As I leave my flat, it's overcast
The sun's not out or here to play
Looks like it'll be another rainy day
I go to board the tram for school
Oh, boy, another day at ISU
Too tired to fully wake
I depend on my daily caffiene intake
Then chocolate comes, the whole world hums
And now I'm super-hyper girl
Space policy is all worked out
Total commercialization plan
Without a doubt
Problems will come with
How we run such an organization
Space reality tv
Will bring us bucks
And good publicity
We won't go up
without a profit
But so much invested
What if we lost it
Liability is an issue
If all goes wrong
Who can we sue
Or what if it goes well
And we discover crazy things to sell?
Will we appropriate or not
Legal issues will be hot
Property rights must be created
But how will they be delegate?
Brainstorming, we've made a framework
Now we write and remove all the quirks
Sleep tonight; work tomorrow
Hopefully, they'll be no sorrow
But only joy at the project's close
So we, from Strasbourg, soon can go
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Monday, March 15, 2004
3 Euro Highway to Heaven
Relax. Tape a deep breath. That’s right. It’s over. For the last month my mind has been constantly pondering, procrastinating and preparing for one thing…my final exams at ISU. Now, after 3 ½ hours of emptying my mind through my pen onto the 25 pages that I submitted to my program director, I am half-way through this ordeal. The disciplinary exam consisting of 14 essay questions on topics ranging from advanced propulsion concepts to nuerovestibular systems research with remote sensing, internet via GEO and space memorabilia laws thrown in for spice is finished. Thursday will be my last exam – I dare not say ever, as I seemed destined for the classroom — yet it will be the last exam for this program. Yes, it is true, by Thursday afternoon, I’ll join the rest of my class in being completed with all testable material. Yet, since the interdisciplinary exam isn’t nearly as specific and practically impossible to study for, I feel my battle with the exams is 2/3 completed. There are rumors of a bonfire for all the handouts. Bring on the s’mores, baby!
If I were to try and come up with a good excuse for not blogging in so long, it would probably run something along these lines:
When I arrived back to ISU Thursday afternoon, I only wanted one thing. Sleep. But I knew that if I was going to beat my jet-lag the quick way, I’d need to stay awake. Besides, I had been informed of a once in a lifetime astronomical event to take place in the Strasbourg Heavens and my super Power Ranger Spanish friend had coordinated an event to celebrate its uncommon occurrence. Ha. Ha. The joke’s on me. It’s only Munir’s Birthday. I’m sure glad I told all those people to be make sure that they were stargazing tonight for something spectacular was in the stars for tonight. Opps! Although, gone for only two weeks, it was so great to see everyone again! After surprising Munir at his own house with a cake and presents, we headed off to our old haunt, the ex-patriot place, The Irish Times…
Now Team Project is in full swing and for those of you not involved in the ISU world, our fourth module is composed entirely of compiling a report based on our topic “A manned mission to Titan and/or Europa; Why not?” We decided to attack this beast from the perspective of a development plan with embedded case studies. We’re essentially researching the steps required for all aspects of such a mission including technical, life sciences, policy, legal and motivational factors. Quite a few of us are hoping to get papers out of the deal and have submitted various abstracts to the International Astronomical Conference (IAC) to be held in Vancouver in the fall. I’m working on policy and motivation which is really interesting since we want to propose a fairly realistic approach to the project – usually this means that the U.S. would take point on the project and other nations would cooperate or participate as they desired. BUT, being the ISU with a focus on international and intercultural teamwork, we’re trying to come up with a better more internationally integrated approach. This is the fun part. It’s awesome, I’ve really enjoyed the reading on policy, etc. However, we were thinking of proposing an International Space Agency run in a similar fashion to the U.N. (but we all know how effective the U.N. is). This body would oversee the project and provide joint international leadership. Most feel that this is entirely unfeasible. Some feel the mission should be funded by Fortune 500 individuals; other strictly government; still others private industry and of course, there also exists various hybrid solutions. Can you imagine what kind of a meeting I’ll be tomorrow? So, that’s a piece of TP life…
This weekend was a doozie! It was good, but busy. My recent bouts with insomnia have made for interesting days and long nights! I actually haven’t slept properly since returning from the States. Is jet lag supposed to last two weeks? Anyhow, my most recent nights have been filled with studying, making notes, working, studying, top ramen (yes I imported it), studying, listening to online sermons from the new website of my church back home, studying, late-nite meals with Ruey, studying, congratulating friends on newly acquired multi-engine licenses (Go Kev!), etc… Sensing a pattern yet?
Sunday was definitely the highlight of the weekend with a short day trip to Parc L’Orangerie for “La Magie au Chocolat 2004.” Well, there’s simply nothing like a good French chocolate festival to make your day. Even while we were waiting in line to get in, they were passing out chocolate.
Three Euros = All the chocolate samples you can eat = best deal of my life!
There was a Parade with floats and all the kids were dressed up in costumes and please, dear reader, don’t forget that the SUN WAS SHINING!!! L’Orangerie is a beautiful park built for Josephine by Napoleon. With golden beams tempting us with the approaching spring, we sat on a bench and watched the people go by. Perhaps life really is like a box of chocolates…
So, after a refreshing break, we wandered back home. I actually got to sit on my balcony and enjoy the remaining rays of gold while studying. I even got to see my French city sunset. This is the process of the sun setting behind my building affording me the view of a gray shadow slowing crawling up the wall of the house in front of me, telling me that the sun is disappearing… Clearly, these folks have never seen the explosion of fire and gold on a cotton candy canvass that comprise the Arizona, California and Mexico sunsets I’m accustomed too.
Today was equally glorious weather wise, although my Seattle friend prefers the rain, we worked out an agreement and she said I can have the sun from 1-4 and every other weekend and the rest can be rainy…it’s a compromise I suppose!
Oh, and did I mention that my good friend Nick made me dinner tonight in celebration of the completion of the exam? Grandma’s taco salad. Now, you just cannot beat that! It was one of the highlights of my day. I was a bit stressed about the exam; it was nice to look forward to.
So that’s all for now…I’m hoping to actually sleep tonight! I’ve got post exam fatigue! J Tomorrow is filled with oodles of meetings, but if the weather’s holds, I’m hoping to be able to escape for a few brief moments to the Lakeside Park tucked behind the Auchan to snag some serenity and sunshine!
If I were to try and come up with a good excuse for not blogging in so long, it would probably run something along these lines:
When I arrived back to ISU Thursday afternoon, I only wanted one thing. Sleep. But I knew that if I was going to beat my jet-lag the quick way, I’d need to stay awake. Besides, I had been informed of a once in a lifetime astronomical event to take place in the Strasbourg Heavens and my super Power Ranger Spanish friend had coordinated an event to celebrate its uncommon occurrence. Ha. Ha. The joke’s on me. It’s only Munir’s Birthday. I’m sure glad I told all those people to be make sure that they were stargazing tonight for something spectacular was in the stars for tonight. Opps! Although, gone for only two weeks, it was so great to see everyone again! After surprising Munir at his own house with a cake and presents, we headed off to our old haunt, the ex-patriot place, The Irish Times…
Now Team Project is in full swing and for those of you not involved in the ISU world, our fourth module is composed entirely of compiling a report based on our topic “A manned mission to Titan and/or Europa; Why not?” We decided to attack this beast from the perspective of a development plan with embedded case studies. We’re essentially researching the steps required for all aspects of such a mission including technical, life sciences, policy, legal and motivational factors. Quite a few of us are hoping to get papers out of the deal and have submitted various abstracts to the International Astronomical Conference (IAC) to be held in Vancouver in the fall. I’m working on policy and motivation which is really interesting since we want to propose a fairly realistic approach to the project – usually this means that the U.S. would take point on the project and other nations would cooperate or participate as they desired. BUT, being the ISU with a focus on international and intercultural teamwork, we’re trying to come up with a better more internationally integrated approach. This is the fun part. It’s awesome, I’ve really enjoyed the reading on policy, etc. However, we were thinking of proposing an International Space Agency run in a similar fashion to the U.N. (but we all know how effective the U.N. is). This body would oversee the project and provide joint international leadership. Most feel that this is entirely unfeasible. Some feel the mission should be funded by Fortune 500 individuals; other strictly government; still others private industry and of course, there also exists various hybrid solutions. Can you imagine what kind of a meeting I’ll be tomorrow? So, that’s a piece of TP life…
This weekend was a doozie! It was good, but busy. My recent bouts with insomnia have made for interesting days and long nights! I actually haven’t slept properly since returning from the States. Is jet lag supposed to last two weeks? Anyhow, my most recent nights have been filled with studying, making notes, working, studying, top ramen (yes I imported it), studying, listening to online sermons from the new website of my church back home, studying, late-nite meals with Ruey, studying, congratulating friends on newly acquired multi-engine licenses (Go Kev!), etc… Sensing a pattern yet?
Sunday was definitely the highlight of the weekend with a short day trip to Parc L’Orangerie for “La Magie au Chocolat 2004.” Well, there’s simply nothing like a good French chocolate festival to make your day. Even while we were waiting in line to get in, they were passing out chocolate.
Three Euros = All the chocolate samples you can eat = best deal of my life!
There was a Parade with floats and all the kids were dressed up in costumes and please, dear reader, don’t forget that the SUN WAS SHINING!!! L’Orangerie is a beautiful park built for Josephine by Napoleon. With golden beams tempting us with the approaching spring, we sat on a bench and watched the people go by. Perhaps life really is like a box of chocolates…
So, after a refreshing break, we wandered back home. I actually got to sit on my balcony and enjoy the remaining rays of gold while studying. I even got to see my French city sunset. This is the process of the sun setting behind my building affording me the view of a gray shadow slowing crawling up the wall of the house in front of me, telling me that the sun is disappearing… Clearly, these folks have never seen the explosion of fire and gold on a cotton candy canvass that comprise the Arizona, California and Mexico sunsets I’m accustomed too.
Today was equally glorious weather wise, although my Seattle friend prefers the rain, we worked out an agreement and she said I can have the sun from 1-4 and every other weekend and the rest can be rainy…it’s a compromise I suppose!
Oh, and did I mention that my good friend Nick made me dinner tonight in celebration of the completion of the exam? Grandma’s taco salad. Now, you just cannot beat that! It was one of the highlights of my day. I was a bit stressed about the exam; it was nice to look forward to.
So that’s all for now…I’m hoping to actually sleep tonight! I’ve got post exam fatigue! J Tomorrow is filled with oodles of meetings, but if the weather’s holds, I’m hoping to be able to escape for a few brief moments to the Lakeside Park tucked behind the Auchan to snag some serenity and sunshine!
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