Moon Musings

Monday July 16th.
 I went to our Blog and realized we had no new post.

I am in the throes of rewriting my adult time travel romance; Kris wrote the last post; Lupe is in the throes of moving (sob), and Hilde is studying for her exams and running three children. So I guess it's me...

Do you ever have trouble finding something to blog about?, When I do I go to my wacky holiday sources. Brownielocks and Holiday Insights

I was dismayed to realize I had missed National Ice Cream Day. I already knew National Chocolate Day was July 7th as I had done two previous posts on it. We have a critique group meeting tomorrow. Perhaps a belated celebration of these two holidays is in order for group snack? Hmmm...



I was also desolate to know Chick Fil A's cow appreciation day (dress like a cow and get a free sandwich) had passed me by.

Nothing on July 16th really appealed to me. Then I realized that July 20th is Moon Day.

On July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped off a ladder saying, "One small step for a man, One giant leap for mankind."

 For all of you that are too young to remember, that was an awesome moment.  Science Fiction came true.  Only in a more bizarre fashion that any Sci Fi writer ever dreamed of.

Many Sci fi writers wrote about landing on the moon. No one wrote about landing on the moon as watched by the entire world on television as brought to you by Tang – The Drink of the Astronauts and Brillo- the better scouring pad. (You could write in for your free Brillo Moon Map). But that’s what really happened.

That was forty three years ago.

In the 1950's every comic book had an ad where you could sign up to take a trip to the moon. I don't think that anyone thought we would get all the way to 2012 without a luxury hotel on the moon and regular civilian transport there.

In the 1950’s and 60’s, proposals were being made for a nuclear pulse propulsion system that could carry huge spacecraft across the solar system in a matter of weeks  It involved technology that was completely feasible sixty years ago.  Nobody ever pursued it. So why? What happened? Why are we not settling planets in other galaxies?

  In my time travel book, Second Chances, one of the characters gives this answer.

“Maybe it was the mysterious “Guardians of Outer Space.” Maybe they hypnotized the entire human race to keep us out of the game. Maybe they didn’t want such warlike creatures as us on the loose in the universe.”

It's as good an answer as any.

 If you would like to read a story about the Moon Colonization, I recommend two by the Dean of Science Fiction, Robert Heinlein.

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, written for adults and The Rolling Stones, written for a younger audience.  (The links are to the free PDF.)

Back to Holidays.  Today's post was supposed to be written by Hilde.  However today is National Get Out of the Doghouse Day, so Hilde, you are forgiven.

(I just spoke to Hilde and Victoria came down with strep yesterday so Hilde lost  four hours.  For all you mom writers, I promise you things DO get better and, with a little bit of luck, you may even get grandchildren.)