Geek Heaven

The Decision to go to the Kennedy Space Center was made after we had already decided to go to Florida. It wasn’t my idea as Wifey thought of it. It really SHOULD have been my Idea. Not that I am jealous in anyway, but I just can’t believe that the trip didn’t just jump into my mind. For me Florida should = Space Center.

I am a certifiable Space Geek. To this day I follow the space programs of not only the USA, but also the ESA, Japan, China, Russia etc with keen interest. I have studied the Apollo years in detail, and in the course of studying for my History degree, I wrote an essay on Comparative Foreign policy of the USA, USSR as evidenced by the Space Race. All in all, I am a true Geek boy… What can I say?

My fascination with space began on a hot summer day when my Aunt took me to see Star Wars. My 6-year-old mind was reeling. I came out wondering how much of that was possible. .

Around the time that Empire Strikes Back was out, I remember another Hot summer night. This time, I was in my friend Randy’s backyard. It was near the end of summer and we were sitting in his backyard on plastic reclining lawn chairs. My friend Randy was a full year older than me (when you are nine that’s 11%!!) and he had told me that we could spot satellites whizzing overhead. I caught a shooting star and we were convinced that we spotted some satellites, a chunk of the falling Skylab (who cares that we were a few years late) and just for good measure, a UFO. I was 9 and the fact that I grew up near an airport didn’t mean that those were landing lights in the distance gawddammit J. I am sure about the shooting star. And, for the first time that I caught a whiff of the vastness of space, and by extension the vastness of…. everything. For the next few years I picked up as many books as I could about space, and space exploration, all the while feeding a growing addiction to Science Fiction. During these years I tried to design my own Spaceships. Somehow they all came out looking like the Apollo craft I had read so much about… or an x-wing. By the time I was 13, I was convinced that I needed to be an astronomer.

By the time I was 14, it was clear that I lacked the mathematical skills. And then the guitar came along. Throughout my teen years, I attempted (in vain I might add) to hide my true geek colours. Of course, they bled through whatever outfit I tried, but, I let my interest in Science and Science Fiction Sit on the back-burner as I tried to do the obligatory amount of fitting in and teen-age posturing. Once I hit University though, I couldn’t help it. My main course of study was History, but, I kept astronomy and space flight as a hobby.

It became the universe I could lose myself in, and once again gladly, and publicly, declared my love for Science Fiction as a genre. Of course, this was before The Matrix was released, so Sci-Fi was still not ‘cool’. It would be a few years before the rest of the world caught up with me. In these years I read many books chronicling the History of Space flight and the space race, which is something I still do. I read books about space, watch as many Discovery Channel programs as my schedule allows and scour the Internet for information. When Pathfinder was on Mars in ’97, I laboriously downloaded as many images as I could using a 28.8 modem. I have followed missions that most people didn’t know exist (Chandra X-ray Observatory anyone?).

So, the Idea to go to Kennedy really SHOULD have been mine. But, the Wife came up with it, and I’m glad that she did. I’m also grateful that she decided to take the day and come out with me. She said that my enthusiasm interested her. I think that at first she just wanted to make sure that I went, as it was a place that I have wanted to visit for well over 20 years. Its great when you find that person around whom you can wear your geek colours.

That’s what this post is about. That special woman, who not only shares my interests, but realizes before I do what will make me happy, and what I love. Most days it feels like more than I deserve.

Oh, and I’ve waited 20 years to get that picture!!

I still need to get my thoughts on the Space Center visit down…. I will