What's New at the Space Center and the Imaginarium, Of Course

Hello Troops,

The Space Center is closed for electrical upgrading.  This is an extensive upgrade.  The electrical veins and arteries of all five ships and the Discovery are being checked.  New wiring will be added where needed along with numerous new plugs and electrical boxes.  The Voyager and Odyssey will take the most work.  The Magellan, Phoenix and Galileo the least.   

I'm anticipating the electrician will begin this week.  How long it will take is anyone's guess.  One month is optimistic.  Three months is what the pessimist would say.  My advice to everyone is not to hold your breath. 

The Space Center's office was officially closed on Friday and rekeyed.  Not even I can get in during the refit.  The Space Center's office was moved to the school's north trailer.  I'm operating out of room 142.  

Would you like to see my temporary office and classroom? 

 

Your first glimpse of the Space Center 's temporary office and classroom.

Looking toward the back of the room.  Remember, I still have my math class every morning 

from 9:00 to 10:30 A.M.  The student desks are set up and ready to go.  This half of the trailer

was (and is) used for storage.  It took me awhile to move everything out of the way to make

room for the student desks.

I walked to the back of the room to take this picture of my desks.  

A zoom in showing the nerve center of the darkened Space Center.  You'll notice 

everything is in its proper place.  This is where I'll be working during the refit.

I'll be teaching math, writing missions and curriculum.  I can be reached at a new 

Space Center phone number until the Space Center's phone is rerouted to the trailer.

My new number is 801-785-8711. Extension 142.

Look, a new addition to my collection of trinkets, a Staples "That was Easy" button.

I'm settled in and ready to go.  Beware of the wasp dive bombers circling the outside of the trailer's doors if you come to visit me in exile.  No need to knock, just come right in.  The school's two trailers are on the school's playground (west side of the school).  

I'm like a fish out of water.  There are no missions to schedule.  There are no volunteers and staff to coordinate.  There are only a few emails waiting for me in the mornings instead of dozens.  I may get one or two phone calls a day instead of dozens.  I'm working outside the school building, as far from the school's office as possible.  My trailer is deadly quiet except for the sound of the air conditioner and my music.  It's surreal and perhaps dangerous.   For 21 years I've worked roughly 80 hours per week during the school year and nearly 120 hours per week during the summer.  Now, I'm barely pushing 40 hours per week.   I'm able to go home at 4:00 P.M. instead of my usual 7:00 P.M.  I have my Friday nights free.  I don't have to work Saturdays.  Yes, I'm taking a pay cut during this electrical refit, but what if I start to like living like a normal person?  

They better get this job done quickly.  I'm starting to feel the chains loosening, and if I'm not mistaken, what is that light far off in the distance? 

At least we still have the Imaginarium and all our other friends here in Wonderland.  Enough talk of the refit.  Let's take a walk.  

   

 There goes my excuse!

 In one of Wonderland's many parks advising the pedestrian not to exceed the

walking speed limit.

   

In my home state of South Dakota you see these "Speed Enforced by Aircraft" signs 

along rural roads.  As a child, I always wondered how the speed limit was enforced by an airplane.

Now I know.

The Troubadour's readers know my love for imagination.

Well, here you go.  Excellent sign for the Emergency Room.

Summer Perfection.

Who would have thought to put the tramp next to the pool?

Now this is what I call a slide.

This is old school, before the days when playgrounds were childproofed.

I remember a slide just like this at my old elementary school in Rapid City.

You went down the slide if you wanted to be respected by the 6th graders.

If you wanted the teachers' respect, you went down sitting on a sheet of waxed paper for

that extra burst of speed!

You're kidding.  Who would've thought?

Jenga played for keeps.

Of course.  Leave it to the Brits.  They know how to get your attentions.

No shirt, no shoes, no service?

Not a problem to the person with a bit of imagination.

A bit of imagination for the dinner table. 

A cucumber whale surfaces from the formica.

Rio is getting ready for the Olympics

This is the kid everyone hates.

This is the kid with the loudest parents.

There are always a few.  It is one of life's rules.

Would you even think of going to school without one?

A grading stamp for the honest teacher.

Advice for the semi retired Space Center Director.

Where would you dare open it?

You smiled.  Admit it.

The imaginative person cannot pass something like this without adding something to 

take it to the next level.

Am I the only person who wondered why this was so?

Thank you all for your patience while we finish this Space Center upgrade.  Remember to check the blog for regular updates.

Mr. Williamson

PS.  Now please excuse me.  I've got several papers in my hand and I'm going to do my hourly speed walk through the building  :)