Wednesday's Thoughts

Hello Troops,
All is well on the front lines at the Space Education Center. Our forces engaged the Ignoraemii in heavy combat today. We reclaimed the innocent from enslavement using heavy doses of imagination and electrical jolts to restart cognitive thought processes. Yes, It's what we do.

The battle is still being fought as I type. Jon leads the Voyager's forces. Alex is sounding the trumpet in the Phoenix while Ben urges his Galileo troops over the top to engage the enemy with bayonets drawn. It is a wonder to behold.

I had the District Metal Shop build a new addition to the Captain's Loft. It was installed on Tuesday. In the following two pictures Jace demonstrates the correct exit from the Captain's Lounge using the new ladder.

You'll see the new carpeted platform at the exit (or entrance). This gives Jace room to turn around and descend the ladder if he's coming out of the Loft. Once again, done with the safety of our staff and crew in mind.



Alex started the work of installing a couple new cameras in the Galileo this afternoon. The one camera currently in the simulator doesn't cut it.


We had fun hosting students from Foothill Elementary in Orem and the John Hancock Charter School in Pleasant Grove on Tuesday. Both teams worked well through their respective missions. John Hancock's Captain was very good and Foothill's Ambassador was outstanding.

Foothill had a few students with unusual names never heard before at the Space Center.

Gomer (Yes, like Gomer Pyle from the 1960's TV show)
Egbert and
Pahoran

It was refreshing to see those unique names. I think its time to bring back other odd and unusual names that went out of style long ago (or perhaps never were in style). I'd like to see more Georges (we had one last week. First in a long while). I'm also thinking of Fred, Wilma, Betty, Elmer, Hank, Mildred, Luella, Minerva, Abigail, etc.

Before ending this post I'd like to add a few items for your consideration from the Imgainarium.

Great back to a new Space Center T-Shirt?

An intelligent mind never stops questioning. Push boundaries with good questions and be wise enough to know that the answers may not be what you were expecting.

A perfect illustration of what its like being the Captain of one of our simulators. I'm constantly having to remind Captains and Ambassadors to FOCUS. It's not easy at that age to learn how to direct your thoughts to the task at hand and not be distracted by things happening around you.

As some of my teens say, "Like a Boss!"

Respect is earned. Don't demand it. Muck in with everyone else and soldier on. Be a great example and maintain your principles. Respect will be the natural outcome.

Anyone out there have a killer cat? Mr. Schuller has one that lies in wait and attacks the unknowing as they come down the stairs to his family room. There's a chair near a desk where "The Cat" scratches a record of his victories. One scratch per broken or twisted ankle.


The moral of this illustration is to encourage you to abandon your scents and let people smell the real you. I'm considering tossing the cologne I use at the Space Center. It's the blue bottle next to the printer that smells like mosquito repellent. Remember that strange smell which lingers like an invisible fog in the air around my desk?

Thank you for being kind enough not to comment when you pass.

See you all in the Trenches!

Mr. W.

Our Monday

Hello Troops,
Yes, it is our Monday in the Alpine School District. School is closed for the day giving the Space Education Center one of its few two day weekends. These are cherished Mondays, valued by most and worshiped by few.

I confess I stopped at the Center this morning to finish writing the Voyager simulator's new summer camp story. I'm waiting for an inspired title to drop into my head from some sublime outside source - but nothing so far. I'll let you know should a revelation makes itself apparent.
Until then we shall call it "2011".

Would you like to know the plot? Well, the story begins with a prison escape from a maximum security prison on Telosian Prime. And that's all you're going to get from me. My lips and fingers are sealed. If you want to know more, sign up for a camp. There are no freebies on The Troubadour. The other simulator's camp stories are coming along fine. All five will give our summer campers several hours of fun and excitement.

I'm wrapping up my writing for the day. Supper is almost ready and StarGate will be on soon. Time to relax and let someone else entertain me for a change. Until me meet again, how about a few thoughts from the Imaginarium?

I remember as a kid how disappointed I was never to have had my tonsils removed - I wanted to live on ice cream for days on end. Even today I feel slightly robbed of one of life's transitional moments.

The greatest wizards in literature commemorated in stamps. The British Post Office should be commended. Well done.

Sad, isn't it?

The World needs more people like this. This is true community spirit. This is the difference between just praying for those in need and doing something about it. If it needs doing, then do it. Put your faith into action.

Amen!

I once had a very homely history professor. He looked like he'd just stepped off a farm of Dakota inbreds. My attitude changed halfway through the first class. His other qualities of humor, attitude, warmth and humanism overshadowed his appearance. He became my favorite college professor. I learned history from him in a way I'd not experience before, and on the side picked up an important lesson about life, never judge a book by its cover (by the way, he had the hottest wife of any professor on campus - not kidding).

I'm thinking of using these leaves around my name on my business cards. Everyone will think I'm smart.

I'll see you all in the Trenches,

Mr. W.

Feedback from a Phoenix Mission

Hello Troops,
This came in today's email. Congratulations to Saturday's Phoenix staff. Awesome job. This is what we do and we see that the staff of the Phoenix do it very well indeed.

Mr. W.

Hey Mr. Williamson!

I just wanted to email you to send our thanks to the Space Center staff. Me and 5 buddies did a 5-hour Phoenix mission today, and it rocked!!! It was Dark Origins. It was Mr. Daymont and a dude named Nate, I think, that directed the mission. Anyhow, it was awesome!! The mission was a rollicking success, and we all greatly enjoyed it. So again, thanks so much for an awesome time. We'll definitely be back in the next few months for some more quality Space Center awesomeness.

-Andrew