Shuttle!!!
Yesterday:
9:30 am Confirm that we (my parents and I) actually are doing the whole shuttle thing. Startle a cat with squawk of joy. Realize that this means clean clothing absolutely but absolutely must be found.
11:15 Pass through Christmas and wave at the giant alligator. No matter how many times I do this, this never fails to amuse me on a deep and utterly silly level.
11:40 Arrive at US 1 to begin the great quest for a parking space.
11:41 First space is a) $20, and b) has cars parked so tightly together that we cannot squeeze my shiny new small sized wheelchair through it. Decide to continue on.
11:42 Second space is a) free, b) conveniently near (wheelchair distance) a free public bathroom and c) a McDonald's. Continuing on for the win.
12:00 General argument as people try to figure out which of the two launch pads Atlantis is on. One launch pad has a crane; the other has flashing lights. General consensus that it must be the launching pad with the flashing lights.
12:30 pm Mullet!
12:35 Butterflies. Even if the shuttle doesn't go up, I've had nature.
1:20 Wheeled out to the fishing dock for unparalleled view. Not just of the two potential liftoff points, but of the cleavage of the woman in front of me who has taken the happy position that shuttle events should be viewed in a push-up bra and very little else.
1:21 Another general discussion about which launch pad we should be watching. General agreement that it is leaving from the one where everything is flashing.
1:25 Behind me, two teachers from California - one teaching 7th and the other 1st start loudly chatting with a helpful engineer.
1:28 Engineer clearly begins to regret this conversation.
1:31 More mullet! Unclear if this is just general mullet jumpiness glee or if they are sensing that they're about to get blasted with a lot of noise and want to enjoy the noise free air while they can.
1:45 Plane takes off over the Cape and flies around.
2:06 Plane returns. It looks like we are a go. Yay shuttle!
2:10 Engineer patiently explains that the shuttle can't go to Mars because it isn't carrying enough fuel. Response: "So, Mars is too many light years away, I guess?"
2:11 Shocked silence when everyone realizes this statement was made by the 7th grade teacher.
2:11:30 Seven year old manages to answer. "Mars isn't LIGHT YEARS away! It's the second closest planet after Venus. Which you can't go to because you can't breathe on it and it's poisonous."
2:11:45 "I don't think Mars is the second closest planet, son. That's Jupiter."
2:12 Spirited debate about the order of the planets follows, wherein we learn that a 7th grade teacher from California a) has no idea of the order of the planets, b) does not believe that Mars has moons, c) does not realize that you need a telescope to see Neptune, d) does not actually know where Neptune is.
2:13 Seven year old's faith in adults permanently crushed.
2:13:30 Woman in front of me begs for the use of my iPod to prevent further brain cells from melting.
2:14 I decide that Pluto should be a planet again.
2:25 Everyone looks anxiously at the still present cloud cover. Iphone users assure us that the countdown is still on.
2:28 Atlantis blasts off - from the launching pad without the flickering lights.
2:28:01 WOW.
2:29:15 Ok, that's loud. Loud enough that the rumblings actually go right through you.
2:29:20 "Look at the water!" someone gasps. Sure enough, the sound is loud enough to actually move the water of the Intercoastal Waterway. I've occasionally seen this with liquids in wine glasses, but never in water deep enough for dolphins.
2:30 Atlantis continues to climb as huge clouds of smoke billow below.
2:31 Realize we can now add "sounds of a space shuttle launching" to the list of "things that make me dizzy." But it's ok.
2:35 I know I keep blogging about this. And there's a reason: It doesn't matter how many times you see this, or from where you see this. This is the COOLEST THING EVER.
Partly it's the brightness - that's a lot of fire - and the realization of just how much energy and effort is needed to get into space. (Pictures don't do that justice.) Partly it's the sheer beauty of the shuttle against the sky and the clouds. (Pictures don't do that justice either.) When you're close enough, it's also the sound and the vibrations.
Mostly it's just watching people leave the planet, in a bright cloak of fire.
2:40 Realize again that however impractical and pointless and expensive the trip might be, we still have to go to Mars in my lifetime. Even if that means we have to extend my life for this.
9:30 am Confirm that we (my parents and I) actually are doing the whole shuttle thing. Startle a cat with squawk of joy. Realize that this means clean clothing absolutely but absolutely must be found.
11:15 Pass through Christmas and wave at the giant alligator. No matter how many times I do this, this never fails to amuse me on a deep and utterly silly level.
11:40 Arrive at US 1 to begin the great quest for a parking space.
11:41 First space is a) $20, and b) has cars parked so tightly together that we cannot squeeze my shiny new small sized wheelchair through it. Decide to continue on.
11:42 Second space is a) free, b) conveniently near (wheelchair distance) a free public bathroom and c) a McDonald's. Continuing on for the win.
12:00 General argument as people try to figure out which of the two launch pads Atlantis is on. One launch pad has a crane; the other has flashing lights. General consensus that it must be the launching pad with the flashing lights.
12:30 pm Mullet!
12:35 Butterflies. Even if the shuttle doesn't go up, I've had nature.
1:20 Wheeled out to the fishing dock for unparalleled view. Not just of the two potential liftoff points, but of the cleavage of the woman in front of me who has taken the happy position that shuttle events should be viewed in a push-up bra and very little else.
1:21 Another general discussion about which launch pad we should be watching. General agreement that it is leaving from the one where everything is flashing.
1:25 Behind me, two teachers from California - one teaching 7th and the other 1st start loudly chatting with a helpful engineer.
1:28 Engineer clearly begins to regret this conversation.
1:31 More mullet! Unclear if this is just general mullet jumpiness glee or if they are sensing that they're about to get blasted with a lot of noise and want to enjoy the noise free air while they can.
1:45 Plane takes off over the Cape and flies around.
2:06 Plane returns. It looks like we are a go. Yay shuttle!
2:10 Engineer patiently explains that the shuttle can't go to Mars because it isn't carrying enough fuel. Response: "So, Mars is too many light years away, I guess?"
2:11 Shocked silence when everyone realizes this statement was made by the 7th grade teacher.
2:11:30 Seven year old manages to answer. "Mars isn't LIGHT YEARS away! It's the second closest planet after Venus. Which you can't go to because you can't breathe on it and it's poisonous."
2:11:45 "I don't think Mars is the second closest planet, son. That's Jupiter."
2:12 Spirited debate about the order of the planets follows, wherein we learn that a 7th grade teacher from California a) has no idea of the order of the planets, b) does not believe that Mars has moons, c) does not realize that you need a telescope to see Neptune, d) does not actually know where Neptune is.
2:13 Seven year old's faith in adults permanently crushed.
2:13:30 Woman in front of me begs for the use of my iPod to prevent further brain cells from melting.
2:14 I decide that Pluto should be a planet again.
2:25 Everyone looks anxiously at the still present cloud cover. Iphone users assure us that the countdown is still on.
2:28 Atlantis blasts off - from the launching pad without the flickering lights.
2:28:01 WOW.
2:29:15 Ok, that's loud. Loud enough that the rumblings actually go right through you.
2:29:20 "Look at the water!" someone gasps. Sure enough, the sound is loud enough to actually move the water of the Intercoastal Waterway. I've occasionally seen this with liquids in wine glasses, but never in water deep enough for dolphins.
2:30 Atlantis continues to climb as huge clouds of smoke billow below.
2:31 Realize we can now add "sounds of a space shuttle launching" to the list of "things that make me dizzy." But it's ok.
2:35 I know I keep blogging about this. And there's a reason: It doesn't matter how many times you see this, or from where you see this. This is the COOLEST THING EVER.
Partly it's the brightness - that's a lot of fire - and the realization of just how much energy and effort is needed to get into space. (Pictures don't do that justice.) Partly it's the sheer beauty of the shuttle against the sky and the clouds. (Pictures don't do that justice either.) When you're close enough, it's also the sound and the vibrations.
Mostly it's just watching people leave the planet, in a bright cloak of fire.
2:40 Realize again that however impractical and pointless and expensive the trip might be, we still have to go to Mars in my lifetime. Even if that means we have to extend my life for this.