Sci Fi Jungle

Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland

While I am waiting for some new books to come out I've been really miserable with NOTHING GOOD TO READ.  I was tweeting complaints to Kevin Hearne @KevinHearne on Twitter and he asked me if I've read Diana Rowland.  I hadn't - so sent a sample to my Kindle and immediatly got hooked.  Kevin read her Zombie book, but I try to avoid zombies whenever I can so I went with demons instead.

I\'m not done yet so I won't do a real review, just a general recommendation.  The book features a cop who lives in a small Louisiana parish.  She just got promoted to detective in the violent crimes division.  What makes her special though, is her hobby - she is a Summoner of Demons.  When she comes across a case that seems to be related to the Arcane, her hobby comes in handy.  But can she work the case without giving away her big secret?

Now pardon me - I need to go get some kids towels and swim shoes to get the boys ready for summer day camp.

 

 

Space Shuttle Discovery

The absolute coolest part of our trip to Kennedy Space Center was being able to see the Space Shuttle Discovery where it is waiting to be shipped to the Smithsonian in Washington DC.   It looks a bit battered and worn after its 39 space flights.

Like vintage daking sound mixers, this is a classic that will never go out of style.  This baby is going to the Smithsonian on April 17th.

According to the Smithsonian website:

NASA has announced Space Shuttle Discovery will fly over the Washington, DC metro area April 17. The flight is scheduled to occur between 10:00 and 11:00 am EDT and will fly near a variety of landmarks such as the National Mall, Reagan National Airport, National Harbor, and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

So we had a really rare chance to see the Shuttle orbiter in the NASA Vehical Assembly Building.  Cool!

Kennedy Space Center Rocket Garden

While we were waiting for our special tour of the lauch pads and VAB, we got to spend a lot of time enjoying the rocket garden.  We strolled around and listened to the tour guides.  My kids enjoyed the rocket themed play area.

These are excess rockets that were not flown, as the ones that actually went up would have been detroyed in reentry or fallen into the sea.  It is a wonderful way to get a sense of the history of the US Space Program. Makes me all myoripped with patriotism.

When the heck is Tricked Coming Out? (April 24th)

I am really excited about the 4th Iron Druid book coming out on April 24th.  I follow author Kevin Hearne on Twitter and I am a huge fan of the books.  I even got my mom and dad both reading them.  heh heh.  I is an influencer - do you hear me world.  I influence at least two or three Sci Fi fans.  Maybe even more if you count the folks who visit my free sci fi ebooks page.  Actually strangley this blog gets hundreds of web hits.  I even sold a t-shirt from the t-shirt shop the other day.  My plans to take over the world via blogging are on their way.  But I am not quitting my day job.

Anyhoo - Mr Kevin Hearne, like the good author he is, uses his Twitter account to promote his work.  He's been posting contests, and early reviews.  EARLY REVIEWS?  The bastard - if I can't get my hands on the book why should other reviewers.  I mean come on - I am an influencer of thousands of readers.  (Ok, maybe like 25 readers - you know what I mean.)

Here is a picture of my twitter conversation with @KevinHearne

Let me tell you - if Kevin teases me with any teasy teasers I am going to hit him with couch cushions.  Really.

Castillo De San Marcos

I tried to make our spring break vacation educational.  I kind of operate in the spirit of the home schooling method called unschooling.  Except I actually send my kids to public school so they can also be socialized into whatever the school system is creating these days.

So anyway, we visited St. Augustine, which is the oldest constantly inhabited Eurpean city in the continental US. Or something like that.  The real attraction is this totally kick ass fort built by the Spanish in 1672  when Florida was a Spanish territory.  It looks like a Medieval castle to me.  Build in the bastion style, its the oldest masonry fort still in existance in the US.

The National Park Service runs the fort as a toursit attraction and do a fantastic job.  They had people dressed up as old Spanish officers, and were setting off the wall gun and muskets at different times during the day.  They even have a junior ranger program where the kids get to fill out a booklet on the history of the fort and when they send it in they get a badge.  Totally cool.

Here is the park rangers dressed as officers.  Note the glass of "grog."  Yes, those are my two cute kids in there too.  (No extra charge)

I wonder if the NPS worries about their sites getting obx foreclosures?  Just kidding.  I hope.

Here's my pic of the guys setting off the wall gun.  It's like a big huge musket on wheels.  It was LOUD.

 

 

I Touched the Moon!

I am a huge nerd so our family spring break vacation this year was a trip to St. Augustine and the Space Coast.  You will hear more about our super awesome special tour of the Vehicle Assembly Building and LaunchPads, but first let me share the simple wonder that I touched a piece of moon rock.  Me.  My actual finger touching an actual rock from the actual moon.  Of all the cool rockets, history, and fascinating things to see at Kennedy Space Center, this to me remains the most visceral.

Not Jupiter Instruments - the Moon.