I am back in the lobby of the motel typing this. The wi-fi in my room is still broken, but I can get to one out here.
Spent most of the day at the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge. It is on the north border of the KSC complex and you can see the vehicle assembly building and launch pads as you drive east to the beach. The shuttle landing facility is there also, but it is hidden behind the trees.
Once I found the beach, I headed south until I found the NASA barrier fence. It was about 30 minutes walking on the beach. Boy, were my legs and ankles stiff and sore. Haven’t walked on sand in a long time. I did get some pictures of Discovery, from a distance.
There are a number of hiking and driving trails in the refuge. I stuck to the driving ones. Lots & lots of birds and more alligators than I liked. One is too many for me.
Back in Titusville, I went to a small space museum there. The docent was a gentleman who knew Gus Grissom. He was flight testing at Wright Patterson AFB with Gus & Gus talked him into working at NASA. His KSC employee number was 4!
There wasn’t much time left in the afternoon, so I took a drive down US 1 to Melbourne. The tourist guide said that there was a Liberty Bell 7 museum there, but I couldn’t find it.
Now I am trying to print out boarding passes, but Air Tran is not cooperating. The internet is working fine, but after I pick my, seats it says “Sorry we cannot complete your reservation at this time. Please contact an Air Tran Ticket Agent.”
When I booked my flight, I got a cheaper fare if I stayed until Tuesday 11/9. That was before the shuttle opportunity came up. I reserved a car for these two days with no particular plans.
This morning, I was able to sleep in for the very first time and even slept through the extra hour. After checking out – easy – getting my car at the Doubletree down the road – not so easy -; I headed to Walgren’s for a few staples. D rinks and maps! You ladies who heard me fussing about a helicopter ride will be interested to know that I tried. They were operating, but required a minimum of two people to take a tour. Rats!
I consoled myself by going shopping at Downtown Disney. I saw the Lego store and bought 2 outfits for my grandson – one Pooh, one Tigger. Next I headed back to the Panera Marsha & I had sighted near Barnes & Noble. Their wi-fi worked! I found a Super 8 motel near Titusville and booked a couple nights. The Peabody it ain’t; and it is lots cheaper.
I’m north of Kennedy and on a direct line east of the Merritt Island Wildlife Sanctuary. There are some things to see in Titusville and I want to stand on a beach. Rikki told me where to find one, so I should be able to manage it.
I’ll post this tomorrow morning, Monday. The wi-fi doesn’t work in my room, which is right by the ice machine, and I’m in my pjs.
5:30 PM:
Another intense day! We had over 200 girls at the “Invent It! Build It!” event. They seemed to have a great time and we adults had a great time working with them. They did 3 Design Squad activities – Pop Fly, Kick Start, and Electric Gameboard. I can’t begin to tell you how much duct tape we went through! One highlight was a keynote address by Judy Lee. You may know her from the “Engineer Your Life” website where she is featured in a video clip. Judy is the co-host of a new PBS show called “Design Squad Nation” that premiers in January on PBS. Look for it.
I got to the convention center at 6:30 AM to start setting up and got back to my hotel at 5:00 PM. It was well worth the time and energy involved. I set a new record for myself at this convention – I went to ZERO sessions, one tour and one meeting. Part of that was because we tried to see the shuttle on Friday, but mainly it was due to preparing for IIBI. The first year you do something, it always takes more effort.
It will happen again next year in Chicago. If you come to conference, please consider being involved.
10:30 EDT/9:30 EST PM:
Back from “Celebrate SWE” and ready to sleep. On top of everything, it is time change tonight.
Good news! Wichita won the Communications Award for our Website. Way to go, Kim!
The day started out on a high note. They were fueling the shuttle and we had a car. Everyone was excited as we hit the road to the Kennedy Space Center. About an hour later & 10 miles from the Visitor Center, Cindy decided to check for updates….It was scrubbed!!! And scrubbed until November 30th!
BUMMER!!!
We proceeded along and spent several hours at the visitor center. It was my first time and maybe Cindy’s. We took pictures galore, gaped at the rockets, climbed up to see the shuttle mockup, and much more. Astronaut Encounter was neat. Usually it is just one astronaut who talks about her/his experiences. Today there were 4….Former shuttle astronaut Jon McBride, current astronaut James Reilly (who was the duty astronaut) and former shuttle astronauts Tammy Jernigan and Jeff Wishoff who spoke on working at Lawrence Livermore Labs and what’s up with the National Ignition Facility (more later). That briefing was better than many sessions.
We wandered back to the hotels about 3:30 PM. Marsha, Jess and Cindy had to get beautiful for the Awards Banquet. Allison & I did our own thing. First we went out for seafood at McCormick’s & Schmick’s. It was very good once we found it. After getting lost a couple times, we had to circle this huge mall and avoid several valet parking areas before we got there. Once we were full, Allison took me to IKEA – my very first time. We finished off the evening in the whirlpool at my hotel. It was a little cool outside, but the water felt great. I’ll bet the others didn’t have as much fun.
It proved to be a complicated day. I woke up at 6:30 – way before my usual time – so I decided to check on the shuttle. Today it is a weather delay. The good part of that is that Cindy can do Friday, so cross your fingers!
It also means that I can do my tour of NAVAIR and that I should go to the Region I meeting. Also, we will be here for the Career Fair opening.
I should be writing up instructions for the materials people for Saturday. More later…..
5:30 PM:
The NAVAIR tour was fun. This facility is the Training Systems Division which is responsible for designing and supporting all the Navy’s simulation training. They took us into the “Dome Room” which had a huge curved screen with this amazing simulation of a KC-135 doing a refueling mission. If you weren’t careful, you could get motion sickness. We even had a Rear Admiral as an escort.
I barley got back when Kate, National Girl Scouts, jumped me. Our goodie bags for “Invent It! Build It!” finally showed up. We did some final materials work and packed everything in sturdy boxes for when they move it Saturday. After that, we set up an assembly line and packed about 275 bags in a very short time. SWE volunteers are amazing. Ladies just came up and asked if they could help.
Right now, Kathleen, Marsha and I are waiting outside the Career Fair. Let the stuff collecting begin!!!!
8:30 PM:
I’m bushed. Career Fair is over for the night. Marsha & I hit it hard hoping that we will be gone tomorrow watching the shuttle. The plan is to check in the morning and if it’s a go…Cindy, Marsha, Jess and I hit the road between 8 and 8:30 AM. We all passed on the hospitality suites tonight. It was not worth the trouble. Nothing in this place is close and even with shuttles there is a LOT of walking.
Well it is day 5 and the shuttle is still keeping us on tenterhooks. The latest info is that it is ready to launch around 3:30 EDT tomorrow, Thursday November 4. However the weather may not cooperate.
A lot of activity today. Marsha went on the Southern Company tour without me. I hurt my foot and decided to give it a rest. I went back to work on the “Invent It!” materials and got everything in good shape for Saturday. There are just a few minor things to take care of now. The exciting part is that we have about 170 girls registered. Exxon Mobil, one of our sponsors, has a representative going on a popular Orlando morning talk show on Friday to promote the event. We may get even more girls! The limit is 250.
I had my Outreach Committee meeting from 3-5, followed by the committee dinner and ice cream social. I am really excited about some of the things going on in Outreach. You are going to get tired of listening to me over the next months.
It was a day of reunions and meeting friends. Marsha & I had lunch with Joan Graf, our former Region i governor. Later we caught up with Kathleen Callanan a charter member of the Wichita section and, as Suzanne reminds me, our first section representative. She had some great stories about the beginnings of the section. She & Marsha went to dinner together and then met up with me at the ice cream social. We had a long talk and then Allison asked Kathleen if she would record this information if we sent her a tape. Great idea! Kathleen agreed but asked to record it on her computer instead. Even better idea!
Other friends there were Karla, Suzanne D from OK, Pamela - NE, Faith – CO, Jean – Chris’ sister, and many more. All this and ice cream too.
Well conference work has started and I’m bushed!!! I had a 9 am meeting with Randy, SWE outreach director, about the Saturday “Invent It! Build It” event. 6 hours later, I called a halt. My job is to deliver all the materials as needed on the day…”Just In Time.” We started with an inventory and moved on to packaging the supplies for each table for each of the 3 activities. Phew!!
We were short a few things. Instead of aluminum foil, the vendor sent Kleenex. Electric circuits don’t work the same way with tissue. The flat washers were MIA and we need to back-fill a few odds and ends. That’s tomorrow’s problem.
The event is different from previous years. We are partnering with Design Squad and Girls Scouts. The number of girls is much larger this year.
After my escape from paint stirrer/ping pong ball land, I finally got into my room at the Peabody. They have a tradition of having ducks on the premises. Don’t ask. They are famous and every day they ride the elevator down in the morning and up at night between their fountain and penthouse. They even have their own duck wrangler.
Marsha came over to see the parade. Afterwards we went and picked up our stuff at registration.
Dinner was at Marsha’s hotel. The food was good, service excellent, and the walls covered in caricatures. All sorts of famous people, including American and Russian astronauts. We ran into Cindy & Jess after dinner and planned for tomorrow. We will all scatter to the winds the next few days.
Shuttle launch has been postponed again. No firm date for the next try. Boo! Hiss!
Very busy day today. Marsha & I walked the nature trail here at the condo. Lots of palms & ferns, no alligators. Hurray!!!!!
Next was a run to Wal-Mart for candy for the region meetings. Colleen & Cindy are planning to give everyone sugar shock.
We finally made it to the pool after lunch. It was hard hanging out, reading and networking.
The next big problem to solve was how we get 6 people, a ton of luggage to two hotels tomorrow morning in a car that fits 4 and still have Cindy and Colleen make their conference calls. First shuttle run is 8:30 tomorrow.
Region govenor giving you trouble? Feed her to the shark!
We spent today at Universal Studios theme park. Jess rode the Jess rode the Rocket roller coaster, but I was chicken. We had a lot of fun. The other ladies are staying until Midnight for a special Halloween event. Wandering around for 6+ hours was enough for me.
I did get one thing on my wish list checked off…Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville!!! It is in the Universal City Walk area – a mall just outside the actual parks. I had my dinner, a couple of margaritas and bought a t-shirt. Parrotheads forever!!!
Marsha got in today. we are sitting around planning a busy Monday by the pool.
One thing we plan to do is connect with Kathleen Callanan, the first president of our Section & a charter member. She arrives Tuesday and we are going to track her down.
I made it! I left Wichita this morning at 6:20 wearing a long sleeved shirt and a jacket. I’ve switched to a tshirt and am wishing I could wear shorts!
It’s a beautiful day, only slightly clouded by the fact that the shuttle launch has now moved to Wednesday. We’ll just have to play it by ear.
Colleen and I are here early.
We’ll get the rest of the gang at the airport around 6.
My only travel issue came as we were sitting in the 737 at
Atlanta about 20 minutes after our scheduled departure time. The pilot came on the intercom to apologize about the delay. Aparrently “…the take-off numbers had come back wrong and they were working to solve the problem.” We were an hour late leaving Atlanta.
2012 Society of Women Engineers Wichita Area Section I05 PO Box 1096 Wichita, KS 67201 E-mail: Wichita@swe.org
This non-profit organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
