I’m a big believer in the idea that we flex our critical thinking muscles by exposing ourselves to new ideas. And I think one of the most basic assumptions most of us both get and don’t get is food. We all know at some level that food is different in different places, but you never really get that until you walk into place where food is sold in its most basic form — a grocery store, market, whatever — when you are away from home.

Catching a glimpse of an old rocket, space suit, shuttle, satellite, or (if you’re in my country) Canada’s remote manipulator arm is not going to — blink — turn a kid into a scientist. But then that’s not the point. If you’re raising kids RIGHT NOW there is one simple fact you already know: those kids will never know a time before humanity reached out to the stars. Big deal, right? Actually… I’d argue it is. And that argument wouldn’t be framed in reasons of nostalgia, historical perspective, or all that wishy-washy ‘hooray for us’ inspirational talk (though all valid in their own way.) I’d argue it is a big deal because while my generation didn’t exactly turn our backs on space, we did refocus much of our gaze on the unlimited realms information made possible by the technology of the so-called space age.

Chances are that over the course of your life you’re going to meet a lot of people who are — well — famous. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are movie stars. They might be people famous only to others in your community, famous for something they do that you happen to enjoy or follow like the president of a large club or lead singer of a band, or famous because they accomplished something that most of us have not or could not, such as in sports or their job.