North Carolina Maker Faire

Hello Internet!

I'm back at work, but I'm not actually working right now. I've got a story coming out tomorrow, so be sure to check that out!

Now my job is pretty cool because my boss sends me out to all of these events and my job is to come back with an interesting story. So I did just that last week.

Last Saturday, I attended the North Carolina Maker Faire, which is hosted by NC State University. Maker Fairs are held throughout the country - this was just a "mini" fair, but it was still just as great. The fair allowed makers, crafters and inventors to show visitors their work/inventions.

The Faire was held at the NC State Fair Grounds in Raleigh.

The grounds were filled with people and cool inventions, like this giant robot.

Once you get inside, it is packed. People from all over the state came to enjoy and learn about new technologies and to have a day of fun.

As I was walking around, I got cut off by this little contraption:

Fun fact: there was a little kid in there. It's like a giant R2 D2.

Also, this guy was there. I don't know who he is but his hat.

Who are you?

I don't know but your hat is awesome.

There were a lot of cool inventions and booths there as well. They even had a robot race.

Attendees took a break from walking and participated
in a robot car race/battle. It's safe to say they had fun.

Kids pretended to drive a space craft. I would have totally
done this except I was alone and I didn't want to make
another awkward situation out of it.

Though this was extremely loud, kids were able to
hover board across the building on this home-made
hover-car.

Guests looking at the various booths at the Faire.

Now, I was there for the 3D printing. There were tons of booths there that had these printers on display. And they were actually printing!

NC State actually has a 3D printer in its library that
students can use. Totally not fair.

Most of the printers displayed are the Maker Bot Replicator 2.

While this is a "home-made" 3D printer.

As long as you have a computer and the right program,
you can design and print anything!

And with the power of the Internet, many designs can be
found online and used for free! These were all printed
by a 3D printer.

I came to talk to E-NABLE, an online Google Community with members all over the world. The group works together to create 3D printed hands for people who don't have one - nothing is more awesome than that. 

I got to talk to a mom and her son while they were getting his hand printing during the Faire. Below are some photos of his new hand and of the printer making it. I'll have their full story out soon, which I'll link to later.

A sample finger tip the group presented. It has ridges so
users can better grip objects.

The Maker Bot Replicator 2 was used to create the
boy's hand. Here, they were printing his thumb.

Various pieces of his future hand.

The body of his hand. He asked for it to be glow-in-the-dark.

I also tried to make a video of the printer printing out the thumb Sorry if it is shaky! But seriously, how COOL is this? YAY technology!

The cool thing about this group is that ANYONE interested can join. You don't have to have a printer - you could be a designer, an engineer, help connect people - anything. If you want to join, visit their website and learn more.

I hope you enjoyed this post - a lot of photos, but how can you not take tons of photos of a 3D printer? What you do all think about this technology? It's mind blowing that in 2014, we can easily print out body parts and help people in need. Or just make a fun action figure. Let me know in the comments!

Story Time: Where are you from originally?

Story Time is a series documenting the funny/crazy things happen to me. All stories are real. Please enjoy the awkwardness that is my day-to-day life. This is the first post in this series.

Hello Internet!

Now if you know me, you know that I tend to put myself into awkward situations. A lot. Sometimes I don't even try to, it just happens. This is one of those times.

As an Indian, a lot of people tend to ask me where my family is from or where I get my accent. I have no problem answering these questions -- they are valid questions.

My family is from India, mainly from the agricultural state of Punjab (northern part of India). We are the people who wear turbans and have awesome dance moves. You know, the pat the dog, screw the light bulb? As much as I hate that analogy...that's us.

Bhangra is a traditional dance from Punjab. It 

is also very intense, but very fun. Try it!

But when people ask me "where are you from originally?" I get kind of annoyed.

Last semester, I was looking for how to work the audio booth in one of my school buildings and these two girls offered to help. After they explained everything to me, one girl asked me the question I hate hearing:

"Where are you from originally?"

I smiled and quickly responded "Oh! From North Carolina."

She was still staring at me with a confused look. Kind of like this:

Just pretend this is a girl and not a creepy man.

She then said, "No, I mean originally?"

I got a bit confused and replied "Well... I was born in New York...."

She was looking at me like I was an idiot. She obviously did not like my answer. "No! I mean ORIGINALLY!"

She said really slowly and enunciated every syllable. 

I sighed. 

This is my face right now.

I replied: "My family is from India."

She finally smiled and was like "That's SO COOL!" And then she left the room, leaving me standing awkwardly in front of the other girl.

If only life were this simple.

The same thing happened to me two days later when a guy asked the same question. He also did not like my answers of "North Carolina" and "New York," which by the way, are two very lovely places.

Now what bothers me is that people don't accept the fact that I, a person of color, specifically Indian (brown skin), can be born in America. Meaning, I'm ORIGINALLY from America. 

I couldn't resist this cute baby.

I'm a U.S. citizen. Always have been and probably always will be. I've only visited India twice my entire life, both a good while ago. Yes, my parents make sure we still participate in our culture and I am so glad that they do. 

But really, I do dream of being a Bollywood star.

But I'm still an American (legally speaking). You don't see people asking a caucasian where they are from. Or even African Americans. So why am I any different?

After I told my friend about the girl, she told me I should of asked her the same thing (since she was African American). I wish I had a time machine so I could go back in time and do just that, but that would probably make the whole situation even more awkward.

What is my life?

So that went from funny to serious... But honestly, it's something that needs to be addressed. There are certain things that shouldn't be asked, but also certain things that should be accepted as acceptable answers.

If anyone asks me this question next time, I'm saying Canada. That should keep them quiet!

I hope you enjoyed that relatively funny (or maybe not) story. Have you ever been in a similar situation? What do you think about the concept of being from somewhere "originally?" Leave your answers in the comments! 

Until next time!

~Jasmin

Week One: Things got real.

Hello Internet!

Week one of my internship is done! Well it finished last week and then I took a little break with my cousins so... yeah... besides that...

Week one is done and it was crazy. If you didn't read my last post, you are missing out on a free chance to laugh at my utter confusion.


A lot of things happened last week. And I had to learn. Fast.

The biggest thing was that the Senate "dropped the budget." It's like dropping the bass except for old, white men.

Party in the Senate!

After releasing their proposed budget, everyone started freaking out. Apparently, it's one of the craziest budgets we have seen in years. It's safe to say that everyone was a bit stressed.

Explains the mood Thursday fairly well.

I was more confused than stressed. I mean, I'm still figuring out where the bathroom is. Which, by the way, took me 10 minutes to find last week. I bet GPS couldn't have helped me either.

I do this all the time. I fail.

I was then given the task to analyze the budget and write down quick summaries for each section that effects health care or is science related. This is when I realized that politicians like to make things super complicated for no reason what so ever. Trying to decipher dense political lingo is not fun or easy -- okay, me listening to rap music while doing this probably didn't make my job easier.

After a week of running around, I learned a lot of things:

1. Reporters swear like crazy. To say I was shocked when my boss yelled the F-word for forgetting a pen would be an understatement. The newsroom is actually a really funny place. I've gotten used to it and now, when I hear them, I start to giggle. My boss finds this funny.

2. Politicians are actually nice. Okay... sometimes. Some politicians actually are willing to talk to the press. Who would have thought! The woman who I basically stalked my first day (from my last post)? She always comes up to me now and asks me how I'm doing and just talks to me! Yay friends!

3. Call reporters by their first name. My boss is still trying to get me to do this one. I learned to always use Mr./Mrs. when I talk to someone older than me, but here in the newsroom, everyone is equal. It feels weird, especially since I'm the new 21-year-old intern working with seasoned reporters from all over the state.

4. Hide your food. We share a common fridge and microwave in the press room and from what I've heard, if there is food laying around, it will be gone. Now this hasn't happened to me yet (maybe they are scared off by my odd looking Indian food) but I have seen a reporter take some snacks from another's desk drawer. To quote the famous words of Antoine Dodson:

But really. Hide your food.

5. Work on multiple stories at once. You never know when a story will fall through or a source won't call you back. Now it might sound difficult, but even after a week, I've learned how to balance four or five stories at once. Now, that doesn't mean write all five at once. It means to make the phone calls. Do the background work. Meet the right people. So when you are ready to write the story, you already have everything set up!

There are probably more things that I learned but my mind is blanking right now. This is probably because I haven't had my coffee yet...

~Jasmin

I was thrown to the wolves

Hello Internet!

Wow, I sound like Dan Howell... if you don't know him, click here and be happy that you did.

So yesterday was my first day as a reporting intern for an online, non-profit news organization covering health news and policy at the state legislature. And let me tell you, it was crazy!

Crazy in a good way - I think.

Of course, my boss had me do little things, like entering business cards into the online database and finding the main recorder. But soon, she had me running. Like literally.

Now imagine a baby elephant learning to take its first steps and failing miserably. That was me.

This is my life right now.

Now, running around a square building seems simple, right? Wrong. Oh so wrong. The building is divided into "courtyards" from 1000 - 1400. It might sound easy, but it's a maze. A maze that includes cool features, like an indoor pond and fancy seating areas, all accompanied by "gold" fixtures. It's like the state hired King Midas to decorate.

This is basically what I'm working with. A golden maze.

Being that it was my first day, I didn't think I would have a story to write. Wrong! My boss thought of an idea and basically went: "Hey! See that person? Go talk to them! And then go find the legislators working on the bill. Okay bye!" She proceeded to push me into one of the courtyards and then ran off. 

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I quickly (or so I hoped) gathered myself and got the first interview done. But now it was time to find the legislators. As we waited for session to end, we strategized. We found the seating chart and figured that the people I needed would leave through the doors closest to them. 

We positioned ourselves but as I was waiting, I found one representative on the phone. My boss told me to hover, but not too close, and to make eye contact, but not in a creepy way. Right. I smiled and stood near her, but she quickly ran away. Darn it.

There is honestly no way to stare without making it awkward.

Eventually, the doors opened and my boss yelled "RUN!" Now being new, I didn't actually think we had to run, but two seconds later by boss was running into the chamber finding the politicians I needed. I ran in after her - it was like watching Black Friday shoppers all over again.

All the reporters when session ends: RUN!

Sadly, the people I was looking for were gone. I decided to wait in their offices. They couldn't avoid me if I was there right?

Fortunately, I got the story done. I'll post a link when it is published. Yesterday was Day 1 of the rest of my summer. And if yesterday is representative of a typical day here, I think I'm going to have a lot of fun!

Now, I need to go make some phone calls and not freeze to death in the newsroom. Until next time!

~Jasmin

I'm new to this... don't judge!

Hello Internet! My name is Jasmin. Jasmin with no "e."

My first blog post - this is scary. Now, I've tried writing a blog before, but I always forgot about it. But this time, I hope to make it last!

So why a blog? Well, I like writing and I love telling stories, so why not combine the two? And what better way to record my experiences (good and bad) in a blog? Well, there are probably more private ways, like a diary, but where is the fun in that?

I like making people smile and laugh, and with all of the random things that happen to me, I have a lot of things to share. And as a rising senior in college, I hope to help new students transition into the college atmosphere and let them know that they can do it! I also like food, so maybe a food post now and again? Whatever my readers want, I'll do it! :)

Here are some quick facts about me:
1. I'm a senior in college, studying journalism, but with a passion for science and medicine.

2. I'm Indian - this detail will be important for future stories!

And no, despite what the media has told you, not all of our parents are like this:

But we do like to break out and dance whenever we can:

3. I'm not that social - I tend to stick around a few close friends, which I think is totally fine. I express myself better through writing (hence the blog).

4. I'm a Starbucks addict. Like it has seriously become a problem for me.

Here is a photo of my coffee when they actually spelt my name right:

5. I like to dance and also dabble in some photography. Below is a photo I took last fall on my college campus:

6. Though I'm not that social, once you get me talking, I don't shut up. My mom sees this as a problem, but you know, I could be doing worse things!

So I guess that's it. Pretty simple stuff. Let me know what you all would like to see! And with that, I bid you good night! :)

~Jasmin

PS: Feel free to follow me on Instagram and Twitter because who knows what crazy things I'll say on there!
Twitter & Instagram: @jasmin__singh