Unicorns and Astronauts

First, a quote of the day from my (gay) housemate regarding the topic of Log Cabin Republicans: "Oh, them... they're like unicorns."

---

Second, a long overdue story from the Thanksgiving excursion to Chicago... On Friday my father and I went to the Adler Planetarium while my mother and sister shopped their way around the Magnificent Mile. On top of the three different planetarium theaters, the Adler also serves as a space science museum. In the Shoot For The Moon exhibit, specifically the Journey with Jim Lovell gallery, Dad and I were able to examine Gemini 12 while a film narrated by Lovell played on the screen above our heads. As Apollo 13 was both one of my favorite movies and favorite books growing up, I was pretty excited by the exhibit.

Once we had had our fill of observing just how claustrophobic space travel is, we turned the corner and heard Lovell's voice again... only this time it wasn't a film. Jim Lovell himself was explaining to what appeared to be his family how they got the spacesuit display mostly right, with the exception of the watch. It took everything I had not to start shrieking like a teenager watching The Beatles at Shea Stadium... an extremely nerdy teenager.

Dad and I stalked him for a bit, following closely behind him as it became increasingly evident that he wasn't there in any official capacity -- he was just going through the museum with his children like everyone else. Ever the Minnesotans, we didn't go up to him or even indicate that we recognized him. Except for the fact that I was staring at him with my jaw on the floor like some sort of star struck fool... perhaps because at that moment, I was pretty star struck.

It was probably the polite thing to do not to interrupt his holiday weekend. Still, I regret not telling him that he has aged better than Tom Hanks.

Trains... no planes, and an automobile

Due to an odd confluence of events, I am not going back to Minnesota this Thanksgiving. Instead, I am taking Amtrak (leaving in three hours) to Chicago where I will meet my parents and sister for a family weekend in the Windy City. Because I'll be on a train during traditional Thanksgiving meal gorging hours, I am bringing with me my own meal -- sliced turkey, "cranberry celebration" (cranberries, pineapple, and walnuts), some buns on which to make a sandwich, mashed potatoes (in tupperware), miniature sweet potato and pumpkin pies.

This is not the Thanksgiving meal I'm used to, but it'll do.

Happy Turkey Day, everyone!

Crossword Coincidence

The Michigan Daily carries the LA Times puzzle on the weekdays. Today there were two stacked clues which made me smile (and probably no one else).

20 Across: Celtic land
23 Across: Some entourage members

Unless I become really famous, this might be the closest I get to having my full name appear in a published crossword.

More TTC the Musical

I received an e-mail today from the author of The Time Travelers Convention: The Musical. It seems that using the power of Second Life (thanks, Breath and now Benoc), they've made a music video of one of the songs.

Dude, Amal and I don't look like that!