This year, we were thrilled to explore Maker Faire with Jon, Lily, and Jen! We chatted with creative minds of all ages and sizes and types. We learned about the latest machines, gadgets, and doodads. We heard about projects that others are pursuing and picked up ideas and tips for our own. We even made some things right then and there during the faire. Most of all, we had lots of fun!

This is the first year we’ve participated in one of the most popular Maker Faire activities: learning to solder. Donned with Google safety glasses, we soldered a battery holder, pin, and LED to a printed circuit board in the shape of the Makey Robot. So easy and fun!

In the Maker Shed, we saw a vast array of innovative projects. One of our favorites was the circuits-in-a-bottle project by Kimio Kosaka. Incredibly, all the parts are soldered together inside the bottle. Unfortunately, this picture does not do this creative project justice! We were too busy marveling and asking questions. See more details on Kimio’s DIY video!

Maker projects spanned from fun at-home endeavors to commercial ventures. For example, we loved the MATRIX Creator, which is basically a Raspberry Pi add-on pre-built with a number of sensors and microcontrollers, powered by a proprietary (secret algorithm) operating system. Its capabilities are endless and clearly largely unexplored! Watch our video below to see one potential functionality: Face detection, tracking, and interpretation (also featured: our silly facial expressions :-P).

We tried our hand at single-pin lock picking. The instructions are much more easily explained than executed. Of our group, only Lily was successful! Here she is “supervising” Silas and Jon sweating away, hard at work.

Years ago, at our first Maker Faire, we saw our first 3D printer. In a shockingly short amount of time, after decades of utility in industrial fabrication, these have now become mainstream. The MakerBot Replicator and even Formlabs Forms are old news and companies are now striving to distinguish themselves. Nowadays, you can 3D print plastics, metals, clay, rubber, even chocolates. We saw many examples of great efforts: printers which used plastic waste instead of filament or resin, others which printed and mixed different colored plastic, etc. We were most impressed by the ONO, the first-ever smartphone 3D printer which raised over $1 million on Kickstarter in just 5 days! A tray filled with DLP resin sits over the smartphone. This resin hardens with exposure to normal visible light. An app displays patterns on the screen to harden the resin while a moving platform pulls the hardened resin up so that the next layer can be printed. It should be available in the U.S. soon!

Check out this Knitting Printer, an awesome invention brought to us by  Asbjørn Rørvik and Fredrik Fjellså from Norway! We were entranced by the process. So far it looks like its functionality is limited to making tubes – socks, scarves, and Dachshund sweaters… but who can have enough of those?! By the way, the component parts of these automated knitting machine were 3D printed, too!

Here are some other pictures of our highlights during the day!
1. Jon listening to knitting. Teresa Lamb wears a  harness and arm-piece which translates the movements of knitting into sound.
2. Lily jamming out on a ukelele programmed with Arduino.
3. Kathy May operating Shaper Origin, the world’s first handheld CNC machine. It’s totally portable and self-guiding!
4. Silas examining water bears AKA tardigrades (indestructible micro-animals that can survive in outer space) under the microscope.

Check out our gallery for more Maker Faire pictures that we couldn’t fit into the body of this post!

Until next time,
Kathy May and Silas

Advance screenings are promotions for new films, a studio’s marketing strategy to generate word-of-mouth advertising and build hype. I learned that, at the screening from last night, a large number of tickets were awarded through contests (radio, sweepstakes, etc); others were presented to loyal fans of Marvel, Walt Disney, or movies in general; still others were distributed by street promo teams similar to the ones we often see here in bustling New York; and, finally, some were given to critics and press. The advance screening was shown in IMAX 3D at AMC; my ticket was sponsored by Walt Disney Pictures and CBS Radio.

Captain America: Civil War is the 13th and the newest feature film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Universe itself is an absolute genius multimedia business approach, a corporate innovation, and the brainchild of the Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige. Of course, like other traditional movies, Marvel’s feature films spawn a marketing campaign including merchandising and sequels. However, what is spectacular about Marvel’s economic strategy is that the films also serve as an anchor for what has become a colossal commercial endeavor that is much, much more. Marvel has created an elaborate web, world, and – indeed – universe that intertwines characters, settings, story lines, all of which allow the exponential expansion of the franchise into comic books, short films, attractions, commercials, etc. For example, the feature films feed and are fed by major TV shows including Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on ABC, Daredevil on Netflix, and others. In terms of business, the interweaving of characters and story lines means automatic cross-promotion for the different elements of the Marvel franchise. In terms of fandom, the crossover paves the way for elaborate plots and complex personas that are constantly developing; exciting anticipation for the revelation of new characters and events; and overall good entertainment. Marvel’s megafranchise is now the leading giant of entertainment, setting the cinematic standard which other companies are trying to achieve, albeit somewhat less successfully (read: X-Men). It’s become known as “the Avengers effect.” I’m certain that Marvel’s impressive storytelling and marketing strategies are an important contributor of the impossible – making geek and nerd culture mainstream. All of a sudden, it is cool to like superheroes! By the way, a couple of years ago, Bloomberg Businessweek published a fascinating chronicle on how Marvel started out as an underdog and is now is a multimedia behemoth (read it here).

True to its reputation of interlocking, the highly anticipated Captain America 3 touts a cast list of giants – both in terms of the fictional comic book personalities and the real-life movie stars who play them. There was the return of our favorite characters already established in the Marvel Cinematic Universe: Steve Rogers AKA Captain America (Chris Evans), Tony Stark AKA Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr), Sam Wilson AKA Falcon (Anthony Mackie), Bucky Barnes AKA the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan), Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Wanda Maximoff AKA Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Vision (Paul Bettany), James “Rhodey” Rhodes AKA War Machine (Don Cheadle), Clint Barton AKA Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Scott Lang AKA Ant Man (Paul Rudd), and Sharon Carter (Emily VanCamp). There were also exciting introductions of personalities known to old-school Marvel comic book lovers but not to the modern Marvel big screen: T’Challa AKA Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and – perhaps one of the most highly anticipated characters to enter the Universe – Peter Parker AKA Spider-Man (Tom Holland)!

Speaking of highly anticipated introductions in Captain America 3, the incorporation of Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe is an interesting agreement between Sony and Marvel. Spider-Man is possibly the most iconic superhuman created by Stan Lee and it seems unusual that one of the most beloved Marvel characters is absent from story lines; however, Marvel could not incorporate Spider-Man into the Universe because it sold the rights to Sony way back before multimedia megafranchises were a thing. That is, until now. After less than impressive performances of Spider-Man movies, Sony has decided to reboot the character. The way they are choosing to do so is to ride on the fandom and following of Marvel Studios. For a grand total of zero dollars, Marvel Studios can use Spider-Man in their films, satiating fans by giving them one of their biggest superheroes. In return, Sony will build their own standalone Spider-Man franchise upon the rehabilitated character personality introduced in those Marvel films. As Sony retains all rights, it will benefit from the solo Spider-Man features which are set to begin in 2017. Surprisingly, I did not feel that Spider-Man’s inclusion in Captain America 3 was contrived, and his appearance fit well in the plot. However, the new Spider-Man is a teenager… blah. Spider-Man is one of my favorites and I like idea of a Peter Parker who, similarly to other young adults finding their way, is constantly striving to establish an identify for himself – in school, work, family, romance, and in his immensely complicated superhuman role. The rebooted Spider-Man is also intended to be relatable but now it is to a younger audience with growing pain challenges – none of that appeals to me individually (read: I think I’m getting old). Even though I’m not an immediate fan of the new Spidey, it will be interesting to see how Sony (and Marvel) develops the character. In this Marvel film, Peter films Spidey and uploads the videos to YouTube, rather than photographing him for publication in J. Jonah Jameson’s Daily Bugle (really?!).

I’ve never attended an advance screening but if I had a choice for what would be my first, it would indeed have been Captain America: Civil War! Even with the laundry list of characters, the plot was forward-moving and each individual played an important role. I would expect nothing less from Marvel than the excitement, action, and great visuals provided. The story line was straightforward enough for a standalone to be enjoyed by a first-time Marvel viewer; it was complex enough for development to appease the loyal fan. I highly recommend it!

Until next time,
Kathy May

We reserved our tickets through the website of The Nightly Show and arrived on said date and time. We were able to wait out of the cold and rain under a covered awning with heat lamps before being brought into a holding room outside the studio. Then, we were brought into the studio.

Before taping began, a stand-up comedian came out to warm up the crowd and to give recommendations on how we as a live audience can contribute to the show’s energy (Be excited, be enthusiastic! Laugh harder, cheer louder!). Then, Mike Yard and Rory Albanese, two popular contributors of the show, came out for a Q&A session. Rory Albanese was an executive producer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart; now he’s executive producer and showrunner for Larry Wilmore. We were thrilled to have a Q&A session with Larry Wilmore, as well, and to see his personality off-camera.

When filming began, the Stage Director cued us when to applaud to open and close each segment; all of our other reactions were spontaneous. She also cued Larry Wilmore and other contributors for video segments, comedy bits, etc. The episode we saw featured recurring segments “Blacklash 2016: Unblackening” and “Keep It 100.” The special guest was Wendell Pierce, an actor from The Wire, Treme, and The Odd Couple, soon to portray Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in the HBO drama Confirmation. Larry Wilmore had a roundtable discussion with Wendell Pierce and comic contributors Mike Yard and Franchesca Ramsey. There was also a skit featuring Jordan Carlos, previously a recurring character on The Colbert Report, and 2 Chainz, a popular rapper from Georgia.

Unfortunately (and not surprisingly), no photography was allowed during filming. However, after the show’s conclusion, we fans were allowed down to see the set up close and personal!

It was a great episode – lots of laughs, lots of wit, and lots of energy! We loved being a part of the live studio audience, observing the filming process, and enjoying the show! By the way, you can click here to watch the final episode. If you try really, really hard, perhaps you can discern our laughter, cheers, and applause…

Keep it 100,
– Kathy May and Silas

Even though this is our eighth year in New York City, this is our first attendance at this tradition dating back to the 1870s. We whipped up our costumes with less than 24 hours preparation. Kathy’s bonnet was a blue straw sunhat decorated every inch from base to crown with variable sizes and colors of crochet flowers made by her mom. Silas’ gear was a cowboy hat with a giant purple bow, yellow flowers circling the base, and a surprise Yale bulldog in the back with ribbons and flowers falling below him. We wore matching outfits of crisp white shirts, pink tie/scarf, black vests, and khaki slacks.

After attending church at the famous and newly restored Saint Patrick’s cathedral, we strolled up and down Fifth Avenue to admire the bright regalia of fellow New Yorkers. Many people opted for traditional Sunday best with tailored suits, manicured moustaches, and patent shoes. Some were fashion-forward with classy and chic high-fashion (albeit over-the-top) looks. Still there were the ultra-creative New Yorkers who wore wild, bizarre, and outrageous extravaganzas – not even hats or bonnets – on their heads!

Many people got a kick out of our coordinating outfits and especially out of Kathy’s bonnet because of the crochet flowers her mom made. They asked us about our hats, requested photos with us, and a couple even asked to borrow our hats for a photo opportunity as they did not have their own! What a surprise since we threw together our headwear on a whim (the purple bow was from a gift a long time ago, the bulldog was a bookmark from college, fake flower from Kathy’s old work, etc.).

What fun! The Easter Day Parade was an energetic, kid- and pet-friendly celebration and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing spring masterpieces and meeting their creative makers! Please see below for just a few of our photographs. Make sure to read the captions for some of our stories, descriptions, and observations! We hope that all of you had such a love- and fun-filled Easter as we did.

Happy Easter!
– Silas and Kathy May

View our gallery of selected photos:

[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]

This year’s challenge, FIRST Stronghold, was reminiscent of medieval tower defense, castle takeover, albeit with a modern twist (i.e., ROBOTS!). The robots must breach their opponents’ defenses, weaken their battlements, and capture their tower. Watch a very short description of gameplay here:

The atmosphere in the arena was thrilling – booming music, suspenseful BattleBots-style announcing, and fans and press everywhere. The stands were jam-packed with cheering spectators, with included the general public and applauding sections for the individual teams.

In between watching matches, we donned safety glasses to tour the Pits, which was the staging area for the robotics teams. Here we got an up close and personal with the robots. The student engineers were excited to share their hi-tech strategies and talents with us and especially Yuri. We met a number of extremely intelligent and impressive young folk who explained the electronics and mechanics of their machines, as well as how FIRST Robotics and technology in general impacts their lives – in past, present, and future.

In addition to the high school robotics competition, the FIRST LEGO League Championship also took place at the Expo. Featuring 80 middle school teams that were selected from 190 teams across NYC, the LEGO theme was Trash Trek. The challenge was to build and program a mini-robot using LEGO MINDSTORMS to carry out prescribed tasks. The tasks of the challenge simulated solutions to environmental issues – reduce, reuse, recycle, and store.

As you can tell, there was plenty of fun, excitement, and learning for all of us, regardless of age! Yuri met a larger-than-life walking, talking, interactive robot. He cheered on his favorite robot in the battle arena and then visited the Pits, where he received a personal tour of the workings of champion bots by their makers. He even participated in a scavenger hunt, won a Rubik’s cube, and solved it on the subway ride home!

We thoroughly enjoyed the FIRST Robotics Competition as spectators, and it is impossible to have that experience without realizing what an exceptional challenge and opportunity the FRC is for students. Not only do the teams and competitions provide technical instruction and experience, but also they are an opportunity to creatively problem solve in teams, to network with peers and mentors and professionals, and to be enthusiastic about maker culture. FRC has a long-term impact  in the form of scholarships, leadership roles, and exposure to practical skills versus higher education. More important than the concrete opportunities are the intangible impacts: FRC and programs like it can instill confidence in knowledge and personality in youth.

Here’s to hoping that kids like Yuri and these robot makers change the world for the better!
– Kathy May and Silas

We are Kathy May and Silas, a couple of normal folk temporarily located in Boston. We hand-coded our individual personal websites since our college years, but decided to combine them as www.kathymayandsilas.com in 2008. In 2016, our website underwent a major overhaul to what you see today! In addition to amateur web design, we also share a number of other hobbies and interests, including but not limited to photography, electronics, arts and crafts, exploring, volunteerism, healthcare, and experiencing new things in general! Most of all, we enjoy doing these things together!

Kathy May is currently an internal medicine resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. Silas is a comprehensive ophthalmologist and Instructor at the  Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary. They met 12 years ago at Yale and have been sharing adventures together since… with many more to come!

We invite you to explore the links below to learn about aspects of our lives that we value. Afterwards, please browse our blog to see what we are up to! More updates will be posted frequently. Finally, keep in touch with us by commenting on any page. We would love to hear from you!

Thanks for visiting us,
– Kathy May and Silas

Our Loved Ones:

Kathy May’s Mom
Kathy May’s Brother
Silas’ Brother
Bucci
April
Mimi

Our Organizations:

Habitat for Humanity
ALIVE
AAAYA
Boston Makers

Our Hobbies:

Blog
Arts & Crafts
Photography
Japanese Shore Crabs
Lab Mice

Our Professions:

Silas’ Professional Website (Mass Eye & Ear Infirmary)
Silas’ Publications & Abstracts
Kathy’s Publications & Abstracts