The Aha Moment...

Last year I told you of my "Aha Moment" I recorded in the mobile studio that came through Tulsa. I would think that by now you have seen the advertising of the"Aha Moments" on the tube for Mutual of Omaha. All kinds of stories are given by people for 28 seconds concerning an "Aha" moment in their life. I just received my edited version from the Production company in California and thought I'd share it with you.Copy the following link and paste it in the address line and it ought to get you there.Enjoy.. http://ahamoment.com/moments/137

It was a good time.

Web site done........

Just finished tweeking the web site ...check it out at morganstudiointulsaoklahoma.com and let me know what you think..

Thanks,

MM

Been gone ...........

Okay...pardon the lapse in communication but for the last week I've been designing my long awaited update on my website. It's really been like pulling teeth because there was so much to learn and I'm pretty picky-I knew the "look" I wanted. I'm pretty much there but I have are changes I need to make in several of the screens, primarily in additional images I wish to show. It seemed like every time I turned around there was something to tweek........then I had to find out how to do it. It was fun but a very steep learning curve. It will take 48 hours for it to get posted AROUND THE WORLD......who'd a thunk.....but when it's up I'll send out a blanket note.

Never say never continued..........

We partied on the L1011 all the way back to K.C. and it was a ball. Although we didn't see the launch, we had been there and that is something I'll always remember. A year or two later I was asked to be part of a three person Show to generate funds for the Methodist Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida and I jumped at the chance. The show was to be up for a week with a black tie opening on the first night. It was held on the top floor of the Hospital that was totally glass walled. Pretty snazzy......

I drove down in my restored 1951 Chevy Panel truck....the Video Van...it had a lot of room. I spent my first day in Jacksonville setting up the show and pricing all of the work. I had large prints, small prints, color and black and white. It was a pretty good representation of what my "personal" work was all about. What was really surprising is that I sold out ! I would have NEVER thought that would happen. On the second or third day I had read in the paper that there was to be a Shuttle launch that day. Only because the sun comes up in the East did I realize the direction to look. I was on the top floor of the hospital in the gallery looking toward Cape Canaveral when a rocket seemed to jump above the trees in the distance and streak toward the sky. This machine didn't rise as I had ever seen one rise on television. Because the cameras would focus on the rocket almost exclusively the viewer is robbed of the actual speed of the climb. That rocket was makin' hay. I have never seen anything move so fast. My vantage point on the top floor, gave me a crystal clear view of the rocket until it disappeared into space.

There are images I'll never forget, some of people, places, and events dear to my heart. I don't think I'll ever forget that mental picture of a leap into Space......as we said in the 60's,
"Farm Trout".

We have a problem..........

"We have a problem" came firmly from the speakers set throughout the area. Other than the screeching of the gulls that were flying around, you could hear a pin drop. I really don't remember what the problem was but I do remember my mind racing options of staying overnight again, hiding in the bushes till morning, ( I think that could have had Federal Implications ) or waiting to see what the final deal was. The mission was to be "scrubbed", put off a day or two to fix what ever was not right. We gathered as a group and were boarded onto buses and taken to the airport.
Once we got on the Plane and in the air the pilot announced that although we didn't see the launch in person, we were going to party ! The stewardesses paraded down the isle in t-shirts proclaiming that "I saw the launch of Americas First Space Shuttle" accompanied with full trays of drinks. LET'S PARTY !!! was the given command, and we did. It was a fun but disappointing flight back to K.C. We didn't see it blast off......I knew I'd never have that chance again. I've heard that you should never say never........( to be continued )

The Launch.....

Looking back, it was such an unbelievable time. Half a mile away was Americas crown jewel of our space program poised for launch. The sun had come up and birds were flying through an unmolested sky, no clue that they had the front row seat to history just like the rest of us. It was kind of like waiting for your magic decoder ring that was to come in the mail. I really wanted to see a rocket BLAST OFF !! There was a huge digital readout of the countdown flashing in the viewing area and we could hear the conversation between the Astronauts and Mission Control as they went through the pre-launch check out. Key system 7 ....Check...etc. I felt the buzz of the moment and I can remember thinking how unbelievable it was that I was there, how could I have been so lucky, and never would I have ever assumed that being that close was even possible. We were all such optimists. If the rocket had blown on the pad I really feel as though it would have not been pleasant for any of us. Until you see it in "real life" you have no concept of the size. It was just an amazing marvel of construction and ingenuity.

As the morning progressed there were a couple of delays with a switch or relay acting up and the digital clock would pause until the repair or glitch was repaired. Then the numbers would start moving. The crowd was really like a bunch of people relaxing at a picnic. Some in shorts, some in long pants, and it seemed everyone had a black NASA ball cap. I guess that made us "official". The countdown proceeded and it seemed that more glitches started appearing. NASA can fix them.....they can do anything. The launch vehicle was being fueled and the vapors bleeding off sending a white cloud from the hoses. Excitement was building. Of course we had no idea how long it took to get everything ready......the schedule seemed to be progressing. Conversations between Mission control and the Shuttle were continuing....then a longer than normal silence. It was starting to get hot and clouds were coming in. It was quiet. The clock was stopped, we were standing around, grouped in clusters talking, or laying on the ground. The speaker cracked with the voice on Mission Control....... ( To be continued.)