Once a Trekker...

Well, it's official. I'm sick. I even called in sick today, with sore glands, sore throat, a cough, and most of all a nose that won't stop...well, let's not be gross here. You get the idea. Furthermore, I'm banished to the couch so that at least John can sleep.

Not being at my best, I don't really feel up to writing an entry tonight. But I should say something about this weekend's other major anniversary.

Souvenir of the Las Vegas Hilton. I strongly
recommend "Star Trek: The Experience."

I'm not at all sure I saw Star Trek as early as 1966. I know that I watched it on NBC with my Dad at least a few times, but I was only nine years old when the show started, and for at least part of its run it aired at a time I was supposed to be in bed asleep. The one episode I specifically remember watching during the show's original run was "The Paradise Syndrome," from the third season. I've always been a sucker for gimmick episodes in which a major character becomes blind, deaf, or an amnesiac. This was the one in which Kirk loses his memory, falls in love with Miramanee, and knocks her up. (Yes, she's dead by the end of the episode.) I remember sitting very quietly on the couch next to my Dad, hoping desperately that he wouldn't notice I was up past my bedtime and send me upstairs. On this occasion, he took pity on me and let me watch the whole episode.

In 1972 or 1973 I edited my first fanzine, a five page ditto mastered Trekzine called 2-5YM. I probably wrote over half of it myself. Dan wrote a piece about building a successful Enterprise model from the AMT kit, instead of one with nacelles that sagged or broke off almost immediately. Soon after this, we found or were found by three kids from Syracuse who were starting a fan club, S.T.A.R. Syracuse. We joined forces, and the club really got underway from there.

By then I was positively in withdrawal if I was away from the TV at 5 PM weekdays, when Star Trek aired on WNYS TV, Channel 9. I bought film clips from Lincoln Enterprises (owned by Gene Roddenberry) and a tribble from DageCo (David Gerrold's company at the time). I wrote part of a Mary Sue script in which Joel and I saved the Enterprise. I bought and read all the Star Trek books that were out at the time,which wasn't all that many back then. I attended one of the early Star Trek conventions in New York City, and was kissed by Isaac Asimov. And I discovered the books of Harlan Ellison, who wrote one of my favorite Star Trek episodes, "The City on the Edge of Forever." That led to my finding out about the Clarion Writer's Workshop, which I applied to in 1977. It was at Clarion that I met my future husband. So, you see, Star Trek was partly responsible for me finding the love of my life!

I'm the "wax-on, wax-off" alien in the middle.

I think it's fair to say that Star Trek: The Next Generation was better written than the original series, but I never memorized all the dialogue as I did with the first show. We didn't even tape it after a while. I never cared for Deep Space 9, only quite liked Voyager, and didn't even bother to watch most episodes of Enterprise. That's kind of a shocking admission, considering the lead character was played by my favorite actor, Scott Bakula. I can't help it, though. Archer wasn't a very likeable character,and that counts for a lot with me.

But I still remember enough of the dialogue from "The Trouble with Tribbles" that I noticed that a couple of lines were missing from the "Who threw the first punch?" scene with Scotty on TV Land tonight. I didn't watch the whole show, which was on opposite new Stargate eps.

Enough. It's very late, and I have a blood donor appointment at 11:45 AM. Are you alllowed to give blood and sniffle at the same time?

Karen


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