Almost Bedtime

Hello Troops,
It's 11:49 P.M. on Friday, January 8. We are running our first Overnight Camp for 2010. We have 44 students from the 5th and 6th grades at Sego Lily Elementary School. They are good kids and fun in the ships. I'm at my desk typing. I hear the loft beds creaking. Anytime someone moves they creak. It can be annoying because I hear every creak from my desk where I sleep.

Whispering is coming in from multiple locations. I hear the boys in the loft and the Bridge Captain's Quarters. I hear the boys sleeping on the bridge. Its not too bad. They are good. Ah, now the noise in the Captain's Quarters in on the increase. Sometimes the boys don't believe we can hear them. It usually takes a second, rarely a third 'talking to' to quiet them down to the point of sleep.

We really do it to ourselves you know. We get them all hyped up with the missions and then expect them drop dead asleep the instant their heads hit the pillows. Not going to happen, yet we still hope.

What is that ripe smell coming through the door in front of me? I answer that with another question. What is an Overnight experience at the Space Center without the mandatory accompaniment of La Odeur des Chaussettes Puantes (The Odor of Stinking Socks). Tonight's smells are ripe indeed. If I'm not mistaken I'm smelling a fresh bouquet of Nike athletic shoes, intermixed with a dozen or so Reeboks and an assortment of other brands, all uniting with the smell of the simulator itself to create an aroma so unique it can only be experienced here at the Space Center.

Good news for everyone. We are running the new Galileo on this camp! It is going well. Very well indeed. We ran a test mission on Thursday without any major problem. We ran the new Galileo this morning for a school field trip. Bracken Funk reported a victory. I spoke to Stacy Carroll (Galileo's Set Director) and Kyle Herring (Galileo's designer) and told them that the new Galileo was on for tonight's camp. It is time to see what this new ship can do. More news on the new Galileo will be coming soon.

It's 12:07 A.M. Things are quieting down. The staff are silent in the Odyssey and I'm hearing the voice of one lone boy in the wilderness of the Voyager. Me think it be time to hit the sack myself. My pad waits in front of my desk.

This is Mr. Williamson signing off from the Space Center just 1/2 a mile from beautiful downtown Pleasant Grove. Until tomorrow.

Adieu.

Your Handbook for 2010.

Hello Troops,
Debbie Wallis sent this to me. I think its great and decided to share it with you. Please read it.

Believe a soon to be senior citizen when I tell you that these gems really are the secret to happiness. I've added a few thoughts in red.

Simply,
Mr. Williamson


Health:

1. Drink plenty of water. (I've given up 80% of my Diet Coke so I'm working on this one).

2. Eat breakfast like a king/queen, lunch like a prince/princess and dinner like a beggar.

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and less that is manufactured in plants. (Amen)

4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.

5. Make time to pray; keep a prayer in your heart.

6. Play more games and laugh with simple delight. (I need to work on the simple delight)

7. Visit more friends and loved ones than you did in 2009. (Easy, I visit one and I've improved 100%)

8. Sit in peace and tranquility at least 10 minutes each day. (Hear that Staff. Give me 10 minutes...... PLEASE)

9. Sleep for 7 hours (or nap like your pet). (Yea Right. 7 Hours?!!!!! I'll lower the bar and shot for 6)

10. Walk 10-30 minutes each day, smiling while you walk. (I'm good for this one)

Personality:

11. Comparing your life to others is futile; you have no idea about their journey. (Amen)

12. Invest your energy in the positive and present moments, not in negative or things you can’t control.

13. You are one person; have reasonable expectations and limits for yourself; others are responsible for themselves.

14. Learn to laugh at yourself, right along with the others.

15. Gossip and judgment are a waste of your precious energy.

16. Dream more while you are awake. (Aren't we always in LaLa Land at the Space Center?)

17. The secret to success is believing that you have it all; envy is a waste. (Easy to accomplish when you have it all, or think you do)

18. Forget issues, hurts and betrayals of the past; remembering and reminding others will ruin your present happiness and of those you love.

19. Hating others or yourself is a waste of time. (Self hatred is usually caused by caring too much about what others say about you)

20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present. (What's lived is lived, what's said is said and what's done is done. Time to move on with a goal for improvement)

21. You are the only one responsible for your happiness; it’s up to you to be happy.

22. Life is a school for learning; problems will fade like algebra, but lessons learned will last a lifetime.

23. Smile and laugh more; really enjoy it.

24. It is not necessary to always be right; agree to disagree and let it go. (No, always trust that what I tell you is right. Let's leave it at that :)

Society:

25. Contact your family and loved ones often.

26. Do something good for others at every opportunity. (Don't forget me!)

27. Forgiveness is your responsibility, including forgetting past hurts.

28. Spend time with and learn from people over 70 and under 6. (Let's change that to 50)

29. Make at least three people smile each day; remember to include yourself. (Crap)

30. What other people think of you is none of your business. (Do I hear an Amen from the congregation on this one!)

31. Your friends and loved ones will care for you, not your job; you really are not indispensable there. (All are indispensable, unless you are a Space Center Flight Director :)

Life:

32. Choose the right whether anyone else but you will know.

33. Eliminate anything that isn’t useful, uplifting, beautiful or joyful.

34. GOD heals everything, if we give Him the opportunity.

35. However good or bad a situation, it will change; accept this as part of life.

36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress and show up (unless you are contagious).

37. The best is yet to come, but enjoy the present while it is here.

38. Each morning you awaken, thank GOD for it and do the best you can with the present you have received.

39. Your inner self wants to always be happy; go for it. (My inner self needs a few other things as well. Happiness, a full belly and something really good on TV)

What We Have.

Hello Troops,
Sometimes it is good to step back and see how nice we have it in this country. These photographs make an excellent example.

Here we have a very nice, modern bus in Japan. It may be a school bus. It may be for a special school or high school. What matters is what these students have compared to others.




And now, this picture from India. Really makes you appreciate what you have.



Mr. Williamson