Ready for the weekend

After the chief of NASA's Mars Program dropped into our Haughton-Mars Project briefing this morning. It was supposed to go an hour, but instead lasted 2-1/2. Garvin threw darts at it, almost hostile at first, then more collegial as Pascal had obviously done his proverbial homework. I think we (or Pascal, at least) wowed them, as much as one can with inside-the-Beltway managers. Beyond noncomittal or interested to "we need to be doing this" "lets bring in A from organization B whose research would benefit" "I really hope you submit a proposal against [future CFP], this is just the kind of thing we're looking for" and so on...

Pascal was tired (he came out on a red-eye) and initially discouraged. After I interpreted their reactions over lunch, he was cheerier.

And I'm on an earlier flight home, so I could get first class upgrades on top of everything (smile). Even by going through Detroit (where I'm writing this, in the Northwest lounge).

Strrrettch...