Drive

So this past week I created a bright yellow golf cart fo a customer, Unfortunately I lost my phone so no photos. I spent about four hours removing the entire body, replacing the new body, and rewiring the golf cart. I'm learning how to efficiently dismantle and reconstruct custom golf carts and I'm having lots of fun. Also my book is an exciting read that is focusing on how the American ideals shaped our engineering minds.

America by Design

America by Design, by Spiro Kostof. This book dissects and analyses how America works through its infrastructure. It's and interesting concept, everything we do is based on the buildings we live in. 

First Quarter Reflection

It's insane how fast time goes by. It seems like just a few weeks ago that I was scrambling around looking for a mentor. It's crazy how luck I've been to have gotten such a great mentor. Sure, Bear is not a perfect person. He has his flaws, just like every one of us. But this program has given me a new perceptive on how I go about things. No longer do I wait for opportunities to come, I go out and seize them. Everyday at Danville Auto I try to learn something new. It's very rarely exciting; usually something like how to polish a car properly. But it's still something. The point of this class was to learn new skills so that we can apply them to what we love.

I've met new people, learned new things, and slowly gotten closer to finishing my goal. It may not be obvious at the time what

You Gotta Have Goals

My goal for iQuest this year is by March 15th, I want to design, create, and publish a patent. I will do this with help from my mentor Bear Matoza. I plan to work at his store after school on most weekdays. In order to achieve this goals I must first create a patent application to be approved by the United States Patent Office. Then I must learn the skill needed to create a prototype.

Why mid March? Because that is when the U.S. Patent laws change from fist to create, to first to file. It's a game of first come first serve. whoever turns in the idea first get credit. So its a race. I don't know if anyone has a similar idea, but the sooner I turn it in the better.

So until then I'm good. I have the idea notarized and insured, but it is still not peace of mind. Until the Patent Office says it's mine, all I can do is hope no one steals my idea. So you must be wondering what the patent is? Well, you gotta wait. Sorry, but that's how it works. Once I can share it without the fear of it being stolen, then the world will know what I helped to create.

But don't worry, I do other things at Danville Auto. We sell custom made golf carts that are really cool! You can see them out everyday on Danville Blvd. So I'll show photos of those.

Anyway,

"You gotta have goals, I learned that in rehab!"

Nothing Learned is nothing gained.

What separates us from the pack? Is it our style, our speech, our swagger? In the working world, our skill set can be the difference between landing a job and landing on the curb. At Danville Automotive in hardware I try to learn a different skill every day. Day one were simple tasks. Stocking the shelves, running the cash register, and other seemingly mundane tasks. But they all have a purpose, to build up on my skill set. Some skills we take for granted, like the proper way to sweep a floor. Some are fun, like operating a backhoe. But they all go towards building up the skills I may need in the future.

Something Cool

Yeah, It a guy on a bike, with his dog, towing a trailer.

First Meeting

In any work environment, first impressions are crucial. They can decide whether or not we get a job, contract, bid etc. But I already knew my mentor, so my meeting went along the lines of a casual visit and question.

My mentor's name is Bear Matoza. He graduated as an electrical engineer from Pepperdine.  As the owner of Danville Automotive and Hardware, he pursues a wide range of interests, from building custom golf carts, to servicing vehicles, its a very welcoming place. But what impresses me so much is the people that walk through its doors. It's a very diverse crowd of people, from the St. Isadore's soccer moms, to the 80 year old bikers. Its a very friendly environment, the focus of the store is to help people with their passions, not turn a profit. Everyday a different project comes in. From learning how to detail a car, to putting together a golf cart motor.

It's an engineers dream.

  

Good Intentions

Our goals define who we are, whether it be archery or architecture. How we set and make our goals is crucial to our success. There are well set goals and half baked ones, what separates the good from the bad is the planning process. The key to a good goal is all about intention, we think to ourselves "What do I want?". That's it, from there we set a timeline, and a method, but a smart goal is all about a good foundation.

I have always loved dreaming about the next big project. The sub that can mine at the bottom of the sea. Giant towers acting as greenhouses in the arctic. Obviously, they are a little far fetched, but I always loved those ideas the best. As I've grown my intentions have stayed the same, create something cool, but useful. I realized that I have no idea how to achieve this. In short, I need help. I always wondered what engineering was really like. I had these romantic images in my head of a person sitting at their desk, eyes weary from sleep deprivation. Trying to draw something truly inspiring, not for a deadline, but to bring a dream into a reality. It shows a type of dedication that can only be expressed as love. And I want to do what I love.

But even the best intentions can get you nowhere. All the dreaming in the world will get you nowhere if you cannot apply it to real life. I intend to learn all I can about engineering, I feel that it's what I want to do in life. I intend to learn what it takes to be an engineer. And I intend to succeed. I have all these great ideas swirling in my mind, but bringing them to life is a skill I do not have.

-Opportunity is the chance to turn a dream into reality.

Matt