Bicycle Rope Maker

This Spring semester I had the chance to be in an International Health Class.  Instead of being a boring class filled with reading text books and listening to lectures, we focused on getting hands on experience by actually solving issues that affected a village in Paraguay called Ascuncion.  Because our projects were designed to be implemented in a real community with real people, I think it made us all try a little harder.  BYUI sends a few students and faculty to the village every year or two to implement the projects that students have recently been working on.  Then, they come back to the university to tell us what worked, what didn't, and what we can still improve on.

Our project:
The last group of students that went down helped design a bed that could easily be build there.  Beds are important because there are bugs that live in the dirt that can cause diseases in the people.  Most people in this village are too poor for a real bed, and even if they had a real mattress, it would probably become infested with bugs and/ or get moldy etc.  Instead of using rope to make a weave to sleep on, they found a way to connect plastic garbage bags together because it was cheaper.  The problem came because the plastic bags would stretch out in time.  They decided to try and make rope with twine they had.  They were able to accomplish this, but it took approximately 8 people, 8 hours to hand braid the rope to go on the bed.  That's 64 man hours!  Our task was to design a rope-maker that could be built in a third-world country from supplies they would have easily available to them.

We went through a lot of brainstorming sessions and trials and errors and eventually we came up with the design for our bicycle rope maker.  I won't go into the details of all the problems we encountered building it...but there were a lot.  And we overcame every obstacle so it worked beautifully in the end.  We were able to spin all the rope needed for the bed in about 10 man hours.  Even more motivating to us was the fact that we decided to enter it into the school's Research and Creative Works Conference.  Sadly they placed us in the Junior Engineering category so we were up against the engineering students but we still managed to place 3rd out of the 5 or 6 teams in our division.  That's quite an accomplishment for some health science kids!

This is my wonderful group.  It's a good thing we all liked each other or it could have been a really long semester.  The poster is made of rope of differing materials.  We used yarn (red), toilet paper (white), thread (green), crepe paper (yellow), twine (brown) and baling twine (black, and what we used for the bed).  You can make rope out of anything!

This is all the rope we made for the bed.  We got faster as we went and if we had made it as efficiently at the beginning as we did at the end it probably would have taken less than 6 man hours to make it all.

The main side of the rope maker is designed to spin the twine separately, first.  We used anywhere from two to ten lengths of twine/yarn/ thread in the first phase to create a strong base.  They were twisted by simply turning the pedals of the bike.  If you sat on a chair you could actually pedal it like a bicycle but we preferred just turning the pedals by hand.  

The second part of the rope maker was made by using another bike.  We attached the two parts of the rope on the other side and spun that side to twist the two individual pieces together to make a rope!  We could adjust the space between the two bikes to be about as long as we wanted if we wanted to make a longer rope.

 My certificate!  We win!  Well, at least we didn't lose...that counts as a win for us.

An Object Lesson

As part of my job, I am in charge of monthly (sometimes bi-monthly) trainings for the other student employees.  Usually we just spend time talking about new policies, doing case studies blah, blah, blah.  They probably aren't very fun.

This past training was a little different.  We got a little creative.

We split the group into two smaller groups.  One came in another room with me and the other group stayed in the first room.  The first room group did 20 minutes of the "boring training" while the other group and I had a little fun.  

I assembled funny little sculptures ahead of time and handed one to each person.  They then had 20 minutes to write instructions on how to assemble the sculpture from raw materials.  They couldn't use pictures, only words.  Here's what the two originals looked like...

After 20 minutes we had them switch rooms.  Those who were writing instructions went and did boring training and the others came with me.  They then got a bag full of raw materials and the instructions from the others and had 20 minutes to assemble them.  This is what they came up with...

It was quite humorous.  They were all similar but none were perfect.  We had them all come up with ideas on how this applies to our office and they came up with some things that we hadn't even thought about.  It doesn't do any good to try to describe those here but I think everyone walked away with a very practical view on why how we do what we do is important.  

Also, please look at the above picture again.  We have a whiteboard in the back room with funny things people have written in their entrance essays and the one in the middle says "The whole essay: I can solve a Rubiks cube in under 30 seconds."  That's it.  Their essay to get into college.  They can solve a Rubiks cube in under 30 seconds.  This is why I love my job.  Today someone from Bangladesh emailed us a copy of a certificate showing that they achieved 3rd rank in the shot put.... not sure how that qualifies them for college but I sure am glad they want to come here!

Hands

As the suggestion of my Grandma Koch, I've decided to get pictures of my hands taken every few years.  At least every 10, but maybe more often.  Twenty years old seemed like a good starting point.  I learned there's a photography studio on campus and the man that works there was so nice!  He took almost 40 pictures for me, completely FREE.  And when he was done he walked back in his office and burned me a disk of them.  He was so much fun to talk to and he really liked the idea of my project.  He told me all about his dad's hands and the places they'd been and the stories they could tell.

I guess my goal for this project is to have a history of my hands.  They've been so many places in their short 20 years and I'm sure they'll go so many more!  I think it would be fun to get pictures of my family's hands as it grows too.  I mean, hopefully in 10 years I'll have a ring on my finger and another, more manly, set of hands to add to the pictures!

I actually didn't get a picture exactly how I wanted (I know, I need to be more assertive) but he still got some good shots.  I really wanted just a shot looking straight down on them...oh well.  He took a few portraits too, though I don't love any of them...my hair was a little wild that day and boy photographers just don't get girls hair. 

So Much Stuff!

Can you believe I got all this stuff to take?!?!  Well, if you know me at all then it's not too hard to believe.  And this is just the stuff for the center!  Not pictured are my clothes, shoes, towels, sheets, hair necessities, and everything else that I need to survive for three months.  Yikes!!!

What's in this picture?  Let me list some of the stuff....books, paintbrushes, sharpies, markers, pens, dry erase markers, pencils, puzzles, scrapbook paper, feathers, recorders, Chutes and Ladders, cotton balls, pipe cleaners, balloons, pompoms, coloring books, jump ropes, sun catchers, whoopee cushions (they're kids, they'll love them!), paint, hair clips, headphones, colored napkins, bulletin board boarders, fun scissors, regular scissors, sticky tack, paint-by-colors, googly eyes, hand sanitizer, stickers, paper letters, velcro, glue sticks, hot glue gun, hot glue sticks, tops, hooks for the wall, spinner games and probably some other things I'm forgetting.  I went a little crazy at the store and I don't even care!!!

I'm in the process of getting this all into suitcases.  I can already tell I'm going to look like an idiot at the airport lugging these heavy suitcases around....

6 more days!!!!!

Cute as a Button

We had a roommate gift exchange and Lauren made me these cute hair bows!  I have decided they are going to be perfect to make with adorable Peruvian girls :) 

From a Bridesmaid to a Bride

After I titled this post I realized what that sounds like.  And I am definitely not getting married anytime soon.  Maybe someday I'll use this title again.....

No, this is talking about the gift I made for Whitney.  A gift from a bridesmaid to a bride.  It's a pretty special gift because she's pretty special :)

This gift was actually in the making starting February 14, 2011.  That's right, Valentine's Day.  Also the day Whitney met Jared.  She sent me a text saying "I met him" and another "Jared Buckley.  He's it."  First day she met him and she knew she would marry him!  They did not start dating right away but I locked the texts in my phone anyways.  They've stayed there for nine months now and I finally put them to good use. 

I made her a mini album with texts and facebook messages she sent me regarding Jared, dating, engagements and marriage.  It's their love story through technology!  I hope she appreciates it as much as I love it.  I wanted to give them something that would last forever and something they could show their kids one day.  Who wouldn't want to see messages their mom sent her best friend about wanting to hold their dad's hand before they started dating?!  I know I probably embarrassed Whitney some by letting Jared see those messages but they're married now so it's all fair game ;)

For the front and back sides I covered square pieces of cardboard with fabric.  To hold it all together I attached velcro to thick lace and then covered the end with a cute flower.

The album from the outside.

The inside is made like an accordion so once you get to the end, you can turn the book over and there's more of the story on the back of the pages.  This one was about 22 total pages (I think...)

I used three pieces of thread to weave the top border.

Here are a few pages from the inside.

The title is kind of a joke between Whitney, Alexis and I

First texts about Jared on left

The text she sent when she got engaged and the ring picture sent the next morning.

I didn't take pictures of every page but you get the idea.  I left the last page blank for when they got married.  After they came out of the temple I took a picture of them on my phone then I zipped over to Walgreens, had it printed and finished their book at the reception. 

I had an excellent time making this for them and using it as an excuse to procrastinate homework!  I did warn my other roommates not to all expect a cute wedding present from me because I can't be this creative all the time. 

A Day of Thanks

(In no particular order...)

1.  Cars, planes and means of traveling long distances in short amounts of time
2. Telephones (and the people who built all those telephone lines in the middle of nowhere)
3. The temple and what it represents
4. Whitney, Alexis, Lauren, Brittany, Hillary, Bailee, Jamie, Audra, Kadi and all other previous roommates
5. BYU-Idaho
6. The admissions office (first, for letting me come to BYUI and, more recently, for my job and the great people that work there.)
7. My family and their support in whatever I decide to do
8. Green Bay.  The people there.  Cheese.  Cheeseheads.  Seroogy's chocolate.
9. Fireplaces and fake fireplaces
10. Laptops, email, facebook, blogs and other ways to quickly communicate with people all over the world.
11. My professors
12. Food...mostly delicious food
13. PERU!  New experiences.
14. Warm socks, sweatpants and sweatshirts
15. My ancestors
16. Late night movies.  Movies to procrastinate homework.  Musicals.  Classics.  Classic musicals.
17. The Classy Clarke men.  You know who you are.
18. Classy parties
19. Beginners Rec. Volleyball.  3-0!
20. Spatulas
21. Crafts
22. Books that warm my heart
23. My faith
24. Modern-day prophets and apostles.  Modern-day revelation.
25. Shawnee High School
26. Board games...Rummikub, Cribbage, Quelf, Catch Phrase, Mastermind
27. Cameras, pictures, scrapbooks
28. Missionaries- Elder Chris Tucker, Sister Kimberly Tucker, Sister Kadi Baggett, Elder Nate Smith, Elder Taylor Haycock, Elder Myles Johnson, Elder Aaron Curth, Sister Lexi Bramwell and more
29.  Stoplights
30. Vision and hearing
31. Cinnamon and the smell of cinnamon
32. Fingernail clippers
33. Conditioner
34. Days off of school
35. Good health and a sound mind
36. Birthdays and the chance to grow older and wiser
37. Movies in heaven (hopefully these are actually real)
38. Laughing.  Laughing at nothing.  Laughing babies.  
39. Bridges
40. Umbrellas.  Singing in the rain.
41. Clouds
42. A day to think about things I'm thankful for

Newspaper Nails

I learned a super fun new nail art trick today!  You can put newspaper designs on your nails...who knew?!  First you paint a light solid color and let it totally dry.  Next, dip your nail into rubbing alcohol and press the piece of newspaper you like onto it.  Hold for a few seconds and peel off.  After a few minutes, put another layer of clear polish on top.  Ta-Da!!!

Clockwise from top: Stars and stripes, B"loo"mingdales, crossword answer, random words, "LOVE"

Salvation Army logo, random words, QR code, random words, Ohio

A Homemade Pile of Leaves

I've already blogged about fall being my favorite season.  I actually really like to rake leaves and it's one thing I miss a lot being in Idaho.  The other night we had some visitors come to the apartment and bring a bag full of shredded newspaper to play with.  It was surprisingly fun!  I had never met these boys before and them coming over was completely unplanned.  I was beyond confused when they said they had a present in the bag for us and this is not at all what I expected.  If I'm ever forced to live somewhere where leaves don't fall in the fall, I am going to remember this.

Glittering or Littering?

It's been a great weekend!  Minus the multiple hours I spent at the library yesterday.....

Lauren is the manager for the Masquerade Ball in a few weeks and as roommates we are lucky enough to be drafted to the decorating crew!!  We worked on masks for quite a few hours today and they turned out pretty fantastic.  Only....40 more to go.  Needless to say, our apartment will be sparkly for the next few weeks.  Someone needs to reinvent glitter so it doesn't stick to everything.

Sweet, huh?!

I Have Faults Too

I mean, I know everyone thinks I have it all together and life is just wonderful all the time and I do everything right and nothing goes wrong and my family is great and my roommates are awesome and my job is the best job on the planet and that I have a rockin' body without ever working out and my room is always clean and my clothes always match and I bake delicious baked goods and my hair falls perfectly across my shoulders as the wind blows luscious curls across my face and I have a 4.0 and I get nine hours of sleep every night and I have a butler who brings me chocolate on a tray and a seamstress to custom fit all my clothes and Frank Sinatra to sing me to sleep and a feather mattress and....oh you know....life is just perfect.  

Well, my friends, I have a fault.  

I do not floss my teeth.  

BUT this is quickly changing as I have flossed for the last three days at least once a day.  So pretty soon I will be perfect and have perfect teeth.  Maybe I'll change my name to Mary and be practically perfect in every way.  Except I don't want to be practically perfect...I'm going to be perfect. 

I'll keep Abigail.

My Health Communications group handing out free flosser kits (popcorn and floss) for a project....I made the giant flosser our fairy is holding!

PS- I'm tired.  And when I'm tired and want to blog, this is the kind of stuff I come up with.  One day I'll look back and this and wonder how I ever got to be so weird...one day will probably be tomorrow....

Full Tummies and Painted Faces

Yesterday was just a fantastic day!  I got up at 7:30 and started doing errands and chores around the apartment.  For lunch, Blake and I went to the Madison County fair and partook of a free baked potato bar!  It was one of the best baked potatoes I'd ever had!

After lunch we went to the park where I was going to read my book and then take a nap.  Conversely, I ended up reading Blake's book to him and he proceeded to fall asleep.  So I didn't get to read any of my book and I didn't get a nap....boys.


In the evening we had a very fun double date with my roommate Marissa and her boyfriend Matt!

They played nicer than we did....

We finished out the evening by watching How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.  You can see the power the girls hold in these relationships ; )

A Mistake Worth Making

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  I accidentally broke Brittany's bookshelf a few weeks ago and knew I had to find something to replace it.  Blake and I found this beauty at the DI today!

Okay, so at first glance it definitely wasn't that beautiful . . . but it had potential.  Plus it really was our only option.  We made a pit stop at Walmart and picked up some paint and buttons (a last minute decision) then headed back to his apartment.

After painting the shelves we realized there was nothing on the sides to hold her DVDs in place . . . off to Porters!!!  We got some balsa wood, painstakingly cut the boards to the right lengths, painted them, and used some hot glue magic.  BAM!  There are now edges to the shelf.

Next, I glued the buttons to the sides to add a little more color and pizazz.

And VIOLA!!!!  An absolutely ugly aluminum shelf was turned into an adorable creation for Brittany's room.  

Although we both had a blast with this little art project I don't plan on breaking any more of my roommate's things in the near future.  Next time, maybe I'll make something I can actually keep. . .