Applied Inventiontronics, Period 4 - Week 2

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

As students walk into class, they'd see Glitch standing behind his desk with notes in hand. They were mostly in his hands because the desk had a pile of Papay fruit on it next to the sign in sheet, free for the taking.

"Hello!" He seemed a lot less visibly nervous this time, which was probably a good thing. "Today's lesson is about power sources for inventions. A big part of even thinking up what you'll invent is deciding on how to make it go, and, well, there are a lot of options here."

Glitch looked down at his notes, then back at the class.

"One of my favorites to start with is wind-ups and clockwork. You turn the key or lever on the outside, and it winds a thin piece of metal, storing energy. When it un-winds, it turns gears that turn other gears that make a part of it move. There's also things that are powered by steam and heat, with turbine or piston engines, but they're a lot more difficult. And bigger, too. Using the force from water or wind to turn the gears can work on something big or small."

Another glance at his notes.

"Uhm, let's see... Electricity is a good one, so long as you take care to wire everything properly. Grounding yourself when you test it is a good idea, too." There might have been a slight shudder then, at the memory of some very unwelcome electric shock. "You can also use chemical reactions to power something, like that little drinking bird shaped doohickey. Wouldn't recommend that one unless you're already familiar with them. Chemicals, I mean." The clarification threw him off for a moment. Where was he? Oh, yes. "The last one I'll mention is magic. If there's a safe way you can find a way to make your invention work with that, then you're free to do so."

It took a few moments of shuffling the papers before Glitch got to the one he needed.

"Now, I know that a lot of people here come from different worlds, so today I'd like you to do two things. First, if there's a power source from where you come from that wasn't mentioned, share a little about it with the rest of the class and answer each other's questions about them. Second, make note of which ones you think you'd like to use in your invention. If you don't have an idea for that yet, then just take note of the ones that interest you."

He sat down at his Papay fruit covered desk and waited for the discussion to begin.

[ooc: Wait for the OCD is up, as usual!]

Comments

After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

He's still there, if you want to talk to him.

Re: After Class 1/14

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Of course, Liir was there after class. It was as much to see Professor Ambrose as to ask about something.

"Sir?"

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

Glitch looked up from the notes he had taken during class. Yes, there was a smile.

"Yes?"

Re: After Class 1/14

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

In his hands was the book on Ozian history that Glitch had given him the other day.

"I was just wondering, as I was reading, that is... do you still have the Oziad? When you're from?"

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

"Oziad?"

Glitch took a few moments to think about it. "Yes. Big piece of literature, too, if I'm remembering it correctly."

Re: After Class 1/14

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I've only heard bits and pieces of it" he admitted. "Some of the men down at the barracks had parts memorized. One of them would sing a few verses whenever he was nervous."

Having so many quirks himself, he tended to note them in others if he noticed them at all.

"But you mentioned hearing some of the stories. I was just curious, as I was reading and thinking on it."

He hadn't gotten to his section in "history" yet, thank goodness.

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

He nodded. "Are you enjoying it so far?"

Re: After Class 1/14

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I am," he said. "I... it's nice to know these things. The things other people learned."

Re: After Class 1/14

[practicaldevice.livejournal.com]

Anathema stopped by afterwards.

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

Glitch looked up to see... A student he didn't quite recognize. "Hello."

Re: After Class 1/14

[practicaldevice.livejournal.com]

"Good morning." Anathema said cheerfully. "My name is Anathema Device and I missed class last week because I was still home in England. What do I need to do to make it up?"

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

"Oh, well, it wasn't much, really," Glitch said with relatively equal cheer. "Just introductions and some brainstorming. I'll go over what was said in the lecture now, if you'd like."

Re: After Class 1/14

[practicaldevice.livejournal.com]

"That would be very kind of you." Anathema said and took out a notebook for notes.

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

"Just a moment," Glitch said as he started to rummage through his notes. This one? No. That page? No.

There! "Let's see, well," he scanned the paper and tried to pick out the parts that were most important. "Over the semester, you'll make a helpful invention for your final grade. Now, you have the whole semester, so don't worry about getting it all planned out right away." What else? "Oh, the rules are that there be no weapons, the invention can't be powered in a way that would be harmful to someone, and to enjoy yourself." He smiled at that last part. "I'll provide the materials, if you need them, too. And I'm here if you have questions or need any help."

He hoped that was it.

Re: After Class 1/14

[practicaldevice.livejournal.com]

Anathema was already planning even as she jotted down the rules. "Sounds very, very interesting. Anything else I need to know?"

Re: After Class 1/14

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

Bridge approaches the professor, looking somewhat hesitant.

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

Another student he didn't recognize. Glitch wondered for a moment if it was his synapses again, misfiring and forgetting entire students. That would be bad.

"Yes?"

Re: After Class 1/14

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"I, um. I'm supposed to be here, and I am here *now*, but I wasn't here last week even though I was supposed to be so I missed... whatever happened last week. In this class, anyway, I'm not like, missing the week entirely. If I were missing an entire week I'd probably still be missing this class because I'd be in the clinic or something. I did things. They were just- things not here. But now I am here and I was wondering if there's notes or make up work or something I can do?" He blinks. "Oh. Uh. I guess maybe I should introduce myself so you know who you're talking to. Because I find that sometimes helps. Bridge Carson, sir. At your service." He sticks out a gloved hand.

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

Glitch blinked back for a moment before shaking the gloved hand. "Names do help," he said with a nod and small smile. "I'm Glitch. Or, well, you can call me Professor Ambrose if you think it fits better." A pause. "Uhm, last week wasn't much. There was just the lecture, introductions and some brainstorming. So, heh, not much in the way of make up work, but I can go over the lecture for you." The notes for it were still there, somewhere.

Re: After Class 1/14

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Professor Ambrose works, sir," Bridge says with a nod. "And if you could that'd be great. I'm very sorry for having missed the class in the first place."

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

"Let's see, ah!" It was at the top, thank Ozma. "Now, for the important parts. All semester you'll work on making a helpful invention for your final grade. You've got the whole time to work on it, so don't worry about getting it all figured out right away. There are only three rules, which are that it isn't a weapon, isn't powered in a way that would hurt someone, and that you can enjoy what you make." Glitch smiled at that part. It really was his favorite rule.

"I'll be around for any questions or help you need, and will provide your materials if you need them, too."

Re: After Class 1/14

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

On his way out of the room, Rodney stopped by Glitch's desk and poked one of the strange fruits. "Are these things citrus?"

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

Glitch looked up when the strange fruit rolled a little on his desk. "Uhm, no. It's Papay fruit." A pause. "You can take some with you, if you like."


[ooc: Think papayas, only not called that.]

Re: After Class 1/14

[mrodneymckay.livejournal.com]

"Papay," Rodney repeated. "Huh." That didn't sound like any citrus fruit that he knew of and he had long ago learned them all. Having a food allergy tended to make one extremely cautious. On the other hand, Rodney was not one to turn down free food and since he'd never seen these, he decided to take a few and give them a try. He could always test one if they smelled citrusy when he opened them. "Thanks," he said offhand as he dropped a few in his bag.

Re: After Class 1/14

[a-no-brainer.livejournal.com]

Thank Ozma, someone was finally taking some. Glitch had started to wonder if he'd be stuck with them all until they rotted.

"Did you have any other questions?"