listening to: Eve 6, “On the Roof Again”
Sometimes things have a way of just working themselves out. Yesterday as I left work, I was feeling sort of sad. Classes started at Tech on Monday, and it felt really weird to not be there. Of the friends I spent time with last year, I can only think of two (in addition to myself) who left Atlanta — my roommates Becca and Karen. Everyone else either took a job in the city, or is still in school. Even Anit, at medical school in Augusta, can go back home for the weekend. It made me sad to think that I’m not there with them, and that they are having all sorts of fun without me.
Then a flurry of phone calls reminded me that even though I’m not in Atlanta or even on the east coast, they’re still all thinking about me. My dad called as I walked in the door, just to say hi. About an hour later, Christina called with the fantastic news that she was able to walk (with help) this week, faster than even the doctors expected her to! I was still smiling from our conversation a half hour later when Chris called to say hi and to make some plans for next weekend, when I take advantage of my Labor Day paid holiday to fly back to Georgia for a few days. Then I continued the streak by calling my mom, and finally by calling Kent to make sure he’d be in town while I am, and not off somewhere working.
When all was said and done, I wasn’t sad anymore. And that was a great thing.
(4:24 p.m.)
My entire group just marched outside and stood on the lawn between the duck ponds as the shuttle passed overhead. Dozens of people dotted the pond area, watching and waiting and listening. It was such a nice feeling to be standing among people as enthusiastic about space as me. If I’d been anywhere else in the world, I would’ve been standing outside straining my ears and looking stupid.
It was too bright outside to see the plasma trail (even though some people convinced themselves that a slow-moving weather balloon was the shuttle…nevermind that they were looking north, and the shuttle was passing to the south…hmm…go figure), but about 4 minutes after the orbiter passed overhead, the sonic boom finally reached the ground. I’d never heard a sonic boom before, and thought it was really cool. And talk about fast! By the time we heard the boom, the shuttle was already crossing the Florida peninsula.
