NASA and ESA Partnership

In times of political turmoil and economic uncertainty, it's nice to see that there are still segments of the population dedicated to exploration.  Especially, when it's a partnership between nations.

The gutting of NASA has been a sad event for many space enthusiasts here in the United States.  While we're being promised that private enterprise will fill the gaps left by our government agency, it's obvious that the hunger our officials once had for extra-planetary exploration is long gone.

I realize that the original goal of NASA had less to do with space exploration and more to do with missile technology.  I get that.  But, for the scientists and engineers, and for many of the people, NASA was about something far more noble.

There will always be critics of government funded space exploration.  It's ironic that as they use technologies born from NASA projects that these folks will call into question "the point" of the program.

Point is, I'm always happy to see something new and exciting happening there.  Especially when that project encourages cooperation between nations.  Even if it is in just a small way.

New Year Update

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not much of a blogger.  Look, with thousands of blogs out there, what I post is mostly white noise.  According to Writer's Digest and everyone who has recently discovered teh interwebz, I'm supposed to be harnessing the immense power of Facebook and "The Twitter" to inform people of just how witty and personable I am.  This being a ploy to build my platform.

My issue is that if feels disingenuous.  I don't feel that composing tweets instead of writing manuscript pages is an effective use of my time.  It's slimy, in a way.  Like some gum-smacking salesman with slicked back hair, trying to find any common ground with potential customers.  Don't get me wrong, I want to communicate with people, especially other readers and writers, but I want to do it in a genuine way.  Spending three hours a day retweeting Ricky Gervais isn't going to accomplish that.  Although, he does have some hilarious tweets.

Back to the land of writing.  Counting Crimes -- the manuscript formerly known as "Valley of the Spun" -- is under evaluation by some of the publishing powers that be.  I can only hope that further news is positive.  At this stage of the project's life cycle (that I like to call "Rejection and Tears") there isn't going to be much actual writing.  That means that I'll be kicking off a new project very soon.  Like, today.  Or something.

Which leads to the question of what to write.  My issue isn't that I don't have any good story ideas saved up, it's quite the opposite.  I've got loads, man.  It becomes a decision of what do I think will make the best novel, and it's a fun choice to make.  For me, this part of the writing process is one of the most exciting. 

I also have a few shorts making the rounds which I've neglected lately.  With any luck from your favorite deity, I'll have some good news regarding some of these stories.  Until then, it's back to the pages I go.