July 29, 2008 - Space, the final frontier, is the last vestige of man's domination of our world, and the vast area surrounding her. Today in 1958, President Eisenhower signed into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act, creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The imaginations of the world kicked in to high gear and boys and girls everywhere dreamed of being astronauts and space explorers. Final Frontier Day is for everyone - young, old, dreamers and realists. For in reality, we are now exploring space. We have rovers on Mars, we've hit golf balls on the moon, and we've built telescopes powerful enough to see the zits on the faces of jet passengers - oh, and the other planets too.
Everyone has their own final frontiers too. Some frontiers are emotional, some are less so, but they are often personal, and require introspection. My final frontier has its own collection of aliens and things alien to me. I have an uncanny ability to keep people at an arms length, especially if I think they are getting close. My space explorations have at the very least allowed me to recognize this, and to admit it. That may be my small step. I hope that the lack of gravity in space will make the giant leap that comes next easy. In the end, all I can do is strap on my moon boots and hope for the best. After all, sometimes all you can do is jump and hope you land somewhere on your feet.
When an astronaut leaves this planet, do they experience a feeling of detachment? Is there a disconnect between what they know to be true of themselves and the world around them and what could be possible? Is space really the final frontier, or is it just the next step in our social and cultural evolution? In all honesty, we have come so far in the past 100 years, that I can't imagine where we will be in anther 100 years. But I bet the astronauts will still be eating pureed lasagna and Tang, even today on National Lasagna Day. But does food still taste like food when it's mush? Fruit is a good choice but other than that, I can't imagine pureed chicken cordon blue or steak and potatoes. Now my mom's lasagna... it would be good even out of the blender. I won't need space food on my odyssey, but I wouldn't turn down a slice of lasagna and a side Caesar.
Everyone has their own final frontiers too. Some frontiers are emotional, some are less so, but they are often personal, and require introspection. My final frontier has its own collection of aliens and things alien to me. I have an uncanny ability to keep people at an arms length, especially if I think they are getting close. My space explorations have at the very least allowed me to recognize this, and to admit it. That may be my small step. I hope that the lack of gravity in space will make the giant leap that comes next easy. In the end, all I can do is strap on my moon boots and hope for the best. After all, sometimes all you can do is jump and hope you land somewhere on your feet.
When an astronaut leaves this planet, do they experience a feeling of detachment? Is there a disconnect between what they know to be true of themselves and the world around them and what could be possible? Is space really the final frontier, or is it just the next step in our social and cultural evolution? In all honesty, we have come so far in the past 100 years, that I can't imagine where we will be in anther 100 years. But I bet the astronauts will still be eating pureed lasagna and Tang, even today on National Lasagna Day. But does food still taste like food when it's mush? Fruit is a good choice but other than that, I can't imagine pureed chicken cordon blue or steak and potatoes. Now my mom's lasagna... it would be good even out of the blender. I won't need space food on my odyssey, but I wouldn't turn down a slice of lasagna and a side Caesar.
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