Random

Hello from the Space Coast!

January 22, 2004

Hello,

My name is Random. I live in the USA in Cape Canaveral Florida. It's right next door to the "World Famous Cocoa Beach". Personally I think Cocoa Beach is way over rated and a tourist trap. Of course the whole state of Florida could be looked at that way. Anyway I am straying with my ramblings.


Here in Cape Canaveral we have many things of interest. We have better and wider beaches than Cocoa Beach due to the beach replenishment program. (Every time you go to Cocoa beach, grab a handful of sand and bring it up to our beach.) We also have Port Canaveral. It's a pretty good size seaport with many ships of different kinds coming and going all hours of the day and night. We also have the two Disney ships based here, but so far Disney has not required the residents of Cape Canaveral to wear those Mickey Mouse ears. We also have NASA and the Cape Canaveral Air Force station where they launch the satellites, like TV, Communication, and those top-secret spy satellites.


The view of the launches are just plain awesome. Sort of like sex in a way. Many hours of anticipation, sometimes days, then the launch happens and is over within just a few minutes. But everyone still walks away smiling and smoking cigarettes.


You might ask if all I do is watch launches and compare things to sex. Well not really, though those things are quite honorable to do. I also have a education and a job! That seems to run counter to the population of Cape Canaveral. Seems most men my age (40) sit outside in front of their condos and drink beer day and night, only getting up to use the restroom once in awhile. I just don't really care for the taste of beer, so I went back to school and to live a dream.

I am a recent graduate from an Aerospace Technician Program taught at NASA by BCC. (http://web2010.brevard.cc.fl.us/?mainframe=know_bcc/campus_locations/spaceport/&subnavframe=know_bcc/campus_locations/spaceport/sub_nav.cfm" >http://web2010.brevard.cc.fl.us/?mainframe=know_bcc/campus_locations/spaceport/&subnavframe=know_bcc/campus_locations/spaceport/sub_nav.cfm ) I am now qualified to blow up rockets, err, I mean launch rockets and shuttles.

I got hired at the Kennedy Space Center last March and now work on the Space Shuttle Discovery as a tile technician. We are working hard to get her ready to return to flight scheduled for March of 2005. Hopefully I will find a way to quietly hitch a ride on the space shuttle without paying the going fee of $20 million.

Well I think that is about all I can tell you about me for now. I'm glad to be back. Please feel free to respond back with your questions, greetings, and donations.


Be safe and be well,


Random