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.

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

... 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

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...

...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!

....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)

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. ;)*

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

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. ;)

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

You know your addicted to first when....
 

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.

Re: You know your addicted to first when....
 

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.

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!

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

...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?

...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?)

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

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. :)

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

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.

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!

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

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

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

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.

~ 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.

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

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

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!)

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

....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.

You know yuo're addicted to FIRST when..
 

..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..

~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

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.

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

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

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

Cuz your team number is on it as a statistic.

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.

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

...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.

...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 )

~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

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:

..... 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.

~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...:(

~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

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

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??

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

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.

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..

... 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.

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...

YAY! Go TRIBE!

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. :(

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...

we have a 237 over here...


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

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

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.

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

Cory

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.

...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.)

-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.

...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.

...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: )

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

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

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?)

Hi. I need a life.

LOL, we all do.

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

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


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...

...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!"

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

... 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.

...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.

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

... 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

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...:)

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.

~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

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!!!'

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

...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

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!)

...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.

...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.)

...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.

... 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.

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...

...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

When you still have the FIRST water and aren't using it because you want to keep it forever. =P

-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...

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.

..... 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.

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