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Friend O' The Blog Jim O'Kane made a pilgrimage to Florida last week hoping to witness the final launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour. As I mentioned in the previous post, he was even nice enough to invite me along and I was sorry to decline. Sadly for Jim, Endeavour's launch was postponed (and remains uncertain), and he had to return home. Happily for me, while he was there Jim shot a picture of Whatever Happened to the World of Tomorrow voguing on the iconic NASA seal in the Main Hall of the Kennedy Space Center! Holy Hertzsprung!
I have a collection of photos like this, taken of my book in much cooler places than I'll ever visit myself, on WHTTWOT's Facebook page. I always imagine someone shlepping my book around all day just to capture one picture in just the right place; I'm impressed with their effort and grateful for their thoughtfulness. Thanks again, Jim!
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Today is "National Cartoonist's Day," which is such a big deal that not even many cartoonists seem aware of it. But hooray for cartoonists anyway! If you see one, give him or her a big hug and kiss, and perhaps a Reuben sandwich. I hear that's their favorite. I personally will be hanging out on a street corner downtown hoping someone recognizes me. Maybe if I splash some India ink on my shirt first . . .
On a related note, Saturday is "Free Comic Book Day," when comic book shops try to lure future customers by passing out free comics, many of them produced by publishers just for the occasion. Some shops go all-out with special events, creator appearances, art exhibitions. Might want to see if anybody's doing anything fun around you.
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Much more somberly, but I think appropriate for a blog that was begun nearly six years ago to talk about Mom's Cancer: a friend pointed me to this final blog post of Derek Miller, evidently a popular blogger but previously unknown to me, who died of colorectal cancer on May 3. Derek knew the end was near, faced it with dignity and courage, and composed this post to be published after he passed away. I thought it was touching and wise and said some of the things a lot of people probably wish they could have said if they'd had the chance. It will help you get your priorities straight and put your little problems of the day in perspective. That's always worthwhile.
More later.
1. New word for "tapas:"
ReplyDelete"Leptons?" Nah. Sounds too much like a weird kind of candy. "Space Food Sticks?" Too cutsy.
2. I was surprised to see the WHTWOT pics included the one with my bird, since most of the others images are at more significant places.
3. Reubin sandwich? Heh heh.
4. I saw the Derek Miller final blog earlier today too. I can't argue with anything he wrote.
Nice contributions to my search for an alternative to "tapas"! Of course, the real solution would be to stop writing posts comprising collections of random nuggets. Like that's gonna happen.
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't mind the bird pic. It's one of my favorites.
Honestly, I didn't get the multiple meanings of "Reuben" until a half second after I wrote it (for those out of the loop, the "Reuben" is an award given to cartoonists named for Rube Goldberg). I just really like Reuben sandwiches and wish someone would buy me one. Then I got my own joke and was quite pleased with myself. Glad you got it, too.
The shot of WHTTWOT at the Kennedy Space Center is awesome!
ReplyDeleteIn much less impressive news, I got a magnet with the Canadian Space Agency logo at an event I attended yesterday. (Did I mention much less impressive?)
In other news, I know that there's a French word that refers to "little bits and bobs" but I am darned if I can remember it right now.
I've tried and tried to come up with a suggestion for a replacement for tapas, but have not been successful.
ReplyDeleteI must be sumwhat dim.
Brian - one more note about the pic of WHTTWOT posed on the NASA "meatball" logo: the name of the KSC building is the Kurt Debus Hall, named after the former director of KSC from 1962-74. Hanging directly above the meatball is a mockup of the Soyuz 19 spacecraft that docked with Apollo on the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission, so of course the hall holds a special place in my heart. :)
ReplyDeleteMy kicking-myself-in-the-head moment for this trip was that I totally forgot to get a pic with my Space Physiology teacher, Capt. Wendy Lawrence, holding your handiwork. I try to get a picture of the book with stuff that's been in space, and I can't think of anything I know that's been in space more than the hands of Capt. Lawrence. Next time, for sure!
Ronnie, it is an awesome shot! I had a fine joke about the Canadian Space Agency all ready to go, but the little angel on my shoulder bested the little devil so I'll just say "thanks" to you and your great nation with its cute space program.
ReplyDeleteOh shoot. Some snark leaked out after all. Sorry about that.
Sherwood, I feel like you're trying to tell me something . . . I also find myself with an odd craving for duck feet.
Jim, you've done more than plenty, really! Thanks for the additional info on the meatball's locale, that's terrific. I assembled a plastic model kit of Apollo-Soyuz when I was a kid; it has a special place in my heart, which is why I gave one to Buddy in the book. And I'm sure Capt. Lawrence would be delighted to have her body parts referred to as "stuff." Chicks dig that.