Relax This Summer and Be a Maker
Deadlines, high expectations, hyper-connected lifestyles. It’s just part of everyday life working at technology companies. For many of us, it’s time for a much-needed break with a summer vacation at the beach, listening to the ocean waves with toes in the sand. But numerous studies show it’s important to take time to find a way to destress on a regular basis.
If the Art of Doing Nothing in an always-connected world is not your cup of herbal tea, check out a few of these projects from Make: magazine:
Ditch the boring manicure and go for near-field fingernails. Put some technology in your nails by using NFC (near-field communication) tags, LED lights, and apps from Google Play. DIY or give the instructions to your nail technician.
Build an M&M Color Sorter using a Raspberry Pi to sort your red and green M&Ms.
Build a Wi-Fi controlled water valve and control an irrigation system from a smartphone or computer.
Would you like to join up with other makers for inspiration or advice? Maker Faires were made popular by Make: magazine as a way for do-it-yourselfers to share discoveries and camaraderie. The “National Week of Making” is June 11-17, 2018. Billed as the Greatest Show & Tell on Earth, Maker Faires of various sizes are held year-round throughout the world, ranging from flagship events in California and New York to faires at local schools.
Another option is to check out your local community for likely venues. For example, Roswell, GA is an Atlanta suburb currently in the process of transforming an outdated fire station into a makerspace—appropriately called “Roswell FireLabs.” The plan is for 4,200+ square feet of workshop and classroom space for screenprinting, wood and metal shops, 3D printing, sewing, cosplay, electronics, and much more.
What about the kids? For a project you can try with your kids this summer to demonstrate solar power, the U.S. Department of Energy has instructions to build a solar oven out of a pizza box.
And finally, if you are looking for reading material, in a Gates Notes blog post, Bill Gates shares five books he recommends for your summer reading list. Enjoy and learn something new this summer!
