reflection
This output period was full of tests for me. The first major test for me was to coordinate the workforce and materials for building the solarium. This was my first test as a foreman working on a building project. There were some shortcomings but I learned what to do and what not to do; like ordering enough materials or making sure my help was well fed. The keyhole gardens, compost sifter and home garden for my girlfriend showed me that instead of spending money on new materials, I could improvise very easily with recycled and reused materials, something that benefits everyone and everything. By far my most influential test came when I was finished with all of these projects and was writing this paper, my computer crashed. When I got home to Santa Rosa, I spent some time with my friends and in the process a cat had urinated all over my computer. It had shorted out and exploded I lost everything; including a four thousand word completely edited paper for output four. What you are reading now is a second version of it. I had lost thousands of dollars of information, software, pictures, and papers, basically my life’s chronicles. I was devastated and could not write for a few days, I felt like calling my advisor Eden Vardy and telling him that I couldn’t do it and that I would be taking a break fro Gaia. I knew this was a ridiculous idea and that I couldn’t waste my time and energy just because a machine had failed me, or I failed my machine however you may look at it. I knew that my first step was to create a new paper and OP4, after this I could work on rebuilding my tech life. I knew that this was of paramount importance compared to the death of my computer. This taught me that some things are just more important than others. Things that will last a lifetime like outputting with Gaia are far more important than those that are artificial and temporary like a computer. This made me realize that although our lives are made more efficient and easier with machines and technology, we cannot loose sight of what is important in reality, and that we cannot let technology run our lives. Loosing something like a computer, especially when something as important as school or work depends on it, is devastating and can set you back days, weeks or months; but you cannot let it hold you back. What is important is that continuing with what means the most to you shows others your intentions and character, I hope.