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Little kids always have the best career plans. "What are you going to be when you grow up?" We ask them, as if it were that simple. And they lay out come fantastic projected CV: Veternarian. Movie Star. Ballerina-firefighter-doctor-kitty. Or the ever-popular, astronaut.  We just nod our heads, knowing that the chance of any given person making it to outer space is about as likely as cookies for dinner.

Then, last week, as reported by the LA Times blog, NASA announced it would soon start accepting applications for its next class of astronaut candidates, some of whom will be selected from the civilian world. Bad economy got you down? Here's one job application that's worth rustling up some references for!  Duane Ross, manager for astronaut candidate and training selection for NASA, told the LA Times that applicants don't have to be in perfect shape: "Once they get here, we'll torture them and make them fit." Fun! He also said that while NASA wasn't sure how many students would be accepted, "The only guarantee I can give you is that, if you don't apply, you won't get in."

The second-grader in me is screaming "Do it! Apply! Include a diorama to impress them!" Okay, so I don't quite make the cut physically. (They require you to be at least 5"2 and have 20-20 vision.) Also, apparently they are looking for people with a BA in engineering, science, or math, and, um, extensive experience flying high-performance jet aircraft. But the point is that (almost) anyone can apply and that some of these people are going to become astronauts. In an economic climate stormy with "no"s, it's refreshing to remember that your dream job could be out there, waiting for you. Who knows, someone might be out there looking for a new ballerina-firefighter-doctor-kitty. And there's only one thing we know for sure: if you don't apply, you're not going to get it. 

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