February 2018 Journal Photos

Calendar Girls at Diamond Head Theater

Andrea had to take Mom to the emergency room at 4:30 due to complaints of abdominal pain, so I went to the 7:30 show by myself.

I arrived just before dark and went across the street to get this photo of the theater.

Inside the stage was set with chairs. All the action took place at the English Women's Institute hall in a church building.

Team Magma Build Season Week Four

Build season week four continued in February.

Friday

Daily status meeting.

Working on the prototype intake rollers.

Making parts for the robot frame.

Mr. Silver with the electronics and programming team.

Andrea brought Chinese food from Aina Haina Chop Suey for dinner.

Manoa Valley Theater Cleanup

Andrea and I helped volunteers clean up the cemetary and yard at Manoa Valley Theater. We (all) filled two large containers with branches, debris, and leaves.

We arrived at 8:30, about 15 minutes early and already several people were there working.

We pruned trees, carried branches and debris, and raked the lawns.

Many hands make light work.

Team Magma Build Season Week Five

Time flies when you're having fun. The penultimate week of the build season saw continued progress.

Monday

At the slipper store, Island Sole, in Kahala Mall. We stopped there on the way to Whole Foods to get Andrea some new zoris.

Zach led the daily status meeting on Monday, February 5.

Assembling the power cube roller grabber.

Toyota Service at Lex Brodie's

Andrea and I took the Toyota to Lex Brodie's for oil change and tire rotation on Wednesday, February 7.

We went to the beach Tuesday afternoon and saw the city crew removing a dead hau tree and a coconut tree.

After dropping off the car we walked to Big City Diner for breakfast.

We walked to Ward Village and found Na Mea Hawaii's new location.

Andrea photographed the chrome stone at a new highrise with the glass cantilevered swimming pool overhead.

Andrea's photo.

Team Magma Build Season Week Five

Wednesday

After the daily status meeting I spoke briefly to the students about FIRST's mentoring program and the Mentoring Guide.

Installing bumpers to the chassis.

The electrical and programming team.

Once again the Maryknoll team was welcomed to use our shop facilities.

The CNC mill worked on cutting lightening triangles in a beam.

Thursday

The Maryknoll robot (left) and the Team Magma robot on the bench.

There was a lot of activity in the cave.

Friday

Andrea and I went to Ala Moana shopping center in the morning and saw the new HOPA Uncle Clay is putting in there.

We went to Barnes and Noble and bought some books and a globe and then we had lunch at Islands.

I'm excited!

Working on the pneumatc elevator.

Waikiki Aquarium

Andrea and I went to the Aquarium in Waikiki to check out a wedding event setup on Saturday, February 10.

Andrea by a transparent material tent.

A yellow ohia was blooming near the entrance.

Rainbow Bonsai Club Meeting

Andrea and I attended the Rainbow Bonsai Club meeting on Sunday, February 11. After the business meeting, I performed a bonsai demonstration using a Brazilian pepper tree I had been training for several years.

It starts off looking fairly bushy. I had let it grow wild for about six months, watering daily.

First I shorten the branches.

Then I defoliated and trimmed branches to proportion.

The new pot width is perfect: two thirds the height of the tree.

Alan won the finished bonsai in the benefit drawing.

Daughter of the Regment at the Blaisdell Concert Hall

Also on Sunday, Andrea and I attended the Hawaii Opera Theater performance of Daughter of the Regment at the Blaisdell Concert Hall.

Before the performance began I got a shot of the orchestra pit before turning off my phone.

During intermission we walked around the outside of the auditorium.

We walked back around the inside of the hall. Photo by Andrea.

We had reservations at Wisp for dinner after the show.

Two young performers played a variety of songs.

Team Magma Build Season Week Six

This is the last full week of the build season. The robot ships the following Tuesday.

Monday

Monday was an administrative day with no classes so a core group worked all day.

Assembling the linear lift.

Toyota Repair at Lex Brodie's

Andrea took the Toyota to Lex Brodie's for the tire sensor repair we scheduled earlier this month on Tuesday morning, February 13.

Andrea had breakfast at Jack in the Box in Ala Moana Shopping Center and sent me this photo by cell phone message.

I went for a swim in the afternoon while Andrea went for a walk. It was quite overcast, perfect for photographing the Natatorium.

Valentine's Day Lunch at Gyotaku

Andrea and Jan picked up Mom and I met them at Gyotaku after my dental appointment on Wednesday morning, February 14.

I had the senior betterfish with miso soup and white rice. Andrea and Jan got the Valentine's Day specials.

Mom got rabbit ears as our hostess took our picture.

Team Magma Build Season Week Six

Wednesday

Valentine's Day saw the realization that the pneumatic cylinder pair intended to the robot climb were too bulky to fit in the robot space so plan B, an electric winch, was quickly designed.

Working on parts and assemblies.

Cutting one by two aluminum extrusion on the chop saw.

The PR team worked on the "Magmazine."

Thursday

Thursday morning we went to see our financial advisor in the Ala Moana Pacific Center tower.

The team began work at 5:00 PM as usual.

The pneumatics reservoirs.

Cutting parts on the CNC mill.

Chinese New Year of the Dog

Andrea and I celebrated the lunar new year on Friday, February 16.

I took a photo of our New Year flag. There should be a sliver of a new moon tonight just after the sun sets.
Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Jan came with us to the beach in the afternoon. They were setting up for a weekend koi show at the Aquarium.

Kai'iwi, a monk seal, was on the beach.

Andrea and Jan got some sun on the beach.

Finding Sandalwood Mountain at The Hub

Andrea and I attended a screening of the 2008 documentary movie in Kakaako on Monday evening, February 19.

After the movie we had dinner at Buca di Beppo, our first time in Hawaii. We used to go to the one in Redondo Beach.

Ka'iwi, a monk seal, was back on the beach with two volunteer minders.

My aura color according to a facebook test: "White. You are graceful, loyal, and noble. You strive for a harmonious and balanced life more than anything."

Team Magma Build Season Week Six

Tuesday

The robot bagging deadline is 7:00 PM and when I arrived at 5:00 PM Tuesday the 20^th I found the team testing a running robot.

Alex was working on code at the table.

One of the intake roller motors turned the wrong way and that was quickly corrected.

The final status meeting. Next stop, Australia.

New mentor Donald takes a look.

When I got home I took some photos of the house before dark. Paul and Mick were there all day pressure washing.

They also washed the concrete slab in the back and the driveway.

House Painting

Paul and Mick returned for more prep work on Wednesday, February 21.

I had a dental appointment with Dr. Ching in the morning and I took this photo of a gyotaku by one of his famous patients.

Aina Haina Community Association Meeting

Andrea and I helped set up with Aina Haina Prepared with a table and presentation at the AHCA meeting at Aina Haina Elementary School cafeteria on Wednesday evening, February 21.

City Council Member Trevor Ozawa spoke at length after Danny Tengan's preparedness presentation. State Representative Mark
Hashem and State Senator Stanley Chang also spoke.

Thursday afternoon I went to the beach. It was overcast and uncrowded.

The robot in the crate. Photo by Team Magma via Facebook.

Date Night at Roy's

Andrea and I went out for a date night at Roy's in Hawaii Kai on Thursday evening, February 22, Washington's birthday.

The sky was completely overcast with a light drizzle, so no prospect of a sunset.

I asked the waiter to photograph us after he brought the Manhattans.

It's interesting how every park public restroom on the island is different. They must have hired a bunch of UH architecture
graduates long ago.

House Painting

Painting work continued on Monday, February 26.

View from the front Monday evening.

View from the rear. Changing from light green to light blue.

Tuesday evening.

Front view.

Wednesday I went to the beach and saw this trenching at the Aquarium, apparently for a lawn sprinkler system. It's Jerry's last day there
before retirement

Front.

Back.

Some February Chess games.

Email Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com