Two years ago I quit my job at a silicon valley based froot company to follow my dream of becoming any thing but a computer programmer. I had been programming since I was 15, professionally since I was 19, and it was high time to move on to another career. This is hard. As I’m often fond of pointing out to other makers: any sufficiently interesting hardware problem will devolve into a software problem.

Oh, but what should I actually do?. I had no idea, so I tried some different things. I built some giant art. I joined the circus. I worked on little pet design projects here and there. I also helped build what I can only describe as a six-legged, inflatable, walking bouncy-castle called Ant-Roach.

Riding inflatable robot. Riding inflatable robot.

Part of the problem with settling on a new career, is that I suffer from too many hobbies. I’m sure many makers can relate. I could do more hardware engineering, and expand out my EE skills. I could do more mechanical engineering, and build giant robots. I could spend more hours in CAD, designing fab little bits of metal and plastic. There are lots of options.

I’m still not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but one thing is for sure: sitting atop a giant walking robot is not a bad vantage point from which to contemplate one’s possible futures.

You can read more about Ant-Roach here.