Ode to Goddard....

So anyway, this is just an update on what's been happening here in DC and at NASA and all and I can honestly say that this place has some cool-ass people working around the Center. Granted it also has some bonified geniune weirdos too, but it's a nice place to be around for awhile. Most people really seem to like what they do. And now I'm getting to the point now that the experience is about to come to an end, that I can look back on it and reflect and see what I've done. In truth, this trip has really been worth it. I've seen some absolutely amazing things at NASA and I've learned a whole lot about space, business, and Public Affairs life too. I met some really interesting people (cue Goddard bottle man) and things like that and this is just something I wanted to dedicate to them while I'm thinking on it.

Walter & Alice: Okay these two are a husband and wife duo here at NASA Goddard this summer and Walter is just tagging along to be with his wife, Alice who is in a word: incredible. She has done so much with her life and she's so humble about it, it's really nice to be in her presence. Walter was telling me that she's an absolute genius in the science realm so much so that she bypassed everyone in her class and when they offered her a degree right on the spot, she turned them down to prove that she didn't need a handout to all the people in the school that made fun of her. So she's amazing. I make fun of her alot and say that she does things like make time-machines in her bedroom in her spare time and that she has quantum time warps in her living room, but geninuly she's just a wonderful person to be around. The same thing can be said for her husband, Walter. He's a really nice guy. And he's practically the modern-day Martin Luther King Jr. He's sued the governor of Texas several times, won, had people impeached, rallied for justice, been to jail and the whole nine. He's a very powerful person to know, and I'm thankful I was given the opportunity to meet the man in person.

Julia: She's a firecracker of craziness which I love to death. To me she is a slightly more grown version of Susannah, (notice I did not say mature), and she is mature but she's just insane that's why I love her. She and I clicked nearly instantly probably because I get along with Zana so well, that it's just natural we'd fall in for each other. We hang out a lot and she's incredibly smart too. 29 years old with 2 BA's, a master and going for her PhD, she's a definate force to be reckoned with. But we hang out all the time and hit up bars, guys and anything else we can think of at the time! She's a definate keeper. Much like Zana.

Andrew: There's two versions, but this one refers to 2.0 or Andrew (earring) as I call him on my phone. He's a Native American guy I met here over the summer, (and he's soooo cute) and he's really nice. A bit on the enigmatic side, which is why I think I'm drawn to him. He can be quiet at times, and it takes him a bit of time to open up and for you to get to know him, but he's really cool and he makes me laugh. He has a very interesting condition that means that he can't get over heated from ANYTHING or he swells up with hives and stuff. Not cool. But's he's pretty cool. I wonder if he'd let me come to Montana to visit...hm....Brokeback Mountain 2, I wonder? LOL. Just kidding...kinda.

Tim: This is another Native American guy but he's the opposite of Andrew. Loud, brash and funny, this is the polar opposite of the majority of people staying here this summer. He's outspoken will tell anyone off, and we mesh well because we're the same way. But I hang out with him from time to time and we go check out movies and stuff. He's ridiculously intelligent too, and he goes to school at the famed MIT and was like 2nd in his class and all of that. It makes me feel a little pale in comparison, but I've done stuff I'm proud of too, so it works out.

Dewayne: Dewayne Washington is my boss, and he's my mentor at NASA. He's really funny and he reminds me nearly 98% of my dad. It's kinda scary how identical they really are. The only reason it's not 100% is because Dewayne is the most fishingness (and I know that's not a word) person I've ever met, and he will steal every second of everyday if he could going off to a pond to fish. I've never met anyone with a passion that strong. lol. But he's really nice, and I'm definately gonna be keeping in contact with him so I can use him no future resumes and in life, period.

Beginning of a Legacy (Part Two)

Okay so I'm a few days late, but whatever. So last week I ended up going down to Orlando because Jessica calls me at work saying that the baby that she's scheduled to have on August 26th is now coming Friday July 13th. So of course we're all like: "What the FUCK?" kinda thing, and so I go on Orbitz and blow 250 bucks to buy a ticket for the next day and by 6:00 am Friday morning I dip out (after sleeping almost through the wake up call) and make my way to Ronald Reagan Airport, where I catch an earlier flight to Orlando and I'm there by 11. I get there and Jessica just about to be put under and so we go to the lobby and we wait. And wait, and wait some more. Some two and a half hours later, Sue her mom comes and everything's fine and we go into visit.



She looked totally drugged up and pleasantly tired but we happy to find that everything went relatively smoothly. Ms. Je'Lynn Aniyah Heffner was born on July 13th, 2007 at approximately 1:44 pm at approximately 4lbs, 10 oz. And she's quite beautiful though in the photo, she's quite mad. lol. Unforetunately, she's 6 weeks early and couldn't breathe very well, however I found out this afternoon she's off the breathing tube, which is excellent news. So I'm really excited about it. And of course, it's the beginning of another legacy. I just hope she grows up to be beautiful, respectful, and decent. And I'll be there to make sure she does. Love you, Je'Lynn!

The Beginning of a Legacy (Part One)

So this is the update that I have to put in there because I just can't wait anymore to do this. So where to start...hmm....okay so first things. I met with a lady named Nancy Maynor today and we started talking and we were talking about the things that I wanted to do and where I wanted to go after I finished with the internship at NASA and all of that. And we got to chatting about basic stuff, but after we got to talking about me wanting to go into the fashion industry she was informing me that perhpas NASA wasn't the best route to go, which of course I already knew afterward she's like, "Well why haven't you considered going to a fashion school?" and I was like, "Um....I don't know." And really, I didn't know. Because I had never really thought about it. I just thought that people went to regular four year universities because that was the typical thing for a person to do. But after she said that, I was thinking that there's not really a reason for why I hadn't decided to go. And so she was talking and she was telling me that it would be highly beneficial for me to have a place like that on my resume because when I go to submit the resume if it has the fact that I have a degree in English Literature combined with the concept of say the fact that I graduated from FIDM or the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising for those not in the know, then it would make a whole lot more sense, which is perfectly true. So....after we finished talking I went and did a little bit of research. Saw a couple of schools I was interested in and requested some information. So...I'm thinking now that after I graduate in the Spring from Pembroke maybe I'll start in the following Fall at FIDM in Los Angeles or something and secure myself a two year degree in fashion.

Why? You may ask? The idea is simple. The first reason is of course because I want the degree to be able to put on my resume so when I turn it in they know that I'm serious about what I'm doing and not just bullshitting around with their time. Secondly, I just want the information for myself. I mean seriously though. How would that look if I was a Dolce and Gabana party a few years from now and everyone discussing the newest sequinned V-cut cocktail sensation produced by Oscar DeLa Renta, and I'm sitting there looking like a dumbass? It doesn't look very professional to be writing for a fashion magazine and to not have any knowledge of the fashion you're writing about!!! lol. Obviously. So yeah. I just want to get the basic knowledge for myself so that way I can at least sound like I have some idea of what I'm referring to even if I'm a complete newbie!!! lol. So in a sense of the word Monday was like the new beginning of a legacy for me. It's like I'm finally opening my sails towards the wind in the direction that can finally lead me to my life of happiness.

When I told my mom, she was, as expected, less than thrilled. She sees this move as a step backwards, saying that there's no point in understanding why I'd be coming out of a four year university and heading over to a two year one. But of course, she doesn't see why I'm trying to achieve. But I'm trying to make her understand that I don't want to be shoved into a job that I'm gonna be doing for the next 40 to 50 years for no reason. I don't want to be like this lady Alana at my job and only be coming to work for the paycheck. My mom told me that 95% of people that have a job only come there because it pays the bills, and I understand that. And she said that people are extremely blessed if there at a job and actually like it. The way I see it, the only reason they have a job they don't like is because they weren't willing to put enough effort into finding the job that was right for them.

Oh Man....

Okay so I have to give a very quick update on what's been going on. Things are on schedule as usual here at NASA. I'm doing my job and getting paid for it, which is pretty good. I have about 2,000 saved up now and I'm steadily heading for the goal by the time the summer is done. As far as work, it's good and I think I'm doing a pretty good job for Dewayne and the crew, and they seem to like me well enough. The interesting thing is, I set up an appointment with Mark Hess the other day, (Dewayne's boss and the Chief of the PAO department) to ask him about the co-op program that they have at Goddard, but before I went, Dewayne stopped me and told me that apparently a lot of people are asking him about whether or not I'm anti-NASA because I tend to question what they're doing and for why. I told Dewayne that I'm not a follower of blind faith and that I like to understand where and why I'm doing something before I do it. For example he was talking about in response to the point that I said that "I didn't understand why NASA was wasting so much money on the James Web Space Telescope," which is true because they're spending a ridiculous like 45 billion on it, but they don't seem to have enough money to hire more people or pay their interns the proper amount, and they had to cut a lot of useful programs that they already had. So yeah....I went ahead to the meeting anyway. I went there and we chatted and he told me basically that I'd have to go under the co-op program in order to get a chance to work at Goddard since the turn-over rate for jobs there is like only every three to four years. But after that meeting I asked about whether or not I could transfer to other NASA centers after getting into the program because quite frankly I don't wanna be in DC. But he doesn't seem to know. So after all of that, I left feeling a little bit overwhelmed.

Fourth of July was uneventful except for the fact that I picked up Ninja Gaiden Sigma, Final Fantasy, and Rainbow Six: Vegas so that was cool. I celebrated independence by chopping fools into ribbons! LOL. So yeah. The main part of this blog I wanted to address is the concept was that I spoke with Christoph again this evening (which is always a great pleasure) and he informed me of a rather disturbing fact that I had completely forgot about. The GRE. From what I understand, it's quite frightening. Much worse than the SAT, which was bad for me. So....hmm.... I'm looking at those questions, and like DAMN. But anyway, I'm gonna have to seriously consider that. Like SERIOUSLY. One of those questions were crazy. The thing is, all the answers to the questions sound very, very similiar. There's only very subtle differences in the way the answers are formed. So that's gonna require some very intense studying. But....on the other hand...

I looked at my schedule for the Fall, and that shit is gonna be the bomb!!!! I have 1 class on Monday, none on Tuesday, 2 classes on Wednesday (Harlem Renaissance, Shakespeare), 3 on Thursday (Advanced Grammar, Writing Fiction, Writing Poetry II), and 1 on Friday, so it seems like almost a four day weekend. But yeah...I'm gonna have to look at this....