Going with the flow...
Nov. 17th, 2008 09:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alexpgpI was scheduled to be the all-purpose person today, but that got changed, so that I ended up going back to the hotel for lunch at 1 pm, scheduled to return to the processing facility at 3:15 pm to interpret a visit to Hall 111, which is the "room" in which the launch vehicle undergoes final integration.
Among other instructions, the facility security staff had specifically pointed out that only persons with a photo badge were allowed to take pictures while inside, and only with the camera assigned to said persons, but program management declared a "holiday," so to speak, allowing everyone to unlimber their cameras at the conclusion of the obligatory accompanying words describing - among other tidbits - the Proton-M's length and mass, and the fact that it carries about 650 metric tons of propellant when launched.
Alas, in the course of the unexpected photography session, my Nikon slipped out of my hands and dropped onto its lens, which was extended at the time, thus effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the campaign (and since it suffered the same kind of damage that Drew's Canon digital camera suffered a while back and that cost a small fortune to repair, I suspect today's mishap put the Nikon out of commission for good).
The interpretation went pretty well; nobody threw rotten fruit. I learned a few new words and had some words that I knew (flag = le drapeau) had their synaptic paths reinforced via mild embarrassment (which is painful, but effective).
After dinner, I joined some regular gamers in playing some kind of shoot-em-up where it was every player for himself. I suspect the enthusiasm with which I was handed a controller had a little bit to do with being Yet More Cannon Fodder. While I did score a hit or two against the others, basically I spent a lot of time "respawning" after being "killed."
The food continues to be excellent, with a few exceptions here and there. The variety is to my taste, as well. I managed to get a Skype call in to Galina, but the connection was poor.
Cheers...
Among other instructions, the facility security staff had specifically pointed out that only persons with a photo badge were allowed to take pictures while inside, and only with the camera assigned to said persons, but program management declared a "holiday," so to speak, allowing everyone to unlimber their cameras at the conclusion of the obligatory accompanying words describing - among other tidbits - the Proton-M's length and mass, and the fact that it carries about 650 metric tons of propellant when launched.
Alas, in the course of the unexpected photography session, my Nikon slipped out of my hands and dropped onto its lens, which was extended at the time, thus effectively putting it out of commission for the rest of the campaign (and since it suffered the same kind of damage that Drew's Canon digital camera suffered a while back and that cost a small fortune to repair, I suspect today's mishap put the Nikon out of commission for good).
The interpretation went pretty well; nobody threw rotten fruit. I learned a few new words and had some words that I knew (flag = le drapeau) had their synaptic paths reinforced via mild embarrassment (which is painful, but effective).
After dinner, I joined some regular gamers in playing some kind of shoot-em-up where it was every player for himself. I suspect the enthusiasm with which I was handed a controller had a little bit to do with being Yet More Cannon Fodder. While I did score a hit or two against the others, basically I spent a lot of time "respawning" after being "killed."
The food continues to be excellent, with a few exceptions here and there. The variety is to my taste, as well. I managed to get a Skype call in to Galina, but the connection was poor.
Cheers...
