UFO Reunion

Every once in a while, my involvement in UFO research brings me a chance to take part in a really fun event. Going to Connecticut a few years back to meet movie special effects genius Douglas Trumbull and see the debut of his UFOTOG tracking system was one. Going to Ann Arbor, Michigan last March to take part in Michigan MUFON's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the infamous "swamp gas" case was another.

The other day, another of these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities arose, and like the first two it came about because of my involvement in MUFON. Earlier this week I saw a posting on the facebook group for MUFON State Directors that piqued my interest (yes, technically, I shouldn't belong to the group as I am an ex-MUFON officer, but they haven't given me the boot yet, so...). The message was from a MUFON officer from Wyoming who is trying to put together an event in 2017 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which I think is a brilliant idea.

Who could we get to sponsor it?

The last 30 minutes of the 1977 film take place at "The Dark Side of the Moon," a secret UFO landing base that our government has built at the foot of Devil's Tower National Monument in northeast Wyoming, and this MUFON guy wants to hold the event there, at Devils Tower! Brilliant!

In his message, he explained that he would be in charge of planning the event, and he had no idea how to start, or who to contact as speakers for the event. So, naturally, I offered him a suggestion...

It's too early to say whether this event will take place. He's talking about a September, 2017 event, which gives him lots of time, but the logistics are daunting. Devil's Tower is in the middle on nowhere. Hell, Wyoming is in the middle of nowhere. How do you get enough people to an event in the middle of nowhere to make the event pay for itself, even turn a profit? I was just exchanging emails with my sister-in-law Cxxxx about it, and she suggested a mashed potato sculpture competition or mashed potato wrestling. I think those are both genius ideas, but will they attract enough people?

In any case, if the event comes to pass, I've expressed my interest in taking part, and my willingness to reach out to Doug Trumbull. It could be fun!