Countdown to Camp NaNoWrimo

In approximately one week, I shall be embarking on another seemingly grandiose project. This time, I shall attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. You got this, Ian Bee. I can tell that its serious when I begin to refer to myself in the third person.

As previously mentioned, Camp NaNoWriMo runs every April and July. After a lengthy presentation I gave at a recent department meeting, I have attempted to recruit fellow teachers and students to partake in this challenge with me. In the end, I have over two dozen compatriots to take this journey with me. Now, it can be a collective blunder instead of an individual one.

After much deliberation, I have finally planned and outlined my young adult novel which I will begin writing in one week's time. I would go ahead and say that I will be giving daily updates on my progress towards my word goal. The truth is, of course, that I clearly will not be. This will probably be my most anti-social April on record. Even more so than the April of 1993... which I dare not go into.

Get in on this. There is still time.

Mahalo.

Camp NaNoWriMo

Discoveries Unbounded

We are now into the second month of The Year of Discovery and already I am immersing myself in a plethora of new activities. For instance, I have started a new part time job at my local chapter of The Boys & Girls Club. This new job entails taking over their Aldebaran Robotics program for middle and high school students. This robot, named NAO, is a fully programmable bipedal robot capable of everything from holding a conversation, to breakdancing. I'll be sure to post some more about this soon.

I've also stumbled across a program for fledgling writers called NaNoWriMo.

I love this logo.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. Every November, hundreds of thousands of people attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in just thirty days. Just the mere thought of this piqued my interest. I am attempting to get my school on board with this idea so that in November we can hold write-ins in the library and really get the students involved in creative writing. I have also been able to team up with two local libraries to get the community involved as well. While I have been facing a little bit a resistance, it seems to center around two notions.

1.) Why do you have to wait until November? You can write a novel at any time...
2.) NO ONE can write a novel in a month. If they do, it is trash anyway.

While I agree that if you have an idea for a novel you certainly do not need to wait until November to start writing it, I also feel that some people need something to help them set a goal. The pressure of a deadline can do wonders for the psyche. Furthermore...

Of course you cannot write a novel in a month. Yes, if you do, its probably going to a amorphous pile of strange and twisted ideas. It will also have a boatload of grammatical errors. The point being that achieving the goal is more important than the content of said writing. In fact, the editing and review process is part of the eleven months (or beyond) afterward to really flesh out your ideas. This is an amazing opportunity to be able to work with a group of people (both locally and through the internet) on improving not only one's writing, but also their thought processes.

Personally, I know of at least ten students who would salivate over this even more than I am right now. Of course, if only there were a way to speed up the months until November.

Enter....

Camp NaNoWriMo!!!

Camp NaNoWriMo is a sort of online summer camp that takes place in the months of April and July. During these sessions, writers young and old can attempt to write 50,000 words during the month. The best part about this program is that members are allowed to pick their word goal. If 50,000 words is just simply too many, one can choose a goal that is more suited to their level. I will be doing Camp NaNoWriMo this April and hopefully recruiting some peers and students to take the challenge with me. This will serve as a good trial run in the hopes that this can become a regular program at our school. 

I already have a pretty good idea for my novel. Getting it down on Google Docs... well that's another story.

For those interested, here is a few starting points.

1. NaNoWriMo
2. Camp NaNoWriMo
3. Aldebaran Robotics

Bee's Book Reviews: Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk

Welcome to the first (and hopefully not last) of my book reviews. Before I jump into this I should mention that this is exactly what I am going to do.... jump into it. This will be a trial run of reviews and it should be noted that it may be: incomplete, inconsistent, nonsensical, etc. As with many things, practice makes perfect. It should also be noted that I am also not feeling 100% today. More than likely, I am coming down with another famous winter bug. Regardless, perhaps some literary expression on my part will have a secondary healing process. More than likely, though, it won't.

I digress.

I have been setting a series of goals for 2014. One of these is to really get back into reading. I have set a massively insane goal of reading 100 books this year. I realize that for some, this goal is most certainly attainable. The fact that I am a teacher of English should also make this much easier.

It won't.

I will try my best to deliver a review without spoiling story elements for potential readers. I will then rate each book from 1-5 certain items that may or may not fill the mood. This review, being a test of sorts, will be completely impromptu. I will attempt not to edit as much as I am attempting to create a baseline for future reviews.

The first in this list of 100 books is Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris.

Not being an avid Sedaris reader, I was not certain what to expect. In fact, the first time I had heard about this author was through the teacher I was working with during my student teaching in 2009. He told me to get all of his books because they were the best he had ever read. I, of course, stated my overall interest in getting these books that were so vehemently suggested. I found this one, about a year later, in the bargain bin at my local Barnes & Noble. I figured it was worth the couple of bucks and was totally digging the cover. The illustrations contained within contain the same sort of whimsical animals engaging in human situations. It took me about four years to finally take it off the bookshelf and read it. It was quite short and I got through it in little over a day. 

The book itself is split into numerous short stories that are reminiscent of Aesop's Fables in an unusual way. Each story, meant to have some sort of moral by the end, are only a few pages long. After reading the first of these stories, I had a good chuckle. Few books give me that sort of "laugh out loud" sort of reaction that this one did. I was excited to dig a little deeper into this one.

Unfortunately, as I progressed, the stories moved from a sort of lighthearted humor to something much more dark. Many play with the notion on how humans treat each other and some actually made me uncomfortable. There is still that comedic undertone that comes with each story, but it is followed by a period of what I can only describe as self-loathing towards my species. The animals in each story have distinctly pronounced human foibles. Examples include a hen with a enormous lack of self-confidence and a hairdressing, compulsively lying baboon. As previously stated, it is assumed that there is some lesson learned by the character at the end of each story... even if that character is left a bloody heap of flesh by the end. 

At times, however, it seemed that no moral is present and the character just dies. There is quite a bit of death imagery in this book. I did enjoy how Sedaris poked fun at death as well as life with everyday situations. I could actually relate to some of these stories on some level. Admitting this is just making me more uncomfortable.

Cat and Baboon

The book is written with large font and interesting illustrations by Ian Falconer. In my opinion, the illustrations become increasingly more uncomfortable as you progress. This may have been planned to induce laughter, but just made me uncomfortable. In fact, for the first time that I can remember, finishing this book and setting it down left me with an extremely uncomfortable feeling. I wasn't sure how to reflect, if at all, about its events or morals. 

I give Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk by David Sedaris "Three Rhinoceroses" for reasons that you will understand if you take the time to read it. If you are looking for a quick and interesting read, I suggest picking this one up. Just be warned that it evoked some certainly strange reactions out of me... I have been informed by a co-worker that Sedaris's audiobooks of his works where he, himself, narrates are usually better than actually reading them. If I get my hands on the audiobook, I shall give it a listen.

The Age of Robots - Part I

This is part one in a four part rant on the oncoming "Age of Robots"

I get asked a lot how an high school English teacher is so emphatically interested in the field of robotics. I suppose that in a stereotypical and somewhat satirical sense, I should be more infatuated with fine literature. I, of course, am. In fact, my concentration in college revolved around post-colonial literature from South Asia. However, if you take a step back, all fields of study are really interconnected are they not? I consider myself a student of the human condition.

Even as an English teacher, I attempt to bestow more than just a working knowledge of grammar, fluency in classic novels, or the nitty gritty aspects of the works of Shakespeare. I, along with many of my compatriots, focus on life skills and try our best to not only train the next generation to be competitive in the workforce, but also the next generation of decent human beings. Society is evolving at an exponential rate. Like it or not, things change. While at times these changes are for the better; other times they are most certainly for the worse. The fact of the matter is that if you don't "roll with the times," you will be swept away or left behind. It is important to realize, however, that the changes in the life and times of planet Earth are not on a fixed path. There are still ways to guide this ship safe to shore. These guiding winds lie within you, your thoughts, and your actions.

I remember reading a lot about robots of the future while growing up in the early 1990's. At that time, the thought of that kind of technology was always seen through a lens of awe. It was as if we were peering through a looking glass over the horizon of the future. These were exciting times. Now, more than twenty years later, we are taking our first steps towards that future. However, if you do a Google search today for robots, the majority of articles now speak of a plague on the horizon. A plague that will take your job and put you into poverty. We certainly are a curious species.

R.A.D The Robot (1990's)

The truth is like I have previously stated. That time... is here now. We certainly cannot live in fear of human advancement or shun those who would seek to discover it. We have adapted before and we will continue to adapt as a species. This is truly an exciting time and good things are in the future if we work for it.

This first entry is to serve as a sort of introduction to what I want to cover. The second and third installments will be dedicated to some popular culture in the world of robotics as well as some practical applications that it can have in K-12 education.

For those who are interested or want to get a jump start on what I am going to be covering, here are some starting points.

• Aldebaran Robotics
  
• NDtv Article : The Robots are Coming!!!

Here's to 2013

I have developed a little habit of whimsically dubbing the new year every New Year's Eve while in review. Starting in 2009, when things were really uncertain in my life, I named the year, "The Year of the Plague." I hoped that 2010 would bring me some better luck.

Sure enough, it most certainly did. Such events would cause 2011 to be dubbed, "The Year of Rebirth." I had somehow crawled out of the total nadir of my existence.

Obligatory pictures of cartoon phoenixes representing rebirth

Still in my Sony DiscMan to this day!

Riding on this momentum, 2012 would become "The Year of Expansion."

and now, continuing on this trend, in summation of 2013, I dub thee "The Year of Discovery." Reminiscent of the Daft Punk album... or nearly equally as cool.

The end of the year... always a great time for observation and reflection. This was a pretty good year considering all the bad things that happened. In fact, there was that one time where I popped a tire on the highway and had it replaced... only to have the new one pop a few days later.

I hate tires.

... and teeth. I had more than one run in with the dentist.

I hate tires and teeth.

On to the summation of the year... This time, I would like to forgo mentioning any of the bad things. It is important to remember that while bad things do indeed happen, it is better to just accept them and move on.

Accept and move on.

Without further ado... and in no particular order...

In summation of 2013, Ian Bee...

• Got attacked by Super Munchers
• Started completed year two teaching unscathed
• Pulled off a miracle 2012-2013 FIRST Robotics season
• Climbed out of debt
• Got over a few months of anxiety
• Kept score at a lego robotics competition
• Made new friends
• Said goodbye to friends
• Enjoyed 100 different beers of summer (more or less...)
• Spent time on the Cape
• Made Converse sneakers a part of my formal dress
• Got into Doctor Who (You should too...)
• Didn't complete his memoirs...
• Won 100$ at Keno
• Gained a considerable amount of weight.
• Enjoyed many a day at "The Lake."
• Caught up on "The Big Bang Theory"
• Is still working on his time machine
• Went to Foxwoods in a full suit
• Did considerably well at the roulette table at Foxwoods
• Wore a full suit even when it was inappropriate
• Found out that I was, in fact, not losing my hair
• Tested my trivia skills
• Renewed my faith in humanity
• Started looking at houses
• Enjoyed the splendors of "Salary Life"
• Completed year 10 at Hannaford Supermarket
• Participated in the 10th Annual Christmas Classic
• Discovered that Michelob isn't a bad cheap beer
• Gained and lost super powers
• Hopes for a bright and adventurous 2014.

This is all I could come up with in one sitting mind you. 

I am hoping to kick off the new year right by posting new and interesting entries involving life, literature, craft beer, and bow ties. 

Odds are we're gonna be alright.

Adieu!

The 2013 WPI Regional : Part I

After more than six weeks of blood, sweat, and tears, FRC Team 4410 has finally entered the post-season. Our team was able to compete at the Regional Robotics Competition held annually at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. Aside from the fantastic pictures, and how immensely proud I am of the team and all of their accomplishments, the true reason for this post is to document the arduous, almost "action movie" story behind our journey to Worcester from our small town during a series of terrible snowstorms. That, along with the tenacity of both team members and their parents, is truly inspiring. Their story must be known.

Your 2013 Cyber Senators

Day 1 

 March 7th, 2013 - 5:00 a.m.

With impending fears of a snowstorm on all news stations, I left my house early bound for the school. Much to my elation, I found that not only were the roads clear of snow; it was actually not snowing at all! Driving on the highway was making me both anxious and nervous at the same time. I remember being on exit away from my destination when I received the phone call...

"Due to the projected weather forecast, school will be cancelled Thursday March 7th."

I had previously been in contact with a representative from our arranged transport to Worcester who stated clearly that if school was cancelled, due to their company's regulations, they would not be able to commit to the scheduled transportation. With the cancellation confirmed, I was unsure of how to proceed. I finally reached the school to find that the majority of the team there waiting for me. With much regret, I had to tell both students and parents that no transportation would be available and we would have to try for tomorrow. The sadness clearly present on their faces depressed me as I watched them drive away. It was at that point that one of the team members approached me...

"So what are we going to do?" 

I thought about it for a spell. The robot was bagged, tagged, and in the trunk of my car. I, also, had all of our tools, spare parts, and important paperwork in my back seat. While liability issues prohibited me from transporting students in my vehicle, I, finally, explained that I would make the journey myself and attempt to get the robot to our pit and get as much work done as I could and we would regroup Friday morning. After all, we could not be the only team that was having this problem. I would later discover that I was correct in this assumption. This student, however, had other plans. This would plan would soon go down in Mahar history as "Plan B."

"Let's go. I'll meet you there!"

With permission from his parents, it was entirely plausible for this student to follow behind me and drive himself to the competition. The plan was hatched, and we were off. I, however, needed time to regroup as well as call in some favors. I spent an hour in the school contacting teachers, other teams, and the reps at WPI of our status. I contacted Team 3623, in Leominster, Massachusetts, to check on their status. They were having similar difficulties and hatched a plan uncannily similar to our own. We agreed the best course of action was to get our robots to the competition and move on from there. 

Day 1 

 March 7th, 2013 - 9:00 a.m.

I made it a point to attempt to let the outside world know of our status as well through various mediums of social media. The support from friends, family, and other educators was incredible. I rode on this momentum and met my team member in Leominster to begin the journey to WPI.

      

Getting to WPI proved much easier than I had originally anticipated. The drive was pleasant and while the snow had picked up, it wasn't really affecting our commute. Arrival was at around 10:00 a.m. We were successful in dropping off our robot at the designated drop off point. Since we were ridiculously late, there were no other teams there to slow us down. Once this was complete, we made our way to the pit area. I remember our walk through the pit area quite vividly, this student and I, the only representatives of Team 4410 were catching glances from teams who had 20 or 30 times as many members in attendance. 

The task ahead of us was daunting. I had forgotten to mention that in addition to only having the two of us in attendance, the robot was also not finished. In fact, she was far from finished.

The state of S.O.P.H.I.E at arrival at WPI

I quickly started to panic. How on earth were we going to finish this robot? We were, after all, already close to four hours late and many other robots were already getting their final inspections. We both took a seat on the table provided to every team's pit and let out a collective sigh. It was at that point that I heard a voice.

"What's up Beeeeshaw?"

I turned my head to see another member of our team. She had arrived only minutes after we had with her parents and brother. Needless to say, it was difficult to maintain my composure as we had now more than doubled our team in a matter of a few seconds. It was also at this point, that other teams had started to notice our situation and reached out to us to offer assistance. Two teams in particular. Team 4557, The "Fullmetal Falcons" and Team 1251, The "TechTigers" offered several team members as well as spare parts and technical know-how. 

It was time to get to work on S.O.P.H.I.E... with a little help from friends.

Day 1 

 March 7th, 2013 - 5:00 p.m.

With the aid of more than ten teams, as well as members and parents of our own team, we were able to complete more work in that stretch of six hours, then we had in the last six weeks combined. I, honestly, have never seen anything like it before in my entire life. The night ended with us finally obtaining a passing inspection. In the matter of one day, Soph went from parts in a bag, to a robot ready for tomorrow's matches. 

It was a miracle day in every sense. The hard work, dedication, and tenacity of this team is nothing short of inspirational. We left Worcester at around 7:00 p.m. proud of what we had accomplished. We knew, of course, that the real fun/excitement/stress was only 12 hours away as tomorrow would be the start of the actual competition. 

Stay tuned for part two of this story. 

The Vacation Doldrums

As we are nearing the end of February vacation for millions of students and teachers across the country, I take time to reflect on what I got accomplished. Well, actually, more like what I did not get accomplished. I tend to get very restless when I am sitting around trying to relax. Due to this, I try my best to keep myself focused and busy. This vacation, was no exception to this rule. My actual vacation did not start until this past Wednesday as I spent upwards of ten hours each day prior at the place of my work finishing up the building of our robot.

Said robot, conveniently code-named "S.O.P.H.I.E" went through several revisions before going into a giant shipping bag that was the size of a Boston subway car. Our "more or less" finished design was not too shabby. Of course, we still have a lot of work to do before our exciting competition on March 8th. In this competition, we shall show every school in Massachusetts that we are not only badass robot designers, but that we look good doing it. Our team's slogan, after all, is "Bolts, Bots and Bow Ties"

Just as a side note, I prefer not to use the oxford comma. I shall create a creative rant for that in another post.

Anyway, once Soph made it into her bag, I immediately left the building and fled toward my hometown at top speed. The night concluded with a simple glass of tea and good conversation with friends and family.

The time off was not without it's fair share of events. I was able to travel to my favorite sushi restaurant and sample the delicacies off of their menu. My cousin and I, also partook of something new and interesting. We each had a single piece of Octopus placed on our plates. While looking not at all appetizing, we saved it to the end of our feast. When the time came, we each tried it at the same time. Subsequently we also spit it into our napkins at approximately the same time as well.

Octopi can be seen at the left and right. Never again. 

For those of you who have not had the distinct pleasure of eating raw octopus, let me just say that it is quite an interesting experience. My piece in particular was all the more interesting with the added addition of a little sucker at the end of it. Needless to say it was the equivalent of attempting to bite through a shoe with a flavor that I cannot begin to describe. In closing, I rather enjoy little excursions such as the sushi adventure described above. It is true that a little variety is good for one's soul.

The rest of this week, however, has been classified as "particularly boring." This may be my restlessness taking center stage... As previously mentioned, I have a difficult time taking a step back and just relaxing. I always feel as though I may be missing something or that some form of work would be a better use of my time. Of course, now as we near the end of this less than grandiose vacation, I am feeling that I did not have enough time to relax. Perhaps I have some sort of complex... Hmm...

We are already past the 1/6th mark of 2013. The year shows no sign of slowing, or getting any less dull for that matter. I, of course, will continue to take things one day at a time with a particular emphasis on stopping to smell the roses every once in a while. It is true what they say... sometimes you will not understand the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory. 

Speaking of memory... I hope everyone got a chance to see Google's new video for their new product Glass... If not, here it is! 

There is no question of a doubt that I will be getting one of these the day it comes out. Some people are afraid of change. Some people like to stick to the old ways of doing things. I, myself, still now of several people who mail out bill payments each month as opposed to completing such tasks via the internet. While there is nothing wrong with the old ways, I prefer to embrace the future. The future, of course, is now. Every moment shall now be captured, cherished  and stored.  People will be brought closer together than we would have thought possible. An interesting concept... albeit sort of creepy. It is necessary, however, in order for our species to become truly united. 

With that, I leave you with a few starting points.

1. Information on octopus sushi
   
2. CBS News article on Google Glass
   
3. Information on the 2013 FIRST Robotics Regional at WPI