el robotics-o

    Zieja's team's alliance won the world championship in Atlanta. They are one of the best three robots in the world and part of the best alliance in the world. I was so far beyond happy when they won. I didn't go hoarse screaming for my team. We're small. We're rookies. No one expects too much. In all fairness we did really well for a rookie team. The guys' attitudes and determination were the most impressive parts. They woke up early to get to the pit to see why stuff on Leeroy Jenkins wasn't working even though they weren't even sure they'd figure it out or be able to fix it. Anyway, back to Zieja's team.

    I met him two years ago at the same event. I don't remember how, but he's really good about striking up conversations with people. On Friday he and I were having lunch, and we ended up asking to Californian girls to eat with us after we talked to them in line to Roma at the WCC. He's definitely a northerner. He can be cold, but I let it go. I know that's the norm for him and he doesn't mean anything by it. For the most part, he's one of the most intelligent and caring people I know, not to mention fashionable. It's funny to see him in his crazy lime green Thunderchickens shirt with his fancy jeans and shoes. He's a big spender. I love him to death. Our differences make me laugh most of the time. While we were in line for food, people kept cutting through because there were sooooooo many freakin people there. I told him it was going to get on his nerves before it got on mine because he was from the North. Sure enough, a few minutes later he was getting really pissed. We stood i line over and hour, and people passed through every 2 minutes or so. It was annoying, but it's to be expected.

    So anyway, after the Newton division's top 8 alliance picks, my team wasn't chosen. No surprise. Sixty other teams weren't chosen either. I know Zieja's team was picked because they always own. They won two regionals this year and were a finalist in the other one they attended. They have huge sponsors and a ridiculous budget. They're former world champions (2006) and havev a Woodie Flowers award I think. Whatever. They're awesome and huge. 49 team members. So they actually expected to win worlds. Or expected it was a possibility I should say. They knew the capabilities were there. And they pulled it off. I'm all over the place. Back to our team not being picked for final rounds. I went to Galileo after lunch because I knew Zieja's team was in the first ranked alliance in that division. They went through quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals. They owned them all. I sat with their team for a few of the matches, and went to the bottom of the arena to take pictures and such when the team went down to get awards. Then they had to go straight to Einstein since they won their division and compete against the winning alliances from the other three divisions: Newton, Curie, and Archimedes. I couldn't sit with them anymore because winning teams had reserved seating, and I technically wasn't on the team. I stood at the top of the lower-level and leaned against a pole for closing ceremonies and the finals matches for over two hours. My feet were already so tired, but it was worth it. I screamed my lungs out every time they were up. In semis they lost, won, and won. Finals: won, won. I was sooooo stoked. I cried and took videos and pictures and prayed to myself and fjksbjahf. It was ridiculous. I wasn't even on the team but was sooo happy for Zieja.

    I got to see him more this year than any other. Last year he met my mom when we came to watch, and we talked for a bit. That was basically it. I only met him the year before, so of course we weren't good friends at the time This year we had lunch, ran through the aquarium together, and just ran around. I saw him almost as much as my team. It was pretty sweet. 

More later...