Summer is here, in University terms, and I’ve been thinking about what projects to take on. I’ve always kept notebooks with doodles, designs, ideas, etc.. But only in the past year have I kept a separate “project notebook” separate from shopping lists and to-do items. This has been a love-hate idea in itself. Looking through the project notebook makes me think, “o.k., which one are you going to do?”

On the software project front, there is a growing list of iPhone/iPad and Livescribe pen applications in my project notebook. Hardware-wise not so much. I’ve talked to my kids about what they would like to make this summer, which brought up the thought, “what are the goals of my summer project(s)?” Well, here’s a crack at answering that question.

Project Goals:

  • Involve my kids in the process; idea, design, make, test.
  • Fun to play with when it’s done; for me and kids.
  • Does not have to be ground breaking, but should be fresh.
  • Prefer to have hardware and software.
  • Prefer to have something physical that can be handled.
  • Should be something we all learn something by doing (a new skill or technique).

Those seem laudable goals, but will we be able to fulfil them all? Not sure. Also, summer-time in Maine is limited and we have a lot of outdoor activity planned (and vacations) so we also have some implementation time restrictions.

Now, off to satisfying the unlisted but first goal, list out all the projects in some fashion we can choose from.