Humans on Mars

Back in 2000 or 2001, I became involved with the Mars Society. It promotes Human Exploration and Settlement of the Planet Mars. It also is actively involved in a lot of research for going to Mars and creating sustainable habitats for living there.
When people would hear me talking about Mars and the settlement thereof, they would respond with questions about why we would even think about going to Mars--what with all of the problems in the World. Wouldn't our money be better spent elsewhere? Well, in just a couple of years no one was asking that question anymore. As the U.S. govt began to turn its back on Space Exploration (especially Human Exploration), people began to ask me if I thought it would happen and when !

(The Mars Society logo)

I remember in 1969 (yes, I remember the 60's) that I was interested in Woodstock, but not too much. I was still ecstatic over the Moon Landing the month before ! The Apollo program sent many astronauts to the Moon and it looked like we were going to begin exploring and settling the Solar System ! Of course, with NASA holding all of the cards it was hard to imagine an average citizen being able to get involved with the Space program. But the dream of humans going into Space was exciting. Star Trek fueled that dream, as well as Star Wars and many other TV series and movies.
Yet, something happened. Who knows what? Our govt decided to head in many different directions other than human exploration. I guess the tragedies of the shuttle mishaps influenced that decision. The Space Program had grown so fast and gotten so big that corners were being cut and the necessary precautions for the safety of the crews were not being met. And, the military decided that the high ground of Space should belong to them, I guess.
The Mars Society had a contest one year. It was to write a short story that addressed the question, Why Should We Go to Mars? I entered a micro story. I felt that a short story should be just that. I think it was only 3/4 of a page in length! Dr. Zubrin, one of the founders of the Mars Society and the current Fearless Leader, always talks about how NASA and the government are selling rope--not missions. He always stressed that a mission to Mars could be done a lot cheaper than what government estimates were. In other words, if NASA said a mission to Mars would be 800 billion dollars, Zubrin felt that it could be done for 70 billion. I agree. So, with that in mind, I wrote a "micro" short story.
It was about a father and his daughter that were walking on the top of Olympus Mons (on Mars) and the daughter asks him the question, "Daddy, why is the sky Orange?" And, the man thinks to himself, as he looks at the sky, "I bet there is a father on Earth that is getting this same question..."
I watched the launch of the Falcon 9 Tuesday night. Elon Musk started the company SpaceX that built and launched the Falcon9 with 100 million of his own money. His stated purpose in starting his own rocket company is to send humans to Mars. I have seen him at the Mars Society Conventions and it is always exciting to see someone with that strength of conviction and zest for exploration.

(This is a screenshot of the Live stream of the Falcon9 launch.)

I have been telling people for the last 3 or 4 years that the first humans will get to Mars because of private enterprise. And, that looks to be the case. I also feel that when the first human sets foot on Mars, that every member of the Mars Society can feel proud that they carried the torch to help make this happen. When I go to their conventions I am always amazed to see the progress being made to get humans to Mars and beyond! There are people from all walks of life. People all working to realize the dream of settling another Planet.

I started this blog to talk about my interest in Mars and to report on people and events that are going on around the world to settle new civilizations(Out There!). And, then I was informed that I had Stage IV cancer and I changed the blog to let people know what a person goes through when they have to endure the roller-coaster experience of Chemo-therapy.

I thought, at first, that my life might be considerably shorter than I had thought it would be. I had to put my Clowning and Mars activities on hold. I used to joke that I always wanted to be the Clown spokesperson for NASA. I even have an autographed picture from an astrounaut that I met (to Careful the Clown) and when I told her of my desire to be the spokesClown, I don't think she thought I was serious !

But, when I am engaged in The Mars Society activities, I twist Alien balloons and try to educate people about Mars while I am clowning around! So, I am fulfilling a part of that dream!

And, I am fighting this booger of a cancer because I really want to be wearing my Red Nose when I step out onto the surface of the Planet Mars !!!

Life is Good...Life is an Adventure !

Alien Thoughts

Most every night I go outside and look at the sky. Although we are away from most light pollution, we still have some and I can only see the major stars, planets and constellations...not the vast sea of stars that one might see in the Rockies of Colorado, say. I can see Mars, Orion, Gemini, Jupiter, Mercury, etc. 

Tonight, as I stepped outside, I startled a rabbit. She scurried across the back yard, under the fence and into the neighbor's back yard. She is out there most nights. I remember when our dog, Matty was still alive, she would play with the rabbits, squirrels and birds. They coexisted.

That led me to think about Aliens in Outer Space (yes, I think of such things) and how we try to portray them as exotic creatures. Some friendly and spiritual and some that are maniacal and threatening. 

After we sent our first probes to Mars and failed to find the little green Martians, we have begun to look for microbes or water or exotic microorganisms. So, it is either Alien human-like beings or Alien amoebas, rotifers or parameciums.

We rarely take into consideration the fact that another planet might have intelligent beings with pets and flowers and wild animals...the total diversity of life that we harbor here on Earth. Will a being on another planet keep animals for eating? Will he keep some as pets? Will they have zoos?

I pondered that briefly as I watched the rabbit steal back into the yard and I thought of Matty. I thought about when the first humans arrive on Mars. I can imagine a Martian explorer stepping out of his habitat after a night on Mars, looking up at the sky and muttering to himself, "I wish my dog was here..."

Side Mission

I will continue to explore Mars, but will be also narrating a side mission. Back in November of 2011 I experienced a head cold which quickly moved into my lungs and stayed for about 2 weeks before I visited a doctor at a local clinic. They prescribed antibiotics and I recovered well. However, when I went to a follow-up one week later, I mentioned that a lymph node on my neck, near my collar bone, seemed to be swollen and growing and I was feeling some mild pain along my collar bone. They sent me for an ultra-sound and then a CAT scan.
On the 12th of December, I and some other clowns entertained at a luncheon banquet for kids with special needs and then I came home. Later in the afternoon the clinic called to say that the CAT scan showed a neck mass that was compressed on the jugular vein and I should go to a hospital right away. I asked if I could wait til the next day. They said no and to go right away--which I did. I was admitted. It was a Monday. During the week that I was in the hospital, I had another ultra-sound and CAT scan and a biopsy. Several doctors came by to examine me and all of them suspected a malignancy. I argued that I didn't have any other symptoms and that my blood work and everything showed no abnormalities. Although they thought that this was a good sign, they still suspected cancer.
Finally, on Thursday, a doctor came in and sat with me for half an hour and explained that I had advanced cancer and that it was most likely emanating from the lungs. I immediately began lobbying for release because they wanted to do a PET scan and an inscision and that would not take place til the first of the next week. I didn't want to lie in bed all weekend with nothing to do but worry.
I had been visited by 6 1/2 clowns ! Calls from my brother and son. Visits from my in-laws. Visits from my wife. Visits from friends. But, I wanted to go home and be somewhere familiar so that I could resume my usual activities and avoid too much dreadful thinking.
My pastor had called and visited me frequently. I was released Friday evening and went to church on Saturday evening. It is Christmas time and I am trying to experience the joys of the season.
Since the biopsy, I have had a lot more marked pain in my shoulder and left arm. I don't have trouble eating or swallowing or breathing.
Next week I have an appt with an oncologist who will interpret the PET scan that I had this past Monday and attempt to determine what stage the cancer is and where all it is located. Then, the first week in January I will have a Neck surgeon remove some of the neck mass to further study the type of cancer involved. Treatments should begin shortly thereafter.
By keeping this blog up-to-date, it is hoped that other people going through cancer diagnosis and treatment can compare notes and find some support and share information.
At the present I don't have any deep thoughts about this dilemma. As a clown, I know that laughter has healing properties. As a clown, I know that performing for others and sharing smiles enhances one's soul and affects one health.
As a Christian, I know that prayer is a power. I trust in the Lord and know that he will lead me through the outcome.
I had a really enjoyable 2011 with a lot of parades and clowning. 2012 should prove to be a challenge for my clowning if my treatments take a lot of time and energy. I will persevere and clown every chance I get ! And, I will continue to follow the news about Mars and the Science Laboratory and the Mars Society and Space tourism and Exploration. The coming year will be full of excitement and mystery.

UC TV Science Programs

The University of California has a great line-up of Science programs and lectures to view online. There are many about Aerospace and Astronomy. In an episode from July 2011 Steve Squyres, Martian Rover lead scientist, talked about the future of Planetary Exploration. You can view the hour-long lecture here:
http://www.uctv.tv/search-details.aspx?showID=21041

And so, it begins...