Visually Impaired Space Camp, our "daughters," and the OS Festival - 2006-09-29 10:38:22 Linda and I traveled over to the Space and Rocket Center last night for me to give the remarks at the graduation of the kids attending the Blind and Visually Impaired Space Camp/Academy. These young men and women could inspire the most jaded of hearts! Although I'm not often able to get over to Space Camp because of so many activities on my calendar (not to mention book deadlines!), I always try to make room in my schedule for this graduation. As I said to them, "Many people around the world are inspired by the Rocket Boys of Coalwood, but this Rocket Boy is inspired by you, the graduates of this wonderful program."
Attending with us was Amy and Lauralai, our adopted "daughters." They're actually our friends and cat-sitters who also just happen to be physicists. Only in Huntsville is your cat-sitter likely to be a scientist! Our other daughter, Jessica, is in New Mexico working on the HERO project. No, I have no idea what the acronym stand for. That's one great thing about no longer working for NASA. I don't have to memorize all of those acronyms! It's a telescope hung from a balloon project. Go here for more: http://www.cosmocam.com/4436.html. Anyway, Amy, Lauralai, and Jessica asked if Linda could be their "Mom." She agreed. Me? I kind of think of myself as a stern uncle who happens to own a place in the Virgin Islands. Hmmm. Could that be why they want to be our kids?
We're gearing up to drive to Coalwood next week for the October Sky Festival on Saturday, Oct. 7. Go here for more information on this annual event: http://www.coalwoodwestvirginia.com/october_sky_festival.htm. If you get a chance, come see me, Linda, Rocket Boys Roy Lee Cooke and O'Dell Carroll, and the people of Coalwood!
Lots of folks have written in complaining The Far Reaches won't be out until next June. They love Josh Thurlow and all his adventures! All I can suggest is to go back and re-read The Keeper's Son and The Ambassador's Son and also recommend the series to other readers. We'd like to keep the series alive but it depends on the number of books sold. Publishing is a business, and a tough one. Authors must sell, or they are no longer published. Fortunately, my work sells but I'm always looking for new fans in a tight market!
My foot is nearly healed now. Sunday, going on a short hike! Actually, we're geocaching. Not sure what that is? Go to www.geocaching.com. A great outdoors game and a good way to learn what a GPS is and how to use one. GPS stands for Global Positioning Satellite and will tell you exactly where you are and how to get to somewhere else. We couldn't hunt our dinosaurs without a good working knowledge of the GPS.
By the way, did I mention I now have a site on myspace.com? Go to http://www.myspace.com/homerhickam. Well, we do like to keep up with the younger crowd!
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