Spaceballs

(what can I say, it was the 80s)“I know you have been Journalist Astronaut candidate for the NASA Journalist in Space Program," read the email I opened the other day. “Hello from France!" it began. "I am Stéphane Sebile, a young space exploration fan. I agree your indulgence for my bad English!”Stéphane has a website on space exploration it seems. And he's right about me: back in the day I did somehow make it to the final 40 out of a field of more than 1,000 journalists hoping for ride on the Shuttle - until the mission was put on hold in the wake of the Challenger disaster.Here's our exchange:Stéphane: “Why have you decide to become candidate for NASA Space selection for journalists?”Me: “When they announced the Teacher in Space Competition all I could think was ‘Oh WHY did I leave teaching after only seven years? If I’d stayed in the classroom I could apply for this!’ Then the next fall, with Christa McAuliffe in flight training at the Johnson Space Center, a new competition was announced for people in my current career. A shiver went down my spine. A second chance?”Stéphane: “I suppose you would like to go in space. But why?”Me: “All my life I've struggled for a kind of perspective that has mostly eluded me. But each time I fly in a plane I can suddenly see my life whole; see our lives. I feel this sudden sense of exaltation, and want to tell everyone, “There’s so much more than we can see! We don’t HAVE to live like ants! ‘”Stéphane: “Did you think it's important for the mankind to have a step in space, to send man in space and why?”Me: “OH yes. The human race is in its infancy! We’re babies, still in our playpens! But we’re learning fast now. It’s time to leave the house; to look around some. And this little solar system? It's just our front yard.”Stéphane: “What represent for you Yuri Gagarin?”Me: “A Russian the first person up there?! Americans were horrified. And sure, back in ‘61 we kids played endless games of the Commies against the Americans, but we had this young President, and a dawning sense that there just might be room for all of us in his New Frontier.”Stéphane: “What represent for you Apollo 11? Which memory(ies) have you of this event?”Me: “July of ’69. I stayed up all night with my new boyfriend to watch it with his mom on her black-and-white TV. We waited and waited to see that first boot set down on moondust."Stéphane: “What will be your most incredible space dream?”Me: “That someday there will be more people like you, fascinated by the prospect of space flight. With only a handful of missions left, I realize NASA won’t be putting me up there but maybe you will go, Stéphane, and how’s that for a dream? And when you get back, maybe I’ll get to interview you!”And that was it. You have to admire people like Stéphane, keepin' the dream alive eh? And wasn't I the brave one back then, offering to on that mission, babies or no babies?

Standing Tall

For over 20 years Liz Walker was a new anchor with WBZ-TV Channel 4 Boston. Last week I wrote about what great things she said as the keynoter at the recent Girl Scouts Leading Women Awards Breakfast, which you will see at the top here under “This Week’s Column.” It's worth looking I think for the way it so exactly matches the spirit of the times.These days she does amazing things in the world, both close at hand - as an ordained minister on staff at the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church – and far away in her work with the many innocent people in Dafur and the Sudan who are daily asked to suffer on a scale you and I can scarce imagine.I first met Liz back in 1986 when she came to my living room with a Channel 4 cameraman to ask me what it felt like to be the only print journalist in New England to get to the finals in the NASA-sponsored competition to send one of us up in the Shuttle. Earlier that day another network had also sent a news team.“Have the children cling to her skirts!” said the producer. “She LOOKS a little like Christa McAuliffe!” said cameraman. This was just four months after the Challenger blew and it was pretty clear they were setting this up as another Mother of Young Children Dies For NASA Story.With the camera rolling, the reporter placed her big microphone before the small face of my Fifth Grade daughter. “Would YOU like to go up in space one day?” she asked her. “No WAY!” said the child.“And how about you dear?” she then asked, lowering the mic to the height of our Second Gradeer – who pushed her hair quick behind her ears, took a step forward like one about to recite an ode and in a calm ‘teaching’ voice said, “No - because when I get big I’m going to be a mother and I don’t think a mother should leave her children.”Thirty minutes later the news went out over AP wire: “Children of New England Space Finalist Oppose Her Going.” A news veteran pal was on the line to me within 60 seconds. “Don’t let them NEAR your kids!” she said – and so when Liz came to my living room that evening they were safely upstairs with their dad.She asked me intelligent questions and I answered them and there was only kindness and thoughtfulness in the exchange. I still have the videotape of that interview somewhere and maybe I’ll dig it out and put it up here too. I wasn’t used to talking on TV back then so I seem really stiff and robotic, like a person who'd just had Novocain in both jaws and three or four Botox shots to the face but you’ll see Liz Walker just as she still is today, natural and curious and lovely.Right now I’m watching the sun rise over the snowy rooftops and trying to line up all the work I have to do day. I don’t know what Liz has lined up for today but it’s a good bet it’s work on the side of the angels. You can see what she's up to right now by going to her blog  On the Road.