Thanks for a Great Summer!

Hey everybody,

I've been kicking around here for a few years now, posting some instructables and the occasional forum topic, building some things and drawing inspiration from other members, but I'm usually pretty quiet outside of the comments sections of my own 'ibles.

I want to take this moment to thank everybody here for teaching me how to Do It Myself and not be afraid to void a warranty or two.  It has absolutely changed my life and the very way I look at the world around me.

This summer I was sitting outside with a friend of mine and a lady walked by with her dogs.  Like several other people have, she commented on how much she liked the thirty or so sun jars I've got scattered around the front lawn.  I thanked her and handed her the business card I've made for my alter ego (depotdevoid:  Inventor, Tinkerer, Maker, Mad Scientist!).  I mentioned that I build all sorts of things, do computer repairs, etc.  She thanked me and walked off.

A couple of days later I got home from work to find a message on the machine.  It turns out she is the volunteer coordinator for the Science Factory, our local childrens' science museum.  She wanted to talk about having me visit a couple of their summer camps, themed "Insane Inventions!" and talk about being an inventor and a maker.  She said, "That's what you get when you put Mad Scientist on your business card!"

So in exchange for time and materials, my daughter was able to attend a couple of summer camps there and our family got a membership to the science factory so we can go play with all the toys and see shows at the planetarium.  I spent an afternoon and a morning hanging out with eight year olds and building sun jars, talking about the things I'd built, and being told how awesome I was over and over again.  There are some pictures below, sorry there are none of the kids, I was really busy after everything got set up and didn't have time to snap any pictures.

None of this would have happened if I hadn't come across this site all those years ago.  I thank each and every one of you for contributing to and helping build this community.  I know I'm not as vocal as some of the members here, but I want you all to know that I love this website and consider it my second home.

Thank you,

Ian (depotdevoid)