Season 147

Happy Holidays! Nov 25th, 2021 by gare What a beautiful place to hit pause eh? Please join me for the time being over at https://homeplanetariums.buzzsprout.com/ as we take a somewhat zany (who me) look at those stars and culture. Thank you! Narrator Gare Melpomene Has a Go Nov 23rd, 2021 by gare (147-15) - and like everybody else, plays what SHE wants! (with a little help from Ada Jones & Billy Murray, 1911) And so it goes here at the Overlooked Hobby Hotel, a metaphor for Home Planetariums. Everybody plays what THEY want to play, and everybody's their own boss. Radio W O B Y stands for 'What's in your Own Back Yard!?' Hopefully you'll find happiness in whatever YOU decide to build out there. After all, the stars are always shining. Maybe if we ask nicely enough, they will show us all the way. Sky Rag - RMS Majestic of the White Star Line Nov 23rd, 2021 by gare (147-14) - Ragtime from the 1914 largest liner in the world! Chaos Descends Nov 22nd, 2021 by gare (147-13) - Jake (alas, Zeus-less, rhymes with useless) tries to step in between William and Liam, only to find he failed to show on Sunday, which he blames on Urania. Leaderless, the station drifts - rhymes with rifts ... A Spat Breaks Out Nov 22nd, 2021 by gare (147-12) - William gets wind of Liam's plan to play disco before Wednesday - and reaffirms his ownership of the 70's, resorting to harsh language (briefly) Liam Reports Late Nov 22nd, 2021 by gare (147-11) - But what's that old saying? No seriously, what is it?? Helloo-oh? Muses Skip Town for Jackson Hole! Nov 21st, 2021 by gare (147-10) - Shakeup at the podcast station as new call letters W O B Y (Whatup in yo Own Back Yard) debut, that's 4:30 AM (time of Gare's show) on your radio dial! But there's more - the Muses all headed west! Update from Urania! Nov 21st, 2021 by gare (147-09) - but it isn't good. only 1 cryptic voicemail received so far from that state way out there. you know the one. Specialty Projector! Nov 21st, 2021 by gare (147-08) - You can purpose-build a special effects home planetarium projector, OR you can select a given piece of junk, and see what becomes of it! Its All Make Believe, Isn‘t It Nov 21st, 2021 by gare (147-06, 07) - Narrator drops by with new sign, new brand, new overlooking .... view? Narrator Drop By - Eclipse Leaves Him Speechless? Nov 20th, 2021 by gare (147-05) - on the contrary, he can't seem to stop talking, day by day Haunted Planetaria! - The Knocking Nov 19th, 2021 by gare (147-04) - Can long gone doors still be knocked on? Narrator Returns to His Old School! Nov 19th, 2021 by gare (147-03) - nevermind he doesn't know the words anymore lol Meanwhile, on Urania‘s Iphone Nov 17th, 2021 by gare (147-02) - Nobody misses the narrator since William's 'Whacked Out Wednesday' disco show (known as WOW) has dominated the station today. But then came the voicemail attempts Much Too Late (for Goodbyes)! Nov 17th, 2021 by gare (147-01) - Is a holiday break in the offing? Nobody seems to know....

The Man in the Window

The sky there's a man in the window. Amy eight years old said this over dinner with her parents. I thought I heard you talking in the spare bedroom this morning said her mother. Her father, one of the world's leading solar astronomers smiled. Who are you talking to? Amy he wanted to know the man in the window. He's not so bright early in the morning said Amen. He said we'd better start getting ready. concerned that her fantasy friend might be getting out of hand Mother said Now Amy, you know this is make believe right? Getting ready for what anyway? He sang some songs to me about life and light and stuff. Then he said that tell dad. Your father perked up but this. This was on the verge of getting totally out of hand but he couldn't resist asking. Tell dad what. And then he was astounded when the young girl began spouting off numbers. Hold on, he grabbed the pen and tried to follow what she was viewing. And he continued for a little while reciting number she somewhat and probably had remembered as her dad furiously scribbled her mother looked aghast at her. Amy finally finished her surprise recitation and looked in passively at her father inexplicably intoned frequencies you'll see. Amy's dad looked down at what he had scribbled and was astounded, discover they did look like frequencies. Totally caught up. Now in her spell. He leaned forward. The man that you really get these numbers aiming? Did you find them somewhere? How can you remember them? The man in the window said I would. He said only kids could hear him. Adults know too much. What else her father couldn't stop at this point. Something about six months to go. The big lizards couldn't understand the last time but we could if I told you staring at the paper her father finally said I look into this. What big lizards? Amy finished. It was time for cake anyway. He said a flare up a flare will kill everything or something like that. You have to warn people and build shelters or something. Can I have cake now please? Did he say what his name was? said that. Amy looked at him as she began her chocolate cake. Something about Apollo. He's that bright man in the sky. I can see through the window in the morning. He said he had to warn us. He said that we were his greatest children. And we'd understand thanks for listening

The Ghost of Warwick Castle

Halley's Comet first appeared in 240 bc I was not there personally. That next appeared in 163 BC. People ran to tell their friends and neighbors. It appeared a broom star hanging in the sky. Ominously. It scared the hell out of people frankly. Comets were Harbinger's of Doom. This is why I'm playing doom music. You can see comet here in our sky. Above the castle. We're in the 1301 Warwick Castle. Oddly enough, the castle is located in Warwick England, which was visited by Halley's comet. ETC The castle itself was built by William the Conqueror, Bill to his friends, but he didn't have many, because he conquered everyone. There is a ghost in Warwick Castle, just as a commt as a ghost of the sky coming back every 76 years in the case of Halley Speaking of Harbingers of Doom. Sir Fulke Greville died in this castle in 1601, killed by his man servants who was a servant who just happened to be a man. It is said that the ghost of Sir gray Ville can be seen late at night and sometimes earlier standing in the battlements of the tower as ghosts often do. Halley's comet was last seen around these parts in 1986 and we'll be back when all of us are dead. And we will be the ghosts. Here is a picture of the actual ghost of Warwick Castle Do you think I make these things up? I do not. So what is a comet? A ghostly visitor, a broom star such as the one I have here constructed for you. This concludes our lesson on Sir gray Ville Warwick Castle and the ghost of the skies called comets. One more thing. Some superstitious folk believed that comets were actually Dragons come to consume us, but I don't believe in dragons. Do you?

Not the Nazgul Rap

bury you across the water from Ballard is the captain of smell dot speak and it is right for you et Cie CQ there uncouth land called China and they allow our mind to have a stone that burns is the last half of the world but we now take it home and at Northeastern took in blasphemy in writing maker from cursive and it was this he and those who have the houses have in this lab invitation on their their shingle mind showed right in the crowd a little wait those who would seek to sell nothing. This now finds you is a service that he does not see and barely all those walk but these are the sons shall in the end, the last in the fall before him in law or the rise and the rappel of the West shell utterly failed and is raised

Flatland

hello, i am a square in flatland ... youve heard of flatland havent you? ours is a 2 dimensional world, you who live in 3 dimensions, in space, i think dont appreciate our limitations. since the description of our 2 dimensional world written over 100 years ago by Edwin Abbott Abbott (Abbott squared, get it?), we got quite a bit of publicity for awhile, but thats died down now.. we famousy got visited by a sphere from space, your 3 dimensional world, but all we could see were circles growing larger and smaller here in flatland. most people think our 2 dimensional world was just a satire on hiearchical life in Victorian times, but no, we have other business too. since this is a planetarium podcast, you might be interested in how we build planetariums here in two dimensions we spent many years trying to depict stars ourselves, but since we all look like lines in 2 dimensional space, all we could do to make stars is arrange volunteers into constellatons viewed almost on end. this didnt work too well though, because we only looked close to stars from just off center in the audience - the further you got from the center line of sight, the more our 'stars' looked like short lines. that just ruined it for most here in flatland. also, since here in flatland it rains from the north (thats one of our laws of nature, like our gravity, which pulls us south), rain tended to wash away our stars. we couldnt have a roof over their heads much less a dome - nobody could see short lines in front of a larger ilne in back if you see what i mean. so we lived for the longest time with very limited planetarium capacity until FINALLY we came up with a solution. our scientifsts were able to punch a hole into a one dimensional universe called pointland. the inhabitants THERE were lustrous ponts, and they made great stars! now our planetariums are something to see! until it rains....

They Could Be Monsters

They could be monsters a short story. It's late I thought Jason, too late, but too late to worry about that now do the adda do himself ironically. Nonetheless, it was time he was getting home. The 16 year old had been courting Jessica Howard for weeks. Her parents being out of town it had been a particularly good study session with Jessie this evening. His early attempts at dating had been rather unsuccessful, and he was sensitive about it. But being a practical boy, he was making adjustments. And now he was sure that Jessica was close to asking him to the Sadie Hawkins dance. But that was next week for now he was late. If I cut through the woods, I'll save 10 minutes thought Jason suddenly envisioning his mother's frowning face. It was already 10pm And our past his curfew, a shortcut was definitely in order. Without hesitation he plunged into the mile wide tract of trees that stood between him and home. At first he made good headway on the dark path. That is until he saw the lights, flashing lights in the sky. Coming down ahead. Stopping dead in his tracks. He waited for the feeling of dread he knew should be coming, but felt a strange curiosity instead. He was after all a practical boy. We're talking a UFO dude, his young mind raced. They could be Monsters, Monsters from across the sky, or from some galactic hell. And I'm the only witness trembling but undaunted, he continued on until he could clearly make out a shining saucer, which had obviously just touched down ahead. He saw an open hatch, something had emerged. What was that in the road ahead, a small shadow with legs, black upon black and coming towards him. Once again, Jason stopped dead, and that anticipated dread began to seep in just a little. Oh, man, he thought excitedly. Here comes one that could be monsters, but I can't outrun him now. He might be friendly, you can never tell. He added somewhat hopefully to himself, concluding his inner debate, but the shadow had come to a halt barely 10 feet ahead, and that was waiting silently. Though he never knew exactly why it was Jason who took the next step, and he stepped forward not back into the moonlight, which was now clearing the treetops in a soft silver sheen. What happened next was so fast that afterwards it seemed almost like a dream. Jason thought he caught a glimpse of a face ahead in that shadow, or something similar to a face but contorted in an expression that somehow recalled extreme dismay. Abruptly a ghastly how emitted from the mouth like orifice which was too big and in the wrong place, the shadow then world and began a rapid retreat, finally slamming the saucer hatchway behind it. noiselessly the ship bounded into the night sky and was gone in an instant. To stand even move, Jason stood staring as a faint Vapor Trail faded into the soft moonlight. At length his wits returned and his gaze returned to Earth, focusing once again on the dim path ahead. He was afraid of me he thought wildly. I swear by gab a little bugger was afraid of me. Jason Reagan. Oh man, I grossed out an alien. After calming down he reluctantly dismissed the notion that the cops let alone his mother would ever believe his story, his teenage mind then quickly and naturally turn to the real problem at hand and reach the solution. He was after all, a practical boy. Maybe if I changed my hair, he concluded with a shrug as he started again for how it was late.

Two Lists

Mr. Jones was burnt out. After five long years of unsuccessfully comet hunting. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed to get away. So Mr. Jones hit upon the idea of loaning his cousin Timothy. young Timothy is comet seeking binoculars. For a year or so. Only a clean break for a substantial length of time would clear his head he thought so as custom six inch battleship binoculars, went to his cousin Timothy as he handed them over. Oh, one last thing. Mr. Jones in town, here's the Messier and NGC lists of celestial objects. You might try to see how many of these you can check off. You'll get a few of them anyway, I'm sure. So have fun on clear nights. When he finally returned, it was over a year later, Mr. Jones discovered that the young man cousin Timothy, spent countless hours apparently sweeping the heavens. I found them all Mr. Jones, he proclaims His playing the checked off Object List. Mr. Jones was astounded. That's fantastic. He said rather doubting Lee. By the way, Timothy, what's this other list? Three sets of positions and dates were given for sketches, magnitudes, etc. They didn't look quite round though. He thought to himself. Oh, Timothy replied. Those are just my rejects pay no attention to those. I thought they were on my target lists at least one of them. But they kept moving around and they had annoying tendency to change shape and brightness. They weren't any fun at all, so I had to let them go. I had work to do if I was ever going to finish these two long lists you left me by the way Mr. Jones you never really did explain what you were looking for. You never did really explained. What's a comet? Mr. Jones felt another headache coming on.

Uranias The Dream

Hi this is Urania. I just listened to Gair's frenzied voice mail but so far have not seen anyone from any Rent-This-Or-That agency. Perhaps he dreaming of his STORY called the Dream, here's that one. the Dream Mary! Wake up! Breakfast is in 30 minutes in this hotel! Mary's mom practically shook her daughter, who had overslept after apparently having a bad night. We have to be at the show finals at 9 AM you know - this is your big chance. You might win first prize!! Mary grimaced, rolled over and sat up. This WAS a big day - her entry in the regional horticultural show had made the finals! She knew her mom was proud, as was she. Im sorry mom - i had a crazy dream that seemed like it went all night! may mumbled, her feet hitting the floor. Dream, what dream said her mother - no time for that now, get dressed! As Mary threw on her clothes, she couldnt help it ... it was a crazy dream Mom . i dreamed i was this man . and he spent all his spare time ... i dont know what he did - he make star projectors. sat in sheds under homemade domes. he called them planetariums i think mom wasnt interested - you just had too hard a day yesterday - after all, having your Terrarium make the final 3 entries in the show! In 2 hours you could be Best Terrarium in Show! Lets go! called mom from the hall, and she used her daughters nickname this time. . coming mother said Mare...

Quaker

Time for supper announced mom and Gary come out of that pantry. Gary winced a 17 year old kid like him, like to be secretive. But it hadn't been easy. He'd been in the large converted pantry closet all day doing something and couldn't help but come out once or twice for black construction paper, white cardboard, staples, glue tape, you name it. Author dinners, Gary seem preoccupied, and mom noticed. She knows Gary had been spending twice as much time as usual at breakfast, but then rushing through his dinner to get back to his closet. Dad had just covered his usual tale of the day, all about business. Gary sisters giggled about this boiler that as soon as supper was cleared away, though Gary returned to the entranceway of the pantry, but then turn suddenly and said loudly show in 30 minutes. Show ask Mom What show show ask her sisters. Yet they were curiously in trance entranced by what he was up to back there, and they were soon ushered into a large pantry and sat on the floor. It was dark in there. Last came dad, his glasses perched on his nose, and mom soon joined him. Gary drew a curtain over the entrance and confronted his dubious family on the floor. Shutting off the light, he unveiled the stars. A gleam came from the dark and hundreds of pinholes carefully punched suddenly lit up. A sparkling wonder a light was within. Before his family could even react the gas was heard. The sky up above in the closet was transformed into a makeshift dome with paper and low glue and revealed the glory of the heavens. How on earth did you do this son his father asked from his place over by the entrance. Well started Gary and turned on the lights. There in front of them was a cylindrical star projector punched with hundreds of tiny star holes. Mom said Now wait, as she peered beyond Gary. Behind him on the floor. Were 10 other cylinders, all with the same wide brim headed, slightly grinning Quaker picture. Well said Gary to his mother rather sheepishly. planetariums are fun after all, but what I really like is my oats

Turn Signal, as read by Thalia

Hi Im Thalia, the Musey with nothing to Loozy, rha ha. Comedy. That was COMEDY! Here is one of Gair's weirder stories, he called this one Turn Signal. I think it was inspired by that time he was almost hit by a truck.  Turn Signal he left turn signal began blinking, but Bob didnt turn.   must have a short he thought to himself, since he hadnt indicated a left turn.  as he pulled through the intersection where he wasnt turning left or any other direction, the signal went out again.   thats that thought Bob.   weird, i hate cars with electrical problems.  on the way home from work that night, the same thing happened as he approached the same intersection.   only this time it was his right turn signal.  it began blinking about a block from the corner.  now thats really an odd coincidence thought bob, but again there was no explanation so he continued on home, not giving it another thought.  and it happened exactly the same every day that week.  to and from work.   saturday he didnt go out, but a trip down the same road sunday for groceries. elicited the same phantom signal on the way.  he took another way back.  no other errant signals.  finally bob couldnt stand it anymore however, and one friday night on the the way home from work he thought, what the heck .  and went ahead and turned like the signal had indicated.   turned into a field and over a fence where he thought he had seen an intersection ..    and floored it  his wheels never hit the ground 

Lost in the Outer Islands as read by Urania

lost in the outer islands of all my travels, never had i ventured as far as the outer islands. it was dusk when i got lost at sea and found myself landing on an unnamed coastline. how i had drifted so far i could not say i had no choice but to tie up my little boat for the night and venture out again in the morning, in bright sun and with clear eyes. in the fading light i could see stars begin to shine overhead,. the land of the island was montainous, and i walked alone into the nearest town. lighted windows beckoned as the night drew in. in the distance all round were .vague shapes which looked like immense pillars of rock of some unknown substance, but other vague shapes loomed in the darkness as well, and i could not discern their nature. .. i met no one in the streets of the little town, but the stars grew thick above as i looked in vain for a place to bed down for the night.. finally, as the dark grew deeper and deeper i threw myself on the ground and curled up and slept for what seemed like ages. and woke to a violent shaking, a shaking light partially blinding me as i dimly perceived a crowd of people now gathered around me, their voices murmuring in a language i couldnt quite make out. in virtual shock, i abruptly sat up to assess what my perceived predictament might be .. what had happened .. who were these vague people. where was i ..... you mustve dozed off came a voice from behind .. the show is over, time to go home came another with sheepish chagrin, i lifted myself upright off the planetarium floor where i had dozed off, rolling out of my chair onto the floor, and shuffled noiselessly towards the door with the other patrons..

Look at All of Them, as read by Polyhymia

I am Polyhymia, the Muse of Sacred Poetry, and this is the short story called 'Look At All of Them'. Which do you like better, your planetarium or your telescope? My sister had asked this question, peering into my eyes and as usual, I had no answer at hand. I like them both, I said, but she had a ready rebuttal. The problem is she intoned, you can't use them both at the same time. So one is always sitting idle. Somewhat taken aback by this revelation and without thinking I retorted. Oh, yes, I can. and I'll show you! So eager was I to come up with some way on the spot to use them both, I dragged my little telescope under the planetarium dome, and switched on my ancient Spitz planetarium projector at the same time. Stars immediately sprang to life on the dome. But my sister was unimpressed. I like your story she said, but your telescope is useless in here. Oh, no, it's not said I. And I swung it round and pointed it toward a blank spot on the dome off the tail of Leo, which was gleaming in the Spitz projected spring sky. Just look in here, young lady, I said. but I realized I had no plan, no way of winning the argument. I had been stalling for time and time was almost up, I thought ruefully. My sister bent down and peered into the eyepiece of the tiny Spyglass pointed toward the Realm of the Galaxies, or where it was in the real night sky anyway. She murmured something and played with the focus a minute and then let out a gasp. Look at them. Look at all of them she whispered. I thought she might just playing me for a fool though, leading me on by calling my bluff. Nudging her aside however, I was startled to see swimming in the eyepiece innumerable faint, wispy spiral pinwheels, gauzy white ghosts in a dark, blacker than ebony sky. Convinced she had been wrong. my sister kissed me on the cheek, which I hated, and simply said, Okay, so you can use your telescope in the Planetarium after all, and out the door she went. I turned back to the eyepiece to look again. But whatever we had both seen was gone. Now I only saw the smooth dome surface with a few projected out of focus stars. Dumbfounded, I spent several more minutes staring at the old Spitz projector silently beaming out 1000 or more stars. Many years have passed since this odd occurrence under the dome, and it has never been repeated or explained. But I smile to myself when I think back on it. Especially when that night long ago just before I shut off the Spitz light. I will never be sure. It may have just been a momentary power interruption. But I had the distinct impression that just for a split second., the old projector had winked at me.

Fullfillment - with Urania commentary

This is the oldest of Narrator Gair's short short stories, this one goes way back to his HPA Newsletter in the 90's, and when he tried to read it last year in Season 7, Episode 5 of this podcast, he teared up like a goo goo. Is that a phrase they use here in the south? I hope so. Anyway, here it is, its called Fullfillment. The old Spitz star ball was worn out. After 40 years of providing daily miracles for young and old. It was her turn for a miracle. It was almost as if this old planetarium projector had a personality of her own. Many of her operators had remarked over the years that she almost seemed possessed, inhabited with a warmth, dignity and charm for recreating heavens beauty and mystery. But she was long overdue for a miracle of her own. Then she'd sleep fulfilled in the museum's basement forever. Her wish was granted on the last night before her replacement. Careless workmen played an important role. Her old dome also had been removed for a similar updating and the opening above her was covered with nothing but a tie down Canvas tarp. It would hold until morning the workmen had reasoned, no rain was in the forecast anyway. In fact, a cold front was sweeping across the land that would clear the skies beautifully, a cool starry summer's evening, but no one counted on the wind. You can guess what happened next. About midnight came an extremely sharp gust of wind and the canvas was suddenly blown away. Stirring suddenly, the old star ball knew that she was somehow being called this one last time. For the first, last, and only time in her long, long life she stood alone beneath an actual blazing nighttime sky. And somehow she responded by switching herself on. Here we go, this is the part Gair couldn't finish. Each of her stars projected outward and kissed the incoming light of the real stars in the heavens. Her Old Globe began to glow brighter and brighter from within. Recreator had met creator at last. This was fulfillment. Thats almost enough to make me, Urania, blub. Almost...

The Man in the Window

The sky there's a man in the window. Amy eight years old said this over dinner with her parents. I thought I heard you talking in the spare bedroom this morning said her mother. Her father, one of the world's leading solar astronomers smiled. Who are you talking to? Amy he wanted to know the man in the window. He's not so bright early in the morning said Amen. He said we'd better start getting ready. concerned that her fantasy friend might be getting out of hand Mother said Now Amy, you know this is make believe right? Getting ready for what anyway? He sang some songs to me about life and light and stuff. Then he said that tell dad. Your father perked up but this. This was on the verge of getting totally out of hand but he couldn't resist asking. Tell dad what. And then he was astounded when the young girl began spouting off numbers. Hold on, he grabbed the pen and tried to follow what she was viewing. And he continued for a little while reciting number she somewhat and probably had remembered as her dad furiously scribbled her mother looked aghast at her. Amy finally finished her surprise recitation and looked in passively at her father inexplicably intoned frequencies you'll see. Amy's dad looked down at what he had scribbled and was astounded, discover they did look like frequencies. Totally caught up. Now in her spell. He leaned forward. The man that you really get these numbers aiming? Did you find them somewhere? How can you remember them? The man in the window said I would. He said only kids could hear him. Adults know too much. What else her father couldn't stop at this point. Something about six months to go. The big lizards couldn't understand the last time but we could if I told you staring at the paper her father finally said I look into this. What big lizards? Amy finished. It was time for cake anyway. He said a flare up a flare will kill everything or something like that. You have to warn people and build shelters or something. Can I have cake now please? Did he say what his name was? said that. Amy looked at him as she began her chocolate cake. Something about Apollo. He's that bright man in the sky. I can see through the window in the morning. He said he had to warn us. He said that we were his greatest children. And we'd understand thanks for listening

A Most Peculiar Snow - read by an unknown voice

a short story called A Most Peculiar Snow it was definitely snow-like, not to be confused with sleet or freezing rain mind you. Are those the same thing? Or even hail? But whatever it was, it was falling straight down hard and fast like rain. And I could feel it, each flake, or I guess it must have been clusters of flakes, hitting me like large raindrops, but with a bit of a sting. Or rather at least I could imagine them hitting me in that manner. In a fever dream, they turned me toward the bedside window of my hospital room. I was half awake but they didn't know it, and I heard them say he won't last the night. I saw the weird snow outside, it was definitely snow and I saw the stinging flakes hitting the ground. I began to think I saw lights out the window too, swirling, beckoning. Suddenly I was out of my body, floating towards them, their crystalline forms softly surrounding me. I began to become like them, arms and legs falling away, and six intricate sides impossibly emanating from me. I could see them clearly now, as they embraced me - I thought they were angels. I thought they were beautiful crystal glowing angels. in my last glance at them, they assured me somehow no one was there to see us and then they began to unfall, and I was going with them. And up we went .

the Dream

the Dream Mary! Wake up! Breakfast is in 30 minutes in this hotel! Mary's mom practically shook her daughter, who had overslept after apparently having a bad night. We have to be at the show finals at 9 AM you know - this is your big chance. You might win first prize!! Mary grimaced, rolled over and sat up. This WAS a big day - her entry in the regional horticultural show had made the finals! She knew her mom was proud, as was she. Im sorry mom - i had a crazy dream that seemed like it went all night! may mumbled, her feet hitting the floor. Dream, what dream said her mother - no time for that now, get dressed! As Mary threw on her clothes, she couldnt help it ... it was a crazy dream Mom . i dreamed i was this man . and he spent all his spare time ... i dont know what he did - he make star projectors. sat in sheds under homemade domes. he called them planetariums i think mom wasnt interested - you just had too hard a day yesterday - after all, having your Terrarium make the final 3 entries in the show! In 2 hours you could be Best Terrarium in Show! Lets go! called mom from the hall, and she used her daughters nickname this time. . coming mother said Mare...

Tale of 3 Umbrellas

Once there were three umbrella brothers, all young, going out into the world to seek their fortune. But what did life mean for an umbrella? The very name itself was funny. Sounded tentative, um, um, umbra meant shadow or darkness. Not very promising for a young umbrella. In French the word umbrella meant small, small shadow was the meaning of umbrella. And the brothers weren't sure they liked it. But the smallest of the three decided that's what an umbrella was for, to be a small shadow. And he said, I'll spend my life sheltering folks from the rain. Surely that's what an umbrella is. Destiny must be. Nobody could disagree. Most umbrellas only came out on rainy days after all, but the next biggest brother wasn't so sure. Being somewhat of a linguist, umbrellas did go to school you know, he knew that another name for Umbrella was parasol. That's what I'll do in my life. He boasted no rain for me. Para means shielding against. And Sol obviously means sun. I will only come out on sunny days and keep folks cool in hot weather. And everyone thought that was a worthy goal. The only thing better than coming out on rainy days was to be useful on sunny ones. But then the two brothers looked up at the biggest and asked him well, what about you? The biggest brother patted his two smaller siblings on the back. And brothers do have backs you know, and he encouraged them that they were worthy of these traditional umbrella pursuits. But I think I'll do something a little different, he said thoughtfully. I want to be something more than a small shadow in my life. I want to hold up something for others to see, something for others to share and gaze in wonder at. I want to hold up the stars! Hearing this, his two smaller companions laughed at first, but then gasped in wonder when he slowly and majestically spread his arms and rose into the sky. The sun went down and the rain stopped and slowly one by one, the stars came out and reflected their glory on his shining outspread white face. Like his brother's, the biggest umbrella had found his destiny. He would be a reflector of the glory and the wonder shining above in the stars. And so throughout their long and useful lives, the three umbrella brothers were happy in their callings. So may we all as well.