Adrian C. Sinnott's Traveling Sketches

NASA’s plan to return to the moon has had a bumpy ride. With the current financial atmosphere, there would be even more of an outcry over the expenditure. Often forgotten are the many innovations grand projects such as this bring to civilization and the opportunities for employment that ripple through multiple industries.

The new push is for independent, commercial organizations to take up the challenge under the auspices of NASA. For my part, here’s a peek at a new project under development:

It's Max Gravity and things are not as they should be.

In the early days of the space program, the need arose for a ballpoint pen that could work in zero-gravity. There’s a rumor that NASA spent millions developing the pen while the Russians used a pencil. The Fisher Pen Company developed the pen independently and asked NASA to try it. It was also adopted by the Russians. You can still buy the pens and refills which can be used in most common refillable pens.

Yes, it writes upside down but what do we do with all the shavings?

Dress down Friday seems to have taken over the entire work week. On the odd occasion when I have to visit a client’s office, I now find that I’m overdressed in a sports jacket. A far cry from the Sixties! I remember going to work with my mom at the Pan Am building in New York, the men in suits and ties and the women in skirts and high-heels (and wigs . . . easier than having to have your hair done everyday). I’m not calling for a return to the strict dress code of days past, but sleeveless undershirts and torn blue jeans might be pushing it.

Watch "Apollo 13" and you'll see lots of guys running around with . . . their ties loosened. Only a desperate situation could call for such a drastic action.

This is a more finished image with pen and ink and watercolor. It was used for the National Cartoonists Society’s New York City Holiday Party last year. I had started a space theme with the invitation and added in a few astronauts, both human and feline/canine on smaller cards.

Just like life.