Quarterly - Bill Nye (NYE01)

Forgive me for my lack of updates. While I've mostly kept quiet everywhere (this includes most social media), I've been dealing with a lot personally and haven't really had the chance to sit down and write. During my absence though there's been a lot of things that I've been playing around with so I have a lot to go through. That's going to include both this blog and my makeup blog. For now though, let's review my first ever Quarterly box. This one was specifically curated by Bill Nye.

How did this discovery come about? Well, even if you didn't care, I'm still going to talk about it, because it's a bit of a fun story. Lately my co-workers and I have been talking about subscription boxes of different types. From Graze, to Wantable, we've been looking up a variety of different kinds and trying out a bunch. When my co-worker found out that there was a Quarterly box curated by Bill Nye, I immediately knew I had to get it. I purchased the box immediately (in September) and anxiously awaited the day that it would ship. A few weeks ago I finally received it and it came so quickly, Quarterly hadn't even sent out the shipping notification to me.

I had never subscribed to a Quarterly box prior to this so I knew that I really wouldn't know what to expect especially since it varies by curator. I knew that this would have to be awesome because it's Bill Nye... One of the ultimate science guys. So let's take a look at the box. 

When I first got the box, the thing that was missing was a description of the items. The box directs you to a website with a video but sadly each time I tried to check it out the video simply wasn't working. For a few of the items, I was genuinely at a loss as to what I needed to do next with them. I'm happy to say that the video is working now and that issue of the delayed video doesn't effect how I feel about the box.

For a cursory glance, the box came with a solar powered grasshopper, a salt water driven car, chalk, a paper plate, a plastic straw, a pen, a bag of beads, and a compass.

There are directions on how to create a sundial within the Manila

envelope (so that's what the chalk, paper plate, and straw were for), and since the car and grasshopper were in boxes, that seemed pretty simple to figure out. The only thing that perplexed me for a while was the little bag with beads. 

The night we got the box, one of my friends immediately built the grasshopper. Sadly, the little guy never sprang to life. Ultimately we know that with robotics kits that is something that could happen and that's not a reflection of the Quarterly box. After watching the video, I do wish that we built the salt water car with the solar panel from the grasshopper instead of committing the solar panel to living the life of a dead grasshopper.

Defying Life like a true solar
powered grasshopper.

The pen was amazing because I personally adore having more writing instruments around me. The pen works well but also has a great story behind it. It's made from recycled bottles and Nye mentions that he specifically uses blue because it can't be photocopied. 

Our friend mimicking
Dr. Frankenstein.

Admittedly we never got around to create the sundial but I'm still glad that we have all the pieces. As for the beads, I had no idea what was their deal till I saw the video (which I just checked out tonight). I can't wait till tomorrow when the sun is up to see what different colours they turn.

Overall, I really liked the box. A lot. I can't wait till the next one and I'm glad that I gave it a shot to begin with because there's nothing (to me) quite satisfying as being able to build something. Even if it doesn't work and even if you aren't sure, there's a certain satisfaction about troubleshooting it. And I'll be honest here, even if the items themselves didn't feel worth it (lulz, yeah right, come on... the compass alone is a solid piece), the fact that Nye put in a copy of the "Rules of the Road" which is the single page from which they made the rules (the "roadmap") for the Bill Nye the Science Guy show (which is what is in the yellow envelope) makes it so worth it.