2014 Lessons Learned: The Negative

[Moon2020]

A few thoughts on the topics at hand:

If you want world-wide recognition, you are going to have to reach out to world-wide brands and get them to feature FIRST on their products. Cocoa Cola, McDonalds, the Global Fortune 500. Let's hope everyone is as curious as will.i.am.

Do any FRC students play sports (three-sport, varsity athletes) or are the students in band? Who is FRC really targeting? Are they targeting students who play neither a sport or instrument or are they targeting everyone? Is FRC exciting enough for a student to give up a game or competition to participate in a District meet or Regional?

We have lost ~72 FRC Teams in Florida since 2003. I can't sustain what I have; therefore, how am I going to grow it? If we can't sustain our FRC Teams, where are we going to be in 25 years? Granted, some of the loss was due to the J.C. Penney Grants going away and some of it was due to lack of Mentors. I also know that at least two of these 72 teams became FTC Teams. If I won a good-sized lotto, I'd ask each of them if they wanted to restart their team and give them each 50k to do it.

Yeah, food issues. I'm right there with you. I am 'sensitive' to sodium bisulfite (anti-browning agent on lettuce, shrimp, dried fruit, processed meats, pickled onions, sauerkraut, and rooster chili sauce) and sucralose (Splenda). Eating these things is completely out of the question for me. I'll take all the meat I can get between the gluten-free and regular table, but a nice gluten-free pasta, vegetable curry, meatless chili, fruit platter, vegetable platter, baked potato, falafel, hummus, beans/rice buffet, cooked vegetables, with cheese on the side for my vegetarian, lactose intolerant, and gluten allergy FRC, FTC, and FLL friends would be wonderful.

No coffee?! What?! In Northern MN? It's a staple food. I would never make it through the day! That must have been torture/cruel and unusual punishment.