Tag Archives: Living History

True American Hero: Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong circa 1969

Neil Armstrong, a great American hero, passed away today at the age of 82.

I’m not old enough to have been around when Mr. Armstrong first set foot on the moon, but he still managed to capture my imagination and admiration. When we look back at what he accomplished, that he left the planet and actually stepped foot on something other than planet Earth, we can only hold the man in high esteem knowing that he did so with a computer with less power than any of the SmartPhones on the market today.

As a child growing up, outer space captured my imagination. Mr. Armstrong was a hero to many like me, people who will never have the chance to do what he did. He should be applauded for a life spent pursuing a dream that so many of us have.

Wil Wheaton said,

“I met Neil Armstrong once, at a dinner to honor Jimmy Doohan in the early 2000s.

He was not much taller than me, but he was a giant of a man.

I don’t remember what I said to him, or what he said to me, because all I could think the entire time was “This man has walked on the fucking moon.”

Rest in peace, Neil. Because of your bravery and your courage, an entire species will forever look into the night sky and see not a mystery, but a destination.”

Mr. Armstrong, you will be missed.

One of Love, One of Exhaustion

Candid shots are sometimes the best shots. Today’s pictures come from a visit to the Texas Renaissance Festival in 2010. I’ve found two selections that I particularly enjoy. The first, somehow ironic in my eyes, is of this poor soul who was just really sleepy and tired after a day of walking. Sadly, his choice of roman Toga that day for his garb makes one imagine he passed out from the excitement of the party:

Tuckered Out

From a distance, I also spied a loving couple engaged in some sordid story – or perhaps just recounting their adventures that day. A private moment between two lovers, this shot melts my cold heart when I look at it:

The Lovers

Well that’s all for now. I apologize for the brevity of this post – there is a lot I could say about both of these shots, but the time is 6:30 in the morning and I am not yet awake, I fear.

I do have a homework assignment for you (purely extra credit, of course) – what stories do these pictures tell you?