Like Father, Like Son

[krpalmer]

The latest "space tourist" has launched for the space station, and I've taken particular note of this one because Richard Garriott is the son of an astronaut. He paid for his trip like the previous tourists, of course, and seems to have made the money for it through having developed a long series of computer games. That, though, has prompted a reflection or two about how there must be plenty of people out there who thought at some point "Wait--'Lord British' was the son of an astronaut?", as opposed to me, who through reading National Geographics become more familiar with the second Skylab and first Spacelab missions than with any of the "Ultima" games, realised "Wait--Owen Garriott's son programmed computer games?"

Comments

[reihla.livejournal.com]

It's funny, despite the fact that I'm a pretty avid gamer I don't know Richard through Ultima or even his newer games. We're both members of the Society for Creative Anachronism (a medieval re-enactment group) and live in the same "kingdom" (in this case Oklahoma and Texas). He is such a great guy, despite that whole "millionaire" thing he's got going on. Our whole kingdom has been watching his exploits in outer space with much enthusiasm. :) We've even been joking about getting him to try and form the first medieval Shire in outer space...

[krpalmer.livejournal.com]

Now that rates a "How about that!" from me. In trying to see if I could flesh out that response a bit further, though, I mostly found myself contemplating how I wouldn't see myself winding up in the Society for Creative Anachronism regardless of who else might be a member, and then considering how I can take "fantasy" just fine when it comes with a protective coating of what looks like "science fiction," unlike certain other science fiction fans... Then, I did ponder what sort of interaction there might be between growing up with an astronaut father and then delving into "fantasy."