TomHeck.com

"Adventures of a Geek Dad" -- my IGNITE Asheville 2013 talk

On February 19, 2013  I spoke at IGNITE Asheville. See my video below.

My talk was entitled "Adventures of a Geek Dad" and I won 1st place! The crazy thing is, I tried to back out of this event a couple of times. I honestly didn't think many people would be interested in what I had to say.

Although I've given many talks, this one was among the most difficult to prepare for and deliver. 

The difficulty stemmed from the format:  5 minutes long and slides auto advance every 15 seconds. 5 minutes is such a short amount of time. Every word counts. You'll see in the video that I got behind / out of sync with my slides - - so easy to do.

Assembling my slides took way longer then expected because I realized I had too much to say in 5 minutes and that meant I had too many slides. I had to eliminate, pair down, refine, etc. Not easy for a guy that likes to talk a lot.

The event organizers (all great people) provided a speaking coach and she was AWESOME. Her name is Angie Flynn-McIver of Executive Repertory. Angie met with me one-on-one and listened to my talk and asked me to make a couple of simple yet important changes. One tip she gave was to "get rid of the light saber". I was going to use a light saber during my talk but Angie said it would be distracting for me and the audience. I'm so glad I followed her advice on that one. 

Here are a few resources that helped a lot:

Scott Berkun -- Why And How To Give An IGNITE Talk

Scott Berkun's blog post on the same subject

IGNITE's tips for beginners

Jason Grigsby's "How To Give a Successful Ignite Presentation"

I bounced some ideas off of Ken Denmead at GeekDad.com (Thank you Ken!).

The biggest realization I had was how vulnerable I felt talking about parenting, my kids, and doing geeky stuff with my kids. The place was sold out with 420 in attendance and I just wasn't used to talking on a subject so personal in front of so many people. 

Towards the end of my talk you'll see me get a little choked up when the slide of my daughter's thank you card is on the screen. That was a surprise. I practiced my talk so many times and not once did I have an emotional reaction to my daughter's card. Sharing that image with hundreds of people really did get me connected with why I do this Geek Dad stuff - - it's a great way to spend time with my kids.

 

When You Get to Asheville -- Steve Martin, Edie Brickell, and the Steep Canyon Rangers

Steve Martin & Edie Brickell performing "When You Get to Asheville" with The Steep Canyon Rangers on the Late Show with David Letterman 4/23/2013

So happy to live in Asheville. So happy to see Steve Martin playing clawahammer banjo. 

 

Adam Savage speaking at MAKER Fair

There is a seismic shift happening. Adam Savage from Mythbusters describes the growing MAKER movement.

 

Sailing a Hobie Cat Wave on Keuka Lake near Penn Yan, NY summer of 2012

Sailing with my son Joseph on beautiful Keuka Lake.

 

Hovercraft -- weekend DIY project

On Saturday February 9, 2013 my daughter and her friend helped me build a hovercraft. In just two hours we were floating across the floor!

We started with one 4'x4' piece of plywood (4 ply) that is 1/2 inch thick.

Lift is provided by an electric TORO leaf blower but I plan to upgrade to a cordless (battery powered) leaf blower.I prefer electric over gas power because I plan to only use this indoors.

For the hovercraft to move forward it must be pushed (or pulled).

The hovercraft worked great on the cement floor of the warehouse. It did not work well outside on asphalt (pavement).

This hovercraft was inspired by a project in the MAKE Magazine blog HERE.

Science of hovercrafts found HERE.

 

STEM -- Resource Area

Are you considering the creation of a STEM program? I've assembled these resources for you.

Definition

There are many definitions of STEM education but only one for "Integrative STEM Education". This definition was developed by Dr. Mark Sanders of Virginia Tech in 2006.

Integrative STEM education refers to technological/engineering design-based learning approaches that intentionally integrate the concepts and practices of science and/or mathematics education with the concepts practices of technology and engineering education. Integrative STEM education may be enhanced through further integration with other school subjects, such as language arts, social studies, art, etc.

Sources for STEM Curriculum

International Technology & Engineering Education Association (ITEEA): Engineerring By Design (K-12)

Project Lead The Way (PLTW)

Boston Museum of Science:  Engineering the Future (high school)

Project Ideas

Design Squad -- a PBS TV program

Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) developed by Purdue University

MAKE Magazine

Dr. Mark Sanders

Mark Sanders, professor of teaching and learning in the School of Education in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the “professor emeritus” title by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors. (Oct. 2010)

Sanders is a pioneer in integrative science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. His research focus on the integration of technology, science, and mathematics education, including teaching and curriculum development, was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Technical Foundation of America.

Download Sanders.TERC Paper

Download STEM article by Sanders

STEM Labs

What does a STEM lab look like?

Alternate names for a STEM lab are "Fab Lab" (short for Fabrication Laboratory), "Maker Space", "Hacker Space".

 

Fab Lab -- High School Fabrication Laboratory in California. Click on an image to enlarge. CLICK HERE to read the article.

 

 

MakerBot -- 3D desktop printing

 

Maker Space

 

 

We Are All Makers -- TED talk

 

 

Fab Labs in the Schools -- 12 minute talk by Paulo Bilkstein

 

 

Chris Rogers -- Teaching STEM with a Camera and a Brick or Two

 

 

more coming soon...

 

Near Space Balloon Launch

In the fall of 2012 I helped a group of middle school students send a GoPRO HD video camera to "near space".  What follows are the details of the project.

Here is the 3 minute video showing the highlights of the launch and recovery:

Asheville, NC Tedx Near Space Project from Peter Lutz on Vimeo.

 

 

Project Facts:

• 1200 gram latex weather balloon was filled with 150 cubic feet of helium -- weather balloon was approximately 6 feet in diameter at lift off.
• Payload was an off-the-shelf styrofoam cooler that was modified for this project.
• Payload weighed 4 pounds.
• Payload contents included: GoPRO Hero 2 HD video camera with a 32 GB memory card and extra battery pack, SPOT gps unit, PocketFinder gps unit, personal items from each student
• Launched on Sat Oct 27, 2012 at 9:20 am EST
• Launching location:  Francine Delany New School for Children Charter School (www.fdnsc.net) in Asheville, NC
• This project was a collaboration between the school and TEDx Asheville 2012.

more coming...

Tethered helium balloons carry a small video camera

 

This tethered balloon project was inspired by the book GEEK DAD by Ken Denmead.

In the fall of 2012 I volunteered to help Asheville, North Carolina middle school science and math teacher Tom Robertson and his students launch a weather balloon to near space.

This project was connected to TEDx Asheville 2012 (www.tedxasheville.com) where the theme was "the EDGE".   The conference explored all things relating to "the EDGE" including near space.

This tethered balloon project was done on the first meeting with the students (an elective class).  The goal was to get everyone excited about sending video cameras up high and retrieving them to watch the recordings.

The big helium balloon was purchased at a local party supply store for $8.  I thought one balloon would be able to easily lift my little point and shoot camera but, as you'll see from the video, one balloon struggled.

Later that same day I went back to the party store and purchased a second ballon and launched the camera again at a school picnic and had better results.

I plan to do this again with 4 large balloons and I'll work on a system to stabilize the camera (it did a lot of spinning).  With 4 large balloons it will be easy to send the camera hundreds of feet up (quickly).

Stay tuned for video of the near space balloon launch!

1984 recording from Mount Airy Fiddler's Convention

In the spring of 1984 I was a student at Virginia Tech. I discovered Mac Traynham was not only one of my classmates but was an award winning banjo player. I had always wanted to learn to play the banjo so I asked Mac if he would be my teacher.  He said he would if I agreed to attend the "Mount Airy Fiddler's Convention" first.  I agreed to attend but had no idea what to expect.  I arrived carrying my Sony hand-held tape recorder and wandered around listening to and recording some of the many jam sessions.  Years later I realized I recorded a jam session with old time music greats Tommy Jarrell and Ralph Blizard.  Richie Stearns was playing banjo.  Listen to the recording:

Ralph Blilzzard 1984 higher

My Sailing Trip on Lake Jocassee

In April 2012 my brother and I went sailing the on Lake Jocassee in South Carolina.  Our boat is a Hobie Wave.  We encountered heavy wind, light wind, rain, hail, cloudy skies, and clear skies.  It was a great day.

 

My List of 100 Things To Do Before I Die

This is my list:

1. Build and live in a cabin
2. Swim a mile in open water
3. Be a classroom teacher for a year
4. Ride the Slickrock trail in Moab
5. Visit Denali National Park
6. Win first place in a banjo competition
7. Perform on stage in front of 1,000 people
8. Write and publish a book
9. Drive a bus full of people
10. Grow a beard
11. Appear on TV news
12. Street perform and earn $100
13. Spend a week in silence
14. Swim with dolphins
15. Walk across 40 feet of burning coals
16. Break through a board with my bare hands
17. Invent and successfully license a product
18. Learn how to sail
19. Go hang gliding
20. Be a lead actor in a play
21. Learn how to rock climb
22. Be in a parade
23. Swim with manatees
24. Build a tree fort

more coming soon

Trebuchet -- human powered -- launching softballs 70 yards

Here's more video of my portable human powered trebuchet.  Launching a softball 70 yards.

 

Trebuchet -- human powered, portable, water balloon launching

This trebuchet launches softball size water balloons 50 - 70 yards using human (kid) power. It is portable (quickly folds down for car top carrying) and uses easy to acquire supplies found at Home Depot or Lowes Home Improvement.

I originally designed this for the kids area of the Lake Eden Arts Festival (theLEAF.org) where we launched water balloons at a large cardboard castle.The video below shows the trebuchets in action at TEDx Katuah 2011 where I was asked to provide a "hands on science" experience for conference attendees. At the TEDx event we launched "deer apples" (rotting apples) instead of water balloons and our best throw with the apples was 85 yards.

The TEDx Katuah event was held at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (www.PARI.edu) which was originally designe for the NASA space program.  After NASA, the CIA used PARI to spy on the Russians. One of the employees at PARI is Thurburn Barker (pictured here with my son).  Mr. Barker worked for NASA during the early days of the manned space program and he was fascinated with the trebuchets.

Since the TEDx Katuah 2011 event I've continued to improve on the trebuchet design, especially the end of the throwing arm. 

 

 

View video of the trebuchet in action below:

 

Old Time Music jam session -- John, Amy and Tom playing "Soldier's Joy"

While attending college at Virginia Tech I discovered old time music.  I quickly realized I absolutely HAD to learn how to play clawhammer banjo which is the style of banjo played in old time music.  I was lucky to find Mac Traynham (also a student at VT at the time) who would become my banjo teacher. 

I was not an easy student to work with but Mac was patient and always positive and encouraging. The banjo was my first instrument and I knew almost nothing about music.  It took me forever to learn how to tune my banjo (I had to train my ear).  Daily practice for six months is what it took for me to learn my first tune.

I was challenged learning how to play the banjo all by myself.  After learning my first tune ("June Apple") I was excited to play it with other musicians.  This is when I went to a deeper level of learning about my instrument and the music.

When I first started playing with other people I regularly rushed the tempo due to my excitement.  It seemed like an impossible task to play in time with a metronome. I so focused on me that I had trouble paying attention to others.  Playing in time with others required a new level of sensitivity.  I had to listen to my own playing while listening to how everyone else was playing.  I began to realize that I needed the same skill in everyday life.  I was too self-centered and always thinking about what I was going to say when someone else was done talking.  Playing music helped me be patient and listen. 

Old Time Music is dance music.  A long time ago (before iPods even) fiddle's and banjos provided the sound track to life in the Southern Appalachians Mountains.  Old Time Music  is the predecessor to bluegrass music.  Bluegrass musicians will "take a break" during a song much like jazz musicians do - - featuring a particular musician.  Old Time Music is different.  Old Time musicians don't take "breaks".  The goal is to create a driving, danceable sound.  The experience, for many musicians, is like a meditation.  The meditative nature of the music requires me to address (experientially) my feeling "separate" but realizing the greater truth that I am part of the "whole".  This experience has helped me become a better team player in other areas of my life.

One of the things I love most about playing this music is the opportunity to meet wonderful people and make music with them.  I've made music with people from all walks of life.  Our love of the music is what brings us together.

On July 11, 2011 I had the opportunity to play music with my friends John Engle (fiddle) and Amy Hobbs (guitar) at a camp that serves autistic kids and adults.  Luckily, one of the camp staff took some video while we were playing.  The tune is called "Soldiers Joy" and is sometimes called "Love Somebody" (a tune in the key of D).

I hope you enjoy it!

 

How to convert a Lego storage box into a Lego Lunchbox

My son has always loved playing with Legos so it didn't take much to convince him to allow me to convert one of his old Lego containers into a lunchbox. 

I needed closed cell foam to act as insulation and I found a 1/4 x 20 x 15 sheet ($6.25) of it at my local outdoor gear shop. I was able to cut six pieces out of this one piece of foam.

Originally I thought of gluing the foam into the container but quickly decided that would turn into a mess when it was time to wash it.  I ended up sewing a sleeve to hold the four side panels and the bottom panel. 

I used waterproof nylon (not "ripstop" as stated in the video) to sew the sleeve.  The original size of the nylon was 18.5 x 26 inches.  I sewed the sleeve so that I could remove all the foam and wash the sleeve.  The sleeve fits snugly inside the Lego container.

The lunchbox handle is made from one inch wide flat nylon webbing and is attached to the Lego box using a pop rivet tool.  I have a feeling this attachment point may fail quickly but we'll see.

I've included a video and extra photos (below) if you're interested in more details.

 

Creating the Lego Lunchbox...

Here's what the Lego box looked like before I started.

 

Closed cell foam sheet measuring 1/4 x 20 x 15 was able to supply all the material I needed for the insulation.  You'll notice the four side panels have a keystone shape - - they are 8.25 inches tall and 6 inches wide at the top and 5.5 inches wide at the bottom.  The small square is the bottom and the large square is the top (just under the lid).

I needed to leave gaps in the insulation to allow for the folding fabric sleeve.

Sewing the sleeve.

 

Completed sleeve which hold the insulation panels. Notice bottom flap is sewn to one side panel.  All foam pieces can be removed so the sleeve can be washed easily.

The handle is one inch wide flat nylon webbing.  I attached the webbing to the box using a pop rivet tool.

This view is the under side of the box and shows a flat aluminum bar intended to reinforce the attachment point of the lunchbox strap.

 

Check out this cool contraption my brother-in-law created.  It helps keep Lego pieces from going everywhere.  Super useful. My son loves this thing.  Collectigo.com

 

You don't know the power of the bark side!

I love this commercial from Volkswagon.

Dogs bark the Star Wars "Imperial March".

Best part:  Imperial Walker at the end.

I find the pug's lack of faith disturbing.

 

Page Turning Rube Goldberg

I could use one of these.  I turn pages the boring old fashion way.

 

Calvin and Hobbes -- School Picture Day

My kids will have their pictures taken at school this week.  I wonder how many photographers encounter a kid like Calvin...

Bungee (not banjo) Jumping -- a common error among us banjo players!

Free Running Academy

I'd love to visit NYC with this crew.  Would also be fun to invite them over for dinner.

K.D. Lang sings Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

Juno Awards in Winnipeg in 2005.

Wow.