]

You are, however, allowed to release updates to the truth, right? ;)

[ZACH P.]

Originally posted by computhief263

...when ur idea of sleep is the nap u got in 8th period



6th and 7th period 4 me.

When you decide that you would rather attend the nats over ISEF (Intel International Science and Engineering Fair) if you had to chose between them

[Firewolf]

OK, after today's practice rounds on Rutgers, I left with my brother who goes to there, and I went with him to his orgo class (organic chem.)
and they had a few notes and then a quiz....
I took the notes...
and then during the quiz, i drew pictures of our robot
from different angles... And different poses...
I almost drew a heart around it...

man, I'm pathetic

[Melissa H.]

Originally posted by computhief263

...when ur idea of sleep is the nap u got in 8th period


*falls asleep in school library at the computer... <-- my nap :D

[/Pyro]

--You've spent more than 3 nights in a row at your school
--You keep a weeks worth of clothes in your van for the above mentioned reason
--You have a key to the showers in the gym
--you know that washing your hands wont help, so you eat the pizza anyway
--The table serves as a perfectly good plate
--You actually drive a BOXTRUCK to school so you can move your robot and tools to the shipping place
--You continue to drive the boxtruck "just because its fun!"
--You're sponsor pulls you out of government every day to discuss a new robot design idea
--You instinctivly show up to the workshop even after ship date
--You run after the FedEx truck to get your crate back when you hear about the ship date delay
--You notice there is too much blood in your caffeine stream
--You have seriously considered a caffeine IV drip
--You drew blueprints for a pnuematic can crusher
--After ship date, you think of things you can do to your cart to waste time
--You actually spend time putting LEDs on your cart (strobes are next)

[AlbertW]

when you find yourself an "honorary member" of quite a few teams... and that's only after one regional! :D

when you use remark that an action someone took in laserquest wasn't gracious professionalism

[Ryan Foley]

when you get all excited when that little title under your CD username goes from "junior member" to"frequent contributor"

when the phrase "check mail" includes checkingout every thread on the CD portal

when your team is inactive you come up with a challenge that the team has to build a robot for (they have to build a bot that opens a door) because you absolutely have to build some sort of robot

[Hailfire]

...when you're anxious to get home to use either 3dsmax, C++, or play games.

...when right away when you get home you get online to talk to friends, and post messages on CD.

[Powers]

when you insist on reading all new posts to your subscribed threads (every thread you've posted on) no matter how badly you have to go to the bathroom.... and now that im done with that....

[codeoftherobot]

you start to think that wearing pink buttons is the ultimate fashion accessory

when you meet a new person at school, you almost immediately give him a button for being a rookie

you wonder if your new gameboy can charge faster with the FIRST battery charger

seeing any motorized two wheel device makes you want to lean back and forth

[Thos]

- when you randomly shout out "Let's all go nuts! " in the middle of class, and at least four other people have heard it enough times to respond by shouting, "Robots! Robots! "

- when you just don't feel that sense of being alive unless you are doing something FIRST related.

- when your idea of a good time involves: a) sitting in front of a computer for hours on end typing in an obscure language; b) getting permanent grease stains and a slight silver tinge to your skin after spending days at a time in a machine shop building something that may not even function; c) taking apart and reassembling a transmition that took forever to build the first time around.

[Da SPAMinatress]

when you are the ONLY person left on CD.... much like i am at this very moment...:(

i have nothing else to do... so i'll think i'll just sit here and twiddle my thumbs and hum

dum de dum de dum

[AlbertW]

when the "Robotics" section on your buddy list is slowly growing larger than the "School Friends" section. :D

[Alaina]

When you don't know whether to put your boyfriend in the "friends" or "1201307 PPLZ!!1" category. lol.

[Amanda Aldridge]

Originally posted by computhief263
...When ur parents forget wut u look like
...When sleep is a foriegn concept
...when ur idea of sleep is the nap u got in 8th period
...when all ur teachers know ur in botics and give u a break on ur work load
...when the mention of battle bots makes u want to throw something

woot! you said it!

[Pierson]

Originally posted by /Pyro
[B--You drew blueprints for a pnuematic can crusher[/B]

Been there... Done That... Only problem is our state does not have the recycle and receive $.03, or $.05, etc... redemption value for cans :(

[Jeff Waegelin]

Originally posted by Peciv
Been there... Done That... Only problem is our state does not have the recycle and receive $.03, or $.05, etc... redemption value for cans :(

A pneumatic crusher wouldn't be too good for returning cans, though. Most states with bottle/can deposits require the cans to be intact so the scanning machines can read the barcode on the side. This ensures that the can actually came from that state.

[Matt Brinza]

... When you spend more time in front of your computer hitting F5 on the Match Results page than you do getting ready for prom.
(Gee, I hope I'm ready in time)

[kristen]

.... This thread moved... AHHH!! scary!!!!

[Alaina]

When you're suprised you've only posted 7 times in this thread...

Oh! Oh! Now it's 8!! :rolleyes: :p

[Firewolf]

I've begun too see everyone in our bright orange print hawiian shirts everytime i close my eyes
went to a show, closed my eyes for a moment, saw everyone on stage w/ the orange garb on
went to IHOP , closed my eyes for a moment, saw the waiters with the orange garb on....

is this a bad thing?

[Elyse Holguin]

...after you've already lost your voice more than 3 times, and can only talk in an extremely scratchy and coarse voice, you refuse to stop screaming cheers for your team or talking about your robot.

[jzampier]

... you no longer feel self conscious about wearing tie-dye....

[Jonathan M.]

...when you meet the coolest girl in the world at a FIRST competition and dont mind the fact that she lives a couple of states away.

...when you realize that you wont be going to Nationals and might have to wait a year before seeing that girl again.

...when it's ok because you care about her so much.

Hmm. ;)

[Joe Matt]

When you have one shelf/wall dedicated to things teams have handed out (and some things they didn't... :D )

[Specialagentjim]

Originally posted by Jonathan M.
...when you meet the coolest girl in the world at a FIRST competition and dont mind the fact that she lives a couple of states away.

...when you realize that you wont be going to Nationals and might have to wait a year before seeing that girl again.

...when it's ok because you care about her so much.

Hmm. ;)

Man, I hear ya there!

[Amanda Morrison]

...you cheer because your robot busted some Tupperware. :D

[Pierson]

Originally posted by amandabean
...you cheer because your robot busted some Tupperware. :D
Not that this relates exactly to addiction, but when everyone starts yelling when two teams in an elim match at the PNW regional were racing at each other with a bin in between and the bin went everywhere... :yikes:

I'll see if I can find the video...

[MacZealot]

.. .you set this site as your home page.

Or was that already posted? I kinda lost track of my time and just realized I used to go here
OOPS!!!! :D

Great to be back :)

[Powers]

.....when you are the most recent person on your team to register for CD, but have posted WAY more than the rest of your team.

[Team238-aholic]

Originally posted by Jonathan M.
...when you meet the coolest girl in the world at a FIRST competition and dont mind the fact that she lives a couple of states away.

...when you realize that you wont be going to Nationals and might have to wait a year before seeing that girl again.

...when it's ok because you care about her so much.

Hmm.

awww...FIRST love...

I have a few of those...i know how your feeling :)

[MisterX]

When you spend your entire weekends fo rthe past 3 weeks trying to find a teacher to watch the Team during Nats so you can go

When you convince the entire team to wear their team jerseys to school everyday during Nationals in memory of what could have been (when everyone says NO).

When on you aol autoresponse you mention "To Archimdes for what could have been" and " Team 521 MIA, you will not be forgotten"

When you go around school mumbling something about "You may go to NATS but I go to youth conference"

[Thos]

- when the highlight of your day is getting home after school, not because school is finally over, but because you have more time to spend on DC replying to your favorite threads.

- when you look forward to the four minute break between fourth and fifth hours only slightly less, because you know you will walk past a girl that reminds you of that super hot chick you saw at Regionals

[Melissa H.]

...when CD doesn't mean compact disc...

[Amanda Morrison]

... when you stop refering to team numbers and instead know sponsors, schools, etc.

See how many of these you can name:
Baxter
Chief Delphi (no peeking - haha! ;) )
Beatty
Kingman
Wildstang
TechnoKats
Westside Boiler Invasion
Las Guerillas
Cheesy Poofs
TRW
RoboDawgs
Juggernauts
ComBBAT
Killer Bees
HotBot
Truck Town Thunder
Holland Christian
NEW Apple Corps
Full Metal Jackets
The Feds
RAGE
Thunder Chickens
CyberBlue

...just to name a few from the top of my head. If you can get every one of those without looking them up - consider yourself addicted!

[Elyse Holguin]

Originally posted by Specialagentjim
Man, I hear ya there!

jim said it best! a year's not too long, right?

..when you can't wait til your SECOND year of college, because then you and him can both be mentors on the same college team since he's a year younger than you, but you don't care.

[Jonathan M.]

Originally posted by amandabean
... when you stop refering to team numbers and instead know sponsors, schools, etc.

See how many of these you can name:
Baxter
Chief Delphi (no peeking - haha! ;) )
Beatty
Kingman
Wildstang
TechnoKats
Westside Boiler Invasion
Las Guerillas
Cheesy Poofs
TRW
RoboDawgs
Juggernauts
ComBBAT
Killer Bees
HotBot
Truck Town Thunder
Holland Christian
NEW Apple Corps
Full Metal Jackets
The Feds
RAGE
Thunder Chickens
CyberBlue

...just to name a few from the top of my head. If you can get every one of those without looking them up - consider yourself addicted!

I just gotta say:
Metal In Motion
S.P.A.M.
Heat Wave
Swamp thing
Baxter Bomb Squad
M'Aiken Magic
Demolition Squad
The Flashbacks
Sigma C@ts
Miracle Workerz (Moe)
Mobotics

Just off the top of my head. ;)

Originally posted by goosefrom71
jim said it best! a year's not too long, right?
No not at all. :D
Originally posted by goosefrom71
..when you can't wait til your SECOND year of college, because then you and him can both be mentors on the same college team since he's a year younger than you, but you don't care.
Hmm now that's thinkin' ahead. Same here but her where him is and she where he is.

...when it's the two days before her team leaves, and you smile wish her luck and act happy when you can't stand that you can't go with her.

...when you try try try and try to make plans for a road trip this summer to her state. And the odds start to look better for you!

[Alaina]

When your away message reads "I'M GONNA MEET (insert person from CD here)!!!!!!!!!"

[/Pyro]

--you finally make it to page 27
--you fear nationals only because you know its your senior year and you will be leaving your team
--you then remember "ITS NATIONALS" and decide to make it the best ever
--you still have the old pink sticker Operator Badge from your freshman year stuck to your wall
--when you're making CAT-5E patch cables and you have flashbacks to wiring the robot
--you know what CAT-5E patch cables are (and how to properly use them in the lab)
--when you decide to make a rotating trophy case from lexan, 80/20, and a chipewa/fisherprice piggy back
--you had serious thoughts about building a small tank with a 6 chipewa drive system
--you spend time to figure out the torque of 6 chipewa motors

[AlbertW]

you start asking people for the stickers that they put on the side of the bins so you can have your own authentic FIRST bin :D

[118 Tech]

When you sign up for your cell phone you request that it has your team number or somethign close to it. 2418

When you notice your team number or other team numbers in everyday things like license plates and addressss going thourout your day.

When you notice that an important date in your life has your team number in it. 10/18/02

[Hailfire]

...when it's 5:00 in the morning and you leave your house at 6:45 or so to get to the airport.

...when you're going to miss your computer because you have no labtop to bring with you to Houston.

...when you're going to be stuck doing your math homework in Houston.

[Specialagentjim]

Originally posted by Hailfire
...when it's 5:00 in the morning and you leave your house at 6:45 or so to get to the airport.

...when you're going to miss your computer because you have no labtop to bring with you to Houston.

...when you're going to be stuck doing your math homework in Houston.

Well, I got a laptop from school for this trip, but I've had this problem before.

All I've got to say is Duct Tape, CRT, Zip Ties and your Desktop...

Oh, and if your going by plane, tie a few Battery backups to that combo...


It sorta fits in your lap..if you do it right... :p

[Powers]

... when you know for a fact that anything can be done with duct tape, because youve tried

[Team238-aholic]

-you're stuck in college, haven't been on the team in 3 years...watch your team at the lonestar regional on webcast...when they get picked for alliance...you run and scream around you room...while your roommates sit there, and are like, "What the hell are you doing?"

[Alaina]

Originally posted by Aonic
you start asking people for the stickers that they put on the side of the bins so you can have your own authentic FIRST bin :D

When you DO have your very own FIRST bin.

We got it from the final match at SVR ;)

[Scott Shaw 237]

Originally posted by Alaina
When you DO have your very own FIRST bin.

We got it from the final match at SVR ;)

HAHA. We got one from the NYC regional.

[Powers]

when you are not going to nationals, but plan on wearing your robotics shirt thursday, friday, and saturday just b/c every1 else will be wearing thiers.

[abeD]

when you only have one robotics shirt and have to wash it thursday, friday and saturday night

[Katie Reynolds]

... When you give an explanation of what a limit switch is and does to anyone who questions the limit switch keychain on your backpack.

<story> A kid in my english class made the mistake of asking me what the limit switch keychain on my backpack was for. He got a 5 minute lecture on the limit switch and its use to which he responded, "Huh?" Finally, I said "It's a clicky thing that does stuff when it's pressed." and he said "Oh, ok." ::sigh:: </end_story>

... When the announcers at school say "Snack attack" on the afternoon announcements and you (and everyone else in your class who is in FIRST) stops talking!

... When you talk to numerous people from across the country on AIM, and when you get offline you tell each of them, "I'll see you in two days!"

- Katie

[Matt Attallah]

When you actucally look foward to Meeting DJ...:D

When you get geeked up about some gear ratios...

When you see Woodie Flowers and say he is a pimp...

[Jonathan M.]

...when your team gets their picture in the paper, to spread the word about this small town robotics team that many didn't know existed.

...when people ask you what sport you play you answer "I build robots."

...when you aren't offended by the following: Geek, Nerd, Wierdo, and or Loser.

...when you spend hours thinking up new ways to make your teams Logo better!

...when you find your self explaining the game rules to each class you are in, on the first day back from a regional.

...when you get mad that teachers haven't even seen the robot and dismiss it as hard work, worthy of being so tired. Until finally after much argueing you drag them down to see the robot and they are so shocked and amazed that the next day they let you dose off and sleep in class.


...when you've talked to your really cool FIRST girl for the last time before she goes off to Nationals and you know that she will have fun.

...when you wish you could be with her. But since you can't you're going to be watching the web cast and chearing for her team like Mad!

...when you know that when you see her again, you'll be the happiest person in the entire world. . . Ever!

...when she understands that those 6 weeks of building time is important because she has to deal with it too, and shes not mad that you aren't around that often!

[Elyse Holguin]

...when you don't care what's going on now that you're in houston, because you're in here on this!

[MRL180YTL2002]

Originally posted by goosefrom71
...when you don't care what's going on now that you're in houston, because you're in here on this!

....when you associate numbers with FIRST teams....

(I'm not to sure if someone said that)

....when the girl you like is in FIRST too....

"....instead of the traditional wedding march, 3..2.1...go (the sounds at the start of a match)..." (Mr. Dillard came up with that one)

[Jonathan M.]

Originally posted by MRL180YTL2002
....when the girl you like is in FIRST too....


Well considering the last few posts I've put into this thread have had at least one reference to a girl I like in FIRST I think that it is pretty common now a days for FIRSTers to like each other.

...when you just finished writing a song about that really cool FIRST girl. (Still working it out though! If my band gets it finished in time you may here the DJ playing it at a regional/nats next year. :) )

...when the really cool FIRST girl you met at a FIRST competition you had actually known through Chief Delphi before hand! :ahh: (The secret is out! J.k)

...when your AIM Buddy list is 90% FIRST people and of that 90%, 70 or more you know/met through Chief Delphi.
:ahh:

*points to picture under my name... then walks away. ;)*

[Team238-aholic]

-when you sit in front of your computer and wait for that certain FIRST person to come on...cause you miss them...

[Amanda Morrison]

a couple college and friendship experiences:

...you drag your roommate to a FIRST meeting and stick a dremel in her hands.

...you've only got a couple friends that aren't in FIRST... and during build season you talk to them once. Maybe.

...every guy's room that you walk into with Junkyard Wars or BattleBots on TV, you BEG them to join your team.

...your boyfriend goes to a different college, and you hound HIS professors to start a team. (Go Rose-Hulman 2004!)

I'll add more as I think of them. ;)

[Elyse Holguin]

Originally posted by Jonathan M.


...when the really cool FIRST girl you met at a FIRST competition you had actually known through Chief Delphi before hand! :ahh: (The secret is out! J.k)


yeah.... 'cept i realized i think i might have screamed at him last year if he was the guy behind the SOAP counter.... awww...... but i was more interested in getting scouting info and was having some technical difficulties.

...when you walk around in a shirt that says something related to your delphi name and introduce youself as someone from 71 in hopes a fellow delphi user might recognize you. :p

[Josh Hambright]

Your up at 5:30 and rather then go back to sleep you go down to the lobby of the double tree hotel to check your internet, plus your kinda happy your up so early cuz it'll give you a chance to work on your mohawk.

[Amanda Morrison]

Originally posted by oneangrydwarf
Your up at 5:30 and rather then go back to sleep you go down to the lobby of the double tree hotel to check your internet, plus your kinda happy your up so early cuz it'll give you a chance to work on your mohawk.

Only 461 and Dwarf's Mohawked Minions would say something like that!

...when people stop recognizing you as 'that girl from 71 last year' and instead know you as 'Amanda from the Prank Monkeys'. I'm telling you - in Indiana, if you start a team, every other Indiana team has got your back. :)

...when you have to check Delphi every half an hour for new updates about the Championship and your favorite teams.

...when you wake up your roommate in the middle of the night when the phone rings by screaming, "HOUSTON IS CALLING ME!!!"


haha, I'm a nerd. Ah well.

[brokenleftthumb]

....when the girl you like is in FIRST too....

man, I love that one the best..

...when you go home take a shower and find metal pieces falling out of your hair
...when you wanna cry 'cause you're not going to the final in Houston

[Jonathan M.]

Originally posted by brokenleftthumb
man, I love that one the best..

...when you go home take a shower and find metal pieces falling out of your hair
...when you wanna cry 'cause you're not going to the final in Houston

Yes but I thought it up first! LoL but that's not important. What's important is that alot of people agree that FIRST girls rule!

...when you sit around and wait for the first day of actual competition to start so you can watch the web cast. And cheer on your cool FIRST Girl's team. (And other favorite teams in between. (180, 108, 71, 16, 343, 168........)

...when you just know that a year to wait isn't THAT long. It only feels like it. But you know that before you know it the next season will start, and you'll be seeing her soon.

Edit: I had to get this on here fast as possible:

...when that really really Awesome FIRST girl just called you using minutes on her phone card just to see how your doing! YAY!

It was great man. FIRST and FIRSTers RULE!

[Elyse Holguin]

Originally posted by Jonathan M.
Yes but I thought it up first! LoL but that's not important. What's important is that alot of people agree that FIRST girls rule!

...when you sit around and wait for the first day of actual competition to start so you can watch the web cast. And cheer on your cool FIRST Girl's team. (And other favorite teams in between. (180, 108, 71, 16, 343, 168........)

...when you just know that a year to wait isn't THAT long. It only feels like it. But you know that before you know it the next season will start, and you'll be seeing her soon.

hehe, FIRST boys are great too, especially the ones you met on CD! and yaaaay! you're cheering us on! yay! you rock, and yeah, i think i've been adopted by 108 now... so of course i'll cheer as loudly as my no- voiced self can! (especially the driver!) and man, i'm lucky i'll haave thirty billion things to do during the off season b/c it'll keep me from wallowing in how long a year really is!

...oh man... when you associate with other firsters so much you can be adopeted by another team!

[Powers]

....when you have a dream where you check the CD forums (yes, that happend last night, guess i was dreaming about nat's)

[Wetzel]

...when you quit your job after they wouldn't give you two weeks off to goto West Coast regionals.

Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anyone want to hire me in the Northern Virginia area?

[Specialagentjim]

...when you've spent so much time with your pit crew, they can crack a joke about you simply by looking at you, and you know EXACTLY what the crack was without them having to say it

...when you actaully introduce yourself by or go looking for members of another team by screenname (Hey, Im specialagentjim, are you trucktown68?)

...when you've got almost as many shirts from another team as you do your own

...when you really wish that someone in the pits actually had that flux capicator because the reality of how long a year is just set in...

Its not.....THAT....long....

Aww...it is... :( (Must find way to go to germany for study abroad program...or find way of getting to Indiana....whadda yall think? Yellow freight crate with air holes, think I'll get there?)

[Alaina]

When you see someone on a segway and find it rather uncommon.

[Amanda Morrison]

Originally posted by Specialagentjim
...when you actaully introduce yourself by or go looking for members of another team by screenname (Hey, Im specialagentjim, are you trucktown68?)

I know that Josh (driver from 461) had a ton of people recognize him and ask if he was 'one angry dwarf'. There must be a lot of dedicated CD posters out there. :)

[Wildthang111]

When you Beleive You've programmed an alternate universe into your robot that is called the matrix

When you sleep draped over your robot to protect it from being broken in an accident.

When your robot has AI (artificial intelligence)

When you want to put a nitro engine into your robot (for those of you who dont know what Nitro is click on the url(http://www.rcnitro.com/)

When you write love letters to Dean and Woodie flowers.

when you wear your Championship medals to sleep with you

[Jonathan M.]

Originally posted by amandabean
I know that Josh (driver from 461) had a ton of people recognize him and ask if he was 'one angry dwarf'. There must be a lot of dedicated CD posters out there. :)

I've had quite a few people recognize me based on my picture. Since my user name is my name they just kind of say "Hey I know you! You post on Chief Delphi!" lol.

...when that really cool FIRST girl is back from Nationals and you've been talking to her all day, save for dinner and shower breaks.

...when you go out and buy a phone card so you can call her tomorrow.. probably the next day.. and with what ever is left maybe the next day.

...when you Dream about robots and her.

...when you day dream about being in the top 8 and standing on the field to announce who you pick for your alliance.

[Josh Hambright]

Originally posted by amandabean
I know that Josh (driver from 461) had a ton of people recognize him and ask if he was 'one angry dwarf'. There must be a lot of dedicated CD posters out there. :)

Hehe yah you know your addicted when people scream out "One angry dwarf" when your walking through the pits and you turn around and meet someone else that posts on here (hello to everyone i met!)

Also when your mohawk gets more attention then you do but it doesn't even phase you, you know your addicted to first.

-----

When you push your robot up all the ramps in the dome and across the open area at nats, that many times, you know your addicted to first!

[Amanda Morrison]

I think just putting glue in your hair for the sake of competition means you are addicted... I mean, come on. I think it's safe to say that FIRST causes impaired judgement when you have to hug Dr. Woodie Flowers with glue dripping down your face (NEVER AGAIN). :p

[Firewolf]

aah! i got to hug Woodie Flowers as well!!
I got soooooo very happy, i started jumping around
and I had the big stupid smile on my face... i still do!

addicted when:
you say you got to hug Woodie to everyone you know,
and don't understand the strange looks other people give you.

When you go around bragging that you got to see the man
who broke the sound barrier and rub it in more into the faces
of the people who act like they don't care

[Kyle]

when you get home from nats and are more than happy to pay $1.25 for a drink

[mgreenley]

Your addicted to FIRST when...

...8 instead of 42 is the answer to life.
...when you clap for the time of day that coincides with your team number (3:41:00)
...when you can knock 16 seconds of your half mile time even though this time your carrying a battery for a needy robot.

[Melissa H.]

~ You'd rather have a bag covered in team buttons as your carry on as opposed to a more light weight bag...
~ Ah yes...right after getting home from nationals...head straight for the computer and post on CD...
~ You sprint like crazy to get to the arena to watch your robot but will only half sprint to catch a flight that you forgot to board.

[Alaina]

When you're trying to order pizza for two hours, and finally get it ordered, at midnight.
That was pretty awesome.

[OneAngryDaisy]

When you're depressed to be on spring break for the week after Nat's because
1. You just miss it
2. You want to show off your medals at school
3. You want to see your robot again

[Amanda Morrison]

I guess this is pretty nerdy...

... when your boyfriend, whom you met in FIRST, gives you the sweetest present of all - one of your team pins signed by Dean Kamen. (I'll treasure that forever!)

[Pin Man]

lol... that's sooooo sweet... lol... I want one

[GateRunner]

....you get in line at the rest stop on the bus ride home, and right as you get up to order, you hear the Trumphit(sp?) charge. Yes, I did actually hear that.

[A. Leese]

..you seem to have more friends on other FIRST teams than in your classes at school.

or perhaps that just means I scare people away..hrmm..

[Kiwi_queen]

~when you seriously try to think of a way to wear a cow tail to school without getting strange looks

~when you have Dean Kamen or Woodie Flowers pictures up on your wall instead of movie/music stars

~when you open a new book and at least 15 things automatically remind you of things and people related to FIRST

~when you watch television and you notice the robotic things in each show rather than the people

~when being in school is that three day break period to sleep between competitions

~when you look down on people (even your friends) if they don't have at least a slight interest in robots

~when you have a section on your buddy list just for robotics friends (and the # of people on that section out numbers all the other sections)

~when you hear Woodie and don't think something perverted

~when you'd rather see a bunch of robots push around bins than go to your favorite band's concert

[kristen]

~when you have a section on your buddy list just for robotics friends (and the # of people on that section out numbers all the other sections)
[/B]

Haha.. I realized this yesterday. Not only do I have a 'robotics' category, but 3 teams even have their own team category. Robotics people are definitly online more than my other non robotics friends.. who are away half of the time anyways. w00t.

Originally posted by Kiwi_queen
[B~when you look down on people (even your friends) if they don't have at least a slight interest in robots


;D I bug all of my non robotics friends whenever I see them to join robotics. They basically, hate technology :)

[GateRunner]

....when a long line of multi-colored pins hang from your wall(just put them up there!)

[Josh Hambright]

When this image makes you giggle
http://www.soap108.com/2003/stats/website/stats_april15_morning_visitsByState.gif

Cuz your team number is on it as a statistic.

[Firewolf]

Originally posted by oneangrydwarf
When this image makes you giggle
http://www.soap108.com/2003/stats/website/stats_april15_morning_visitsByState.gif

Cuz your team number is on it as a statistic.

what is that of?

[Raven_Writer]

Originally posted by Firewolf
what is that of?
I'm curious of this also. I see a map of the US, but nothing else visible legitamitly [sp?]. If there is a better picture you have of this, than cool.

When you miss Houston, even though it wasn't the best place for the Nat's.

[srawls]

He thinks it is funny because his team number is 461 and the number of total visits from Virginia happens to be 461.

And I know how he feels ... our entire sleepy team cheered when we saw an airport golf cart zoom by with the number 122 on the back :D. Or how 'bout the time we made our mentor stop the van because we passed the 122 mile marker? Haha ... I could go on and on ... I suppose that shows I'm addicted to FIRST! (ooo ... look at that ... I really DID manage to get back to the topic)

Stephen

[Hailfire]

...when you're in your Chemistry class wearing your Rochester United Robotics (RUR) shirt and people ask you: "Why does Stoney Creek have 1037 people, and Rochester has 201, and Adams has 245?"

...when you're playing black jack and your total is 10 and the cards that make up that total is 3 and 7. So,... 10 3 7. :D

...when everyone in your class all of a sudden sees your RUR shirt and everyone starts to notice the robotics team and even asks questions on how to join.

[Specialagentjim]

...when your on the Tri-Rail train on your way home from work, and just happen to start talking to this guy. This guy you soon learn is an engineer at your motorola plant. You tell him about robotics and you learn he works on semiconductors and processor logic. You tell him about your ideas for mounting a small IC to the bot next year and you give him the names of the people that run the team at motorola. Now he wants to join the team (I think...). Kinda strange how the one person I talked to that whole trip happened to be a moto employee at our plant :p

...When you and that amazing girl you met through FIRST use the entire 230 minute phone card in one night...This is going to be a lonnnnggg year ;)
(Sorry, had to throw in the cool FIRST girl reference :p )

[Kiwi_queen]

~when you try to do things enough times to equal your team number

~when you take pictures of random things because they add up to your team number...or somehow remind you of FIRST

[Breanne M]

Originally posted by Pin Man
True... As soon as I started going on delphi I couldn't stop...
ME TOO... It's like a drug or something!! i can't get enough!! I registered 3 days ago and i haven't gotten off since!!:yikes:

[Josh Hambright]

..... The head of your team who also happens to teach 2 of your classes tells you that your not allowed to attend any more events of any sort, PR, Competitions, or anything else related to the team that would cause you to miss any more school.
...... You scramble to make sure that everything is taken care of when your robot is going to another local high school doing promotional stuff, then worry about it the whole day hoping they dont melt the drill motors by running it to much.
....... You spend a period making heat sinks to make sure your team cant melt the drill motor mounts from driving the robot too much at a PR event.

[Melissa H.]

~When you're reluctant to go to pit orquestra because you're waiting for an update on a robotics team meeting that's going to be the longest meeting of the season...:(

[Carolyn Duncan]

...You have to pretend you aren't about to cry when you are saying good bye to all your friends the last night of the championships...

[Kiwi_queen]

~when you try to incorporate safety goggles into your outfit just so you don't have to stop wearing them

~ when you come back from 'petitions and realize you barely (if at all) missed anyone who isn't associated with FIRST

~ when you decide to commute to college your freshman year just so you can have your car to drive to team meetings and be a mentor

~when someone mentions CD and you don't think "compact disc"

~when someone mentions "Three Dollar Pantyhose" and you don't think of a hooker

[Firewolf]

When you're thinking whereing you're robotix shirt for a pageant

[Elyse Holguin]

Originally posted by Specialagentjim


...When you and that amazing girl you met through FIRST use the entire 230 minute phone card in one night...This is going to be a lonnnnggg year ;)
(Sorry, had to throw in the cool FIRST girl reference :p )


aww, yeah it is, haha, need to go recharge that don't i? :D

..when you begin to grow more and more enraged at not being able to attend some of the off season competitions because you'll be studying abroad, and are now thinking of not going.... oh crap, i can't.... i'm contracted in, and paid more than half... DANG IT!! (someone tell 234 to postpone IRI for 2 weeks!!! i'll be back the 28th!! please?)
oh! and also, is anyone else (geared towards the indiana and illinois teams that are prolly able to make the day trip) going to the wheeler invite on may 8th??

[Marygrace]

When you don't remember what your room looks like.
When you go in to the shop at three in afternoon and come out at three in the morning

[MisterX]

When you walk nearly 2 miles in over a foot of snow to the highschool, to work on the robot because your parents don't want to drive in a "blizzard"(HA!) and you must get the robot done in time and actually enjoy walking.

When you have the chinese delivery come to the highschool during that same snow storm and they pull off the road and right up to the main door not realizing that it was the sidewalk in the snow.

[Elgin Clock]

When you come up with the most brilliant invention ever...

Sunglasses and Safety glasses duct taped together to look like a headband so you can do a one handed eyewear change when you go from "Safety Zone" in the pits to "Sun Zone" in between venues, and vice versa..

[Marc P.]

... when you drive down the highway and can instantly come up with the FIRST team corresponding to each route number you come accross, e.g. route 108- SOAP, 237- TRIBE, 111- Wildstang, etc. etc.

[Alaina]

When the season has been over for over a week and you still don't know what you're going to do until January 2004...

[Scott Shaw 237]

Originally posted by Marc P.
... when you drive down the highway and can instantly come up with the FIRST team corresponding to each route number you come accross, e.g. route 108- SOAP, 237- TRIBE, 111- Wildstang, etc. etc.

YAY! Go TRIBE!

[Joe Matt]

When you can't count on your fingers how many girl friends you've missed because they asked you what you did as a hobby. :(

[Marc P.]

My family has a tradition of giving Easter baskets during Easter time. Also part of the tradition, the baskets are hidden around the house, and the Easter Bunny leaves notes with clues to find where it is...

Here's my clue for this year-

"Dear Marc,

The F.I.R.S.T. thing I want to say is Happy Easter. To locate your Easter basket, you need but two clues:

-The 4th word

-Dean signed it, but not in Houston.


Good Luck!"

I only have two things in my house signed by Dean... one is a ref scoring sheet, the other is team 38's 1999 robot. Guess where the basket was.

You know youre addicted to FIRST when...

[AlbertW]

Originally posted by Marc P.
... when you drive down the highway and can instantly come up with the FIRST team corresponding to each route number you come accross, e.g. route 108- SOAP, 237- TRIBE, 111- Wildstang, etc. etc.

we have a 237 over here...


and why isn't thre a hwy 1072??? :ahh:

[Amanda Morrison]

... when you drive down the highway and can instantly come up with the FIRST team corresponding to each route number you come accross, e.g. route 108- SOAP, 237- TRIBE, 111- Wildstang, etc. etc.

Don't forget the most famous - Rt. 66!

[Kyle]

when no mater where you go you have a sponser sheet and a pic of your bot just cause you want to show everyone, everywhere you go.
yes i do do this, I had an interview at circuit city and I had to explain why i have green hair and i pulled out the pic of the bot and spent 20 min explaining FIRST and our team.

[Cory]

/me really wants to find a highway/route/whatever 100 so he can "borrow" the sign

Cory

[118 Tech]

When you get truly excited when your next semesters appt number has some familiar team numbers in it

Street number for appt - 3118 - ROBONAUTS 118

3 also - lucky one of my favorie numbers

Appt No - 106 - BBS kinda - team number where i have a good friend.

[Jonathan M.]

...when you make this year's robot better with mods you had before compettition to prove a point to engineers who didin't listen to you.

...when you're working on a final exam for a college class on 3DsMax offered to you as a highschool student through robotics. (Exam is like.... a week or two. Tough stuff.. Well not that hard. Just big.)

[Scott Shaw 237]

-When you're playing a computer game (MOHAA) and the ip of the server for the game reminds you of team numbers.

-When you've posted about 5 different times on this thread.

[Hailfire]

...when no matter where you are, what you see, what you do, depending if you do it on purpose, or just by accident, there's always something out there that reminds you of FIRST.

[Amanda Morrison]

...when you keep a FIRST tub in your trunk - just in case.

(When my mother saw that in my trunk and asked about it and I answered,"You know, just in case", she replied, "Just in case of what? You are driving down the street and you see a random robot competition?! :rolleyes: )

[AlbertW]

When your AP registration ID starts with 1075, and you beg your dean to let you look through the pile for one that begins with 1072 :D

[Kyle]

when you go to the Phillys and Giants game with another person from ur team and do the MOEcheer about 4 times just because there was a chance another FIRSTer could have been there,

When you get a Pic with the Philly Phantic becasue he is MOE green

[Jeff Waegelin]

when you're the #5 all-time poster on Chief Delphi :D

[Firewolf]

Originally posted by Jeff Waegelin
when you're the #5 all-time poster on Chief Delphi :D

really? i wonder who #2 is (being that the webmaster was prob. 1st right?)

[Joe Matt]

Originally posted by Firewolf
really? i wonder who #2 is (being that the webmaster was prob. 1st right?)

Hi. I need a life.

[Marygrace]

Originally posted by JosephM
Hi. I need a life.

LOL, we all do.

[Specialagentjim]

Originally posted by Firewolf
really? i wonder who #2 is (being that the webmaster was prob. 1st right?)

That would be JospehM from what I can see, with just over 1900 posts at the moment, lol

Oh..he beat me to it..I guess I didnt finish typing this messege soon enough, lol


yes yes..still droning on this topic, but figured I'd post it anyway ;)
...when you switch your cell phone plan to the next level, which you now realize you have unlimited nights and weekends and free long distance, thus you call your cool FIRST girl and talk for about 9 hours...and realize at 6am that you both might need some sleep...

Originally posted by JosephM
When you can't count on your fingers how many girl friends you've missed because they asked you what you did as a hobby.
...when you really dont care because you met one through it, but she's the best!

..Kay..ill stop with those for now :D

...when your determined to build a stacking robot out of legos for a class project (Can be seen in the gallery in 2003>Robot Gallery> Another unused stacker)

...when your watching "The Transporter" and notice that one of the liecne plates has "111" on it and you think "heh..wildstang!"

[Brandon Martus]

Originally posted by Firewolf
really? i wonder who #2 is (being that the webmaster was prob. 1st right?)

I didn't count myself in any of the stats..

[Amanda Morrison]

... when you check this thread because you see that Brandon Martus replied and wonder if it's something important or insightful.

... when you check CD at 4 am - right before you go to bed, and then check it again at 8 am - just in case there are new threads.

Maybe that just makes me a CD geek.

[Kiwi_queen]

...when you have to miss a few days of checking up on CD and go through all the classic withdrawal systems

.....when no matter who you're speaking with, something you say has (either by accident or on purpose) something to do with FIRST or fellow FIRSTers.

....when you dislike spring break 'cuz it keeps you away from CD and leaves you tempted to get back to post more random comments.

[Hailfire]

...when you finally find something else that interests you besides FIRST. Ex. Lots and lots of Computer Games :D

[Katie Reynolds]

... when it's been almost three months since this thread was started, and you're still checking to see if anyone has come up with anything new! :yikes:

- Katie

[Melissa H.]

When you could have been so sure that one of your Non FIRST friends (who doesn't entirely appreciate the fact that your always never home b/c of robotics) said "Robotics" but in reality, she said "You bought it?"<--How that sounded like Robotics, I'll never know...heh...sleep deprivation...it can be harsh...:)

[Redhead Jokes]

When you spend the day yet again issuing a press release to a lengthy distribution list, investigate radio and tv webs to update contacts, find more community calendars to submit the open house schedule to...

and then your heart soars because you heard a freshman girl teammate was so inspired by the competitions that she realizes she was stupid for not getting more involved, wants to take the jr college TIG welding class, get more involved, and run for captain next year.

[Kiwi_queen]

~when even your chocolate wrapper reminds you of FIRST (it's lime green!)

~when it's been 18 days since Nats ended and you're still wearing those nifty little bracelet thingys they made everyone wear

[Firewolf]

Originally posted by Kiwi_queen

~when it's been 18 days since Nats ended and you're still wearing those nifty little bracelet thingys they made everyone wear

to the point that you still have it on, and have convinced yourself that it is perfect for the sr. prom. b/c it's where you can perfectly place a corsage...
then again, your sister thinks differently and threatens to chase you around w/ scissors...
and you try to convince her too...

'Look, right at the wrist! How can you argue? it's got FIRST on it!
Man! I'll even drop all my morals and wear a pink dress to match.. please!!!'

[AlbertW]

a.) you drive around for hours looking for bins

b.) you call it a quest

c.) you come back and post about it on CD :D

[Hermione692]

...when ur whole car inside is decorated with teams pins that i've collected :yikes:

[Katie Reynolds]

Originally posted by Hermione692
...when ur whole car inside is decorated with teams pins that i've collected :yikes: Haha, I've got my Chief Delphi 2003 Web Hug pin hanging on the visor in my car. :D

Oh, and you know you're addicted to FIRST when you walk into your chemistry class and someone says, "Wow, you really do own shirts other than ones from robotics!"

And you know you're addicted when you've replied to this thread more than once in a single day! ;)

- Katie

[Kiwi_queen]

Originally posted by Firewolf
to the point that you still have it on, and have convinced yourself that it is perfect for the sr. prom. b/c it's where you can perfectly place a corsage...
'Look, right at the wrist! How can you argue? it's got FIRST on it!
Man! I'll even drop all my morals and wear a pink dress to match.. please!!!'

hey...I've got colorful parts to my dress...it'll match! ;o) I'm just hopin it stays on that long..'cuz I do plan on wearin it if it's still on.


~when you start to consider skipping out on placement exams for college just to go to an afterseason competition. (sigh..why do PARC and Rutgers placements have to be on the same day? why oh why must my life be so difficult!)

[Josh Hambright]

...When you realize that the locker numbered #461 is in the senior locker bay and you start plotting how to get its owner to switch with you.

...You broke up with your last girlfriend because she just didn't understand your commitment to robotics and FIRST.

...You realize while at prom that 2 of the people on your team brought people from other FIRST teams, and you guys plan but forget to take a big FIRST prom picture.

[Hailfire]

...when you're downloading a game demo off of the internet and it comes out to a total of 10.37 MB.

...when you're editing some pictures for your parents and when you go to print it, the dimensions say 10.37" X 7.00".

...when you're running out of things to say on this thread due to the numberous repeats. (Yes, I admit it, I did repeat some things but oh well.)

[Marc P.]

...When you're handing change to a customer after they make a purchase in your store, and it slips... "and RAGE... er.. 1.73 is your change." or "five dollars and chiefdelphi.. er.. 47 cents is your change." etc. etc.

...When you wake up each morning and the FIRST (no pun intended) thing you see, hanging on your wall, is one of your team shirts covered in buttons to the point where you can't tell what color the shirt is, and along side it are various team handouts, medals, and other FIRST related paraphanalia covering an entire wall.

[Amanda Morrison]

... when someone 'votes' you as a FIRST-a-holic... and you still think that you haven't posted on CD enough to gain that title. (By the way - thank you so much! That means a lot to me!)

... when you are quoted in the FIRST yearbook and have a picture of you in there (worst picture ever taken. ew.)

... when you anticipate IRI even though it's months away, and talk on the phone to Jtosh from 461 about it every night.

[Redhead Jokes]

When you spend a day updating southbaycalendar.org So Cal Robotics calendar...

When you make sure you're in school newspapers, school yearbooks, local papers, local community calendars...

[Hermione692]

...when during dances you break out in the (colorado-go team 662!) jig and chicken dance even though those songs arent on :D

...when you still have the FIRST water from nats and use them every day

...when during free blocks, you do all the FIRST dances to get ready for next yr even though ur graduating this yr :D

[Alaina]

Originally posted by Hermione692
...when you still have the FIRST water from nats and use them every day
When you still have the FIRST water and aren't using it because you want to keep it forever. =P

[Jeff Waegelin]

-When you talk to Brandon Martus on AIM all the time, and always end up talking about CD stuff...

-When you actually got a date to prom, and it's someone from your FIRST team...

[Spammy Badame]

here's one:

-When your teacher names a in the country and starts talking about it and you can instantly name a robotics team from that place, the team number and team name.

[Jim Giacchi]

..... you choose you prom table cause its table 41, even though it was a twelve seater and you only had ten figured out so you have to find 2 more people while standing in line.

[shyra1353]

you know you're addicted to FIRST when:

...your boyfriend breaks up with you cause he thinks your are spending too much time with the robot
...you realize you dont care because you will always have your robot
...you realize that if he cant accept your relationship with your robot, then hes not worth it