When I found this picture, I couldn’t help but laugh… I am completely aware that I am closer to this event, but still love it. The moon landing had a huge impact on my youth…and childhood. I wanted to be the first American female astronaut.
Then, in 1983 with Sally Ride, beating me to it, I decided I would not go to college for AeroSpace Engineering.
Compounding this decision was my utter lack of understanding of airfoils, so it was probably based on solid intel.
Still – I love the idea of space exploration.
I am frustrated that Pluto is no longer classified as a planet and tease my kids that there are still 9…the song on their childhood toy from Blues Clues proves it, too.
I watch Apollo 13 often and get chills every time.
I have seen the entire From the Earth to the Moon series more than once…and, I
LOVED reading, and watching The Martian…as do I believe I could survive on just potatoes alone, if needed – they are universally the best food. (I know Mark Watney got tired of eating them, as would I, but for a while, they would be just fine.)
I do, as I wrote yesterday, think that we should go back to the moon, even though Mars is the next big adventure.
I know my goals and aspirations of getting there personally have waned as I have
- fallen in love
- had children
- aged and matured
- become close friends with so many…
Plus, I have pursued an entirely different career (ok, careers, plural) since my youthful ambitions as an astronaut.
All of this is why I’m so proud to be closer to the moon landing than Nintendo inventing the Wii but, I know these are oddly related. I know that the youth of today will get beyond the moon someday, simply because we did go, way back in 1969, and using video games to practice maneuvers is what will make Mars happen. Hopefully, it will happen in less than another 50 turns around the sun and I have the great opportunity to see it happen.
~ Dawn aka Hat Girl