Inspiring love of robots and space and, apparently, me.

[nanila]

Scene: I've finished talking to a group of about a hundred seven-year-olds about Robots in Space before they watch a screening of Wall.E, and I'm now taking questions from the audience. One sharp cookie has just asked me if robots have microchips. Another little girl, taking courage from her example, has put her hand up in the wonderfully eager way that makes it look like she's going to shoot out of her seat after it.

I go and crouch down in front of her with the microphone.

Me: "Yes? Do you have a question about robots?"
Little girl: *stares at me with saucer eyes*
Me, as gently as possible: "Go ahead."
Little girl: "I love you."
Me: "That's not a question, but it's a very nice thought, thank you!"

Comments

[sfred]

Aw!

[alwayswondered]

That is so cute I might cry. :')

[rmc28]

That's lovely :-)

[foxfinial]

!!!!!!!!!!!!

[surexit]

*___________*

[vi]

Awwww, bless! <3

[noldo]

Awwwwwww! That's adorable.

[lurkingcat]

Awww, that is so very sweet :)

[weaverbird]

Awwwwwwwwww! That is so adorable!

[dandelion_salad]

Somehow I knew you'd have this effect on them!

[mme_hardy]

AWWWW.

[miss_haitch]

That is the cutest!

[ajnabieh]

BEST

[happydork]

Eee! That's so lovely! *__*

[nanila]

I had to wipe away a furtive tear!

[nanila]

It was pretty adorable.

[nanila]

Yes! My heart will be warmed by this memory for some time to come.

[nanila]

I KNOW, RIGHT. The beautiful purity of Age Seven Love.

[nanila]

:D :D :D ^.^

[nanila]

Yes, I think this is a memory I'll cherish!

[nanila]

It was pretty difficult not to just go all melty when she said it!

[zorkian]

D'aww!

[lark_ascends]

Nothing like it, is there?

D'awwwwwwwwww!!!

[nanila]

I'm still grinning over it every time I think about it.

[nanila]

It was almost unbearably cute. I get a bit teary-eyed talking about it.

[nanila]

:D Thank you for the advice about speaking slowly. I think it helped a lot.

I found that a lot of them went shy when I went over to them with the microphone and would forget their questions, so I'd give them a chance to try and remember and then I'd say, "That's okay. If you remember it, raise your hand again," and move on. I hope that took some of the pressure off them.

[nanila]

YES. It's a feeling I don't get very often since I usually work with teenagers and adults.

[nanila]

Yes! You just don't get that sort of thing from GCSE & A-level students.

[nanila]

YES. This is an outreach experience that I'll recall with joy for a very long time.

[nanila]

Not at all. I can see why you opt to work with this age group. They're little delightful sponges. You just don't get that kind of reaction from teenagers and adults!

[weaverbird]

I am not surprised. *g* I get all sniffly just reading about it!

[nanila]

^.^ Hopefully it's going to be that sort of week. Science & Engineering week kicked off on Friday so I'm all booked up with outreach.

[nanila]

It's not the sort of reaction I'm accustomed to from audiences. Normally I do outreach work with teenagers and adults - they're not quite as prone to spontaneous declarations of affection!

[holyschist]

Awwwww. I love how kids do not distinguish between question and statement, but that takes the cake for Extreme Googly-Eyes At Near-Total Stranger adorable weirdness.

Maybe she will grow up to be a nanila! :D

[nanila]

Extreme Googly-Eyes At Near-Total Stranger adorable weirdness

There should be some kind of award for that. Maybe next time I will bring lollipops. :D