#marstronaut

A  LETTER  OPENER  NOTCHES  BENEATH  HIS  CHIN       (       a  thin  blade,     flimsy  between  the  pinch  of  untrained  fingers       ---      it’d  be  a  death  wish  to  carry  something  bigger,     though,     practically  pleading  to  get  caught       ).       as  if  she  wasn’t  already  fucking  caught      ---      tangled  web  of  motel  fumes  leading  her  here,     a  stranger  pressed  against  the  wall,    the  letter  opener  poised  to  slash.     MIGHT  NOT  KILL,     BUT  IT’D  BE  A  NASTY  STORY       (       always  go  down  with  a  fight       ).      background  noise   :     the  curtains  are  drawn  closed,     the  pounding  on  the  door  grows  in  intensity.     OPEN  UP.       she  has  a  face  like  a  fucking  brand,      a  tag  around  her  neck  that  reads  GUILTY,     and  she  digs  the  knife  in  a  little  deeper  with  a  breathless  sigh.       ‘       if  they  find  me,     they’re  going  to  kill  me.       ‘

So its been one week.

Last Monday, Mars One announced the 100 finalists who would be accompanying them on their rocky road to the red planet. Despite the incredible odds, I made the cut.

It still doesn't seem real one week later. I've been balancing media interviews with my work schedule and the snow and ice storms we've been having. I've still sewn products that were ordered through the Nostalgia Bomb store, because even if I'm going to Mars these pillowcases have to be shipped out. I've had to engage in social media sites, and between all of the other projects I'm working on it has been very hard to keep up with the internet. How did I used to do it? I can't remember.

Somehow I still find the time to take the dog for a walk. I'm still writing, I'm still drawing, and I'm still putting together footage of a video thats been in the works for a month. I'm excited for this opportunity, I'm humbled by my fellow marstronauts, and I'm intruiged by all the skeptical articles that continue to come out.

Will we make it to Mars in 2025?

That remains to be seen. But I'm putting 100% of my effort behind this mission. I love a challenge, and I love having a goal, and I can't think of anything better to do in life than to pursue something that I'm passionate about.

So I got an email recently from a national journalist and some of the questions really made me look at living on Mars from a different angle.

Its awe inspiring to think that for just 4 of us 705, a new world shall be what we call home. I have always looked at Mars One as an adventure fulfilling my unexplainable desire to go beyond the planet that we call home. I see it filled with challenges, many that may be life or death but that has never scared me or deterred me. I want to explore another world more than anything I can imagine and have always seen it as the frontier for new discovery.

With the epic-ness of this project it becomes easy to forget that although we may be a part of the most exciting science on Mars, we will be living through many normal Earth traditions and milestones. Birthdays, anniversaries, possibly new births (later on) and eventually death shall be celebrated and mourned on Mars. We are still going to spend our lives on this new planet regardless of the new discoveries and with humanities colonisation of Mars there will come many Earth traditions.

On the 30th of April 2014 at 4:15pm I finally received the email from Mars One informing us of the results of our submitted medicals. I was ecstatic to be one of the Mars One 705. An emotion shared by many of my fellow marstronauts.

I was reading in my room when I received the email and after I read the email I was bouncing around my house for the rest of the day. It was a surreal feeling and I could not believe that I had made it this far. Many of my friends were not as surprised. They said they knew I would make it through. They all are so happy and proud that I have made it this far. I am amazed that I made it this far but I cant say I am proud of myself. It just seems abit to conceited to me to say that. I do hope that i get to meet many fellow aspiring martians though.