Zzzzzzzzzz

I need a long nap.

Ain't gonna happen any time soon. Maybe Friday.

I have been working extra-long hours, with lots of stress. We have a huge amount of work to get done before next Tuesday, and the holiday doesn't help our schedule any.

I had to talk an employee off the ledge (figuratively, fortunately). The stress can really get to you, if you care about your work.

And we have one of the best jobs in the world. I think most people would like to feel like they have made a contribution to something worthwhile, however small that contribution may be.

A co-worker shared a story with me today. A old friend told Mike, "You know, I might make a lot more money than you. But at the end of my career, I can say I made several billion cans over the years. You can say you helped put people into space."

As stressful as it can get sometimes, I try to remember that wonder at what we, collectively, do.

It's pretty damn cool.

The next Shuttle launch is set for 12/7. It will be a night launch and should be spectacular. It is a major key to getting the International Space Station completed. Brave people are living and working there every day, and another crew will be bringing them supplies, experiments, and needed hardware. They will be spacewalking to hook up the next big piece of the Space Station structure.

After 20 years in the business, I am still awed at how all these millions of pieces of hardware all come together and work to support human life and take us where we want to go.

I am thankful to have a very small part in this remarkable endeavor.