Barnsong

Today in class we watched a video that a previous WISE student had made as his project.  It was interesting because it followed another WISE student's project, so it encompassed aspects of both. 

First of all, I admire the guy who was building (and did complete) his own barn.  It's amazing that he literally built it from the ground up- chopping down his own trees for wood even.  It was nice that it showed he did not complete his anticipated final project in time for his presentation, but rather a few weeks later.  But, he clearly learned a lot through the process that he underwent with this goal in mind.  It was a good reassurance that as long as you are learning and putting in the time and effort during the time, it is okay to have wrongly estimated the time the project would take.  Now this hopefully won't happen to me, but I think it helped show the project from a different aspect for me, as I have been set on my final product or goal, being the race, this whole time.  I also thought it was interesting how closely the boy worked with his dad and how he was really honest about it.  I could have chosen either as my parents as mentors but I did not because of this reason, thinking it'd be very hard to work on something I am so invested in with them.  I think it would be hard to have a good, working relationship, despite anything else going on that is involving our lives.  The bit of separation with a non family member mentor is very helpful because it is easier to be honest and critical without creating harsh feelings. 

We also received the journal, bibliography, and narrative of an old WISE student's project today.  I hoped I would get Valerie's because she wanted me to look at her journal anyways (but she, I, and her journal are all in different places).  I guess it will be good to learn from another student's project because it will provide a new, creative, perspective that I haven't really exposed myself to yet.

I'm off for my 3 mile run now- as week one of my actual training plan says!