Captain's Got a New Log!

To all brave space travelers and faithful readers,

Set coordinates to my NEW Captain's Log over on tumblr. Stay updated with the news about yours truly as well as the goings-on over at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. and the mother ship, 826 Seattle. 

I want to give an astronomically huge THANK YOU to 826 Seattle volunteer and GSTS crew member, Sean Palmer, for setting up the tumblr page and giving my invaluable Captain's Log a beautiful new home.

Follow us on the new Captain's Log and feel free to share with friends, family, extraterrestrials, and any robots you trust. Safe travels, explorers, and stay prepared and well stocked at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co.

Galactically yours,

Captain T. McGillicuddy

Keepin’ Time By Keepin’ Track

The fourth dimension is quite an enigmatic thing. It moves forward whether we notice it or not. And as my robot assistant PAL will tell you, I always notice the fourth dimension well after I was supposed to. Luckily, the fine folks at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. have two new stunning calendars to help me stay on track by tracking the celestial bodies in our Solar System.

  

Lunar Calendar

Ah, the Moon. That constant satellite that is constantly changing how it looks to the denizens of Earth. PAL, my robot assistant, is quick to inform me that, from space, the Moon looks the same all the time. Of course it does! I can see that from any of my space ship’s windows. But on Earth, that same heavenly orb becomes hidden in shadow and with great anticipation reveals itself again with as much luminosity as reflective moon rocks can offer.

No matter where you are on Earth, the Moon shifts through its phases in a regular pattern unchanged since the Moon first coalesced in our orbit, or at least for as long as humans have noticed it. Presented in this gorgeous silver print on a navy background, never lose track of the Moon. Northern and southern hemispheres share the moon as they share this calendar, just orient it to where you are and follow the phases all year.

 

Planetary Calendar

Ever try to keep track of all the stuff in our Solar System? There are the major planets and their moons. There are a bunch of minor planets and some that haven’t been named yet. We’ve got comets flying by at regular intervals not to mention a couple of belts full of asteroids and who-knows-what. On Earth, we use small, large, and even very large telescopes to note, monitor, and discover what hangs above us. Not bad, wouldn’t you say?

Sure, we have a lot of advanced tools now, but with so much to follow in the night sky, keeping track of it all is still pretty hard. It’s not easy to know what part of the sky any given object will be at any given time of the year just by looking up. Good thing there’s a planetary calendar to guide the way! On a navy background, follow the Sun in gold ink and the planets in bronze as they make their way across the night sky, criss-crossed with the constellations in silver. Know when you are and you’ll know where they are!

 

Fly by the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. to pick up your Lunar Calendar and Planetary Calendar before the end of this solar revolution. Supplies may run out before time does!

The Revolution Begins NOW!

Already a month into our latest revolution around the Sun? My how quickly we orbit. And at a rate of 108,000 km/h, I'd say that's a pretty fast clip. Best to take advantage of the time ahead before we find it behind us, no? So let’s lift off!

Looking into the future, by which I mean asking my robot assistant PAL to check my calendar for me, I can see a full schedule of exciting events, activities, and delectable holidays. Save the dates because you do not want to miss the fun, frivolity, and food at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co.!

The 5th Annual Pluto Day Rally!

 

I haven't forgotten about Pluto and its reclassification to "dwarf planet". I remember when it was a planet. The 9th planet. The littlest planet with even littler moons including a newly discovered FIFTH moon! Then there were new rules that left us with a new planetary pantheon and Pluto was left out in the cold.

As it turns out, there are tons of Pluto-sized objects that are neither planets nor satellites of planets in our solar system. They don't follow regular orbits nor does their gravity affect their neighbors too strongly. They're out there doing their own thing, forging their own paths, and making the far reaches of our solar system way more interesting.

The Kuiper Belt is chock full of these objects! So far, we've got five dwarf planets: Ceres, Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, and Eris. Who knows how many we will find once all the data is in?

So join us in March as we shout to the heavens and celebrate Pluto, the dwarf planets, and the yet-to-be-discovered objects in our very own solar system. Even the smallest celestial bodies deserve a big party. Be sure to check in for more info! You won’t want to miss our 5th Annual Pluto Rally!

Happy Pi Day!

Our new favorite holiday is Pi Day where we celebrate pi, the mathematical constant that is so ubiquitous and so remarkably helpful, it's easy to take for granted how powerful a ratio - circumference to diameter, 3.14 - can be. So clear your calendars on March 14 ‘cause it’s Pi Day! Get it? That’s 3/14. Yup. You get it.

Everyone loves pi. Everyone also loves pie. See what I did there?

So for the love of pi, join us on March 14! We will honor pi by eating pie, that most delicious of circular desserts. We may even have round cakes and cookies. In fact, let's eat everything that boasts a circumference! Oranges! Pizza! Quesadillas! Watermelon! Cheese wheels! The possibilities are as infinite as the corners on a circle!

Come back for the details as we round out our plans. Ha! That was a good one.

No Trepidation with Proper Preparation!

Every intrepid interstellar explorer knows the importance of being adequately prepared for the long haul that is space travel. Show the adventurer in your life that you are hip to the demands of boldly going into the far reaches of the galaxy.

With over 400 items to mix-and-match, build the perfect kit or gift bag for the pilot, engineer, scientist, writer, or dreamer on your list!

Build a useful kit for the space voyager:
- a "travel essentials" kit with this, this, and definitely this
- an only-for-hilarious-emergencies kit because using this with this will help you laugh off the panic
- a finally-time-to-finish-that-novel kit where the passing light years will fly by with the help of this and a notebook... or five

Equip the on-site-planetarist:
- terra forming supplies like Matchstick Gardens or Plants-in-a-Can
- decorations for that “touch of Earth” like this or this
- stylish clothing for the photos they'll be sending back -- look stellar wearing this, this, or this

 Inspire the space-dreamers:
- books to prep you for the rigors of space travel
- posters to keep that inspiration coming - try this, study this, and set your coordinates with this
- travel games to master before attempting them in zero-gravity - with magnet and Velcro technology!

There's free rocket ship parking on the roof of Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co.! Be sure to fly by before your next voyage of discovery!

Stop to Shop, Stay to Play!

As we careen through the infinitude of space with only our trusty ship to protect us from the crushing vacuum of the interstellar void, I fondly remember heart-warming holiday traditions that specialized in hot beverages, open fires, and unabashed sentimentality (figuratively "heart-warming," of course).

What better way to launch into the holiday season than attending Shop For A Good Cause! Make a pit stop at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. on Friday, Dec 14, from 6p to 9p for food (1), festivities (2), and free gift wrapping (3)!

1. Astronaut-designed astronaut food prepared by our own 826 Seattle volunteers! Bagged and sealed for freshness. Paired with a tall glass of Tang. Get a taste of space starting at 6p.
2. Nothing shows "unabashed sentimentality" than singing carols. Take to the streets (rocket ships are often too loud) with 826 Seattle's Songwriting club as they get unabashed all over the neighborhood with original, non-denominational carols at 7p.
3. Let the bold leaders of the Youth Advisory Board prepare the defense shield for your gifts and keepsakes. They fear not scissors nor paper cuts when it comes to protecting your gifts from loved ones.

Bonus event! 
... because you can't have too much to celebrate!

Did I mention that 100% of all proceeds directly benefit 826 Seattle whose free workshops and programs benefit Earth children?

The fall Chapbook Workshop celebrates the publication of their newest chapbook on the same night! Join these young writers and their families in the "Fall Features Showcase" as they take hold of their freshly bound book and take hold of the mic to read selections of their work. Open mic starts at 6:15pm. Grab a seat to hear the voices of the next generation.

Little is the new Big!

There is a crispness in the air, a chill at the edge of a breeze, a golden tone that has draped the neighborhood... what would this time of year look like if the Earth’s axis was not at a 23.4° tilt? Amazing how a little thing like that can be such a huge influence on seasons on my home planet.

Of course, there are no seasons in space, but think of all the little things that make space amazing: leptons, quarks, bosons, atoms... all adding up to EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE! So. Much. Universe.

Sorry. Where was I? Oh yes, the little things. While scientists continue to work on exploring the influence of subatomic particles, we can marvel at the ones that exist right under our noses. Take a close look at something. Get closer. Closer. And now your nose is in the dirt or covered in dust or way too close to something that could jump in your eye. Your favorite eye.

Hmm... How can people see little things as big things without losing optical capability? … I’ve got it! A BIGGIFIER!

Place the Biggifier above the object you want to examine and stand back! It’s HUGE! Look at the detail! Ponder the intricacy! Marvel at the complexity! For such a teeny, tiny thing? Are you SEEING this? I can’t take my eyes off it. Simply amazing, no? Yes.

In your intrepid travels, you will come across a galaxy of little things that can so easily go unnoticed... especially without a PORTABLE BIGGIFIER. Same biggification. Smaller Biggifier. The tool of exploration and discovery is right there in your pocket!

While you’re looking at your world through a new lens (literally!), you might notice the denizens of your world looking at you. Like that guy behind the laptop! Or the lady with the latte! Fret not, fellow space traveler. Adorn your abdomen with the new Captain McGillicuddy t-shirt and you will never want for style or conversation.

Stand back for new news!

PAL!  PAL!  Where is that robot assistant of mine?  I'd been working on a letter to my dear mother when my wood-and-graphite writing tool broke.  No matter how hard I pushed the writing tool onto the sheet of white cellulose, no mark could be made.  Argh!  Where's PAL and the laser beam he uses to refashion my writing tool into a useable one again?

Sharpening more than pencils

What a minute?  What's this?  Aha!  I don't need PAL's fancy-dancy laser.  I've got Brahe's Nose Pencil Sharpener and it doesn't need any batteries or external power to work.  AND a new order of noses just arrived at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. from Tycho Brahe's actual descendants.  Tycho Brahe spotted a supernova in 1572 that tore the lid off of the idea of an unchanging sky.  Before that he was in a duel that nearly tore off his nose.  Let that be a lesson to everyone: science is awesome and dueling is dumb.

Be there or be a giant ball of gas

Galavanting galaxies!  I almost forgot!  If you're going to be on Earth on Sunday, March 4, stop by the Fremont Sunday Market because folks from the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. are going to be there!  Stock up on some necessities for your next trip into the cosmos.

One more thing!  Are you writing this down?  It's super important.  Don't worry, I'll wait.  Ready?  Be sure to join us for Pluto Day on March 10th!  Make signs at 12pm, march at 1pm, and rally at Neptune Coffee at 1:15pm.  Pluto pride forever!

And a thanks to YOU!

There's so much happening... including a SALE in anticipation of Pluto Day.  Starting Mon 2/27 through the month of March, get 10% off all Pluto and Moon gear: shirts, books, posters, and more!  Mention this promotion at the store to get your discount.  Can't make it in-person?  Go through the online store with discount code: CHARON for your 10% discount.

Pluto Day on March 10th!

I still can’t believe it. What utter nonsense! Who’s in charge? Pluto is still not classified as a planet in our solar system? Surely, someone would have realized this atrocious mistake years ago and brought Pluto back into the planetary pantheon. No one? Why not?

That’s it! Pluto deserves better. I'm not going to let the International Astronomical Union cast off Pluto like so much stellar radiation unleashed to the edges of the universe. Pluto is awesome whether it’s called a planet or not. Pluto, I sing for thee!

In fact, the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. is having a Pluto Day march and rally to whip the citizens of Earth into a dwarf-planet-friendly frenzy! Join the celebration and show the galaxy that even though Pluto is small, it’s a big deal!

When: Saturday, March 10 at 12pm
What: 12pm sign making workshop / 1pm march / 1:15pm rally
Where: start at Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. (8414 Greenwood Ave N) / rally at Neptune Coffee (8415 Greenwood Ave N)
Who: YOU!

The festivities begin with a sign making workshop at 12pm. Bring your wit, your cleverness, and your love for Pluto because slogans on signs are the best way to proclaim Pluto! If you have signs, bring them! The times may be different but the message remains the same. Sometimes, signs alone are not enough to effectively convey how much Pluto means to me so I have to get a little more creative, more in-your-face. Do you have a costume that perfectly captures Pluto’s grace and mystery? Wear it! Prizes will be awarded to the best signs and the best costumes.

The march hits the streets at 1pm followed by a rally at Neptune Coffee at 1:15pm. I will not be able to attend as I’m just beyond Saturn on my way to a hot air balloon festival on Jupiter. In my stead, there will be astronomy and Pluto experts at the rally to answer questions and astound you with facts about Pluto and our solar system. Walk, talk, chant, and chortle with us as we declare to the galaxy “Pluto belongs!”

A Captain's Job

One of the most important duties of a captain on an interstellar voyage is keeping track of the time.  Scoff if you think that's funny but with time being relative, it is imperative to be acutely aware of your frame of reference or you'll end up older than your dear aunt Sally and how awkward would that be?  I'll tell you.  Really, really awkward.

Since I miss Earth an awful lot and was born there, I set my clock to Earth-time.  Even though I'm not often home for birthdays and holidays, I still celebrate them with my robot assistant PAL.  He consults our Lunar Calendar and decorates the ship accordingly.  I never plan a party without him.  Did you know that PAL's literally a dancing machine?  His favorite move is the Twist.

The best way to keep all those parties straight is to write it down and not lose that tiny slip of cellulose that I swear was right on the navigation console.   Good thing I don't lose my Space Pens as easily.  No space traveler should ever find themselves without a reliable communication device.  You never know when you'll have to sign autographs for future cosmonauts.

Holidays and parties don't happen everyday, however, because even though PAL is a dancing machine, he's not a party machine.  I'm hoping he gets a party upgrade soon.  Until then, we keep the crew sharp by running exercise drills and employing Mostly Harmless Training Devices.   No one's getting hurt on my watch.

Yessiree.  Lots to do as the captain.  Keeping the time, filling the time, finding the time, and biding my time.  It's a wonder how it all gets done but I have great time doing it.  Phew!  I think it's getting close to my favorite event: nap time... right after we swing by the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. to pick up more party supplies.

Speaking of parties, save the date for the PLUTO DAY march and rally!

• Saturday March 10th at 12pm
• Meet at the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. (8414 Greenwood Ave N)
• We'll make signs, chant for Pluto and the other dwarf planets, and rally at Neptune coffee

More info is coming so stay tuned!  To tide you over, here's a sneak peek at a new Pluto t-shirt design, complete with moons!

Lunar Calendars for 2012!

Hot off the presses!  The new Lunar Calendar for 2012!  What better way to track the passage of time than by the elegant waxing and waning of our own satellite? 

• Follow your favorite phases from crescent to quarter to half!
• Know when you can bathe in the cool reflected light of the full moon!
• Plan on having all manner of uncommon events happen on the blue moon!
• Tired of the old moon?  A new moon's on the way! 

Fly by the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. to pick up your Lunar Calendar before the next solar revolution!

Making Time for Space

Seated comfortably in my quarters, I like to sit back in my overstuffed captain’s chair and give myself a moment to let my mind wander the vastness of the universe.  As you sip your latte and glance around at your fellow humans staring too intensely into brightly lit screens (yes, that's what you look like too), consider your place in the galaxy.  Heavy thoughts, I know, but not so heavy as to affect your gravitational field, so go ahead and ponder.  PAL, my robot assistant chides me for taking overly long breaks from my captain's duties, but, dude, that vastness is pretty darn big.  If I'm going to wrap my mind around the universe, it's going to take some time... lots and lots of time.

Ah, space.  So much to discover and explore!  To the next generation of intersteller travelers, look to the coming year as your time to become an adventurer, a scientist, and a dreamer with thoughts so enormous only an infinite universe can contain it all!

But don't keep it to yourself, soon-to-be-astronaut.  Write it down!  How else would anyone know of your wondrous feats of derring-do?  Just ask PAL.  His exact words to me were, "I don't want to hear it!"  I understood immediately.  Obviously, he thought my tales were too amazing for his audio receptors alone.

As Earth continues along a new revolution, we only need to look to the stars to see that our future is not as far off as we think.  With a well supplied rocket ship equipped with food, water, oxygen, and tons of books and games, I think the adventures are about to begin.  I look forward to it and hope you will join me.  Don't forget to write.

How to avert a holiday crisis

With the holidays imminently close, does your face flush and do your hands get clammy when you have no idea what gift to get for folks on your gift list? Hopefully this only happens in this specific instance, otherwise I suggest seeking medical attention. Allow me to impart to you some highly prized gift suggestions for those “never know what to get them” people on your list.

The Self-Assigned Navigator who never asks directions but never gets lost: Been There, Done That set -- a Map of the Known Universe and a set of Solar System cards to send home with tales of rollicking adventure.

The Closeted Astronaut who has yet to admit that space travel is the most awesomest thing ever: Will I Make a Good Space Traveller? poster -- the answer is, “Of Course”, but it doesn’t hurt to be reassured of how stellar you are.

The Chief Engineer-In-Training who would just as soon build their own holiday gifts: the Little Helper -- because who couldn't use an extra set of alligator clips and a magnifying glass?  Think about it.

The Star of the Show who never gets a break because everyone wants to talk to them: Cherry-Scented Diversion Deployment System -- sometimes a good defense begins with a pleasant smelling distraction.

The Onboard Computer who argues wikipedia is not a primary source: Comparative Measuring Device -- because truth is relative until it isn’t.

The Celestial Dreamer who has tons of great ideas but can never remember them: Metallic Brain Stimulator -- also good for those who have no intention of feeling like they are in over their heads.

The Star Gazer who looks to the skies and sees themselves exploring the far reaches of the galazy: “Sic Itur Ad Astra” t-shirt -- where “Thus, one will go to the stars” is more a life mission than mere words.

Last but not least, the person who has everything: Certainty -- conveniently contained and ready for use should answers be questioned or the future be predicted.

Of course, you are free to decide which gift is right for the crew of your starship and the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. has a great deal more than what I’ve included here. You can also fly by the store and see what you can only obtain once you’re AFK ("away from keyboard", but you already knew that) like terrra forming supplies and games and activities that will help you while away the time in between exploring and discovering. Tell ‘em the captain sent you.

Order Deadlines for Christmas, 2011

We may rely on relativistic-speed rockets and teleporters for interstellar travel, but we rely on the United States Postal Service for delivery of packages. To assure that your space traveling necessities arrive in time for Christmas, please have your orders in by the following dates:

DOMESTIC

• Via Priority Mail – Deadline has passed
• Via Express Mail – Deadline has passed

* As of Sunday, 12/18, The USPS is recommending Express Service for guaranteed Christmas delivery. We believe chances are good that shipping via Priority will still get your order to you in time. 

INTERNATIONAL

• Via Cheapest Mail Service – Deadline has passed
• Via Priority Mail Service – Deadline has passed
• Via Express Mail Service (Central and South America, Africa) – Deadline has passed
• Via Express Mail Service (Europe, Australia, Mexico, Middle East) – Deadline has passed
• Via Express Mail Service (Canada) – Deadline has passed

Thank you all!
- The Captain

New Website in Time for the Holidays!

Captain’s Log: Stardate 12.05.2011

It’s here! So sleek! So modern! So navigable! It could be lovely enough to rival Saturn’s majestic rings or the atmospheric bands on Jupiter! You don’t know? I suppose with the onset of the holiday season anything that isn’t bedecked, bedazzled, or beglittered can be easily missed. Allow me to explode your mind... We are launching a new website for the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co.! Whatever your interstellar travel need and wherever you are on Earth (international shipping available!), we can help you gear up for any and all adventures.

Books to pass the time during long-term space travel!
Stylish t-shirts for the fashion conscious cosmonaut!
A Map of the Known Universe because in space, no one can give you directions!
And more things you don’t even know you need!

Being a seasoned space traveller has taught me a thing or five, the most important of which is, “A lack of preparation is a prescription for mishaps.” I don’t like the taste of medicine and “mishaps” sounds disgusting so I make sure I’m fully stocked in “preparation”. You can never have too much “preparation”, fellow travellers, just like you can never be too careful or never inflate too many gaseous containment units.

Check out our new Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. website and get packing for your next stellar journey!

Shop for a Good Cause Friday, Dec. 9th

Travel Announcement: Stardate 12.01.11 

Join the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. Friday, December 9, between 6pm and 9pm for “Shop for a Good Cause Day.”

With over 400 items to choose from, you will undoubtedly find something for everyone on your list. Maybe a copy of The Stars, A New Way To See Them (the seminal stargazing guide for young astrologers from H.A. Ray, the creator of Curious George) for your nephew? A stylish new tee-shirt for your fashion conscious teen? A Mars globe for your father who has everything?

We’ll have tasty holiday vittles and beverages, hourly specials, give-a-ways, and free gift wrapping by the Youth Advisory Board (gift wrapping by teens is always a gamble, but also part of the fun). After loading up, check out the neighborhood’s  monthly Art Up art walk.

The best part? As always, 100% of the store’s profits benefit 826 Seattle. Spend your holiday money wisely by supporting a local business and a local non-profit. The kids’ll thank you!

Holidays Abound!

Captain’s Log: Stardate 11.24.2011

Spending so much time away from Earth, traveling among the stars, makes terrestrial holidays all that more poignant.  The best part of every holiday season is the time-tested traditions (nog, turkey, family). One of my favorite traditions is skating the rings of Saturn.  Not actual skating (obviously) but a thrilling EVA close to the discs of spinning dust and rocks. My robot assistant, PAL, in his concern for our safety, covers his ocular receptors the closer we get. When those rings are too close to ignore, brilliant and shining, his ocular receptors can’t open wide enough.

Another favorite holiday tradition? Ice fishing on Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons. Earth-bound planetary scientists only just discovered a lake under the ice. I dare say, they only heard about it now? I’ve been visiting that lake for years!  I don’t catch anything worth keeping, but it is a serene place (even when the occasional methane storm threatens to rip the camping pod apart).

Let’s not forget the light show on Venus!  The lightening!  The volcanoes!  If it weren’t for its deadly sulphurous atmosphere and constant volcanic activity, I’d be partying on Venus for every holiday.  Which reminds me...

Since I’ll be next door, dancing to Venus’ volcanic beat, I think I’ll stop by the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. for some supplies as well as tokens of appreciation to give to my intrepid crew.  They work tirelessly to see our safe passage through our interstellar travels.  Well done.  Now let’s grab some grub and enjoy this holiday season!

The stars are blowin' in!

I just got word from a friend who was observing the Pinwheel Galaxy that there was a star that had just gone supernova!  Not just “nova”, mind you.  SUPERNOVA!  Before PAL, my robot assistant, could lecture me on how supernovae are formed, I swiveled the viewing dome to get a look at it myself.

The supernova is called SN 2011fe.  That’s not exactly the kind of name that inspires tales of thrilling adventure.  Perhaps it can be named Zwicky after Fritz Zwicky, the astronomer who gave collapsing stars their super name.  Astronomers have declared this supernova to be the brightest one recorded by terrestrial-bound instrumentation in 20 Earth years.  How quaint.  If only they could take a gander at it from my safe vantage point out near the edge of the Milky Way.  What a brilliant sight indeed!  

Ah, the stars!  I am reminded of a motto that has stayed with me since my cadet days at Interstellar Flight Academy, “Sic itur ad astra” or “Thus one goes to the stars”.  Yes, I knew I was captain material early on and I had the t-shirt to prove it.  Not just any t-shirt, mind you, but one obtained from the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co.  There was no doubt about my destiny.  I mean, seriously, what part of “interstellar space travel” is not awesome? 

We recently received the  very kind note on our electronic mailbox. How could we not share it?

Hello Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co.!

I'm getting in touch with you guys because I think I may have found myself in a business/storefront form today. When I started my undergraduate journey at the University of Florida in the fall of 2005, I initially decided that astronomy was going to be my preferred route and final destination in life. I have a huge love for the great wide unknown. The grandness of it all is so compelling that, in my humble opinion, it's baffling to think anyone wouldn't want to study it's persistent mystery. Eight classes into my future in astronomy, there wasn't a single assignment that I didn't think was the hardest thing I ever had to do. The math was getting way over my head, the concepts were becoming more and more complex, and I eventually decided that my future in astronomy was probably safer in the hands of casual reading, BBC documentaries, and kitschy sci-fi flicks. I then decided to make the obvious transition to becoming a graphic designer instead. I still, however, worked (and work) space themes into my projects/pieces whenever it's possible. I wrote my senior art history research paper on science fiction magazine cover art from the 30s, 40s, and 50s, I made a board game in my junior year (when my classmates and I were all young pup designers) about "making the planets align" in order to conquer the universe... it's on my website to this day. All this being said, you can only imagine the kid-in-a-candy-store reaction I had when I stumbled across Greenwood Space Travel Supply. I was in my room laughing and bouncing up and down at how wonderfully creative, and well designed the items were. I'm now on both email lists, and you can expect to be soon sending an order to me out in Austin, TX. Keep up all the killer work.

Your friend,
Robbie

Terraforming starts at home.

As any well-versed space jockey will tell you: “A lack of preparation is a prescription for mishaps.” This is exactly why it’s important to start planning for the winter holidays in July (or even better, in May). One can never start too soon--particularly when it comes to the most important decoration: the Holiday/Christmas Tree.

Of course I had to pop the top on one of Dr. Darwin’s Breath of Life ® Christmas Tree kits. Everything you need, including sweet sweet Terra Firma, is provided on one compact can. It sure makes hauling seedlings to un-terraformed moons a cinch.

Our little buddies have recently begun to sprout, and I’m excited to watch them grow over the summer and into autumn.

These Norway Spruce are an exciting bunch. They can grow up to three feet in a year,  so--fingers crossed--they will make it through the harsh Greenwood summer and be ready for decorating and present-sheltering come December.

If you’re interested in taking a gander at the little seedlings, they’ll be on display in the Greenwood Space Travel Supply store until they begin to crowd their little home. I’m letting the plantletts take root here Because earth’s gravity is far more hospitable to plants than outer-space. I’ll also be checking in periodically to make sure my assistant isn’t neglecting them, so maybe I’ll get to say, “Hello!” to some of my adoring fans.


Also available, in the same convenient kits: tomatos, pansies, basil, celery and more. 

GSTS takes to the streets!

It may have been a dismal day in Greenwood this past Saturday, but spirits were high when we took to the streets at 2pm. With a loud explosion of cheers, we marched to protest the 2006 IAU decision to redefine “planet”, thus removing Pluto from the planetary pantheon. Over 30 protesters participated, chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, the IAU has got to go” and “Damn it, Janet – Pluto is a planet.”

At 2:15, we invaded the aptly named Neptune Coffee for our rally. We celebrated our littlest celestial neighbor with the help of special guests Alan Boyle (msnbc.com science editor) and Jackie Giuliano (president of Seattle’s Center for Lifelong Learning and former Educational Outreach Manager for NASA's Pluto Express project). Passions ran high. 

We even had a counter-protester.  His protestations were no match for our cheers of triumph!

For a full recap of the day's events, take a gander at the Seattle PI's Big Blog report.

See you next year!