I got the coolest email this morning

  • August 22, 2010

Hello  You are following me.  I am confused. Are you a scientist?  Are you interested
in space exploration? I am very rare woman aerospace engineer on the Saturn V
during Apollo. 

Here is my book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609110633/ref=cm_cd_asin_lnk

Thanks,
Sara Howard

Well, colour me amazed.

I’m a 42 year old renaissance man (or as much as I can manage to be) very keenly interested in space and science.  The Apollo era happened just outside my memory, but from it stemmed my love of all things science.  Professionally I trained as a botanist and merged it with my interest in computers and data collection and returned to school to become a database administrator.

My children asked me to take them star gazing a few years back, so I took them out much like my father took me out 30 years earlier.  That trip rekindled my love of space.  I joined twitter about 18 months with few expectations and have found a society of “Space Tweeps” that are remarkable, intelligent and have welcomed me home to my interest.  That little purple bird on my shoulder is the Space Tweep Society mascot and I wear it proudly to show support and appreciation of the society.

Last night I listened to another episode of Talking Space by fellow Space Tweeps: Mark Ratterman, Gina Herlihy, Gene Mikulka, and Sawyer Rosenstein.  It was your interview, aired a few weeks back, and I enjoyed it very much.  I followed you after getting your twitter name from the podcast.  No need to follow back, I’m not for everyone.  I mostly joke around and re-post pictures or articles that catch my interest.

I am very impressed that you followed the link on my twitter page, figured out how to email me via my blog (I certainly have not tried to make that easier) and sent me an email.  That’s never happened before, and I am surprised and delighted.

All of which makes you a very remarkable person in my eyes.

Sincere thanks for writing me.  “Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Moon” is on my Christmas list and I’m certain it will be enjoyed by both me and my kids.

  - Mark