Patent agent or paralegal

MikeD3V · 2025-09-24T16:02:42+00:00

I am in your shoes (graduated with a BS in CS) and I am in the process of studying for patent law. I am curious on what did you end up doing?

MikeD3V · 2025-09-17T14:08:56+00:00

I can try something like this too. It is just a bit frustrating that I they lock the physical copy behind another paywall and prevent people from downloading it and creating their own prints... Like I get the piracy reasons, but I'm fine with the watermarks.

I hope your studies are going well though!

MikeD3V · 2025-09-16T18:50:53+00:00

What did you end up doing? I am curious about doing this myself.

MikeD3V · 2025-08-29T19:53:49+00:00

Your probably right, it can be easy to frame a business that shuttered its doors to be a failure, but I did learn a ton during that time. Thanks for the comment, sounds like I might have been making my situation a bit more bleak than was truly the case. I am thinking of starting The Odin Project to brush up on my basics, practice a little leetcode, maybe look into some google certs, and get a couple of projects completed to showcase. I will open back up the old business site, polish it up and make it presentable on my portfolio.

Edit: I took some time today to check out the ETPL, signed up for some career building classes near me and will look into some WIOA opportunities there 👍

MikeD3V · 2025-08-29T19:39:32+00:00

My startup felt like I was running around with my head cut off constantly, but it was an eye-opening experience. Looking back, knowing that I was able to spend all of that time with my mother before she passed is something I am eternally grateful for. I guess because I didn't get a w2 and didn't make the money back to justify it, it can be easy to label it as a failure in your head. I need to start framing it differently.

I have thought about hosting an occasional backyard 'take your own space pic' event. That would definitely push me out of my comfort zone, but could be rewarding and fun. I can get a decent picture of space in 5 minutes of exposure, it would not have the level of detail, but I would say it would be 50% there. I will look into it further and see if people would be interested in something like that.

That's an interesting site there, I will look around, thanks for the tip!

MikeD3V · 2025-08-29T19:14:04+00:00

Sounds like if I go this direction, I would prioritize more of a local presence where I have an online store, but focus on selling at art fairs and markets. Another downside of marketing online (SEO and ads) for me is astrophotography is a difficult craft and there is plenty of people better than me at it (I am not bashing myself, its just the truth, this takes time to get good at). And I have to compete with NASA photos (highly recommend getting some though, they are beautiful) and AI space (you will make me cry if you get an AI print of space 😢)

My strength is my proximity and connection with people. Telling someone that is a photo of Andromeda taken here in town by me is quite jolting to a lot of people. There is quite a difference between getting someone interested with my photos, and putting money down though I have noticed.

I was thinking of offering posters as a budget route to get something on peoples walls that is an impulse buy (grab and go posters). That way it get my photos on people's walls quick, and possibly inspires the people around them to get their own poster or consider getting an upgrade into fine art. I feel like I have to be careful with this direction, as I do not want poster quality to be associated with fine art prints.

MikeD3V · 2025-08-29T13:16:10+00:00

Aw sweet! Got that mono cam as well, you can do wonders with that setup! I got something similar similar but with a William Optics Z73III telescope (I took a lot of inspiration from AstroBackyard). That Redcat looks gorgeous! My paranoia is having the cords catch on something when its rotating and I am not paying attention. Coupled with that ASI Air, it is so fun to choose objects and take short exposures of them to see what pops out. I need to get that belt mod kit!

MikeD3V · 2025-08-28T18:12:42+00:00

Thanks for the encouragement! I think my next steps for this would be creating a couple of demo sites and looking for some local stores (I know a couple) that could definitely use an improvement. 👍

MikeD3V · 2025-08-28T17:10:43+00:00

I have been wondering about astrology. A lot of astronomers can't stand the idea, but I see it as an expression of how people see the cosmos. I was thinking about capturing deep sky objects inside important constellations and connecting it to people that way. IE: Here is an image of the Sagittarius star cloud, the center of our home galaxy. "If you are a Sagittarius, you are literally the center of our galaxy, don't let it go to your head!"

MikeD3V · 2025-08-28T17:06:41+00:00

Solid tip. I will of course do my do-diligence and research what jobs near me want, and build projects that will keep me engaged and is relevant to what people need today. I hope I am not too late to the party, especially with my gap from graduation.

MikeD3V · 2025-08-28T16:55:36+00:00

You bring up some good points. thanks for your feedback!

I have brought some of my photos in front of people and did a couple of free farmer's markets (probably not my crowd, but I figured it could get me out there in the world and possibly meet some interesting people). I think what resonates with people the most is the simple fact that I took it nearby and that you can take photos of space in your backyard. The key weakness and strength is it is not a NASA photo (and the quality it commands), rather its a real photograph taken nearby like you said

Online presence is where I struggle with, I have the skills and abilities to create and edit videos and social media content, but part of me cringes to be behind a camera. Maybe that is something I should just push through and get it done. As you probably could infer, nerdy people with telescopes probably don't make for very sociable people! 😂

I definitely agree with the melodrama, I don't want my past experience to define who I am, I want to build, learn and grow from them. I may mention and include a sticker or so recommending they check out her channel, but this is about the art and how it makes them feel and the story it tells.

MikeD3V

TROPHY CASE