Mark

Deconstructing Things since Childhood

I still remember the first time someone used this word to describe me... mischievous. They said I always had this smile... no... a smirk, like I had just gotten away with something, or worse, was about to. But in reality, I was just a happy kid who was really curious about the world around me.

Unfortunately, that usually resulted in me taking something apart.

Ever since I could remember, anything I could get my hands on was usually in a state of disassembly. Whether it was my old cassette player or my mom's expensive ring-watch jewelry, or even her patience for her son taking apart her expensive ring-watch jewelry, I was usually pretty good at tearing it all down, and sometimes even getting it back together again. It gave me a great appreciation for the way something that otherwise appears so simple could be so beautifully complex.

Even more so, from that young age, it gave me the inspiration to want to change things for the better. If I didn't like the way something worked, I'd just modify it! Sure it would take planning, but I usually had plenty of time for that considering it was equally likely I was currently grounded for disassembling the TV remote.

Still, the first time I experienced an idea that one minute only existed in my mind suddenly turning into something physical to this day was one of the most amazing feelings of my life. "I think, therefore it was." Ok, admittedly not as catchy as the other version of that, but it's still pretty damn cool to literally wish something into existence!

So yeah, now I make things for a living. Whether it's arguing with the robots over some feature I want coded, or building some new hardware or furniture, or just something funny to make someone laugh, I build and create. Everyone should do it. Doesn't matter what. Just make something today.