Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

I am a big fan of community building exercises. And harassing my friends.

With that said, I introduce a new game for us to play: Six Degrees of JVN!

Objective: Everyone needs connections. Connections get us job interviews, a friend to lean on, someone to explain gear ratios, etc. Connections between people move the world. Through connections in FIRST alone, I have met a great array of people and found a few close friends.

Connections move the world. So what are your connections in FIRST? Let's find out, shall we?

Rules: Your progression MUST begin with you and end with JVN. You MUST have six degrees between you and JVN (yourself and John don't count as a degree). Don't know JVN? Even better. Talk to your friends, to other CD people that you may/may not know, and FIND OUT your connections. Link yourself. It is very possible (and maybe even preferred?) to play and be involved in this game without ever having to speak to JVN.

An example of a successful linkage (and post) would be:

I, Amanda Morrison, am friends with the webmaster of ChiefDelphi, Brandon Martus, who was in Dean Simmons and the Kamens with Andy Baker, who was also part of the talent show with the Trombonists of Oconomowoc act, who are from 269, as is Ricky Quinones, who knows a fellow Wisconsin-er, Katie Reynolds, who is on team 93 with WFA winner Sean Schuff, who was on this year's reffing team with JVN.

The Six Degrees of Seperation in this case are Brandon Martus, Andy Baker, the Trombonists of Oconomowoc, Ricky Quinones, Katie Reynolds, and Sean Schuff. Here's another example, in case you don't get it.

I, Amanda Morrison, was on team 71 with Darrell Noble, who suggested Joe Johnson for the IRI Talent Show, who is on team 47 with Mike Martus, who is the dad of Brandon Martus, who went to Wonderland with me by the invitation of Steve Warren, who was an announcer with Karthik Kanagasabapathy, who won a regional with his team 1114 when they paired with 229, JVN's team.

A bad example would be: I, Amanda Morrison, met JVN at IRI a few years ago.

Make them interesting. You cannot have less than six degrees between you and that person, so why don't you make them pretty obscure and see how many people you can meet in the process? PM other CDers and ask how they know JVN. Search old posts and find out what events he was at, and find other people who where there. Find out if any have played against a match he coached, or been his alliance partner. This game will actually be equally as hard for the people who know John, because they have to think of six people between him and them.

I have picked John because a large majority of the FIRST community knows him, and he has been involved in a variety of things for FIRST (a high school team, a college team, refereeing, etc.) and has attended many events. You don't have to know John to play this game, or even have to talk to him.

Let's see who you know. Post as many linkages as you want.
Good luck, and happy posting!

Amanda Morrison

Clarifications:
1. You MUST have SIX degrees between you and JVN
2. Yourself and JVN don't count in those six
3. The degrees must be PEOPLE (that's for your bookshelves, Eric)
4. What do you win? Rep from me, if yours is original enough
5. Post as many as you want... but only six degrees for each link

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

I can do it in two.
I Ed Patterson was (and still am) on team 191 the X-Cats in 2002 with Adrienne Emerson who is now an officer on team 229 Division by Zero with JVN.

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

Okay...i think i can do this

Ben Lauer went to nationals in 2004 with Stuart Bloom who made room reservations with DJ Fluck who was on the Technocats of 45 with Andy Baker who hosted IRI with Chris Fultz who worked at Rolls-Royce with Collin Fultz, who work with Nate Harris who graduated from Clarkson, where JVN attends.

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

I think the goal was to make it as long and drawn out of a link as possible. I know that this is a problem for teams who try to optimize everything to be as short, small, and lightweight as possible, but for folks like me whose robots are hulking overbuilt machines...(evil grin)

I, William Leverette, was a real-time scorekeeper on Archimedes Field this year with the official scorekeeper being David Kelly. He was beheaded in a picture here on CD by Amanda Morrison, who was challenged to do the chicken dance by Dave Lavery. He is incessantly tormented via Photoshop by Heidi Foster, who discussed evil overlords with Eugenia Gabrielov. She has bearhugged Mike Schroeder, whose team (25) was on Newton Field this year with 229, the team of one JVN.

PS: You know I love you guys and your superlight machines. ;)

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

This took me a bit to figure out and I'm blaming Amanda for making me think of it.

I went to high school with Steve Shade and, at nationals in 2000, he introduced me to Kate Leach. At Kate's house at kickoff in 2002 was Jess Boucher. Jess was at Kristen Kelso's house for kickoff in 2001 (as was I). At that kickoff, I talked to Nate Smith directly before I talked with Andy Baker (who recognized me from my photo). At nationals in 2003, Andy Baker introduced me to JVN.

Matt

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

here i go...


I, Arefin Bari, met Mike Dessingue at Nationals. Mike was at IRI this year with Amanda Morrison, who did the chicken dance in 2003 after a bet was made with Dave Lavery. Dave posted the bet on ChiefDelphi, where Brandon Martus is the webmaster. Brandon was in the IRI band with Andy Baker, who is one of the best engineers in FIRST (gearbox guy :-)). Andy Baker was a referee with JVN this year at IRI.


weeeeeeeeeeee... i did it... :)

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

Can it be a spider web looking 6 degrees?? Not a complete circle?

Hmm.. weird. Have to think about this.

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

I know Ken Leung, who is a part of the WRRF with Bill and Jim Gold, who were at Cal Games with Dan Green this weekend, who has announced at a regional, like Paul Copioli , who loves the Colorado Avalanche, like DJ Fluck , who was a member of the Technokats with Andy Baker , who was a referee at IRI with John V. Neun

Cory

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

Ok, I got it..

I joined team 237 in 2001 and met Ken Leungand Matt Leese at Nationals in 2001. Ken and Matt both volunteered at Kickoffs with Jessica Boucher. Her little brother Ted Boucher started the team this year and took over driving after our old Driver Matt Plude left our team to go to Clarkson where Adrienne Emerson goes to school. Adrianne used to be on the X-Cats with Koko-Ed. The X-Cats are from Rochester where a new regional is planned for 2005. Clarkson is signed up to go to the Regional in Rochester. JVN may be there with Clarkson. JVN traded team shirts this year in Atlanta with Scott Shaw who is also on team 237 with Me.

Oh what a tangled web we weave... and this is just (mostly) on the East Coast.

edit: full circle time.

edit: time to go Crazy!! :ahh:

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

i got one more... yay...

I, Arefin Bari, am on a team with Craig Bishop, who was talking to Andy Baker at nationals about a roller idea for the robot. Andy is on team 45 with Kyle Love, who met Eugenia Gabrielov this year. Eugenia is on team 461, which is sponsored by Purdue, and DJ Fluck also attends a branch of Purdue. DJ was at this year's IRI with JVN.

:)

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

I, D.J. Fluck went to school with Clark Gilbert who many people confuse with his twin brother Kyle Gilbert who pulled an all nighter the night before the 2003 IRI with David Kelly that traveled with Amanda Morrison to Nationals, who met Jason Morrella at the 2004 kickoff who sumo wrestled Andy Baker at the 2002 SoCal Regional who procded to call JVN because he overslept the Friday morning of the 2003 IRI.

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

My name is Chris Fultz, my son Collin Fultz is an Air Force ROTC student at Purdue. His decision to join the ROTC is probably due in part to being in Cub Scouts when he was younger. His Cub Scout leader was Mr. X, a Rolls-Royce person (I wont use his real name since he is not a FIRST guy - yet, anyway). This summer, I was able to make a connection between Mr. X, and Steve Shade. Steve now works for Rolls-Royce in Annapolis, which is the home of the US NAval Academy. I had a great uncle who was in the Navy, and after WWII he decided to not return to Indiana, and instead stayed in San Diego, which is in California. I visited him and went to Disneyland when I was eight years old, which is also the same age Collin joined Cub Scouts (see above for relevance).

Ending 1: Well, Disneyland is in California, where Ken Leung lives and goes to school. Ken was at the IRI this year, and I think Scott Ritchie took him to the airport to get back home. Scott Ritchie leads team 234, and Stuart Bloom was on team 234 a few years ago, before he left to help start Team 1018 at Pike High School. Stuart Bloom has the same first name as my previous business president, Stuart Mullan, who was a great supporter of FIRST at Rolls-Royce and was a judge at the 2004 IRI, where JVN was a referee.

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

I, Amanda Morrison, worked with David Kelly on this year's IndianaFIRST Jeopardy, which we were asked to do by Andy Baker. I went to Kickoff this year, and Andy introduced me to Jason Morrella, who was with Ken Leung at this year's Cal Games. Ken came to IRI this year, and was in the same hotel with myself and Tom Schindler. Tom started out in FIRST on team 177 with Eric O'Brien, who is JVN's college roommate.

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

My name is Chris Fultz, my son Collin Fultz is an Air Force ROTC student at Purdue. His decision to join the ROTC is probably due in part to being in Cub Scouts when he was younger. His Cub Scout leader was Mr. X, a Rolls-Royce person (I wont use his real name since he is not a FIRST guy - yet, anyway). This summer, I was able to make a connection between Mr. X, and Steve Shade. Steve now works for Rolls-Royce in Annapolis, which is the home of the US NAval Academy. I had a great uncle who was in the Navy, and after WWII he decided to not return to Indiana, and instead stayed in San Diego, which is in California. I visited him and went to Disneyland when I was eight years old, which is also the same age Collin joined Cub Scouts (see above for relevance).

Ending 2: Disneyland is in California, and California is one of 48 states I visited on vacation with my parents. My Dad worked for Allison, which was part of GM. Kevin Kelly also worked at Allision, and has had three kids on team 234. One of Kevin's kids is David Kelly, who works on a lot of FIRST stuff with Amanda Morrison. Amanda goes to school in Muncie, which is where Scott Ritchie lived, and he was an animal farmer (cows). Another animal farmer is Andy Baker (pigs), and pigs go well with eggs for breakfast. Eggs come from Chickens, and Thunderchickens cooked them for breakfast in Atlanta this year. Team 234 was in Atlanta, and had a pit next to the team from Clarkson, which JVN leeches on to to get great trips.

Re: Six Degrees of John V-Neun
 

Actually...
At the time 229 was led by the esteemed Eric O'Brien. This year it is run by the lovely and talented Adrienne Emerson.

I get a lot of credit for leading, but in actuality...
I just work here.

John