Farewell, Chief Delphi.

[EricH]

As you choose to move on, good luck and I hope to see you someday.

Originally Posted by CraigHickman

I hope to leave you all with a message: Just because someone disagrees with you, and has a differing opinion, does not mean they are "un-GP." Just because someone thinks differently than you or your team does not make them inferior. The issue of waving the GP flag at anything that was different has come up, but nothing changed. Consider this your first casualty of the FIRST cult mentality.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention once again. I would go further, though, and say that someone with a differing opinion who expresses it graciously is VERY GP. For we cannot grow and change as we need to if everyone sits there and says "Yea" to everything that someone above us proposes; sometimes we need to give a different view. For example, the idea of starting a team that would be elite from the start is a new one, and possibly should be tried sometime.

We'll miss you.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by EricH

For example, the idea of starting a team that would be elite from the start is a new one, and possibly should be tried sometime.

I for one totally supported that idea when it was started and I still stand to it. It should be done.

[Andrew Schreiber]

You will be missed, you CAD stuff is truly amazing and I am sorry that you feel you must leave. Good luck in everything you do.

(BTW, I agree, I always assumed you were a mentor.)

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Damien1247

(BTW, I agree, I always assumed you were a mentor.)

There's been a saying around these parts:
'your second year as a team member is your first year as a mentor.'

I do not know who originally said that, maybe someone will post and tell us.

It sounds like Craig has done a good job of making that a true and wise statement.

And here's a thought about thinking differently: if we were supposed to think in a cookie cutter fashion, we'd all be making cookies and that would be all we would make/achieve. Nothing wrong with that - but this is FIRST and as we are always encouraged to do by many of our FIRST leaders, including members of the GDC, it's ok to think outside the box - think differently. It may have something to do with that innovation thing...maybe something to do with inspiration, as well.

[Sam N.]

Your CADs will be missed.

Sam N.

[Ian Curtis]

Originally Posted by JaneYoung

There's been a saying around these parts:
'your second year as a team member is your first year as a mentor.'

I do not know who originally said that, maybe someone will post and tell us.

That would be Jay Trzaskos. I'm slightly rather alarmed that I knew that.

Link to Confirm

On a more serious note, I don't spend nearly as much time on CD/FIRST as a used to, but I've noticed similar trends with regard to people pulling the "GP Card" all the time. It's never been pulled at me, so its been much more a grumbling point for myself. Its too bad it got to you Craig, good luck wherever you after this.

[basicxman]

This is sad that something like this has to happen. I will definitely miss your CAD's.

Goodbye, I hope this shows a lesson to all FIRSTers

[gblake]

Craig,

I just tried to use your CD contact info to send you an email - The attempt failed. CD tells me it failed because you no longer wish to receive emails through CD....

If you are still paying enough attention to CD to see this (or if someone else knows how to forward this to Craig), please send me an email (see my sig info below) - We can commiserate

In what was perhaps a similar situation, you could certainly color me surprised after some of the __ (adjectives fail me) messages and replies I got when I stirred the prejudices of some other folks in this thread http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=66664

You would have thought I was advocating the downfall of human civilization instead of looking for a dispassionate discussion of whether the non-linear nature of the alliance drafting processes of typical FIRST-related competitions can create some odd situations that can lead to counter-intuitive strategies.

I haven't chosen to pull the plug. Maybe there is a third option. Beware false dichotomies.

Blake

[ZInventor]

I know where you're coming from.

Although i haven't been insulted much on CD, i have noticed a sort of aversion to my posts. while many people look at them, no one responds, even to simple questions i ask to try and get help.

a few months back, one of my posts hit 1000 views, and only one or two responses,

and, whats worse, almost every post i've ever set on CD, has hit 200 views, and only a coupple have had more than 2 replies!

I know it might seem unrelated, but i've felt somewhat let down by CD users when a post asking a question will sit sometimes over 3 months before a single reply.

I'll be sad to see you go, but may soon folow you out the door.

I've been a great fan pf your cad, and hope you'll keep putting up pictures every oce and a while.

-Z

[Koko Ed]

You guys think it's bad here?
You ought to try other boards and I'd think you'd appreciate the CD community alot more than you do. It's like these other boards don't even have moderators and 75% of the postings are nothing more than personal attacks.
Trust me. CD is an oasis in the wasteland that is the internet.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by iCurtis

That would be Jay Trzaskos. I'm slightly rather alarmed that I knew that.

Link to Confirm

On a more serious note, I don't spend nearly as much time on CD/FIRST as a used to, but I've noticed similar trends with regard to people pulling the "GP Card" all the time. It's never been pulled at me, so its been much more a grumbling point for myself. Its too bad it got to you Craig, good luck wherever you after this.

People misuse GP because they see Dean as some sort of whimsical cross between the Nutty Professor and Mister Rogers and think that FIRST is Disney World and we're all going to happily hold hands around the campfire and sing happy songs all day long.
It's not anything near that.
In fact GP is really not a judgmental tool it's an operation procedure on how to work alongside ANY FIRST team, whether you like them or not.
It's not about being nice to one another. It's about finding common ground in spite of whatever differences you may or may not have to get the job done.

[jimbot]

Craig, I'll miss you, every time I see your avatar a logical and kind response is below it. You post some of the most amazing CAD i have ever seen. My first question ever posted on CD was answered by you, Sorry to see you go

[Pavan Dave]

I know why you are doing this. I don't blame you one bit. I think you should take a break but not completely give up.

Max Ehrmann said this in a poem [I had to memorize in English] called Desiderata:

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.


... http://mwkworks.com/desiderata.html .. The whole thing is quite neat actually.

Pavan.

[Arefin Bari]

I am going to be very blunt on this post and I don't care a BIT if anyone has to disagree with me. Also, there are quiet a few things I agree upon that you pointed out in your post.

We are not all the same people and we don't think the same. Heck I know you and me had some disagreements on different things. So what? Does that mean, any of us walked away?

As many would agree with me on this one (or at least I hope they will), in the real world, its about competition. It's about politics (even though I am sure a lot of us don't like that). We are slowly experiencing that. Does that mean you have to give up?

I am sure there are many people who doesn't like me here on CD. And... ask me if I care? I will still voice my opinion if I think it's worth it. For that, if I am to receive a negative rep, it doesn't matter to me. They are only green dots. The students' lives that I have touched or passed my knowledge onto often tell me how much they appreciate me and that's enough for me.

I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine who said, "A person should know to do what you love despite what other people say." I find it a good advice for members here on CD and for members involved in FIRST.

With that being said, as Jane said, "Stay;" that's the only thing I want to say as well. It is your decision after all. If I don't see you here around on CD, good luck with all the projects you are involved in and I am sure you will do great.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Pavan Dave

I think you should take a break but not completely give up.

I agree with that..I know I'll be taking a long break from FIRST and CD over the summer, starting to plan out stuff for colleges and the rest of high school. Just chill for a while.