I know what I want to be when I grow up

GravityLight: lighting for the developing countries from Therefore on Vimeo.

Have you ever sat around wondering what you want to be when you grow up? Have you ever come up with an answer? I haven’t. When I was leaving high school, I wanted to be a computer animator. I spent my university days studying film and learning to tell computers to animate blades of grass. But as life would unfold, I ended up translating the vagueries of business into technological solutions. But that’s not what I want to do when I grow up. But after watching the video above, I know what I want to be when I grow up.

I want to be someone who can think up a grand idea and have the skills and the wherewithall to make it happen. I want to be someone who can model complex machines in cad software and then can move to a lathe and machine it. I want to be someone who inspires awe with the things that I make. And software isn’t tagible enough. I struggle with working in the business I do because the problems and the solutions aren’t real. Or at least, it’s hard to feel connected to not being able to file something fast enough.

But think of the hurdles between here and there. How do I learn sufficient mastery of CAD to get there? How do I learn sufficient electric engineering to get there? How do I learn or even get to try CNC machining, plastics injection moulding or any of the other myriad of skils required? And, probably most importantly, how do I find the time in the hustle and bustle of the rat race to sit and think of solutions to interesting and tangible problems? As with most things, I think the answer is just to start doing them.

I had no idea what I was doing when I tore the car apart. I had no idea what I was doing when I set out to make Alex a bed. I really hadn’t a clue when it cames to roofing, stuccoing, painting, moulding or drywalling. But I just jumped in, and figured it out. Years of practise have honed the skills to a degree where the result is acceptable. So I know what I want to do when I grow up. Now I just need to figure out a path to get there. Anyone what to build something cool with me?