Like a lot of kids I wanted to be an astronaut when I was younger. Of course I also wanted to be a vampire and a professional bull rider. But the astronaut dream lasted the longest and was the most realistic—at least until I saw The Right Stuff and wasn?t down with the whole needle in the hand scene.

Each summer I received an invitation to attend space camp at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas. Unfortunately this would have required missing a couple of baseball practices and at least one game. And because my father was my coach, I completely understood that had I chosen to abandon my team for a vacation—-even an educational one, that I?d be giving up my starting spot without any guarantee of ever getting it back.

Luckily the Cosmosphere offers adult space camp twice a year, and the Franchise hooked me up for X-Mas allowing me to realize a childhood dream. So along with 19 other adults that shared a healthy interest in America?s space program, I completed many of the same stress tests that NASA?s astronauts go through, including the zero gravity simulating 3-Axis and the centrifuge that reaches 2.5 G?s.

As you may have guessed, the weekend quickly took on a somber tone, as we were scheduled to watch the landing of the Columbia shuttle live on Saturday morning. While a couple of my classmates opted not to finish the camp, the remainder of us completed the original schedule including an hour long shuttle mission simulation. As the Commander of my crew, I am happy to report that we safely launched and got in to orbit, but more importantly we all gained a much higher appreciation for the space program, and the impending risks of manned space flight. I?m also happy to report that my interview with an NBC affiliate was shown throughout the state of Kansas on Saturday evening.

I nearly witnessed another tragedy during the weekend when I saw an 88 year old woman unsuccessfully navigate an uneven sidewalk during one of my lunch breaks. While she didn?t even attempt to break her fall, I?m fairly certain that she did break her nose. Luckily, I had seen a policeman and two paramedics wrapping up a fender bender a couple of blocks back, so I was able to help ?Esther? get pretty immediate, medical attention.

There were some lighter moments though. Like hanging with my 3 and a half year old nephew Connor, who now demands to be called ?Hercules?. Hercules is a big fan of the game Old Maid, however he freaks out and starts running around the room squealing and giggling any time he happens to draw the dubious Old Maid card. This odd behavior was only second to his deep appreciation to his grandma for buying him a plastic trash can for his room (did your grandma ever get you a cool gift like a trash can?) and his dinner time prayer to God asking that he watch over some dead skunk he saw a couple of months ago. All I can say is there?s already never a dull moment, and any day now Connor?s going to have a little brother. Needless to say the jumbo sized bottle of Advil will be accompanying me on future trips to Hutch.

Also this weekend I caught my first full women?s basketball game. I figured since #1 Duke was hosting #2 Uconn, that the game would be somewhat compelling. I was wrong. I?ve seen less traveling at O?Hare, and had no idea that a backboard could withstand such constant abuse. I also had no idea that North Carolina banks were open so late on a Saturday. If nothing else, it did prove that the Lady Blue Devils were just as succeptible to losing to a lesser ranked team as their male counterparts.

On Sunday night, Duke suffered their third straight ACC road loss. While they were hamstrung with Shavlik Randolph?s unavailability due to the flu, Coach K still should have had enough personnel to pull of a victory over the unranked Seminoles. Unfortunately he is still relying on Chris Duhon to lead the way for this young team. Duhon, who has pro point guard aspirations, is at least proving to be Krzyzewski?s most consistent perfomer. At Maryland he put up 7 points, 3 assists and 3 turnovers in 38 minutes. At NC State he contributed 4 points, 6 assists and 5 turnovers in 39 minutes. And last night he turned in 7 points, 7 assists and 3 turnovers in 31 minutes work.

The Devils are relying on a freshman, J.J. Redick, to lead them in scoring. I think it?s time to look to another freshman to join him in the backcourt and take his lumps in February. Chicago?s Sean Dockery in only 15 minutes offered 8 points, 3 assists, and 1 turnover. More importantly, the dude plays defense. In the preseason they were calling him the best on-ball defender to wear a Duke uniform since Tommy Amaker. I say it?s time to give him Duhon?s minutes and let him play the role of 6th man. Maybe a little time on the bench will cure him of his annoying habit of jacking the deep NBA three out of the flow of the offense, rather than attempting to drive the lane and draw the attention of the interior defenders. Dahntay Jones who had more fouls (5) than points (2) on Sunday should also be yanked from his starting role. Since Duke has used like 12 different starting lineups this season, why not go with a new one? Casey Sanders, Shavlik Randolph (when healthy), Daniel Ewing, J.J. Redick and Dockery. And since only Sanders is incapable of hitting the trey, this lineup should have no problem jacking up as many threes as they did in the Florida State loss (37!).

Now it?s on to Rivalry Week, where they should have no problem getting the job done against Carolina. If only because they?re playing at home.

Which is the same advantage that has me picking K.U. over M.U. on Big Monday. I?m thinking Kansas by about 15.

But crazier things have happened. Not only in basketball. Check out these ?signs of the apocalypse? that I stumbled on to last week:

-Even though Heather Graham is playing a pornstar in her next film The Guru, she had a no-nudity clause. Yes, that Heather Graham!

-Red Bull now comes in Sugar Free. This sorta seems like Diet Crack to me, but maybe diabetics have gone without the Bull long enough.

-John Travolta and Olivia Newton John are looking in to a Grease sequel with Klyie Minogue as their daughter. Did we learn nothing from Grease 2?