American Dynasty

  Hello Troops,      Yesterday I met with James Porter (CMSC Director) at the Space Center to begin the process of learning the controls for  the Space Center's new planetarium.  Tricky but manageable is my overall opinion.      I've committed myself to a few hours most Saturdays at the Space Center to help where needed. Right now the need is in the planetarium - especially with the simulators in the process of launching. Tabitha and Natalie both run planetarium shows and are Odyssey flight directors. The Odyssey is open for private family groups - hence you see the problem.      My biggest obstacle is characterized by the old saying, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks".  The new tricks being an entire set of computer controls to run live shows in the planetarium. I'll keep you posted as my skill set evolves. Perhaps you'd like to attend one of my shows and snicker politely when I mess up.  The Odyssey O...

  Hello Troops,      Back in the day when I was Space Center director, I wrote short fanciful stories for the blog about life at the Space Center.  Most were completely true, others were embellished with bits of fiction to make the read more interesting, and then there were others written just for fun, like the one below.        Today I repost one of those "just for fun" stories written in January 2011 to poke fun at the Center's programming and IT folks. I wrote it pretending to be a nosy new volunteer just learning the ropes.  The story is illustrated with several photos taken in the school's hallways and basement. I darkened the photos for story's sake.  Enjoy! Mr. Williamson  From The Troubadour's Archives SUNDAY, JANUARY 16, 2011 My Quest to Find the Space Center's IT Department. An Unauthorized Post...... From Space Center Wikileaks. What "They" Don't Want You to Know. I hacked into the Space Center's Blog to share t...

In Today's Troubadour New of Blue Origin's Successful Launch • The Christa McAuliffe Space Center on KSL TV • From The Troubadour's Archives:  Interesting posts from   • January 2009 and 2010. Learn how we did the Space Center     thing back in the dark ages.   • Imaginarium Theater. The Dawn of a New Space Age Out in the deserts of West Texas, Blue Origin — a private aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos in 2000 — successfully launched and landed their New Shepard rocket on January 14. The company has their sights set on using the reusable rocket system to fly commercial passengers to suborbital space beginning as early as April 2021. But before that can happen, Blue Origin’s New Shepard must complete a few more uncrewed test flights. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=6ZJghIk7_VA&list=WL&index=38      Watch the launch and landing of the capsule from inside. The panoramic views from the large windows is breathtaking. With N...

Hello Troops,      I returned to my 6th grade classroom at Renaissance Academy (great school and awesome kids) on Monday after a restful 2 week Christmas vacation. It was "Back in the Saddle Again". My first of 5 math periods started promptly at 8:00 A.M.  The sixth graders were surprisingly alert, considering the two week break, and ready to tackle coordinated planes. First period - no problems.  Second period was the pre-algebra group. They engaged the distributive property with integers without a hiccup.  I enjoy recess as much as the kids. Those precious 15 minutes outside in the brisk winter air without a mask is a blessing. Third period is my online class. Teaching online takes more energy. With ipad propped up on my lecture stand and projector ablaze I attack the lesson with a higher level of animation and voice inflection - a must for the online teacher if you want to keep the kiddos engaged from a distance.       ...

Good Morning Troops!      It is Sunday, January 3.  I'm sitting at my desk here at the Fortress of Solitude pondering everything I didn't do over the holiday break; all those things on my pre-holiday to do list that seemed so easily accomplished but so difficult to execute once my time was really my own.  Sigh......         I looked back in The Troubadour's Archives and found the post below from 2011. Reading it again has given me the courage to shamefully step out of the shadows and confess to all that I am a holiday procrastinator from each cell in my body to the very essence  of my character.        Considering that 2020 was a train wreck worldwide, I take great solace in still being upright and sane. I will not begrudge the fact that I took time to sit and read a favorite book or two, watch a few favorite TV shows, scan and publish pages from Central's historical albums, do a weekly Imaginarium Theater, and e...