Free time is a powerful resource. It’s time that can be spent to achieve anything imaginable, and for me, that is always a new side project.
My curiosity extends beyond the classroom and research to capture the edge of possibility. I am always managing a new side project, which often demands interdisciplinary learning and lots of trial and error. This has created a strong intuition and problem-solving skill set for how to approach difficult concepts in my life and research.
Creating a Secret Bookshelf
My wonder was captured after I watched a movie that had a secret bookshelf door, so much so that I decided I was going to make one myself. However, this posed a plethora of new challenges that required skills like:
- Applied Mechanical Design – creating a functional secret pull-the-book lever to open the door
- Structural Analysis – calculating and balancing the weight of the books and bookshelf for new hinges that can support the added stress
- Critical thinking – designing and refining new iterations of the bookshelf for problems with shelf depth and door frame space restrictions
Publishing a Book
The best jokes are ones that take people by surprise and cause a laugh. However, how far can we push this? April Fools is a holiday designed to capture the whimsy and silly – so being equipped with unending determination, I took this as a challenge to publish a book to supersede everyone’s expectations. This, however, posed new challenges to face:
- Project Management – balancing designing, writing, and launch organization
- Self Publishing – independently learning publishing platforms and industry standards.
Subsequent to publishing my book, This is a Joke, for April Fools, I reached #20 on the Amazon New Releases Chart, demonstrating a measurable outcome of my efforts and highlighting the product of my learning and skill building.
