The PoSSUM Strikes Back – Day 2

I am having so much fun! I wish I could yell it from the roof tops! This is everything I could have dreamed of and more! What a shift from what I was saying just a few days ago, huh?

It is kind of funny… I have been dubbed “the loud one” in the group. I guess I am not surprised but because I know me so well, I am a little surprised. I hope none of my PoSSUM friends are annoyed with me being loud… I pretend like it is cool with me and a funny joke, but I am so worried about being liked still. As long as they are doing it out of love, I am fine with it!

I can’t believe how close we have gotten in one day. So some people I want to highlight today… Nadia is this amazing biological doctor type, Eric is a very nice and smart physicist turn finance guy, and Catherine is a badass woman who has her eye on women in STEM advocation. So naturally I got along with all three. The weird thing is the are all from Canada. And I didn’t realize that until after I decided to talk about how amazing they are. But you know those Canadians, eh?

Okay quick overview of today. I am so tired so it is going to be fast. It was mostly classroom work and review of our online training. I feel like I am starting to get the hang of it and getting less worried for the test. Still worried… but slightly less worried. I definitely can explain what this whole effort is to a stranger and get really excited about it. And that is truly what I was looking for. And it bodes well because I have like four talks scheduled in October and I think I need to talk about this in some form at all of them.

We also had simulations today. We had one pilot and one scientist where the pilot “flew” a Virgin Galactic Space Ship 2 through noctilucent clouds and the scientist flipped all the switches and operated the PoSSUMCam. My partner (Robert… you remember Robert… great guy) wanted to do the scientist role so I was about to pilot. That terrified me because on EVERY simulation I had ever done I always crash. And experienced pilots in the class were spinning out of control. We were running out of time, so I gave my pilot position to an actual pilot, Anthony. I wish we had more time so I could have tried it. I am going to stop being afraid of looking like an idiot. I mean these people already think I am loud, might as well add idiot to the list! But a bold idiot. Because I got this.

Lastly, a lot of us went to see Ad Astra tonight! Quick movie review: great idea, amazing space, not the best movie. It was a lot of Brad Pitt’s face… which as great as that is… doesn’t really scratch the science itch. I think there were AMAZING space infrastructure concepts (i.e. government in space, space criminals/pirates, isolation in space) but as a movie… kind of lacking a bit. Still a wonderful addition to anyone’s space collection. But it was a little more Gravity and a little less Interstellar.

Okay guys. I really wish I could talk more about everything I am feeling. But I am mostly feeling tired. I also am trying to do a group project for my master’s right now and between all this juggling I am just worn down. And I need to bring my A game tomorrow. We are doing hypoxia training. I have a feeling my fellow PoSSUMnauts are going to realize they ain’t seen nothin’ yet when it comes to loud Bailey!

Good night my lovely space nerds!