Get Your Ass To Mars?

MARS, the “Red Planet”, has fascinated me ever since, as a child, I read Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and went on to devour his entire Barsoom series. This fascination has continued until today, even though I am “ of a certain age “, and has even intensified because of the creation of the

Mars One Project

“ Mars One is a not-for-profit foundation that will establish a permanent human settlement on Mars. Human settlement on Mars is possible today with existing technologies. Mars One mission plan integrates components that are well tested and readily available from industry leaders worldwide. The first footprint on Mars and lives of the crew thereon will captivate and inspire generations; it is this public interest that will help finance this human mission to Mars. The Mars One mission plan consists of cargo missions and unmanned preparation of a habitable settlement, followed by human landings. In the coming years, a demonstration mission, communication satellites, two rovers and several cargo missions will be sent to Mars. These missions will set up the outpost where the human crew will live and work. “
The project, however, is a one-way trip, with no possibility of the volunteers ever returning to the home planet Earth. This is fine, IF the volunteers are unencumbered by any familial obligations, but one volunteer, a Ken Sullivan, of Utah, has a wife of 5 ½ years, and four children, ranging in age from six months to 13 years, and if selected ( he has already made the second cut ) will leave wife and family behind.
Personally, I am all in favor of following a dream, I have done it myself. I lived in New York City my entire life, until I met the love of my life ( A.K.A. “my Sweet Baboo” or “La Duquesa “)  who happened to be a Jersey Girl who had lived in Mexico for almost 14 years, and I moved there to be with her.

However, I was unencumbered by any obligations. Although I have four sons, they were all grown, and on their own, with families and careers well under way. The only thing that relied on me was a rescue cat from the Bronx named Baby, and, she made the transition to life in Mexico with flying colors, enduring with aplomb 12 hours in the hold of a plane, in a crate, with nothing more than a supply of drinking water. In fact, I am of the opinion that she likes Mexico even more than I do, having free reign of a large house, and having the company of our two dogs, Jake and Schultz ( especially the pup, Schultz, with whom she plays with constantly ).
Would I like to be a participant in the Mars One Project ? Absolutely, no doubt about it. I would love to be among the first Martians. Would I volunteer to go if my Sweet Baboo, and all the pets were excluded? I don’t think so.

Sorry, not by a long shot.