Well, I just finished my 4th build season and I've still got two more in high school. I've said to myself many times this year "Why do I keep doing this" (Mostly related to the autodesk animation comp...don't even get me started on that...), but then I realize how much I've learned from this. Just about every day I realize that I understand a concept in life better because of FIRST. Just the other day, me and my dad were fixing our garage door opener. We've got the thing open and my dad didn't quite understand how the door adjusments work, he juss knew how to use them. I take one look in, and all I can think is "Limit switch". Two of em, with a little device that moves across a worm gear. When the door is moving, the worm gear turns, and moves the device until it hits a limit switch, signaling the door to turn off. Without FIRST, it would've taken me a lot more thinking to get how that worked, if I'd have gotten it at all.
Burned out wise. I've said it, but in reality, there's no way I could quit. I started back in 7th grade, and I'll be team leader and driver for my 11th and (hopefully) 12th grade years...and still loving the whole thing.
Btw, kate: So I'm not the only one that's had the vision of having their own machine shop in their basement/garage!?? YAY! I feel much better that I'm not the only one.

(I still want one, even if you dont

)
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Curie Division 2005 Champions (175, 33, 108)
UCF 2005 Website Award
Midwest 2005 Delphi's Driving Tomorrow's Technology
2004 UCF QuarterFinalists (1065, 86, 108)
UCF 2003 Regional Champs/Entrepreneurship Award
Midwest Regional 2003 Leadership In Controls/Website award
Nationals 2003 Quarter Finalists
Robot Rodeo 2003 Champions (Alliance: 180 and 186)
AIM S/N: Specialagentjim