Fly Me to the Moon!

Today is the 40th Anniversary of the U.S. landing on the Moon!

See this link for some more pictures.

So why was it SO important to get to the Moon? Because, duh, we (the U.S.) had to be THE best and beat the Russians there. When the space race began years ago, there was the idea to not only go to space, but one day be living there. Who knows, maybe some day we will vacation to the Moon and even Mars?

Recently, I finished reading the book October Sky. While this has been my FAVORITE movie for years, I had never read the book (originally published as Rocket Boys). After accomplishing this long-coming goal, I sat on my hammock and thought about the book, space, and my place in this universe. (how deep, I know!) I guess sometimes you don't know why you are drawn to certain things, like space or the Moon, but somehow, when I look up at the sky at night, I know-like Homer Hickam, that there is something bigger out there that I am supposed to do. Just what it is, I don't know yet. But, maybe I will one day soon.

I think a cool job would be to be involved in what I would like to call "space tourism." My idea is that a pilot (ahem...like myself : ) would fly individuals on a trip around the world-up to orbit, around, and then back down on some type of airplane/shuttle/device. While this may sound a bit like a Jetsons Cartoon, I think it's a nice dream. Who knows...maybe one day it will come true. I just think it would be amazing to go up and experience zero-gravity, along with a "vessel" full of tourists:

"This is Captain Robin. Your trip today will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience where you will travel beyond the Earth's atmosphere. You will experience being weightless and the beauty only discovered by the depths of space."

Who knows, maybe we could even have a "real" Space Camp! : )

Until then, I'll keep dreaming and looking up at the stars, trying to find my place there among them.