Travis and Michelle Fitzgerald's blog http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php Blog for Travis and Michelle Fitzgerald en-US http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 Growing a Minion http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/08/25/growing-a-minion Thu, 26 Aug 2010 00:56:37 +0000 travis News 232@http://www.austinaero.com/blog/ <p>Big announcement time!</p> <p>&#8230;drumroll, please&#8230;</p> <p>Michelle and I are expecting a baby! Due date is mid-March. And we have a few pictures of the little one (don&#8217;t know the sex yet, but plan to find out when it&#8217;s time). Check out the <a href="http://pictures.austinaero.com/main.php?g2_itemId=528">Baby Picture page</a>.</p> <p>We had an ultrasound today, the little one is really active! It looked like he (or she) was doing flips or something.</p> <p>Standby for lots of updates (lots on Facebook, also).</p> <p><center><img src="http://pictures.austinaero.com/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&amp;g2_itemId=531&amp;g2_serialNumber=2" alt="Baby Pic 1" title="Baby Picture" /></center></p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/08/25/growing-a-minion">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div> Big announcement time!

…drumroll, please…

Michelle and I are expecting a baby! Due date is mid-March. And we have a few pictures of the little one (don’t know the sex yet, but plan to find out when it’s time). Check out the Baby Picture page.

We had an ultrasound today, the little one is really active! It looked like he (or she) was doing flips or something.

Standby for lots of updates (lots on Facebook, also).

Baby Pic 1

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

]]> http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/08/25/growing-a-minion#comments New Picture Page http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/18/new-picture-page Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:29:54 +0000 travis News 231@http://www.austinaero.com/blog/ <p>I&#8217;ve updated our website&#8217;s <a href="http://pictures.austinaero.com">Picture page</a>. Check it out! I also posted pictures of our fun time at the Weird Al Concert last night! Enjoy.</p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/18/new-picture-page">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div> I’ve updated our website’s Picture page. Check it out! I also posted pictures of our fun time at the Weird Al Concert last night! Enjoy.

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

]]> http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/07/18/new-picture-page#comments ULF4 Shuttle Launch http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/05/16/ulf4-shuttle-launch Sun, 16 May 2010 13:15:08 +0000 travis News 229@http://www.austinaero.com/blog/ <p>Michelle and I have been wanting to see a launch together for a long time, and we tried various ways to get official launch tickets to see this launch, but those efforts failed. So we decided to just head to Florida and figure out the best place we could to watch. We ended up being able to use our badges to get us onsite at KSC, and chose a parking lot next to the legendary Vehicle Assembly Building (VA<img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/rsc/smilies/icon_cool.gif" alt="&#66;&#41;" class="middle" /> as our vantage point. We were able to figure out that we were about 3.4 miles from launch pad, and about a quarter mile from the spot that the VIPs were watching from (so this was as close as you could get without being run off by security).</p> <p>We couldn&#8217;t hear the loudspeaker well, but there is no doubt when it launches. It took a few moments after the engines lit for the sound, vibration, and heat to reach us. Yes, you could feel the heat from our vantage point. Incredible! Enjoy the pictures (taken with our nifty Canon Rebel T1i with the 55-250 mm lens).</p> <p>You can go <a href="http://www.austinaero.com/pictures/categories.php?cat_id=48">here </a>for larger pictures.</p> <center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4074_600x400.jpg" alt="" title="" width="600" height="400" /></div></center> <p>The view to our left.</p> <center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4077_600x400.jpg" alt="" title="" width="600" height="400" /></div></center> <p>The view to our right. The balcony on top of that building is probably an awesome place to watch.</p> <center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4085_600x400.jpg" alt="" title="" width="600" height="400" /></div></center> <p>The palm trees that provided us with shade.</p> <center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4088_600x400.jpg" alt="" title="" width="600" height="400" /></div></center> <p>A mockingbird (the state bird of Texas) watched the launch with us. <img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/rsc/smilies/icon_smile.gif" alt="&#58;&#41;" class="middle" /></p> <center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4103_600x400.jpg" alt="" title="" width="600" height="400" /></div></center> <p>Here we go! The rest don&#8217;t really need narration.</p> <center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4106_600x400.jpg" alt="" title="" width="600" height="400" /></div></center> <p></p><center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4107_400x600.jpg" alt="" title="" width="400" height="600" /></div></center> <p></p><center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4108_400x600.jpg" alt="" title="" width="400" height="600" /></div></center> <p></p><center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4112_400x600.jpg" alt="" title="" width="400" height="600" /></div></center> <p></p><center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4115_600x400.jpg" alt="" title="" width="600" height="400" /></div></center> <p></p><center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4118_400x600.jpg" alt="" title="" width="400" height="600" /></div></center> <p></p><center><div class="image_block"><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/blogs/Fitzgerald/IMG_4123_cropped.JPG" alt="" title="" width="424" height="385" /></div></center> <p>This last picture is a cropped picture, and if you look closely you will see the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) have just separated from the the rest of the Shuttle. You can see the engine glow from the Shuttle. The Shuttle was 32 miles downrange when I snapped this picture. <img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/rsc/smilies/graybigeek.gif" alt="&#56;&#56;&#124;" class="middle" /></p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/05/16/ulf4-shuttle-launch">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div> Michelle and I have been wanting to see a launch together for a long time, and we tried various ways to get official launch tickets to see this launch, but those efforts failed. So we decided to just head to Florida and figure out the best place we could to watch. We ended up being able to use our badges to get us onsite at KSC, and chose a parking lot next to the legendary Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) as our vantage point. We were able to figure out that we were about 3.4 miles from launch pad, and about a quarter mile from the spot that the VIPs were watching from (so this was as close as you could get without being run off by security).

We couldn’t hear the loudspeaker well, but there is no doubt when it launches. It took a few moments after the engines lit for the sound, vibration, and heat to reach us. Yes, you could feel the heat from our vantage point. Incredible! Enjoy the pictures (taken with our nifty Canon Rebel T1i with the 55-250 mm lens).

You can go here for larger pictures.

The view to our left.

The view to our right. The balcony on top of that building is probably an awesome place to watch.

The palm trees that provided us with shade.

A mockingbird (the state bird of Texas) watched the launch with us. :)

Here we go! The rest don’t really need narration.

This last picture is a cropped picture, and if you look closely you will see the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) have just separated from the the rest of the Shuttle. You can see the engine glow from the Shuttle. The Shuttle was 32 miles downrange when I snapped this picture. 88|

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

]]> http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/05/16/ulf4-shuttle-launch#comments Loltroops n funny pictures http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/26/droidz_logo-gif Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:59:12 +0000 michelle News 228@http://www.austinaero.com/blog/ <div><div><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/users/michelle/./.evocache/droidz_logo.gif/fit-320x320.gif" alt="" title="" /></div></div><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/26/droidz_logo-gif">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

]]> http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/26/droidz_logo-gif#comments oh hai. empror iz shorter dan I'z tawt. http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/26/chokin-jpg Tue, 27 Apr 2010 00:56:13 +0000 michelle News 227@http://www.austinaero.com/blog/ <div><div><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/users/michelle/./.evocache/chokin.jpg/fit-320x320.jpg" alt="" title="" /></div></div><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/26/chokin-jpg">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

]]> http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/26/chokin-jpg#comments Barn Gots No Braod Side... http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/18/storm_trooper-jpg Sun, 18 Apr 2010 15:40:11 +0000 michelle News 225@http://www.austinaero.com/blog/ <div><div><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/users/michelle/./.evocache/storm_trooper.jpg/fit-320x320.jpg" alt="" title="" /></div></div><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/18/storm_trooper-jpg">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

]]> http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/18/storm_trooper-jpg#comments I Can Haz Droidz? http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/02/icanhasdroidz-jpg Fri, 02 Apr 2010 19:30:16 +0000 michelle News Projects 224@http://www.austinaero.com/blog/ <div><div><img src="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/media/users/michelle/./.evocache/icanhasdroidz.jpg/fit-320x320.jpg" alt="" title="" /></div></div><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/02/icanhasdroidz-jpg">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div>

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

]]> http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/02/icanhasdroidz-jpg#comments Believe me, I am still alive... http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/01/believe-me-i-am-still-alive Fri, 02 Apr 2010 01:14:28 +0000 michelle News 223@http://www.austinaero.com/blog/ <p>So, it turns out that selling a house + moving + buying a house + work = no time for blogging. Or at least, that&#8217;s our current excuse.</p> <p>Upcoming excuses:</p> <p>Next Expedition launches tomorrow and docks to the station Sunday.<br /> <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html">http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html</a></p> <p>Next shuttle to the station launches Monday and docks Wednesday &#8211; another two weeks of night shift, yay!<br /> <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html">http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html</a></p> <p>Doing what we must because we can!</p><div class="item_footer"><p><small><a href="http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/01/believe-me-i-am-still-alive">Original post</a> blogged on <a href="http://b2evolution.net/">b2evolution</a>.</small></p></div> So, it turns out that selling a house + moving + buying a house + work = no time for blogging. Or at least, that’s our current excuse.

Upcoming excuses:

Next Expedition launches tomorrow and docks to the station Sunday.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Next shuttle to the station launches Monday and docks Wednesday – another two weeks of night shift, yay!
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

Doing what we must because we can!

Original post blogged on b2evolution.

]]> http://www.austinaero.com/blog/index.php/2010/04/01/believe-me-i-am-still-alive#comments