Do you get rolled over by a Mars rover at your job?

Do you get rolled over by a Mars rover at your job? Because I do, and let's be honest - that's awesome. We worked an educational exhibit for elementary, middle and high school students at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Space 2010 Conference, and after all of the kids left on the last day, the adults got to play. The Texas Learning and Computation Center brought the Mars rover, which felt like a giant spider massaging your back. Hard to decide if that felt good or creepy.

Spent a lot of time on the road that week driving to Anaheim. I'm getting used to always assuming there will be traffic in LA - at all times of all days, except Friday mornings. I don't think anyone works on Fridays here. It typically takes me about 20 minutes to get to work. The other morning I made it in 11, and trust me, I was following all speed limits and traffic signals.

What I can't get used to is driving near the airport. The runway runs over the road (not literally, you drive through a tunnel beneath it), so planes fly (and drive) right over you all the time. It shocks me every time one takes off over me.

Another thing I can't get used to - not being in Columbus for the football games. I thought it would just feel like an away game. It doesn't. Not when you see the Shoe, the fans, the band. I really the phrase the ESPN announcer used the other day: "Welcome to the Horse Shoe: a place not known for luck, but dominance." I miss it and can't wait to go back for the Purdue and Michigan game this year (since my sister is being exceptionally nice and letting me use her tickets).

For the opening game against Marshall, I went to one of the many local "Ohio State" bars - On the Rocks in Redondo Beach. It felt good to walk in and see a familiar sea of red jerseys and hear Carmen Ohio. And I can't complain, watching the game as the sun sets over the ocean and sail boats sail by. Not a bad setting. O-H!