Art 107 first post

Well for my first post, I'd like to discuss my main concern for this course.  I have no idea where to start in terms of what kind of project I want to create.  Having very little knowledge on CNC, tools, and any of these areas relevant to the class, I feel a bit overwhelmed.  I am an animation major so I would like to utilize my knowledge in this area for this course but would also like to try out some CNC projects.  Where should I start or what should I start with, any suggestions?   I would like to try and learn more about "hacking" such as some of the work that has been done with the Xbox 360 "kinect" device.  This is a side note and I don't think it has been done before, but what are the possibilities of hacking this device in use for a "fighting game"?