After studying together with his good friend Julia, Nicolai takes a break to demonstrate his new found (as of this morning) interest in cup stacking. She uses a stop watch to time while he builds an eight layer pyramid of plastic cups and then collects the cups into a neat stack. It was an entertaining distraction for the entire family. My mother, who has been staying with us since last week, is slowly but surely recovering from her bout with bronchitis. Kyle was in some discomfort having eased off the pain medications for his wisdom teeth extraction a little too early. Before all was said and done I got roped into the action and produced a sub one minute result which paled in comparison to Nico’s 26 second best effort which can be seen by clicking the linked video above.
I am a huge proponent of team-building events that force folks to climb outside their comfort zones. Today I joined our electrical engineering team on their annual outing which was held at the Boston Rock Climbing Gym.
The focus of the event was on improving communication and the facilitators led us through a number of exercises designed to engage us on this topic. I was very pleased with the outcome and the manager who organized the outing.
We celebrated Kyle’s return from college by having all four of his wisdom teeth removed. Based on a his very successful first term at Santa Clara University we decided he is already wise enough. Here he employs his hoody to hold ice packs wrapped in towels to both sides of his face. Fortunately the procedure went well and he is mending quickly. Rice pudding has been prepared to nourish him and thus far I have been banned from sampling it.
For the first time, the kids were totally responsible for the Christmas tree. All three piled into Kyle’s truck and drove to Mahoney’s where they located a perfect specimen. Maya drilled a hole in the base to prepare it for our stand and the whole family, including my mother who is feeling much better, trimmed the tree by the warmth of our first fire of the season.
One of my main objectives on this trip to China was to learn more about injection molding of plastic parts which are used extensively in iRobot products. Today we toured a subsidiary of Jabil which is focused largely on molding and painting of plastic components. Before entering the production area for vacuum deposition we were required to change into the outfits pictured here to minimize the introduction of contaminants. Photography within the plant is forbidden but our host graciously offered to take this picture for us.
After our meeting, we returned to Hong Kong where I used the final hour of daylight to grab a few pictures. Because of the “haze” (read pollution) it is impossible to take good photographs of objects at a distance. Because of this, I decided to use an object in the foreground to anchor a photograph that still included the cityscape I was interested in capturing as a background element.
Our final factory visit is with Jetta, manufacturer of our wet floor care product line. By all accounts they are our least sophisticated supplier but they are doing an admirable job of building our most complicated robot. Meetings and a factory tour were followed by lunch in their executive dining room.
Although everyone was out in the field, we did not want to miss the opportunity to visit our newest iRobot office located adjacent to the train station in Guangjhou. Despite its diminutive size it is easily iRobot’s most posh facility. We arrived back at our hotel with 30 minutes of sunlight remaining and everyone ventured out on their own to enjoy the surroundings by daylight. Bicycles still abound but are rapidly being replaced by automobiles as the rising middle class grows in size and economic stature. I dined with one other colleague and selected a casual Shabu Shabu restaurant for our first departure from traditional Chinese fare.
After dinner I treated myself to a 90 minute full body massage (the therapeutic variety) which was the best of my life. It was a combination massage and chiropractic adjustment of my neck, back, and shoulders including 20 minutes on just my forehead and face. I have never felt so relaxed in my life and at $20 (including tip) for the entire session I would do this every day if I lived in China. Sleep came easily this evening and I have made the full night for day time zone shift just as my return to the US grows near.
Meetings with Standard Motor today went very well. We reviewed improvements they have made to one of the less reliable motors we use in our Scooba 230 wet floor cleaner and then received a tour of the factory. Our robots typically use 5 motors per design so it is essential that we have a very close relationship with our motor supplier and that their quality matches our requirements. In the afternoon we again enjoyed the bullet train ride as we returned to Guangdong where we joined a contingent of our Far East iRobot team for another eyeball centered meal (see before and after photos).
For followers of this blog, it should now be apparent that I do not generally care for food served with eyeballs intact.If truth be told, I am not that fond of the head either. You can safely add feet to the list. My sarcastic comments to the contrary, the food in China is quite wonderful and I simply need to put aside my squeamishness and continue to expand my gastronomic horizons.
After visiting Jabil (our second contract manufacturer) during the morning we traveled to Shaoguan by bullet train operating at 190mph. The Chinese government has made it a priority to develop the high speed rail system throughout the country to facilitate inland development. As impressive as the train is, the station from which we departed was even more so. The shear scale was only surpassed by the architectural beauty. I place my camera on the ground to make this self portrait with the ceiling of the station as a backdrop. The little girl was interested in my camera and was thrilled when I showed her this image of herself.
We are met at our destination by representatives of Standard Motor, who will host us for meetings tomorrow. En route to our hotel, they treat us to a brief visit to Danxiashan Park, a World Natural Heritage site. This geological red rock wonderland is best known for what is aptly named Male Stone. Dinner this evening features more eyeball-laden food as well as several new challenges to my gastronomic sensibilities. Out of respect for our gracious hosts, I sample duck tongue, jellyfish, shin meat (from an undisclosed animal), and several other “delicacies.”
After dinner I went for an extended walk and spent most of my time with a group of teenagers who were in-line skating at a local park. They had set up plastic cups to create a slalom course which they traversed with great speed and stylized footwork. I approached and asked (using gestures) if I could videotape them. After filming for almost 30 minutes I showed them some of what I shot. They asked (using gestures) for my e-mail address which I was happy to provide. Despite a total language barrier, I was able to connect with some pretty cool kids using my camera as a bridge. I hope to post an edited video when I return to the US.
I traveled from Hong Kong to mainland China this morning with my colleagues. We spent the day touring Kin Yat, one of our three contract manufacturing partners we are here to visit. It was a long day spent largely on our feet. This factory has made huge strides since the last time I visited and I was pleased with the state of affairs. Regrettably, photography is not permitted inside the facilities. You will simply have to imagine a sea of young Chinese women wearing uniforms and hats sitting in one production line after another. Each performs a small number of simple tasks on a robot which moves via conveyor to the next worker. In all, our line with related sub-assembly stations, employs in excess of 1000 workers. Despite the monotony of the work these positions are highly sought after. Dinner this evening could have easily been confused with a trip to the aquarium. On the main floor of the restaurant we view tank after tank filled with live exotic sea creatures looking out at us through the glass. Our food order is taken here by pointing out the species that we wish to eat. We move to a second floor private dining area with circular table where course by course the food arrives and is placed on a lazy Susan at the center. Once again we are eye-ball to eye-ball with our food. I have a rule about eating food with eye-balls which I suspended in order to be respectful of our dinner hosts. After settling into my hotel in Dongguan, I ventured out for what turned into a two hour walk. Pictured here is a pagoda found at the top of a large hill in Chang’An Park.
I arrived at my Hong Kong hotel at about 9PM feeling relatively awake despite not having slept a wink on the plane. I decided to head out for some exercise and photography. The city is decorated for Christmas which only intensified the night time illumination for which this city is already legendary.
Lately, I have been drawn to photographing moving water using slow shutter speeds. A plethora of lit fountains offered many opportunities to explore this theme. The youth of China, as in cultures everywhere, are pushing the boundaries in this very conservative society. I expect this is the one force the government here will find impossible to contain.
I began my travel to China early this morning with a flight to Chicago where the airport was decked out for the holidays. A three hour layover is followed by a 15 hour flight to Hong Kong arriving on Sunday eveningand where I will overnight before continuing on to China. With some time to kill at O’Hare, I searched our interesting photo opportunities and found this interesting view of the inter-terminal rail tracks as viewed through a frosted window from an overpass.
After conducting an interview at the office I drove downtown to the Microsoft NERD (New England Research and Development) Center where I attended a seminar on the Future of Robotics. It was an extremely informative session and I made a number of good connections. After the presentations, mostly by local university researchers, I walked over to the MIT campus where a tour was given of the robotics sections of the CSAIL (Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab). I saw walking robots, flying robots, underwater robots and even this cooking robot (she was stirring a bowl of cookie batter). If there was any doubt in my mind before, I am now convinced that Boston is the worldwide epicenter of robotics.
Tomorrow I depart for Hong Kong and China where I will spend a week visiting with our contract manufacturers and several key vendors. In the past my website has been blocked by the Chinese government (censorship at its finest) and if that is the case again I will not be able to make new posts until I return.
To my way of seeing things, Nala is more trouble than she is worth. Lately she has been breaching her electric fence (even with it set to maximum shock level). She returns covered in ticks or bathed in the aroma of skunk. When she is inside she wants to go out. When she is outside she wants to come in. She has learned how to open the lever handled outside doors but not to close them behind her. Despite the constant aggravation it is hard not to love the way she interacts with the family.
Even on the grayest of days there was a splash of color to be found in the yard. With day light growing shorter each day it is increasingly challenging to find interesting photographic subjects when I am not at work. Nicolai began editing video footage that we shot together last weekend of him doing all manner of stunts on his crutches. The founders of SideStix, the company which designed his crutches, have requested a short clip to put on their website. Tomorrow night they will be appearing on the CBC television show called the Dragon’s Den, where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business concepts and products to a panel of Canadian business moguls who have the cash and the know-how make to help them succeed. They expect the national exposure to drive traffic to their website and Nico was more than happy to help out.
Anytime I take vacation I can count on a very busy day in the office when I return. Such was the case today and there was no time for even a single photograph. Consequently I went into my time machine and set the clock for November, 2006 returning with this image of Maya and one of her pets.
Just as Goldilocks searched for a bed that was just right, our dog Nala was caught this evening sampling a new piece of furniture in the music room. She has been banned from our recently reupholstered family room couch and is now intent on finding an equally comfortable substitute.
With Nico out on a babysitting gig, Jeanine, Maya and I took in the movie, Hugo, which I can highly recommend. This was my first 3D movie (I don’t get out much) and must say that the effect was used with great artistic impact and made for an extremely immersive experience.
Finally, after two failed attempts earlier this week, I was able to get on the water with my nephew Johnie today. The weather was perfect for our one-hour round trip from the Concord Boat House to the Old North Bridge. The exercise felt great after several days of feasting. Johnie took Kyle to the airport this afternoon for his return flight to San Jose and we are once again down to a family of four.
Having done some serious damage to my weight maintenance plan yesterday I was all too happy to learn of a 10AM pick-up soccer game at the high school. Children were specifically invited to join the more seasoned (old and slow) players. Nicolai, his cousin Johnie, and Maya all joined me for what turned out to be a great game. We played full field until the numbers grew to the point where we split into two cross-field games. Although he turned his ankle mid-way through the game, Johnie scored a phone number from a local girl who is attending Wellesley.Nicolai was approached by the CCHS varsity soccer coach after our game and asked to play in the alumni match being contested on the adjacent field. Later he approached me and asked that I encourage Nico to try out for the team next year having distinguished himself in the game among a group of players who have won the state championship in 2 of the last 3 years. Plans for a mid afternoon kayak run were thwarted by our fall clean up crew which blocked access to the garage with their equipment. The kayaks are loaded, however, and I hope to be on the water tomorrow. John requested a photograph for his Facebook page and I was more than happy to oblige.
With much to be thankful for our family, joined by my sister and hers, and by good friend Susan Reynolds enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. The kids have matured to the point where they remained for quite some time at the table to share in post-feast conversation with the adults. The children eventually retreated to the kitchen for card playing and the adults to the family room for an old movie. My mother was missed by all but we reached out for a group phone call and it sounded like she is doing a bit better. Jeanine prepared a dinner plate for her with all the fixings and hopefully this will be a small consolation.
As a child, Christmas was my favorite holiday. Since becoming an adult, Thanksgiving reigns supreme. A day to gather with family and friends, to prepare and share food together and to give thanks for our many blessings. What holiday could be more perfect. As was my father’s tradition, we went around the table, each of us sharing our reasons for being thankful. Health and family were the dominant themes. I expressed gratitude for the courage of my family in the face of challenge.
It is not everyday that you return from work to discover a trio of Greek Goddesses making a movie in your home. Prohibited from the set I captured these images, from the adjacent room, as Maya (Hestia) directed and filmed her classmates (Demeter and Hera) for a project they are doing on the Greek mythology.
Speaking of Goddesses my sister Alissa and her daughter Rachel arrived today from upstate New York and were joined by her son John William who drove over from Babson College where he is a freshman. Due to work obligations, John senior will not be joining us until tomorrow. Unfortunately my mother, who had originally planned to join them for the visit, will not be making the trip due to illness. We considered bringing the feast to her but the last minute logistics proved to be too much.
Last week Nicolai learned that his coach had selected him as a co-captain of the varsity wrestling team.
Today he learned that he will never wrestle again.
Last season he suffered from a number of “stingers” which caused his arms to go numb. A visit to the neurologist today revealed from his MRI scans that he has two bulging discs between the vertebrae in his neck (C4/C5 and C5/C6) that are impinging on his spinal cord. A further bulging or herniation of either disc could result in permanent loss of feeling in his arms or paralysis. The doctor reassured Nico that his current situation is stable but felt the risk of continuing to wrestle was unacceptably high given the potential consequences.
We were all despondent over the news. Wrestling is the one sport in which Nico felt he could compete on equal footing (no pun intended) because his limited mobility and leverage were equally offset by his greater upper body strength at any given weight class. I left work early and spent hours pouring over his MRIs and doing research on the internet. Initially, I thought it would make sense to get a second opinion but the damage to his neck is apparent even to my untrained eye.
A door has closed today for Nico. Despite our sorrow, we can only be thankful that we learned of this situation before an even more tragic outcome ensued. Although Nico has had to shoulder more than his fair share of burden, it has made him exactly the indomitable person he is today. We are hopeful that he will rise above this setback and that it will only further strengthen his mighty spirit.
I enjoyed a phenomenal dinner this evening at the Capital Grille. My boss treated his direct reports to the culinary feast in appreciation for an extremely profitable fiscal year. The only photo from the dimly lit interior that I was pleased with was of this statue, located adjacent to the entrance. I really should have thought to bring a wider angle lens so I could have captured the entire team.
Although I have a great deal of equipment that supports my photography addiction, I am very good about selling items that I no longer use. Recycling of items such as the ball head pictured here have netted me about $1K over the last few weeks which will no doubt be reinvested in more equipment. I am generally able to sell at 90% of my acquisition cost by taking good care of the item and producing “glamour” shots like this one for the auction listings.
This afternoon I played in my final outdoor soccer match of the season in the divisional playoff finals in uncharacteristically perfect weather for this time of year. Regrettably our undefeated season came to an end as we lost the game 0-1. What was most unfortunate is that our opponent, Nashua, had only 2 shots on goal all day compared to a dozen opportunities for us, two of which rebounded off the cross bar. We dominated possession and would beat this team in a rematch but on this Sunday they produced the win and we walked away with 2nd place tee-shirts. I did not have a particularly good game. My broken pinky toe bothered me for much of the match despite a heavy dose of Ibuprofen and another well engineered duct tape splint. I plan to start playing indoor soccer now but not before my toe heals.
Jeanine prepared a Sunday dinner feast in celebration of Kyle’s return and we had a most enjoyable discussion around the table.
Kyle took the red eye from California last night and I collected him at the airport early this morning. Jeanine called from the road (on her way to classes at Brockport) to great him just as Nala was saying her hellos. Kyle was full of stories about college life and by all accounts he is doing well and really enjoying himself. Between the 3 hour time zone shift, the 3 hour college life shift and a slight cold, Kyle slept until late afternoon before joining Nicolai on an excursion to Worcester where the CCHS Varsity Men’s Soccer team was, for the third consecutive year, vying for the state title. Unfortunately the team had to settle for second place but I am sure the brothers enjoyed catching up during the one hour drive each way. I spent the bulk of the day setting the remaining tiles for our fireplace renovation project. I used a traditional fan pattern for the arch which is pictured here during the dry fitting stage with a support structure I fashioned to keep the tiles in place while the thinset cured. I am using a 1/16 inch gap between tiles which requires extremely precise cutting of the stone but results in a very elegant look. The last remaining step is grouting which I should be able to get to in the next few days.
The front of the iRobot building has an architectural accent in the form of a metal mesh which drapes one side of the entrance. While waiting in the board room for a meeting to start with our CEO I looked out the window and saw the backlit stripes of the American flag through the diagonal patterns of the mesh and thought it made for an interesting composition. It has been a very hectic but productive week and I am really looking forward to the weekend and to Kyle’s return from Santa Clara for the Thanksgiving break.
Maya has been studying drama this semester and this evening Jeanine and I were treated to night of improvisational performances. Here Maya is leading her cohorts on a big game hunt. She shares her mother’s gift for improvisation and we reveled in her antics and talent. Earlier in the day Jeanine gave a very successful presentation about food, nutrition and her business to a local gathering of women. My attempts to upload a video of the entire talk has been thwarted due to the size of the file. Stay tuned, for I may work out a way to reduce the resolution sufficiently to meet the 500GB limit.
Photographically speaking autumn is coming to a close. Leaves are falling like rain and but a few trees remain with any color to speak of. Because I am in the autumn of my own life I am beginning to wonder how many more times I will get to enjoy the magnificence of this, my favorite season. With each passing year, I am increasingly determined to squeeze every last ounce of color from the autumn pallet.
The final hurdle for approval to build a new Concord Carlisle high school was an affirmative vote by both towns to authorize a Proposition 2 1/2 debt exclusion. Jeanine and I were among a third of the town to vote this morning and the measure passed with an 84% margin here and 85% in Carlisle. Maya will only enjoy one full year in the new school but the benefits will extend to future generations of Concord students and provide our best in state teaching professionals a matching facility. Photography is not permitted within the polling area so I opted for this image of the entrance complete with one of Concord’s finest on duty. I was reminded what a great privilege it is to live in a country where everyone has the right to vote. News of a vote in Congress to undermine nutrition guidelines by classifying pizza as a vegetable in response to pressure from the food lobby underscores the importance and responsibility of citizens to exercise that right.
UPDATE: I replaced the photo with one of the completed high school.
A Jack Russell terrier puppy is the newest member of my youngest sister Mayela’s family. Eight week old Peachy replaces Coco who passed away recently. Brother Jake (pictured) has not yet warmed up to his new baby sister but is expected to become just as attached over time.
It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. A more apt version of this truth when applied to me and my desire to play soccer would be “stupidity is the son of insanity”. Pictured here is the splint I made of duct tape and a cotton ball to isolate my injured and now very purple pinky toe so that I could play our semi-final playoff match this morning. We gave up an early goal and trailed well into the second half when we equalized with 20 minutes to play. With 3 minutes remaining I chased down a through ball from midfield to the end line and sliced it back to the penalty spot to a teammate who knocked it in for the win. It would be fair to say that this duct tape splint saved the day for without it I would have been incapable of playing at all.
After the game I raced back home for Maya’s soccer team end of the season party. The coaches reviewed the season accomplishments and recognized the girls for their effort, attitude and skill. Later we watched a slideshow of photos from the season and then by popular demand a video of Maya as she was first exposed to soccer (link here: Maya Goalie Practice)
This website is dedicated to sharing, with family and friends, the day-to-day adventures of the Calabria family.
