Some Electrical Engineering Help? :)

yungman

That remind me of winding my first electromagnet around 9 or so, taught by my brother. I remember I cut the christmas lights and hook them up in banks so I can connect one way and make one bank light up and the other way to make the other light up. Thinking back, I was quite into these until I turn 15 or so, then I turned to the dark side into the world of music for 10 years. I started coming back to electronics in 1977 mainly because I want my guitar amplifier to sound better. Then I started reading some books, did overdrive modification on my amp, even use a pedal to do channel switching even before Mesa came out with the true channel switching. I actually got so into electronics that I quit music all together.

gnurf

Cabraham (and others), thanks for sharing your stories. I'm very glad to hear that you're an actual human and not some kind of wizard as I was mislead to believe after reading your brilliant posts on PF over the years.

I always smile at this Dilbert clip, but stereotypes--whether it's Joe Quarterback or Judy Geek--are too simplistic to describe people in a meaningful way. Curiosity and hard work are the defining traits of a successful (electrical) engineer imo, and these traits are not mutually exclusive with being 'popular' or whatever it is people want to be.

yungman

That Dilbert clip actual touches me. When I was young, everything I touched I torn apart. I was scolded by my parents, calling me a destroyer and other put down terms. They never understand that was a learning process, I didn't know that either. I almost forgot all about this until my sister told my wife a few years back that I was a destroyer, all of a sudden I actually felt the anger and told my sister off. I told her where I am today was all due to the experience I torn down everything to find out how they worked.

In 1978, after my first marriage, I knew I hate Chemistry and didn't want to find a job in that. I started to realize music was not going do it as the days of good guitarist was over. Nobody care if you play a good solo, I lost audition to people that can sing and play. I actually became a pizza delivery for a little while. I started to discover my passion of electronics but had almost no knowledge. I got my first real job as field service for office micro cassette recorder ( Dictaphone type). I remember I had to go to training class how to disassemble and adjust the recorder. When the person was showing that, I was thinking to myself:" you mean you pay me to take things apart where I was being called a destroyer as a kid?!!" That's how my real career got started.

It must be particularly bad as I was from Hong Kong, my father was business major and my mother was not educated. I don't think they have any idea how to deal with a kid that is different and give the me a label that I had been carrying for many years.

psparky

This is exactly why I recomend P90X or insanity workouts. They use almost no weights....just body leverage mostly. They are designed for people over 40 and start with 10 minutes of warm up and stretching....then they enter the pain zone smartly. I'm 42 as I said....but I no longer touch the big weights. P90X workout videos will trim you out and put on a ton of muscle without damaging ligaments or joints. In just three months I lost 20lbs and more importantly....my standing heart rate went from 90 to 60! That's huge!

Whether you are an engineer or not....staying in shape is key to your happiness and sucess. Balance...balance...balance.

Nice to hear some personal things about people.....rather than just hardcore electronics!

jim hardy

I was never able to exercise just for exercise's sake. Have to have active hobbies - old boat motors, workshop, yard projects.

Best thing i did in recent years is buy this '76 Ford pickup. Climbing under it, pulling motor and horsing around cylinder heads & crankshaft, sanding and painting has taken a double handful off my waistline and raised my endurance !
We do need exercise.

old jim

psparky

Perfect....anything besides the computer, studying and couch surfing is great. Although studying does excite the mind and burn calories...but still...you need more.

You burn calories on crankshafts? lol...cool!

Get up and move people! Yard work is also great....serves a double purpose!

cabraham

In 7th grade. a bully, Rick for now (not his real name), kept pushing me hard. One day in the hall he knocked my books out of my hand. I had had enough at that point. I popped him one. Next thing we are locked up hand to hand & fighting. The nun, Sister something or other, said "break them up boys", & the other students intervened stopping our fight.

At the end of the school day, I walked out the door on my way home. Waiting for me just outside was, yep, Rick the bully. All I could think of was "I'm dead now, there's nobody around to break up a fight." Rick walked up to me and said, "Claude, I want to apologize for being such as a*****e"!!! "I give you my word, what happened today will never happen again."

Wow! I was floored. I didn't believe what I was hearing. He then shocked me one more time. He invited me to his home to watch the World Series! Go figure. From that point on, through 7th grade, 8th, all the way to HS graduation, Rick never gave me one iota of trouble. Amazing isn't it?

Claude

yungman

Good for you. That's how life is. I so wish I had someone to encourage me to fight back when I was a fat kid. I learn later in life that I have to stand up for myself, that's the reason I spent a few years in Tai Kwan Do until I injured my back because of the high kicks. I still consistently practice at home, twice a week doing rounds as aerobics.

This work for adults too, there are still bullier in the adult world, you just have to stand up for yourself. You always have to speak up, if you try to be a nice guy, you loose!!! particularly people do have a stereo type that Chinese are quiet, they usually don't fight back..............This Chinese ( ME) is loud!!!! I was being bullied before, I know how bad I felt. Now, I don't bully people, but if someone try to bully me, they'll be surprised...big.

Gold's Gym is my social place, one time I was talking with a small old women Anna about politics. We were not loud and just talk to each other. All of a sudden, one guy from much farther away start shouting at her, calling her names!!! Did I got into argument with the guy. I actually got the manager over and I actually walked over and point the guy at his nose and said "this is the guy!!". Guess what, he apologized to me later!!!! I was actually stunned, I should have told him to apologize to Anna, not me. I seldom seen him since. I always hold the principle never pick on the weak, but if people pick on me, fight.

yungman

I look at exercise as paying the piper for freedom and quality of life in the old age. Who like to exercise? It's the benefit and the good feeling afterwards. I saw my mother-in-law living freely at home till 85. Her mind was still very clear. Then she became disable due to Parkinson disease, she can't keep the balance.The main problem is she never exercise, she was too weak to grab onto the railing and support herself. She had to move to a group home, the last few years, she was just in bed starring at the ceiling. Her mind just went and died.

On the other extreme, my sister's mother-in-law is strong like a bull, but she never work. She is still healthy, but her mind is gone.

Leason learn, there is no free ride. You pay now or you pay later!!! That's the reason even I am not working anymore, I spent the last 5 to 6 years studying hard to keep my mind "lubricated"!!!! Still here, kicking.

psparky

Funny stuff guys...

I actually did get my butt kicked in grade school...hated it...ugh. I was a short pudgy kid. My older brother always worked out and I couldn't wait to do it. My parents made me wait till I was 13 years old...and then I hit the weights hard. Nobody ever messed with me after that.

Through steel....comes strength and confidence.

At age 27.......5'-8" tall.......170 lbs

Max bench: 300 lbs
Max deadlift: 365 lbs
Squats for 10 reps: 400 lbs

Height was relatively short....weight was relatively light....but with that type of muscle...no one is going to mess with you. Good numbers for an engineer...right?

OH ya...almost forgot about the thousand of post holes I dug with a Post Hole Digger (PHD....lol) and a spud bar. Footers for decks must be 42" below grade.....that's a long way down.

Just like everything else....put your mind to it and you can accomplish anything.

I don't touch weights like that anymore, but sports, running, workout videos, walking, eating healthy all help maintain a decent physique....and healthy mind. Today I'm still 5-8"....195 lbs. Still not huge...but big shoulders speak volumes.

yungman

Wow you are strong. I said before, I don't have the genes, I was weak when I was young, that's the reason why I like weight training. I am all about challenge myself. At the beginning, I started only like 80lb bench. Before I started having shoulder problem, I just hit 225lb, then with spotting, I did single rap of 245lbs!!! That's my very best. I am 5'6", 200lbs!!! BUT I can't even fool my grandson that it's muscle weight.!!!! I really need to loss 20lbs. BUT, I am turning 60 next year, looks is not important as long as I am still in shape. Hey, I am not out chasing woman like you......not in the last 30 years already!!!!

I cannot do dead lift nor even squat because of my back. I got up to 265lb in squat before I felt a pinch on my back...........That's the end of it.

I am still not giving up, I am doing a lot of rotator cuff exercise, stretching and still want to slowly moving the weight back up. I just got to 80lb dumb bells without any pain a month ago only. I am changing to 10 reps minimum instead of going all out for a few reps.

yungman

I wonder anyone watch the tv show "Big Bang Theory"? I really like that show. I don't relate to their comic books, video game part as I don't do any of those. I am not shy like them either. I really like how they talk, I actually admire their intelligence.

DragonPetter

Haha, I cannot stand that show. I tried to watch it for 10 minutes and changed it. The jokes were horrible. It wasn't made for engineers/physicists to watch and laugh at intelligent inside jokes. It was made for non technical people to laugh at scientists/engineers. The jokes were on par with every other sitcom's humor, and only shows that the same tired format is just placed in a different setting to make a new show.

Emilyjoint

got here by accident...elec eng help ???? going on to study applied phys...want to do some sort of engineering..... these comments ???????? Never been bullied !! not much overweiht...love electricity....big bang theory.... best thing on TV....is there any hope for such a female ???
play flute not guitar !!

truesearch

emily..don't be put off by male dinosaurs !!!!
Extinction happens