"To the Moon, Alice!"

I watched with a friend. We were captivated!

 

"Why is Congress cutting funds to NASA, despite the overwhelming success of the recent Artemis II mission?" I saw that question somewhere online, but the answer I would give is not the answer given to the online question.

Why cut funding for NASA now? Precisely, I believe, because of the success of Artemis II. It is a way to punish them—out of jealousy over their success, resentment over their competence, and envy over the admiring attention they so rightly earned.

I have never been a big fan of the space program. I’ve been one of those people who thought that money would be better spent on earth. But I never thought it should be spent to murder schoolchildren and their families in foreign countries, threaten to "destroy whole civilizations," put Americans at home under surveillance and build prisons to house people “detained” without arrest warrants or trials, etc., etc. No, no! Silly, naive me! I was thinking more about the health and safety and common good of our nation as a whole. 

If, however, it comes down to a choice between fraud and corruption and unprovoked attacks on civilians (at home and abroad) vs. space exploration by brave, skilled, competent, and dedicated scientists and crews, I’ll support the latter any day. How about you?

How Bad [sic] Do You Want It?

I have a saying over my desk–It’s not how good you are. It’s how bad you want it.

- mystery author Denise Swanson in interview with Diane Plumley

Performers, politicians – yes, I do believe that determination can count for more than talent in many of life’s endeavors. How determined are you? How hard are you willing to work? Are you stubborn enough?

There is another aspect to determination, and that is being determined not to go for what you want. Two years ago I decided to forgo coffee for the six-week period of Lent. Some of my friends thought I was crazy. “Why would you put yourself through it?” This year I raised the stakes: coffee, alcohol, and potato chips! Not a sip, not a chip! I’ve passed the halfway mark now and still in the race.

My husband asked the Why question, adding the obvious (to him) qualifier, “since you’re not religious.” I knew why I was doing it but had to think about how to articulate my reason to him. Okay, here goes: “It’s a way of demonstrating to myself that I’m not a slave to these things. I can live without them.” He nodded. He wouldn’t do it himself, but he could see what I meant.

Morning is the hardest time of day. I still get up first and still make coffee – for him. I just don’t have any.

The easiest aspect to this imposed self-denial is knowing that it’s only for a time-limited period. It’s like giving up doughnuts during pregnancy. Saying “No, thank you” for a set number of weeks or months really isn’t that hard.