Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Heaven? Doubtful. The Other Place? At Times!
You never know what to expect when you load a class into the simulators. I've written about this many times. Last week I had a chuckle. I stood at the top of the stairs in my usual place asking to see their Boarding Passes. It is rewarding to hear the exclamations of wonder and joy. It is a pain to grab the odd child that isn't looking at me but looking at the Bridge instead. They are, at times, so overwhelmed by the Bridge that I'm not noticed at all. I wonder how that can be considering my size and the fact that I'm standing at the top of the stairs.
Wednesday a sixth grade girls came up the stairs. She walked past me. I put out my arm to stop her and asked for her Boarding Pass. She presented her papers. I looked to see where to sit her.
"This is so cool! She exclaimed. "This is Heaven!"
That was a first for the Space Center. We've been called many things, both good and
bad. Heaven is one word I've never heard used as a substitute for the Space Center.
My mind starting making connections. If this is Heaven, and I'm in charge of the
Center, then I must be....... I quickly cleared that thought out of my head hoping not to incur the wrath of the Almighty and a seven year curse on the Center - only lifted by sacrificing a few volunteers and a cat of any variety . I showed her to the Scanning
Station.
"She won't think its Heaven after an hour on that station," I thought to myself. Two children later came her friend Jordan. I pointed her to the Left Wing Tactical Station. Jordan sat. The music continued to play as children paraded past me to their stations. Above the music came a voice I'd heard before.
"Jordan," she shouted. "This is Heaven! I'm excited and scared!"
"Sounds like a perfect description of Judgment Day," I thought.
I've got to thank our visitors for filling my day with sunshine and laughter.
Wednesday a sixth grade girls came up the stairs. She walked past me. I put out my arm to stop her and asked for her Boarding Pass. She presented her papers. I looked to see where to sit her.
"This is so cool! She exclaimed. "This is Heaven!"
That was a first for the Space Center. We've been called many things, both good and
bad. Heaven is one word I've never heard used as a substitute for the Space Center.
My mind starting making connections. If this is Heaven, and I'm in charge of the
Center, then I must be....... I quickly cleared that thought out of my head hoping not to incur the wrath of the Almighty and a seven year curse on the Center - only lifted by sacrificing a few volunteers and a cat of any variety . I showed her to the Scanning
Station.
"She won't think its Heaven after an hour on that station," I thought to myself. Two children later came her friend Jordan. I pointed her to the Left Wing Tactical Station. Jordan sat. The music continued to play as children paraded past me to their stations. Above the music came a voice I'd heard before.
"Jordan," she shouted. "This is Heaven! I'm excited and scared!"
"Sounds like a perfect description of Judgment Day," I thought.
I've got to thank our visitors for filling my day with sunshine and laughter.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A Funny Observation at the Space Center
Hello Troops,
There was a very short conversation on Saturday that made me laugh. I was sitting at my desk minding my own business as I unsuccessfully try to do every Saturday when I heard the voice of Dave Daymont, one of our Phoenix Flight Directors. The voice came from the general area of his control room. His comment was directed to Christine Grosland, an Odyssey flight director.
The background to the story is simple. Christine had an appointment and told everyone she was leaving. She actually said that several times. A moment later she’d reappear, having forgotten something or got sidetracked by a good morsel of hallway gossip (if you’re a regular at the Center you’ll notice the staff like to congregate in the halls and ‘talk’ about everything from the time of day to politics to movies to the place others fall on the coolness scale. Someone like Emily is at the top of the scale, holding the title of Extreme and Mighty Empress of Cool while I’m at the bottom holding the title Lord Muck of the Uniformly UnCool. Everyone else at the Space Center falls in between).
Dave spoke first which drew my attention. (on another side note, those of you that think I not in tune to what’s happening while at my desk looking totally involved in a project are wrong. I’m capable of multitasking. Beware).
Dave to Christine. “Are you still here?”
I thought about his statement and started laughing internally. Was Dave blind? Was he not looking at Christine face to face when he said that? Think about it and you’ll see how silly his statement was. His question should have been:
Dave to Christine. “Why are you still here?”
Wouldn’t you agree? So why didn’t he say that? I believe the answer was in the emotion of the statement. “Are you still here?” is emotionally neutral. The statement “Why are you still here?” could be fraught with peril if spoken. It could be interpreted as “Gee, we thought you were gone. Shhhhezzzz get out of here already. What are you some kind of looser that has no life except work?”
OK. Back to the conversation.
Christine Replied to Dave.......... Are you ready for this one? “Yea, I haven’t left yet.”
Now I was laughing out loud. OF COURSE SHE HADN’T LEFT YET. SHE WAS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF DAVE. HE COULD SEE SHE HADN’T LEFT. Perhaps she wanted to clarify the fact that Dave was actually seeing her and not some doppelganger or apparition.
You know troops, if you really stop and think about the things you and your friends say you’ll end laughing yourself.
Mr. Williamson
There was a very short conversation on Saturday that made me laugh. I was sitting at my desk minding my own business as I unsuccessfully try to do every Saturday when I heard the voice of Dave Daymont, one of our Phoenix Flight Directors. The voice came from the general area of his control room. His comment was directed to Christine Grosland, an Odyssey flight director.
The background to the story is simple. Christine had an appointment and told everyone she was leaving. She actually said that several times. A moment later she’d reappear, having forgotten something or got sidetracked by a good morsel of hallway gossip (if you’re a regular at the Center you’ll notice the staff like to congregate in the halls and ‘talk’ about everything from the time of day to politics to movies to the place others fall on the coolness scale. Someone like Emily is at the top of the scale, holding the title of Extreme and Mighty Empress of Cool while I’m at the bottom holding the title Lord Muck of the Uniformly UnCool. Everyone else at the Space Center falls in between).
Dave spoke first which drew my attention. (on another side note, those of you that think I not in tune to what’s happening while at my desk looking totally involved in a project are wrong. I’m capable of multitasking. Beware).
Dave to Christine. “Are you still here?”
I thought about his statement and started laughing internally. Was Dave blind? Was he not looking at Christine face to face when he said that? Think about it and you’ll see how silly his statement was. His question should have been:
Dave to Christine. “Why are you still here?”
Wouldn’t you agree? So why didn’t he say that? I believe the answer was in the emotion of the statement. “Are you still here?” is emotionally neutral. The statement “Why are you still here?” could be fraught with peril if spoken. It could be interpreted as “Gee, we thought you were gone. Shhhhezzzz get out of here already. What are you some kind of looser that has no life except work?”
OK. Back to the conversation.
Christine Replied to Dave.......... Are you ready for this one? “Yea, I haven’t left yet.”
Now I was laughing out loud. OF COURSE SHE HADN’T LEFT YET. SHE WAS STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF DAVE. HE COULD SEE SHE HADN’T LEFT. Perhaps she wanted to clarify the fact that Dave was actually seeing her and not some doppelganger or apparition.
You know troops, if you really stop and think about the things you and your friends say you’ll end laughing yourself.
Mr. Williamson
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