Wednesday's Thoughts

Hello Troops,
All is well on the front lines at the Space Education Center. Our forces engaged the Ignoraemii in heavy combat today. We reclaimed the innocent from enslavement using heavy doses of imagination and electrical jolts to restart cognitive thought processes. Yes, It's what we do.

The battle is still being fought as I type. Jon leads the Voyager's forces. Alex is sounding the trumpet in the Phoenix while Ben urges his Galileo troops over the top to engage the enemy with bayonets drawn. It is a wonder to behold.

I had the District Metal Shop build a new addition to the Captain's Loft. It was installed on Tuesday. In the following two pictures Jace demonstrates the correct exit from the Captain's Lounge using the new ladder.

You'll see the new carpeted platform at the exit (or entrance). This gives Jace room to turn around and descend the ladder if he's coming out of the Loft. Once again, done with the safety of our staff and crew in mind.



Alex started the work of installing a couple new cameras in the Galileo this afternoon. The one camera currently in the simulator doesn't cut it.


We had fun hosting students from Foothill Elementary in Orem and the John Hancock Charter School in Pleasant Grove on Tuesday. Both teams worked well through their respective missions. John Hancock's Captain was very good and Foothill's Ambassador was outstanding.

Foothill had a few students with unusual names never heard before at the Space Center.

Gomer (Yes, like Gomer Pyle from the 1960's TV show)
Egbert and
Pahoran

It was refreshing to see those unique names. I think its time to bring back other odd and unusual names that went out of style long ago (or perhaps never were in style). I'd like to see more Georges (we had one last week. First in a long while). I'm also thinking of Fred, Wilma, Betty, Elmer, Hank, Mildred, Luella, Minerva, Abigail, etc.

Before ending this post I'd like to add a few items for your consideration from the Imgainarium.

Great back to a new Space Center T-Shirt?

An intelligent mind never stops questioning. Push boundaries with good questions and be wise enough to know that the answers may not be what you were expecting.

A perfect illustration of what its like being the Captain of one of our simulators. I'm constantly having to remind Captains and Ambassadors to FOCUS. It's not easy at that age to learn how to direct your thoughts to the task at hand and not be distracted by things happening around you.

As some of my teens say, "Like a Boss!"

Respect is earned. Don't demand it. Muck in with everyone else and soldier on. Be a great example and maintain your principles. Respect will be the natural outcome.

Anyone out there have a killer cat? Mr. Schuller has one that lies in wait and attacks the unknowing as they come down the stairs to his family room. There's a chair near a desk where "The Cat" scratches a record of his victories. One scratch per broken or twisted ankle.


The moral of this illustration is to encourage you to abandon your scents and let people smell the real you. I'm considering tossing the cologne I use at the Space Center. It's the blue bottle next to the printer that smells like mosquito repellent. Remember that strange smell which lingers like an invisible fog in the air around my desk?

Thank you for being kind enough not to comment when you pass.

See you all in the Trenches!

Mr. W.

Our Monday

Hello Troops,
Yes, it is our Monday in the Alpine School District. School is closed for the day giving the Space Education Center one of its few two day weekends. These are cherished Mondays, valued by most and worshiped by few.

I confess I stopped at the Center this morning to finish writing the Voyager simulator's new summer camp story. I'm waiting for an inspired title to drop into my head from some sublime outside source - but nothing so far. I'll let you know should a revelation makes itself apparent.
Until then we shall call it "2011".

Would you like to know the plot? Well, the story begins with a prison escape from a maximum security prison on Telosian Prime. And that's all you're going to get from me. My lips and fingers are sealed. If you want to know more, sign up for a camp. There are no freebies on The Troubadour. The other simulator's camp stories are coming along fine. All five will give our summer campers several hours of fun and excitement.

I'm wrapping up my writing for the day. Supper is almost ready and StarGate will be on soon. Time to relax and let someone else entertain me for a change. Until me meet again, how about a few thoughts from the Imaginarium?

I remember as a kid how disappointed I was never to have had my tonsils removed - I wanted to live on ice cream for days on end. Even today I feel slightly robbed of one of life's transitional moments.

The greatest wizards in literature commemorated in stamps. The British Post Office should be commended. Well done.

Sad, isn't it?

The World needs more people like this. This is true community spirit. This is the difference between just praying for those in need and doing something about it. If it needs doing, then do it. Put your faith into action.

Amen!

I once had a very homely history professor. He looked like he'd just stepped off a farm of Dakota inbreds. My attitude changed halfway through the first class. His other qualities of humor, attitude, warmth and humanism overshadowed his appearance. He became my favorite college professor. I learned history from him in a way I'd not experience before, and on the side picked up an important lesson about life, never judge a book by its cover (by the way, he had the hottest wife of any professor on campus - not kidding).

I'm thinking of using these leaves around my name on my business cards. Everyone will think I'm smart.

I'll see you all in the Trenches,

Mr. W.

Feedback from a Phoenix Mission

Hello Troops,
This came in today's email. Congratulations to Saturday's Phoenix staff. Awesome job. This is what we do and we see that the staff of the Phoenix do it very well indeed.

Mr. W.

Hey Mr. Williamson!

I just wanted to email you to send our thanks to the Space Center staff. Me and 5 buddies did a 5-hour Phoenix mission today, and it rocked!!! It was Dark Origins. It was Mr. Daymont and a dude named Nate, I think, that directed the mission. Anyhow, it was awesome!! The mission was a rollicking success, and we all greatly enjoyed it. So again, thanks so much for an awesome time. We'll definitely be back in the next few months for some more quality Space Center awesomeness.

-Andrew

Poetic Imagination. Images Painted in Word.

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

BY ROBERT FROST

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Openings for Tonight's Overnight Camp!

Hello Troops,
We have a couple openings on tonight's Overnight Camp. Because you're reading it on the blog, you'll get the discount. Instead of $43.00 you pay $35.00. You must be between 10 and 14 years old (you'll be joining 5th and 6th graders from Cedar Ridge Elementary).

If you're interested, please call the Center 801.785.8713

Enjoy your 3 Day Weekend!

Mr. W.

A New Column

Hello Troops,
The Troubadour covers topics related to the Space Education Center and society as a whole. It is a place where we reward innovative thinking. It is a place where imagination is celebrated.

Tackling today's tough social issues requires the same kind of imaginative thinking as writing a piece of unforgettable music or producing a movie that brings audiences to their feet. With that in mind, The Troubadour will start showcasing these Societal Imagineers who's thinking, ideas and proposals are unique, innovative and worthy of consideration. I should warn you that these posts may cause an increase in blood pressure because tinkering with society is political and politics can be divisive. But if we are to solve our nation's problems we need innovative thinking and new ideas. Rocking the ship of Status Quo is bound to be controversial.

This new series is called.

The Doctor is In

Imagineering from The American Interest.

Moving from “time-served” processes of certification (four year BA degrees, three years in law or divinity school) to certification based on achievement can make education dramatically cheaper. It is sheer madness that most students spend 12 years in school, and another four in college. Why exactly should all kids the same age be in the same grade? One size does not fit all; why shouldn’t high school kids go free when they can pass the equivalent of a GED? And for that matter, shouldn’t school districts encourage and reward teachers and schools that are able to graduate students faster? Among other things, this would allow some of the resources not spent on babysitting high-achieving kids to go to kids who really need the help. How “right wing” is that?

The same goes for college. Oxford and Cambridge graduate their students in three years — yet few people think British college grads are less accomplished than their American peers. What is sacred about the four year BA? Wouldn’t a shift to an exam based system (students who make qualifying scores on the appropriate exams would be certified as graduates) allow more people to advance farther at less cost? And there’s an element of social justice here: the kid from a no-name school who scores high on the exam will have an edge on the Ivy League kid who partied through college and just scraped by.

And From the Imaginarium

You old timers remember this from your childhood? Was there anything more awesome?

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope....

Space Center Honors.

Hello Troops,
We've had a few recognitions recently that I'd like to post so everyone can celebrate the good things that happen here at the Space Center.

This is Mr. Daymont. He likes soda. He likes soda so much that one is never enough. In this picture you see him reaching for my soda.
"Want!" he said with hand outstretched.
"No. One is enough," I answered as I snapped the picture. What followed wasn't pretty. He doesn't take kindly to "No". Especially if it involves a sugary snack.

Mark is one of our special Flight Directors. The Home brings him by so he can watch and clap for us in the corner of the Magellan Control Room. He is our number one fan and a real lover of "Space Trek" (we tried to teach him to say "Star Trek" but he'll have none of it).

Occasionally Mr. Daymont has a bad day. It happens when his oatmeal at the Home isn't prepared properly. Instead of putting two teaspoons of sugar on his Quaker Oats, the cafeteria ladies give him one. Such a slight causes him to go mad. That's when the Home calls and asks if we would like to tend him for a few hours while they clean oatmeal from the walls and sheets of his room.

If you see Mark on your next visit to the Center, be sure to stop and thank him for his support and enthusiastic clapping. Be sure to hid all sweets before approaching. He has a keen sense of smell and can sniff out a carbohydrate from ten feet.

This is a picture of Natalie, Christine and Mark. Christine is giving us the thumbs up. She and Natalie just finished cleaning Mark's face. Someone stupidly gave him a handful of M and M's for an especially enthusiastic clap when the staff took the Magellan Bridge as Orion Pirates. Luckily he didn't mess up his Space Center shirt.

We're celebrating the February birthdays in this picture. We celebrate staff birthdays at the end of every month. The reasoning is sound. Mrs. Houston only has to bake one cake. We save money on candles. Then there's the singing of "Happy Birthday to You". If you've ever head the staff sing then you'd be grateful we only sing once a month. Anything more might cause a visit from the United Nation's Human Rights Commission. Then there is the problem of birds dropping dead from the sky around the school. Our singing is a real nasty business.

This is Mrs. Houston, a Space Center educator. She looks a bit disheveled because of the singing moments earlier. I'm still gritting my teeth. Not to worry, my jaw relaxes before I'm needed to run the next mission.

And now the recognitions. Miranda was awarded her Year of Service Pin. She's still shivering form the singing fifteen minutes earlier (and I'm still gritting my teeth).

Miranda is receiving her Odyssey Pin from Emily. Great job Miranda. Emily on the other hand, received a warning for wearing long johns under her Space Center shirt. She complains about the cold, but is that any excuse for punishing us with protruding long johns?

This is Bro. Alex congratulating Jorden on receiving his Phoenix Pin. Jorden is actually taller than Bro. Alex, but because of Bro. Alex's temperament, Jorden must stoop down to keep his head lower than Bro. Alex's.

You're asking about Bro. Alex's smile? Alex is preparing for missionary service. We've been working with him on his people skills. That smile is the result of three months work. Do you like it?


This is Jace. Jace was awarded his Voyager Pin on this particular camp. Jace has been working on his Voyager pass since the 5th grade. It was a joy to finally get to give him is pin, especially considering he's an 8th grader now at PG Junior (my jaw is beginning to relax).

Thanks to our Awesome Staff and Volunteers. Now I get to take Mark back to the Home. He's still in the Magellan Control Room clapping for a mission that ended 45 minutes ago.

Mr. W.

The EdVentures Starts Anew

Hello Troops,
It's Monday morning here in Pleasant Grove and time to start another week of EdVentures at the Space Education Center. There are about one gazillion kids anxiously waiting their turn at the what many call "The Best Field Trip in Utah". Our staff had their mandatory one day off for R and R and are already up and about, getting ready for the excitement.

I enjoyed Sunday's rain and the cooler temperatures. I enjoyed it even more when I remembered the oven we call July and August. Let's enjoy each day of this transition to summer. And speaking of summer, have you enrolled in one of our summer camps yet? If not, then get with it. We're working on new missions we're sure you'll enjoy.

OK, time for a few things from the Imaginarium, then I'll hit the road and trek to the Center.


I found this for all our 'green' Space Center campers, staff and volunteers. Save the environment and purchase a bamboo keyboard and mouse.

Chess Wars! It was a bloody day on the battle field. The King was cornered with no hope for rescue.
A good thought with one caution. Careful not to 'waste' too much of it. Remember what I always say, "Some of us have to work for a living?" and "Time is money". And yes, you'll fire back with "You're only young once."

True. So true.

Meanwhile, back in Libya........


Have a great day Troops and I'll see many of you in the trenches.

Mr. Williamson

Saint Sheila. My Hero.

Hello Troops,
Some time ago I wrote about the Space Center’s Patron Saint Sheila. The article was a tribute to Sheila Powell, one of the Space Center’s three field trip teachers.

The people I proclaim ‘Saints‘ encapsulate my vision of heroism. They are selfless with their fellow man. They are kind to a fault. They bear their burdens with a strength that inspires. All this, and much more, defines our Saint Sheila.

Sheila’s rise to sainthood is the result of several factors. Sheila was a sixth grade teacher in the Jordan School District. That fact alone drew Vatican attention. Sheila is a cancer survivor. Cancer survivors no longer exist in the same world as you and I. They experience life differently, knowing how fragile it is and how quickly it can end. They have the power to stop time and enjoy life’s special moments. You see them sometimes, standing alone, looking at something so innocent to us that it would hardly cause a moment’s thought, yet they sit memorized - lost in the fraction of a pleasant second.


A few weeks ago Sheila’s father passed away. It was yet another burden for her to carry, being the eldest and responsible for her surviving mother.

And finally, this week’s news.
“I’ve got Parkinson’s Disease,” she told us on Monday. It was said much like you would say you were coming down with a cold. The calmness of the statement was followed by the brightening of her halo. Such a statement can leave the listener uncertain of how to respond. For a moment you visualize the meaning, then realize the uncertain road ahead. The “I’m so sorry,” that inevitably follows are the only words that manage to surface.

And so, our Saint Sheila embarks on another journey of faith, with us beside her.

Recently I overhead several of the staff discuss a member of BYU’s basketball team. I believe his name was Jimmer. The word ‘hero‘ was used to describe their perceptions of his character and abilities. I thought for a moment of how life changes you as you age. When you’re young you admire people that excel in doing things you dream of doing well yourself. You make them your heroes. You put their posters on your walls. You dress like them, talk like them, and eat the cereals endorsed by them.


Now that I've reached the Autumn of my life, I choose my heroes differently. My heroes are the men, women and children who carry the burden of misfortune and illness with a faith that inspires me to be a better person. I see them playing a hand none of us would want, and yet manage to do it in such a way that we are all the better for it.

Saint Sheila is my hero.

Thank you Saint Sheila.

Thursday Blues

Hello Troops,
Just about to get ready for an appointment I've dreaded for two weeks. At 8:00 A.M. my path will cross paths with "The Dentist!" (lights darken in your room accompanied by the sound of a distant drill and screaming).

A piece of one of my top molars broke off during an overnight camp a month ago. I was eating an ice cream sandwich of all things. The thought crossed my mind to charge my two dentist visits, along with the soon to be fitted crown, to workmen's comp - considering my misfortune occurred while I was at work. While a nice thought, reason tells me the ploy won't work. Soon I'll feel lighter when walking because several hundred dollars will be missing from my wallet.

I've have my fair share of crowns and one more is just par for the course. What I don't like is that first shot of Novocaine my dentist takes great delight in giving me to start every procedure. In fact I've had to stop him on several occasions from giving me one just to take xrays of my teeth! Then there was the time he was having a bad day and chose to use his drill instead of floss to clean my teeth. I stopped him. We talked for awhile. He calmed down. It seemed a three year old had his way with him in a previous appointment.

Our awesome daytime staff will get the field trip started without me. I should be at work before the mission actually begins. I'm wondering how I'll sound over the Voyager's sound system with half a paralyzed mouth?! Who knows, it could be the best Paklid I've every played.

Well, to get the day started right, let's have a few items from the Imaginarium.

This just in. Another sighting of Fred Flintstone near Utah Lake

Ever feel like this when an upcoming test forces you to study?

And finally. A new book in the Media Center. Generally light reading for your third grader.

Wish me Luck with the Butcher of Orem....... It's time.................

Mr. W

March 1st.

Hello Troops,
February is in the rear view mirror and that's where I'm happy to leave it. I'm looking forward to warmer weather and better behaved snow. This is the time of year when snow generally favors the mountains and not the valleys, which makes me happy. This is the time of the year when snow starts to fill our streams and lakes. That makes me happy. This is the time of year when snow falls nicely through the air giving everyone that "It's snowing" rush but disappears upon contact with my driveway. That makes me happy. Yes, this month will give us a better behaved snow.

We had a great time hosting 70 plus students from Goshen yesterday. They did well in the ships and were outstanding in the classroom.

How about a few smiles to start the month?

Perhaps your idea of a perfect school lunch? This is what's on today's lunch menu in the Imaginarium's Cafeteria. All of this at 100 calories.


Coat hangers for Imagineers. The perfect gift.


One of Norman Rockwell's famous paintings from Life Magazine.


And another version from the Imaginarium's Museum of Modified Art.

And from the "Isn't that True" Department.

And now a Scene from the next James Bond 007 Film.


And from "The Stuff No One Told You Department"


A Thought from our "Stuff you Won't Hear in Church This Sunday" Department.



And our Everyday Blues

I'd love a poster like this to recruit new volunteers. Imagine seeing something like this in your school's hallway.

Have a Great March and I'll see you in the Trenches.

Mr. W.