CSA's Chris Hadfield Commands the Stage in Seattle

Photo courtesy: NASA
'AN ASTRONAUT'S GUIDE TO LIFE ON EARTH': We've been sitting on some very special tickets for months now. Tickets to see Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield at Town Hall Seattle for a talk entitled "An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth," the same title as his recently-published book.

Without a doubt, every astronaut is exceptional, but something about Hadfield captivated Earthlings like no astronaut since the Apollo program. Via his his musical and photography talents, his accessibility and willingness to share, and his eloquence, he managed to connect with people all around the globe, giving them a front row seat to life in space.

We were so glad when he landed safely after his last mission, and so sorry to see him leave the ISS.

Photo courtesy: NASA
I mean, who can forget THIS?!?!? Space Oddity. From SPACE!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo

Hadfield's talk tonight started at 7:30. Doors were supposedly open at 6:30. That didn't happen until about 6:40 though.

In the meantime, the kids had a seat on the marble out from of Town Hall and read. Little did they know, at one point Hadfield walked the the doors right behind them. :)
                                         
 We were only about 15 deep in the line, so we were able to score seats in the front row AND I sussed out where the autograph afterward table was, so we sat RIGHT next to it. Score!

It's late now, and I'm getting sick, so I need to go to bed and hope for some sort of recovery. I'm going to write about the talk tomorrow, but spoiler alert - CJ was one of just five or so folks who got to ask a question during the Q&A portion. :)

In the meantime, suffice it to say, Hadfield is a marvelous storyteller.

Town Hall says they will be posting a video of the event on their Web site. I'll provide a link when it becomes available.