Happy Kat Day!!!

Happy birthday, Kat! I hope there's cake!

This week is moving so slowly. Soooo slowly.

Birthday Happies!

Happy Birthday Kat!

I think you need an assistant msbelle.

Happy birthday, Kat!

Happy birthday Kat!

I think you need an assistant msbelle.

Yes this. The problem with your job is that it requires two people. Oy! Can't they at least reschedule your training to a day when you don't have to be at every other location at the same time?

Maker Faire Detroit: The Girl Who Plays with Fieros Interview

Two years ago, when Kathryn DiMaria was at the wise age of 12, she made her parents an interesting proposal: she had saved her babysitting money and wanted to buy a cheap, used Pontiac Fiero to restore herself. Her goal was to have her project completed by her 16th birthday. Spoiler alert: she’s right on track and halfway there.

With the help of her father, Jerry, she found one for sale on Craigslist for $600 that fit the criteria she was after, and they drove over to check it out. After she decided she wanted it, it was up to her to negotiate with the seller, and she talked him down to $450, not bad considering it made the 40-mile drive home. Jerry thought they would wait a few weeks before getting started, but before he knew it, Kathryn was out there pulling apart the interior. On the Fiero forum, where they’ve been documenting the project, Jerry writes, “As she disconnected wires and switches she labeled the wire and the switch with the tape, and placed the screws in an individual ziplock and labeled that as well as what they came from…..Man I love that girl!”

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6. How has the experience of collaborating on such a big project with your father been?
It has been wonderful to work on such an amazing project with both my Dad and my Mom. Working with everyone has been great. It has taught me that this world is a wonderful place and not evil like we tend to think.

7. The thread about your project is currently 18-pages long on Penncock’s Fiero Forum. How has being part of the online community helped your project?
Being a part of www.fiero.nl has been great. I have been able to record my progress while getting feedback, suggestions, and support. Everyone in the community has been wonderful and good to me, and I have loved every minute of it.

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10. What advice would you give to the young makers out there who are inspired by your project?
I would say that you need to follow your dreams and spend time with those you love, because you never know when your dreams might come true or when you might run out of time to be with your family.

Smart girl.

I think you need an assistant msbelle.

funny. I was just explaining to someone yesterday that since I was hired in Feb., 10 people have been added to this department and we have absorbed the work of an admin who left another department. NO support staff have been added.

Speaking of craziness. The company I work for had it's best year EVER last year. They are on track to meet that this year despite some struggles. Meanwhile, we are currently on hiring neutral, no additions to what is budgetted. ALSO, all departments were asked this week to cut CURRENT year budget by 5%. 2012, the year we are over halfway through, cut 5%. Stuff in Europe must be bleeding money, because things in the US are pretty much on target, still it is semi-austerity at least in some areas here - the company still reimburses for booze on business trip and people like my big boss still travel way over 50% ove the time (when video conference equipment could be used for some of that).

Happy Birthday Kat!

Happy Birthday Kat!