New Year, New Plans
This is going to be one great year (I believe, and hope). My wife and I are expecting to have our first child around the middle of 2009, and things are going to change. I have bought gadgets that help to make my wife and my life easier and more connected, the challenge now is to do the same for a baby/small child. I already have a good idea of what one of my first projects will be, related to the baby and technology. I am planning on building a media/learning center from an old computer, a used (but decent) resistive touchscreen Elo monitor and a waterproof keyboard. I want to create a colorful, arcade game type enclosure, which can withstand the assault of a child. I do not have the specifics of the project on paper yet, mostly they are in my head. I know that I want to create a user interface for playing games that utilize the touchscreen, as well as, allow for watching videos (Barney or whatever kids are into these days). This might not be a project that gets utilized during 2009 (as the baby will only be around 6 months old when 2010 rolls around) but I plan to get it ready for as soon as our child is ready to start learning about technology.
Looking back on my life I want to do as my parents did with me and my brother. If my child (or children) have a toy or gadget and take it apart, so be it. I learned almost all that I know about technology and repairing stuff from having taken my things apart when I was a child, and having to fix it to use it again. I think that I was pretty lucky with my tear downs, as most made it back together functioning as they were designed, but the education that was gained was priceless.
