The Troubadour: Look Who's Back! Nathan King Makes Flight Director! Desks Rearranged! The Imaginarium. It's All Too Much for a Saturday Night.

Saturday at the Space Centers

Hello Space EdVenturers!
The Farpoint Voyagers held a general membership meeting this morning at Renaissance Academy. I spoke for fifteen or so minutes (well, maybe more like thirty minutes, but who's counting?) updating the gathering on the latest news concerning the Vanguard simulator. I also spoke about our Long Duration Mission Simlabs starting in the CMSEC's Magellan simulator in February. The fifty or so in the meeting were excited to hear the LDM's, so long promised, were going to be a reality. Applications to create and/or join one of the flight squadrons were passed out. Afterwards, the cadets were dismissed into their departments. Mr. Daymont and I met with the Cosmography Department and imagineered what we needed to do to get the Vanguard ready to launch this summer. The cadets were given the assignment to research nearby stars and known planets for our database. They were also asked to create the names, ranks, and backgrounds on the 300 or so crewmen populating the Vanguard for reference. We have a lot to do and little time to do it.

Mr. Williamson

Look Who's Back!

Finding Adam Hall working Magellan's second chair this afternoon was a pleasant surprise. Adam recently returned from an LDS mission. Before leaving, Adam was an Odyssey flight director.
Adam didn't age all while he was gone. He is still ridiculously photogenic, snapshot ready, and groomed to perfection. A second before this photo was taken, Adam was overwrought and in a state of near panic as he tried to keep up with Connor's orders and the crew's demands. I said, "Smile," and in a millisecond he transformed into what you see above. A millisecond after the photo he was back to being an emotional mess :)
We all missed Adam and are happy he is back. Adam will be working part time at the CMSEC on daytime field trip missions.

I'm told the Magellan Control Room's rearrangement pictured above is temporary. There are days when the Magellan flies with only one staff member - the flight director. Imagine doing a three-person job all by yourself, which is why the flight director's station was moved to where you see Connor above. "I hate it," Connor answered when I asked his feelings on the change - which is why I'm told the rearrangement is only temporary.
Erin is at the video station, Adam is at second chair and Connor (aka. the Dark Knight) is flight directing. I say Dark Knight because he came to work dressed in his new super villain costume. The stress of up to four private missions a day is finally getting to him. You see him evilly, and with extreme malice, plotting his next move against a crew of helpless younglings. It was either that or he was trying to decide whether or not the slight pause in the mission was a good time to finish his lunch.

I didn't know JCW's did peanut butter and jelly sandwiches....

Jon Parker, Assistant CMSEC Director, is seen behind Adam doing what he does best, demonstrating the proper method to fold one's arms. Jon is the CMSEC's best arm folder. Nobody does it as classy as Jon, and with such breathtaking choreography. Jon is registering his arms with a local modelling agency. Imagine seeing those folded arms on a billboard along I15. On the visible wrist would be a Bulova $5000 watch. I've no doubt sales of Bulova watches would double, if not triple.

There were several Farpoint Voyager cadets working the Saturday afternoon missions.

This is Scott and Brandon in the Phoenix, both happy to be working with the legendary Miranda.

This is Sam, Travis, and Mikaila making ready to fulfill Connor's diabolical scheme to take the Magellan's bridge by force from the younglings. Sam has the attack mapped out and ready for implementation. Sam's plans leave no survivors. He's a shoo in for West Point.

Introducing Discovery Space Center's Newest Flight Director

Nathan King is the Discovery Space Center's newest flight director. He took the Columbia simulator's microphone one month ago. When asked how he was doing, Nathan replied, "I've never ceased to amaze all those who've flown with me!" Modesty is a trait never in short supply when it comes to Nathan.
Nathan started his journey to the dizzying heights of flight directing two years ago as a volunteer at the CMSEC. Last year he transferred to the Discovery Space Center and has been there ever since. Nathan is awesome, kind, and soft spoken. He's got a kind word to say about everyone. His mild demeanor is perfect for handling the stress of flight directing.
Congratulations Nathan on your promotion!
P.S. Before leaving this topic, I wanted to point out the top of Sara Glad's head seen in the photo above. Sara would be very upset if I didn't.

Discovery Space Center Rearranges Desks in the Command Center!

I debating posting this next bit of news, but in the interest of 'taking up blog space' I decided to go with it.
Casey Voeks, Chairman and Visionary of DSim, prophetically envisioned the rearrangement of DSC's registration desk and gift shop. Speaking in his position as Oracle Pontificate, Casey ordered the rearrangement, and it was done post haste. Reactions to the move were wildly enthusiastic, bordering on hysterical - a testament to Casey's talent not only as an oracle, but also as an interior designer.