The Magellan Gets a New Flight Director. Pictures and Stories from Many a Saturday at the Space Center

 

Congratulations to Tyler Gotcher (holding the clipboard), the Space Center's newest flight director.  Tyler did his first solo flight as a new Magellan flight director yesterday.  As a matter of fact, Sara Glad was on that mission.  Lissa joined the flight remotely in case Tyler needed someone to symbolically hold his hand if things went south.  Lissa was home due to strep throat.  You see, sick days are unheard of at the Space Center. 

Working with Tyler were Hayden and Nolan.  Nolan was on loan from the Cassini and Odyssey.     

Here's a picture of Tyler working toward his flight director pass on August 4 during one of the summer camps.  Lissa is sporting a blanket to keep the chill away.  Poor girl seems to be rather sickly lately :)

Congratulations Tyler and Welcome to the Flight Director Family. 

Photos of My Saturday Adventures at the Space Center

If it's Saturday, then I'm at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center helping Jon run the Cassini.  Actually Jon is helping me as I try to remember my training from the summer camps.  It's amazing how much you forget if you're not in the flight director's chair on a regular basis.  I've got my 5 hour pass for Greenpeace, now I'm working to learn my daytime field trip flights (Cry in the Dark, Perikoi, Intolerance, Midnight Rescue) as they're told in the Cassini.  There are some changes to the orthodox telling of the missions as I told them in the original Voyager back in the day, mainly in the number and organization of cards and the use of Thorium for each flight, but I'm getting there one Saturday at a time.  

Needless to say, wearing that Alpine School District badge and working once more in the mother Space Center of them all is fantastic.  My "retirement" is the best.  I work weekdays with 80 wonderful 6th graders at Renaissance Academy teaching math and history, then after school I work alongside Bracken Funk at the Renaissance Academy's space center "The Space Place" where we run a Young Astronaut and Voyager Club for nearly 160 students in grades 3 through 9.  To top it all off, I get to fly the school's beautiful Starship Voyager.  

Then on weekends I'm at the CMSC working alongside some of the finest people I know and feeling that spirit of adventure in the simulators and in the planetarium.  Disney hasn't got much on us except a huge bank account!

Every Saturday I find the staff and volunteers enjoying the campers and each other's company.  Often I snap a photo or two to share with you.  Here are a few.....

This is Nolan.  Nolan is happy.  A camper left $1.00 for him wrapped over his pet mouse.  

In Greenpeace, Nolan's pirate character has a pet mouse.  The mouse got away from him and was captured by a camper. The camper felt sorry for Nolan and returned the mouse to Nolan, who was at the time being held in the brig.  The mouse was wrapped in the dollar, clearly a gift from the camper hoping the pirate could use it to purchase better pirate clothes or perhaps enjoy an extra glass of rum when next in port.  

Jon Parker striking a Victor Williamson pose when delivering that "Children of Perikoi" monolog.  You know the one, "This is Perikoi....................." 

Andy Heaton, Bryce Redd, and Craig Wilson are members of the Retired Space Center Staff and Volunteers Community. They stopped by the new Space Center out of curiosity wondering how the new CMSC compared to the old CMSEC.  I happened to be at the Space Center at the time working in the Cassini and we met up again.  I showed them the ships. They were mightily impressed.  And as usual our conversation morphed into talk of the good old days.  I took them out to the parking lot and showed them the exact spot where the old Voyager's Captain's chair stood.  

  

Jon Parker, Master of Disaster on the Cassini, knew I'd be interested in a recent purchase of his.  Yes, those are the Space Center's new Slime Devil eggs.  Do you veterans of the old Voyager remember the original wooden slime devil eggs we use to plant around the ship? They were a blast, especially on the overnight camps.  You can thank Admiral Bill Schuler for the original concept of the Slime Devil and the eggs bit.  I was happy to bring the slime devil back to the Space Center this summer during my tellings of Greenpeace. Jon has gone the extra mile to get the eggs necessary to strike terror in the hearts of the young Cassinites.       

Orion Bowers is back flying the Galileo!  

This is Kayden, a devoted Phoenix simulator volunteer. Apparently he did something wrong during one of Jordan Smith's missions and experienced the Wrath of Jordan, something you wouldn't wish upon your worst enemy.  The damage to his clothing wasn't caused by the laying on of hands. It was caused by the verbal telling off Kayden received for missing an incoming call from the bridge communications officer.  The force of wind and the hurricane speed of spittal did the damage to the shirt.    

Actually, Kayden was getting ready to play a role in Saturday's Phoenix 5 hour mission.  Scott helped the realism by adding a bit of makeup to garner crew sympathy.  

Speaking of the Phoenix, I need to give a shout out to Mason Perry and his staff for getting the one and only Phoenix top mission score of the last summer camp.  Well done Mason and staff!  We knew the Phoenix could do it. 

Finally, how about that Magellan staff!  They must have a hidden camera in the staff break room because they are always the first to get to the goodies I bring on Saturdays - sometimes leaving nothing for the other ships.  Their motto: "The Best for the Best!"  

Imaginarium Theater

The Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience.  This One From 4 Years Ago!  Enjoy

The Imaginarium Theater The Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience

The Imaginarium Theater

The Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience

The Passing of Stephen Porter, Our Grand PooPah. Imaginarium Theater

 

Stephen Markham Porter was surrounded by loved ones when he unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday, September 8th, 2021 due to complications from diabetes (as Stephen would say the diet bees).

Stephen was born in Provo, Utah on December 15th, 1981 to Perry Lynne Porter and Renee Call Bair. He lived a life full of generosity as he shared his humor and kindness with so many around him. His talents and charisma helped him succeed as a graduate from Orem High School, serve as a missionary in Brazil, become an Eagle Scout, destroy trust with friends in board games, and work through the ranks to become a manager of software development at Entrata.

Stephen took great pride in his career at Entrata and had an influence in shaping company values. Those he worked with appreciated that he reached out with personal attention and provided laughter through his quick wit while also being dependable. He was a leader who cared deeply for the success and happiness of his team. He worked at Entrata for nearly 10 years, with only a short absence when he and his wife Rikki Carter had moved to Canada. They quickly returned to Utah as that was where he was meant to be. Stephen and Rikki divorced but remained friends as their lives headed in different directions.

Stephen joined Cascade Elementary school’s Young Astronaut Program and had his first experience with the Christa McAuliffe Space Center. This began a life-long passion for storytelling, acting, and software design. He volunteered for years on weekends and through the summers until he impressed his way into an indispensable position as a staff member. Stephen is well known for having developed endearing characters whose interactions created joyful memories for thousands of children over the years of his involvement.

Stephen loved the outdoors, eating delicious food, listening to operas, playing with his dogs, spending quality time with his nephews and nieces, visiting foreign places, and playing video games and board games with friends and family. His dietary staples included Worcestershire sauce, Arby’s sauce, and hot sauce (which he loved to share with others). Stephen also loved movies and television. He could watch a movie once and later be able to quote the best lines from any movie with the best comedic timing. Many of us have benefitted from him sharing music, games, television, and movie recommendations.

Stephen will be missed everyday by his Mother, Renee Bair; his Father, Perry Porter; his sister, Tiscia Westerman (Jeffery); his brother, James Porter (Ann); his sister, Mary Olsen (Keith); his two nieces and four nephews, his sweetheart Ehrin Legler, his dog Wu, his loving aunts, uncles, cousins and many, many great friends he made all over the world.

Stephen is preceded in death by his sister Christy Lynne Porter, grandparents Nyda and Don Porter, and Mary Lou and Rodney Call, as well as his beloved dog Cicero.

Stephen recently shared on social media:

“Pais E Filhos - Legiao Urbana (is) One of my favorite Portuguese songs of all time, and actually was the very first song I learned to play on the guitar. Beautiful throughout the whole song, but the part that gets me is the chorus."

Pais E Filhos - Legiao Urbana

É preciso amar as pessoas

Como se não houvesse amanhã

Por que se você parar pra pensar

Na verdade não há

We need to love people

as if there is no tomorrow

because if you stop to think

in truth there is not

“Thank you to every one of you in my life who I love and I know loves me too.” - Stephen Porter

Memorial Services for Stephen Porter

Saturday, September 18th

9:00 am

Nelson Family Mortuary

4780 N University Ave, Provo, UT

A live streaming service can be found at

www.nelsonmortuary.com

And a Thought From Me

Stephen was a major contributor to this Blog's forerunner social media site call the Space EdVentures Yahoo Group. His posts were always witty, sarcastic, and at times just rude. It was his style. He said things about the staff and volunteers I wished I could say but didn't dare. So, in my role as Space Center Director, I'd find myself editing his posts here and there to keep calm in the ranks and to ensure people would speak to Stephen when he came to work as a member of the staff.

My memories of Stephen are many. Almost all good - and that alone is a compliment! He was a great character actor and knew how to read a room, or Starship Bridge. He acted for a dual audience - the campers and the staff and volunteers. We never knew what that evening's performance would bring.

For those many happy times, I'm grateful I had the honor and privilege of working with Stephen.

The following is an example of one of Stephen's YahooGroup posts and my comments at the time added to the post for political correctness sake....

AUGUST 21, 2000

MODERATOR'S NOTE:
ONCE AGAIN THE BLACE MARK OF THE MODERATOR MUST STRIKE CERTAIN WORDS FROM MR. PORTER'S SARCASTIC ESSAY. I REPLACED STEPHEN'S WORDS WITH "CENSORED" SO YOU'LL KNOW WHERE HIS POST WAS EDITED.
AND NOW STEPHEN'S REMARKS.......EDITED REMARKS WITH A FEW CLOSING REMARKS OF MINE.

Hi, I am Stephen Porter.
Who are you?
oh, really? I have never heard of you.
Oh well.
Maybe next time kid!

Hey, remove "CENSORED" from the volunteers thingy... is he still breathing the petulant gasses as the rest of we mortals? I have not seen hide nor hair of the little guy since the high school  mission... off with his head!

Hey, I added another MP3 to the file section.

Check it out!

Hey, does anybody out there have an extra copy of adobe photoshop. If you do... I want it for free.

Yeah for Wayne, he is one of few people whose posts last more than 3  seconds on my screen. HEY YAA!

Boo to "CENSORED" ... She's the one who should be censored. I mean, why do she waste my bandwidth with such pointless  dribble ... Wow, it is cool  that you know HTML... that is really cool... but don't flaunt it
every second of the day, then it becomes annoying and Cliche.

Boo to Judge Dredd, have you ever seen that movie?

Yeah to Cool volunteers, you know... the ones that only speak when it  is appropriate.

Boo to the Galileo, cause it has wheels.

Yeah to the Voyager, it has a color projector.

Boo to the Magellan, for obvious reasons.

Yeah to the Odyssey, wait, on second thought... Boo.

Huzzah to the Falcon, to the only simulator that you board via extra vehicular activity.

Boo to board games, they smell of old spice.

Boo!! yeah! thats right... you like that? huh? thats what I thought.

Stephen Porter - Boo, hiss, queen of filth.

Le traducteur d'AltaVista de visite pour toute votre traduction a 
besoin... sur l'Internet. 

     AS THE SPACE CENTER DIRECTOR AND MODERATOR OF THIS YAHOOGROUP, I MUST ASSUME STEPHEN HAD A BAD DAY WHEN HE WROTE THE POST ABOVE. PERHAPS THERE WAS NO PRIZE IN HIS BOX OF CRAKER JACKS THAT MORNING. ONE CAN ONLY WONDER. 

     LET US NOT GROW IN ANGER TOWARD POOR STEPHEN SITTING ON THAT FRAYED LAWN CHAIR IN HIS BACK YARD LOOKING DEEPLY INTO THE EMPTY CRAKER JACK BOX AND WONDERING WHAT FATE HAD DONE WITH HIS PRIZE. YES, HIS PRIZE - THE PRIZE HE WAITED FOR AS HE SAVORED EACH CARMEL KERNAL AND SAVORY PEANUT. 

     WITH HIS POST WRITTEN AND HIS CRAKER JACKS GONE, WHAT WAS THERE TO FILL THE REST OF STEHEN'S EVENING............? I ENVISION HIM STANDING AND TOSSING THE BOX - THE CAUSE OF HIS DISAPPOINTMENT, INTO THE TRASH. I SEE HIM MOVING THROUGH THE HOUSE INTO HIS BEDROOM. HE SITS ON HIS BED AND OPENS HIS DRESSER. HE REACHES INSIDE AND PULLS OUT HIS SOCKS. AT LEAST FATE COULDN'T TAKE THIS SIMPLE PLEASURE AWAY FROM HIM. THE THRILL OF SORTING SOCKS BEFORE BED. 

     "WHERE'S THE MATCH FOR THIS ONE?" I HEAR HIM MUMBLE AS HE SEARCHES THE PILE.
     "THERE YOU ARE YOU LITTLE SNEAK! THOUGHT YOU'D GET AWAY FROM ME DIDN'T YOU?" HE ASKS AS HE TOSSES THE CRAFTY SOCK INTO THE AIR, THEN HOLDS IT CLOSE AND LOOKS DEEPLY AT THE COLOR, THE KNIT - THEN UP TO THE NOSE ..................A DEEP BREATH...............EVEN BLINDFOLDED HE CAN TELL THEM APART. 

     HAVING BEEN SORTED, INTO THE DRAWER THE SOCKS GO. HE SWITCHES OFF THE LIGHTS AND SLIPS INTO BED. WHILE OTHERS DREAM OF GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS AND ROMANCE, HIS GRINS WITH THOUGHTS OF FRUIT OF THE LOOM DOUBLE KNITS OVER THE CALF. 

GOOD NIGHT STEPHEN..........
GOOD NIGHT ALL.........

MR. WILLIAMSON

Good Bye Stephen, our Grand PooPah. Heaven is a happier place now that you've returned home.

IMAGINARIUM THEATER

The Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience.