The Space Center on Vacation! The Coming of a New Dark Age?

Hello Troops,

Word has it that Pigs have flown! Yes, the news of pigs flying is spreading throughout the Space Center, the Imaginarium and Wonderland. What would cause these sows to soar? The answer is quite simple. Farmer McDonald told Mrs. McDonald that Mr. Williamson, and the rest of the Space Center's scores of staff and volunteers were taking a well earned two week summer holiday. The old rooster overheard their conversation, as he always does (he likes advance notice on which animal in the yard will be served when the McDonald's turn comes around to feed the circuit Preacher). The rooster told the crow, the crow told the field mouse and the field mouse told the pigs which caused such a shock to send them into flight. They were over the telephone wires when the shock wore off. Wonderland's Volunteer Fire Department has been called. The pigs should be back in their pen shortly.

With the Space Center closing for two weeks there is a spreading fear the fire of Imagination may dim world wide. Without the Space Center's high octane imaginative fuel, creativity may wane. Wonderland's talking heads are on the wireless right now talking about the implications of the Center's closing and the possibility such an event could trigger another mini Dark Age.

"There could be a complete break down of society. We could see the rule of law compromised as people lose hope in their future." One said over the crackle of background noise.

"Riots?" Questioned the moderator with shaken voice.

"I didn't say that. I didn't say that," he replied looking disturbed by his own thinking. "But it could be worse."

"Pillaging?"

"I didn't say that. I didn't say that," he replied looking even more disturbed by his thinking. "It could be worse."


"Brother against Brother?" Her right hand was over her chest. Her lips quivered

The commentator shook his head indicating her questions hadn't reached the 'warm' setting.

The camera turned once again to the moderator who was looking equally frightened by the road her questions were taking them. Her face expressed the horror of her thoughts as the next question formed in her mouth.

"Cannibalism!?" She gasped. The camera shifted to the commentator. His chair was empty. He stood at the elevator in a mad dash to get home to protect his family.


Within minutes many of Wonderland's children were seen running for the fields in terror of their once benevolent neighbors. Imaginations ran unchecked by reason. All wondered what would happen to the world with the Space Center's doors closed, even it was for two weeks.

Then, just as the panic reached our beloved There and Back Again Lane, a bulletin was released from the Space Education Center.

IN RESPONSE TO THE NEWS THAT THE SPACE EDUCATION CENTER WILL BE CLOSED FOR TWO WEEKS, THE SPACE CENTER ISSUES THE FOLLOWING CORRECTION.

The Space Center will be closed to missions, but the office will be open for two hours per day to handle incoming calls and emails. The programmers will be in testing the Magellan's new starship controls. The programmers will also be debugging the Galileo's new Cocoa controls. The Space Center's Maintenance Department will be in installing new set decorations for the Voyager and the Magellan. Repairs on the Galileo's torpedo launching system will be carried out. Fear Not! The Center is never really closed.

We are a thought away.

All will be well. The Center opens for missions on August 17th. The world will return to normal. There will be no ice age. The sky will not fall. Banks will not fail and people will not look at each other as a month's food supply.

Babbatt looks across the rainy field waiting for news the Center has reopened. Loneliness keeps her company.
She will wait by the window and will be there tomorrow.

I realize that the Center's brief closing may seem like you've lost a dear friend. Don't be like Babbatt. Get outside and have some fun (a suggestion for our visitors - an order for the staff and volunteers).

It's now 12:01 on Saturday. We finished the Leadership Camp at 6:00 P.M. The season's second Super Overnight Camp started at 5:00 P.M. The Super Overnight Campers (SOC) are out of the Voyager on a landing party into the school's hallways. I'm hoping they don't find the alien intruders (our exhausted staff) fast asleep in attack position.

We will put them to bed at 2:00 A.M. The staff and volunteers will get some sleep and the camp will end at 10:00 A.M. tomorrow. Afterwords a series of private missions ending at 8:00 P.M.

The season ends with a student film crew renting the Voyager to film a movie until 2:00 A.M. Sunday.

The younglings are returning from their away team experience, they are screaming in the hall. That's my signal to go lay down and monitor the evening's proceedings from the comfort of my pad.

Mr. W.

The Space Center is Off the District's Bond

This Photograph shows the moment Mrs. Abernathey,
Chief Imagineer of the Imaginarium's Office of Little Girl's Dreams,
heard the news that the Space Center was removed from the November Bond.

Hello Troops,
A sadness descended across the Imaginarium and Wonderland yesterday when word of the Space Center's removal from the district bond was announced. The workday buzz in the Imaginarium's offices fell silent as hundreds of employees huddled around their wireless sets listening to reports.

Thousands took to the streets to show their support. The Imaginarium's switchboard lit up with hundreds of incoming calls of condolence. Storm clouds formed and reports of hail and high winds were received. Many claimed sure knowledge that this was the end - the sky was surely preparing to fall.

Betty Block, capture the moment she heard the news, as painted by Munch LaRuss. Betty collapsed after the painting was finished. Holding still in her state of shock for the four hours Munch required to finish the painting, was more than Betty's delicate constitution could endure.

Then a calm voice was heard over the radios and loud speakers. Mr. Williamson spoke from the Imaginarium's Observation Deck.

"Troops, this is Mr. Williamson. I want to begin by thanking the Alpine School District for their support in putting us on the bond in the first place. In these troubled financial times, putting a Space Education Center on a building proposal was visionary and risky. With so many pressing needs in the District, it became impossible to justify the costs, especially with a new high school in Lehi being added to the funding list.

For twenty years the Space Center has received the full support of the district. Being taken from the bond in no way changes that fact. And to be honest, I support the district's decision. It is the right decision and I'm in full support. Taxpayers money must be spent on the district's most pressing needs.

So, what is next? The Space Center continues with its award winning programs. We will continue to provide the best field trip in Utah. We will continue our camps and classes. And, because we won't be moving into a new building, we will take our savings and begin an extensive remodeling program for all our ships. In addition to remodeling, I'm announcing plans to start the design of a new 8 person simulator. This new ship will take the Center from five to six simulators. The sun is rising on the Center. Awesome things are coming and I'm very excited.

Now it is time to move forward on the Center's most ambitious projects to date. In 18 months the Space Center will have a new look - all thanks to your support.

What can you do to help?

1. Come to our camps. Come to our classes. Bring parties here. The Space Center is allowed to keep 100% of the money we generate. That money comes from you.

2. Spread the word to everyone you know that the Space Center is an awesome place for birthday parties, parties, camps and classes. I don't want to spend any of our precious funds for advertising. We rely on word of mouth advertising and that means YOUR words coming out of YOUR MOUTH.

3. Keep reading The Troubadour for news. Keep informed.

Now, its time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. The best days of the Space Center lie before us and there is little time to sleep.

Thanks for your Support!

Mr. Williamson


And Now, with everyone's nerves calmed and the sky firmly reattached to the firmament above, let's relax and enjoy the latest from the Imaginarium.

The Imaginarium's Office of Fabricated Weather offers the following forecasts

Leadership Camp. Day 1

Hello Troops,

There be giants among us.

Today was day one of the Leadership Camp. Our oldest campers (15-17 year olds) descended on the Center, sleeping bags and pillows in hand. They tower in size when compared to the fragile 10 -14 year olds we've had on the previous seven camps.

Awesome, is the word I would use to describe my first impression. They are well mannered. They follow directions. And best of all, you don't have to give explicit directions for every movement. They are old enough to handle complex thought and multiple directions given at one time.

"Stand, Breath, brush your teeth, get a drink, put your shoes here, line up here, march in single file, you sleep here, you sleep there, no talking." Those are the kind of directions we give to our younglings.

"Get ready for bed. Report to the Voyager for sleeping assingments." Those are the condensed instructions we can give to the older campers. Their more mature minds fill in the rest.

It's 12:03 A.M. and all is quiet. It's time for bed.

How about a few thoughts from the Imaginarium?

Oreo Art

Seeking Enlightenment at the Wonderland Station