Fifty Years

Today is the anniversary of the first episode of Star Trek. I have never been more emotional about a show, no, a universe, than I am Trek. Doctor Who comes very close but Trek has the lead by a Vulcan.

Trek has been a part of my life as long as Who – since before I have memory – but Spock was the first person I ever told my mom I was going to marry. Spock was my first real loss (even if it was temporary). My grandfather was a funeral director – I’ve been surrounded by death and loss my whole life – I’d lost people I cared about, animals I’d cared about, but somehow, it wasn’t as keenly felt as this fictional character who didn’t really exist. My mom was a little cruel, knowing what she knew about me. She did not let me watch Wrath of Khan until it and Search for Spock were both available at the movie rental place. She did not tell me about Search for Spock until I’d wept – full on ugly cry – until I literally had no more tears (took a few hours). She thought it was funny and Wrath of Khan still makes me ugly cry. In reality, it was easier for me to mourn a fictional character and later the actor who played him, than it was for me to mourn my mom. I’m honestly not done with any of those things and I probably never will be.

I don’t have the greatest volume of trivia knowledge of the Trek universe. I cannot speak Klingon. I don’t have ears, brow ridges, or a uniform. I do have a great love for this universe that Roddenberry created. I still have hope that we, as a people, can reach the stars and be better than we are now. I still believe we can live up to our potential.

Today, there is a video floating around with memorable moments and bits of dialogue and I get chills. Three minutes of disjointed snippets, a through-the-glass Vulcan salute, and seeing that beautiful ship (more than one version of her) and I’m all kinds of emotional and have goose bumps.

So, happy anniversary (or birthday really) to Star Trek and all the amazing people involved in it. Live Long and Prosper.

Everything and the Kitchen Sink

Life is never exactly what you’d expect, day to day. You might wake up with a plan, a goal, an idea of how you want things to go but there are surprises, twists and turns, a little of the unexpected and then, maybe someone will chuck the kitchen sink at your head. In my case, the kitchen sink is generally of my own making. It doesn’t help that the sinks I’ve been facing are ones I had no way of preparing for. I haven’t figured out how to dodge the sinks yet but I think I’m getting better at taking the hits and dusting myself off.

I’m trying to get things back on track however and there are new things afoot – I’ll be opening a new part of my website very soon, I’m finishing up a couple of books, and making plans to get started on two more. I’m going to attempt to institute a work schedule starting Tuesday and hopefully that will help some.

If you have a sink to throw at me – try and get it in before Tuesday, if you would please.