Cuckoo Orlando News Stories

I hope to one day look back on this post as a time capsule that captures the wackiness of Orlando news happenings.

First of all, the two non-felonious members of the infamous astronaut love triangle announced today that they plan to marry next year. Following a nationwide car trip (and who knows how many adult incontinence products), a creepy encounter between Lisa Nowak and the bride-to-be, Colleen Shipman, took place here in Orlando at the international airport. We don't know for sure what Nowak would've done with the rubber hoses, mallet, BB gun, and garbage bags she packed in her trunk, but we can guess.

Also, soon after the announcement that the H1N1 vaccine will be ready in a few months, a headline popped up on my home page that gave me another reminder that the danger of swine flu hasn't faded away--a busload of tourists checked into Celebration Health today complaining of flu-like symptoms. Yes, that is the hospital where I work, and yes, I did walk by every one of them on their way to the main lobby, and yes, every one of them had a surgical mask on. Did I figure out what was going on?! No, not even after the newspiece yesterday about the vaccine! It was a bunch of kids with chaperones, so I thought they were on some junior surgeon field trip or something. Good thing I wash my hands one time per baby per day, which today was five times in three hours. I hope I got all the flu germs off.

*sanitizes keyboard*

An Out of This World Day

Eric and I decided to take a little stay-cation to Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday. Neither of us had ever been, and he was particularly excited to see both shuttles simultaneously out on the launch pads for the very last time. It was a beautiful day, and there was lots to do, so we got busy early on. Exhibits we checked out were a display on early space travel, the Rocket Garden blossoming with historical vessels from missions past, and the Astronaut Encounter! No, the latter is not a ride; it's a really awesome and unique opportunity to meet a real live astronaut, hear him (or her, but we met a "he") speak on his missions and other accomplishments, ask him questions, and have a photo op! We met Astronaut John Blaha!

You can also reserve a special lunch with an astronaut, but since it was such an un-crowded day, I got to ask Astronaut Blaha a question myself during his Astronaut Encounter presentation. He was very down-to-earth (haha).

We also got to have a (kinda) close look at the shuttles on their respective launch pads ready for Monday's Atlantis launch (Endeavour is being prepared just in case).

Atlantis

We also got to see a Saturn V rocket up close, touch a real moon rock, get jiggled on the Shuttle Launch Experience, and see a spectacular Imax film, Magnificent Desolation, about the moon missions. It's a really fascinating and well done movie produced and narrated by lunatic Tom Hanks. Lots of celebrities voiced poignant quotes from the Apollo astronauts; I recognized Morgan Freeman, Matthew McConaghuey, Gary Sinise, and John Corbett, but the rest slipped through the cracks.

Overall, we had a very educational and cool day at KSC. We've been wanting to go for quite awhile, and it was definitely worth the wait. Loads more photos are waiting for you here!