Using Local Resources

I just mentioned in another thread that I was using a local community college to build me a degaussing machine.

I think that it is worth mentioning that a lot of times we pass over simple solutions to complicated problems.

In our community we have a few colleges. These schools are filled with young bright kids who love challenges.

My best friend is a retired engineering professor from the University of Northern Iowa. He is the one that started me on the path of tapping into a little used resource in your own communities.

These college students like to be doing something useful rather than the same old thing. I have since found the Colleges to be a useful tool for all sorts of problems or issues that I have no experience in.

I have used them to build several things, as well as solutions to effectively heat and cool my building for less cost. I have even had them answer difficult tax questions for me.

Believe me folks! Just because these are kids, does not mean they are stupid or even uninformed. They are on the cutting edge of a lot of useful technologies.

I have found that when a 50 year old man goes to these groups of young folks with a problem he can't figure out, they are eager to help and in the process they learn. There are a lot of solutions that they have come up with for different problems that I never would have thought of. You don't have to use their ideas if you think they are in left field.

In closing, I guess I am just saying to keep an open mind. As you develop a relationship with these students and professors you may find a useful and inexpensive solution to problems and hurdles that at one time seemed overwhelming.

What you're describing is commonly called crowdsourcing.

A fellow named Jeff Howe wrote a book about it. Good read. Especially Chapter 7.

I am going to find that book and read it.