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Up up and away!
Dec. 9th, 2006 10:49 pmGodspeed Discovery. Now go chase down a space station.
Looking at the calendar, I might have timed my Christmas break to coincide with the shuttle's return. Cool. (And I don't often use that word) Assuming it actually lands in Florida and not somewhere else of course... (or early in the morning before I arrive...)
Looking at the calendar, I might have timed my Christmas break to coincide with the shuttle's return. Cool. (And I don't often use that word) Assuming it actually lands in Florida and not somewhere else of course... (or early in the morning before I arrive...)
Little green men
Mar. 13th, 2006 09:32 amGoogle has gone Martian. You can look at the map three ways: infared, elevation or visible. No little green men reported... or brown fuzzy ones with tennis shoes going by Gossamer either.
The real excitement locally was a water main break over at Chain Bridge yesterday afternoon. I discovered it when I was doing laundry and suddenly no water in the washing machine. At first I thought it was just limited to my building, until I saw a LJ post. They closed down the bridge which must have wrecked havoc with local traffic. My county lost water for most of the evening, but everything was restored by the time I went to bed.
The real excitement locally was a water main break over at Chain Bridge yesterday afternoon. I discovered it when I was doing laundry and suddenly no water in the washing machine. At first I thought it was just limited to my building, until I saw a LJ post. They closed down the bridge which must have wrecked havoc with local traffic. My county lost water for most of the evening, but everything was restored by the time I went to bed.
No launch today
Jul. 13th, 2005 02:16 pmThe Discovery launch has been scrubbed today because of a faulty fuel sensor. No word yet on the next possible date. The last time I remember being this wound up over a launch was the first one after Challenger. I remember watching that one and holding my breath.
Fun story told by astronaut Jeff Ashby on CNN. He brought up and installed a Navy bell on the International Space Station to announce special guests. He mentioned having to set up rules for it. As he joked, "We couldn't have the Air Force guys using it to announce dinner".
Fun story told by astronaut Jeff Ashby on CNN. He brought up and installed a Navy bell on the International Space Station to announce special guests. He mentioned having to set up rules for it. As he joked, "We couldn't have the Air Force guys using it to announce dinner".
Philly by way of Dulles
May. 16th, 2004 11:05 pmMy new temp assignment is set for two weeks currently, ending on the Thursday before Memorial Day, so I can still go off for MediaWest. Somehow the wires got crossed on my actual hours, but I have been moved back to an earlier time. I was beginning to think I was going to start working later and later. The job is standard library work with some odd quirks. I'm used to large libraries where the mail is delivered several times a day. I'm used to having a stack of hand delivered dailies that have to go out immediately. In this new place, the mail is delivered once around noon. Instead of the constant barrage of new work, I may get a small trickle. Which is fine. I may wind up with some special projects, depending on my boss' whims. The one librarian was actually quite excited when she saw my HTML skills on my resume, because she prepares the daily web alerts. My boss, however, wants me to get the serials stuff under my belt before he'll let me do the fun stuff. It's just Homesite with a little formatting and cutting and pasting. Maybe he'll see how quickly I pick up the other stuff.
The commute is much shorter, which is a blessing. I'm really tired of transferring thither and yon. Now if the pay could just be a little better…
( Taking the steps of Philadelphia... )
( Air & Space at Dulles )
The commute is much shorter, which is a blessing. I'm really tired of transferring thither and yon. Now if the pay could just be a little better…
( Taking the steps of Philadelphia... )
( Air & Space at Dulles )
I stayed home because I wasn't feeling all that well. My throat feels horrible, but at least I'm not coughing as much as yesterday yet. The constant rain hasn't improved my disposition. I suppose I should be grateful it isn't snow. We're supposed to be having another writing marathon this weekend, but we'll see how I'm feeling. I may not be up to anything more than crawling into the kitchen for a snack. Also very frustrating because I learned there is anime con very local to me next week, so I want to be well, so I can at least consider the daytrip idea.
CVS had another guest speaker, Sallie Lowenstein, a YA author. She is also an arist and sculptor and teaches writing classes for children. I loved her analogy of revising to the polishing part of stone carving, honing the little bits until they shine. She certainly has more boundless energy than I could manage. I don't even seem to be managing time for my needlework lately.
One tool for writing should arrive shortly. I joined our crowd of Alphasmart users, although I bought the no-frills AS3000, instead of the Palm OS Dana.
Yet another Hubble discovery: This galaxy gives us a Black Eye
And also Museum of London is doing an exihibition on an Anglo Saxon king's burial treasure.
CVS had another guest speaker, Sallie Lowenstein, a YA author. She is also an arist and sculptor and teaches writing classes for children. I loved her analogy of revising to the polishing part of stone carving, honing the little bits until they shine. She certainly has more boundless energy than I could manage. I don't even seem to be managing time for my needlework lately.
One tool for writing should arrive shortly. I joined our crowd of Alphasmart users, although I bought the no-frills AS3000, instead of the Palm OS Dana.
Yet another Hubble discovery: This galaxy gives us a Black Eye
And also Museum of London is doing an exihibition on an Anglo Saxon king's burial treasure.
More on Hubble
Jan. 27th, 2004 08:40 pmThe weather has continued to be horrible. We had sleet changing to snow on the way home from work, making the walk home a little dicier. But I stayed on my feet, which was a nice change from last year.
Some exciting science news about first signs of oxygen and carbon outside our solar system. The slightly depressing news? This spectacular find was discovered by the Hubble telescope. Apparently there is a growing outcry about the decision, including a petition. I read an article in Aviation Week talking about the removal options for the telescope and it only depressed me further. If they were going to spend that much money and effort to bring her down, why don't they just perform the upgrades instead?
Some exciting science news about first signs of oxygen and carbon outside our solar system. The slightly depressing news? This spectacular find was discovered by the Hubble telescope. Apparently there is a growing outcry about the decision, including a petition. I read an article in Aviation Week talking about the removal options for the telescope and it only depressed me further. If they were going to spend that much money and effort to bring her down, why don't they just perform the upgrades instead?
Today was cold. I don't think I really need to go further than that. I had good intentions of going to the CVS writing marathon at Panera. I must have just missed a bus at the Metro station. After a bitterly cold wait for nearly an hour, I opted to go home to warmth as I was having trouble feeling hands, toes and face. Very frustrating experience.
I came home to work on laundry and watch US Nationals. My skating comments are over in![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mad_season. I was mostly happy with the results with a few disappointing exceptions. Worlds should be interesting anyway. They're being held in Dortmund, Germany this year.
And clearly I am my father's daughter. The NASA channel is one of his favorite ones, watching mission briefings and Q&A sessions all the time. I've replaced my desktop background with one of Mars. I read an interesting article about the science fiction reaction to the Mars exploration.sailormac had mentioned that she hadn't seen any signs of little men in Roman armor wandering around the surface. And alas, I didn't seen any fuzzy red aliens with sneakers either... poor Gossamer.
I came home to work on laundry and watch US Nationals. My skating comments are over in
mad_season. I was mostly happy with the results with a few disappointing exceptions. Worlds should be interesting anyway. They're being held in Dortmund, Germany this year.And clearly I am my father's daughter. The NASA channel is one of his favorite ones, watching mission briefings and Q&A sessions all the time. I've replaced my desktop background with one of Mars. I read an interesting article about the science fiction reaction to the Mars exploration.
sailormac had mentioned that she hadn't seen any signs of little men in Roman armor wandering around the surface. And alas, I didn't seen any fuzzy red aliens with sneakers either... poor Gossamer.More Columbia connections
Feb. 2nd, 2003 04:29 pmAnd my connections to Columbia continue to show up in unexpected ways. I learned to my sorrow that one of the lost astronauts, David Brown, mission specialist, was a graduate of my high school in Arlington. The Washington Post profile on Brown even says he carried a flag from the school on board.
Last night, trying to find some solace where I could, I dug out my old space filk tape "Minus Ten and Counting". The tape is filled with songs about the space exploration and space race, recorded before Challenger was probably even named, much less synonymous with space disaster. I remembered "Fly Columbia" but I had forgotten the lines from Jordin Kare's "Fire in the Sky" describing Columbia:
"Came a shuttle named Columbia, to open up the way.
And they said she's just a truck, but she's a truck that's aiming high.
See her big jets burning, see her fire in the sky."
The song was later updated for the Challenger disaster, intended to be included on an album for the National Space Society. The album also includes Leslie Fish's "Hope Eyrie" which I quoted in my last entry. A song about the moon landing, "Hope Eyrie" also had the honor of being played as a wake up call for the astronauts on one mission.
I hadn't watched television at all yesterday. I hadn't known that Buzz Aldrin had quoted part of the song until reading Peggy Noonan's column in the Wall Street Journal. For me, it had just seemed right for the moment to hear those songs. Obviously I was not alone.
Last night, trying to find some solace where I could, I dug out my old space filk tape "Minus Ten and Counting". The tape is filled with songs about the space exploration and space race, recorded before Challenger was probably even named, much less synonymous with space disaster. I remembered "Fly Columbia" but I had forgotten the lines from Jordin Kare's "Fire in the Sky" describing Columbia:
"Came a shuttle named Columbia, to open up the way.
And they said she's just a truck, but she's a truck that's aiming high.
See her big jets burning, see her fire in the sky."
The song was later updated for the Challenger disaster, intended to be included on an album for the National Space Society. The album also includes Leslie Fish's "Hope Eyrie" which I quoted in my last entry. A song about the moon landing, "Hope Eyrie" also had the honor of being played as a wake up call for the astronauts on one mission.
I hadn't watched television at all yesterday. I hadn't known that Buzz Aldrin had quoted part of the song until reading Peggy Noonan's column in the Wall Street Journal. For me, it had just seemed right for the moment to hear those songs. Obviously I was not alone.
I have always been fond of Columbia. I went to the US Space Academy in Huntsville two times. My first time I was assigned to the Columbia team. I took pride in that association. The only IMAX movie I enjoyed, without feeling nauseous, was "Hail Columbia". We saw it just before our mission. Maybe it rubbed off because we were named the best mission of the session. I was *damned* proud of that moment. Even a high school friend getting the Right Stuff award later couldn't dampen that one bit.
As a some twist of irony, I was there at Cape Canavarel over Christmas when Columbia was on the launch pad. I was disappointed I couldn't get a good view of the orbiter from the observation deck, just the tips of her rocket boosters. I even remember asking about a t-shirt for the Columbia mission, out of nostalgia, but they were still selling the previous Atlantis mission.
I remember Challenger. God, I remember that day. I was in high school at the time, a sophomore. I learned the news and sat there in shock. Space shuttles didn't blow up. They just didn't. Then I saw the footage and the reactions of the crowd below when they made the announcement. I remember the way everyone sat watching the first mission after Challenger, praying and worrying.
Damnit, they still shouldn't blow up!
*breaks down crying*
Worlds grow old and suns grow cold
And death we never can doubt.
Time's cold wind, wailing down the past,
Reminds us that all flesh is grass
And history's lamps blow out.
-- "Hope Eyrie", Leslie Fish
As a some twist of irony, I was there at Cape Canavarel over Christmas when Columbia was on the launch pad. I was disappointed I couldn't get a good view of the orbiter from the observation deck, just the tips of her rocket boosters. I even remember asking about a t-shirt for the Columbia mission, out of nostalgia, but they were still selling the previous Atlantis mission.
I remember Challenger. God, I remember that day. I was in high school at the time, a sophomore. I learned the news and sat there in shock. Space shuttles didn't blow up. They just didn't. Then I saw the footage and the reactions of the crowd below when they made the announcement. I remember the way everyone sat watching the first mission after Challenger, praying and worrying.
Damnit, they still shouldn't blow up!
*breaks down crying*
Worlds grow old and suns grow cold
And death we never can doubt.
Time's cold wind, wailing down the past,
Reminds us that all flesh is grass
And history's lamps blow out.
-- "Hope Eyrie", Leslie Fish
At the Cape
Dec. 26th, 2002 06:59 pmI've been interested in the space program for as long as I can remember. The following will date myself nicely and I don't care. My parents grew up with the moon race, but I'm from the shuttle generation. My mother recalls being in school and informed not to change classes so Shepard or Glenn could go safely into space. I remembered being a sophomore in high school hearing that "something" had happened to the shuttle. That something was Challenger. I remembered the shuttle launch after Challenger when everyone watched numb-knuckled hoping upon hope. I went to Space Camp/Academy for two summers, flying on the Columbia team.
Now my parents have moved to the Space Coast. They were watching the last Endeavour landing on the NASA channel when they heard the twin boom. Yes, that was the shuttle landing not quite in their backyard. We visited the Kennedy Space Center today which is an impressive place, drawing several million visitors a year. And all several million seemed to be there today! The lines were long and the Florida weather was brisk and windy. By some coincidence, the next shuttle was on the launch pad ready to go up in January. The shuttle was my old friend Columbia. Unfortunately the lookout point didn't give a really good view of the orbiter, just a little orange bit of the solid rocket booster sticking up. The Apollo Center was much more interesting with the massive Saturn V rocket and presentations on Apollo VIII's launch and Apollo XI's moon landing. Mom and I had forgotten how many problems the moon lander had encountered during that trip. Usually history books remember they landed on the moon, not how many times they lost radio or computer contact.
Over dinner, we talked about what had happened with the space race. Dad honestly thinks that they lost something when they got to the moon. We send up the shuttle but nothing seems to come of it. The moon has been forgotten, although the Chinese are talking about going. I pointed out the Hubble telescope and other scientific discoveries, but he was right. We weren't trying to explore new planets, sending little drones and robots. My own thought was that Kennedy gave them one goal to the moon, but no one thought to extend that further to the next goal. After you've scaled the mountain, where do you go from there?
Oddly tonight, I'm wishing I could watch Apollo 13 again.
Now my parents have moved to the Space Coast. They were watching the last Endeavour landing on the NASA channel when they heard the twin boom. Yes, that was the shuttle landing not quite in their backyard. We visited the Kennedy Space Center today which is an impressive place, drawing several million visitors a year. And all several million seemed to be there today! The lines were long and the Florida weather was brisk and windy. By some coincidence, the next shuttle was on the launch pad ready to go up in January. The shuttle was my old friend Columbia. Unfortunately the lookout point didn't give a really good view of the orbiter, just a little orange bit of the solid rocket booster sticking up. The Apollo Center was much more interesting with the massive Saturn V rocket and presentations on Apollo VIII's launch and Apollo XI's moon landing. Mom and I had forgotten how many problems the moon lander had encountered during that trip. Usually history books remember they landed on the moon, not how many times they lost radio or computer contact.
Over dinner, we talked about what had happened with the space race. Dad honestly thinks that they lost something when they got to the moon. We send up the shuttle but nothing seems to come of it. The moon has been forgotten, although the Chinese are talking about going. I pointed out the Hubble telescope and other scientific discoveries, but he was right. We weren't trying to explore new planets, sending little drones and robots. My own thought was that Kennedy gave them one goal to the moon, but no one thought to extend that further to the next goal. After you've scaled the mountain, where do you go from there?
Oddly tonight, I'm wishing I could watch Apollo 13 again.
