Kennedy Space Center 1975

[twitter]I may be 43, but I still want to be an astronaut when I grow up.

When I was 5 years old, my grandparents took me on a trip to Disney World. While Mickey and Minnie and Donald were fun, it was the side trip to the Kennedy Space Center that really captured my imagination. Man had walked on the moon just 6 years earlier, and the imagination of what could be done in space was still alive. I got to ride in a moon buggy right past a lunar module.

That attraction to space would stay with me my entire life. The space shuttle exploded on my 16th birthday. When talking to career counsellors I said I wanted to be an astronaut. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the scientific capacity to tackle engineering in university and the dream faded.

Years later, when I became a radio host, I took on the name “Buzz.” An homage to Buzz Aldrin? Perhaps. In the mid-90s I would get to star in my own display at the HR McMillan Planetarium in Vancouver, my role was that of interactive radio host guiding people through the planets.

Then, in 2005, I would meet my namesake at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

2005-01-07 buzz aldrin buzz bishop

So, for the better part of my life, I have have had a love affair with space. Now, on the eve of Valentine’s Day, I’ve fallen head over heels again and it’s all because of Chris Hadfield. The Canadian astronaut is poised to be the Commander of the International Space Station in March as part of a 5 month mission to the ISS.

While his official duties are scientific in nature, he’s been awing those of us below with some amazing feats of inspiration. First was his twitter chat with Captain Kirk, then his gorgeous daily photos of our planet. Next was a puck drop from space, and the latest that has me dreaming of a day I’ll get to slip the surly bonds of earth? A duet with the Barenaked Ladies – from Space.

Dare to dream. I still do.

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