Historic Night: The Star Trek TNG Reunion

The cast of Star Trek TNG reunited on stage at the Corral in Calgary April 28, 2012. It was their first time together on stage since the show ended.

Sir Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Frakes

Sir Patrick Stewart

"Q" on cue.

John de Lancie

It was a wonderful evening.
My friend and I went to Star Trek:TNG  reunion in Calgary on Saturday.  It was so cool to see the cast together after all this time, and to be surprised.
1.They all look good under the lights.
2. It was entertaining, especially Marina Sirtis who is hilarious.
3.Wil Wheaton is warm, engaging, funny, and intelligent.
4.They are performers and the evening was a performance.  No one would ever leave an event of this magnitude to chance.
5.The audience was surprised to have John de Lancie, "Q" on the show, join the cast after an in character entrance.

Wheaton said he regretted leaving the show at 18 but thought it was a good career move.  He was reluctant to visit the set afterward and at one point thought he didn't have the right to invite the cast to his wedding. It brought tears and reassurances from the cast. LeVar Burton noted, "I ....ing never liked you." He also agreed that Wheaton had been a pain in the ass, but "you were our pain in in the ass."

Denise Crosby didn't say much and neither did Michael Dorn. Sirtis spoke up a few times, Brent Spiner did as well and Gates McFadden did on occasion. Most of the time it was Sir Patrick, or Frakes, or Wheaton.

In a question about the Captain's enemies Sir Patrick named a Ferengi. Right on cue "Q" walked up through the audience bearing flowers.

It was good to see him and kudos to the organizers for keeping it quiet. But please don't insult my intelligence by telling me the  TNGers didn't know.
It was too pat, too perfect, too well-rehearsed to be anything but a performance. But it was fun, and that is what mattered.

Sylvia and I had seats toward the back 15 rows up. The big screens helped us to see what was going on. I am happy I have a good camera that allowed me to get good shots on the stage, and I am so very happy that I had the sense to set the ISO at the maximum setting.

About 5,000 people attended, some from out of the country. This was good.
But the organizers risked the wrath of many by saying it would start at 7 p.m. when it didn't start until 7:30  and even then, it didn't actually start.
We waited from 7 p.m.
A band played.
Some fellow took one hell of a chance and proposed. Fortunately for him she said yes.
When the program started Emily Expo, ComicCon mascot, came out and spoke for a bit, thanking various sponsors. Marvin Rush, a Star Trek director of photography, talked about how we're living in a Star Trek age.
Garrett Wang, Ensign Harry Kim, on Star Trek Voyageur talked about not liking TNG because every time he tried to watch an episode it was the not only the same one, but it was the lamest episode of TNG. Because he didn't watch it he wasn't nervous when he read for the part.
Then we were "treated" to an 18 minute video with assorted stars talking about what ST meant to them. It wasn't very entertaining and all it did was annoy me. If they were trying to whip us up into a frenzy with this nonsense they failed.  
Then, just when we thought it was going to get going, Emily Expo announced a 30 minute break.
But we survived the wait and the stars came out and I am glad I was there.





 



 

Gratitude Monday--Vulcanized Edition

My friend Sylvia and I went went to ComicCon in Calgary over the weekend. We got to see many famous people. We got to go to the Star Trek TNG Reunion Saturday evening. We survived the lineups and got in the event all three days.
I have many new things for which to be grateful because of it.
For today, let me say I am grateful for the time I spent with my friend.
*
I bought the T-shirt at the Vulcan tourism booth at ComicCon. It holds one of my favourite lines from Star Trek's original series:
"Spock, are you out of your Vulcan mind?"

Photo-Finish Friday --Ice Wall

This is the ice wall on the Kootenay Plains west of Rocky. It's well used by ice climbers and tends to stay intact well into June.
There's a path beside it for those who wish to hike up the ridge.
I've done it. I recommend it.

The ice wall becomes a mud wall in summer as it is spring-fed. Despite that, it is climbable in the summer. Start on the side path and  and then switch over to the drier parts of the mud wall.
It has good rest spots with spectacular views.

For perspective, here's a long view of the wall.

Thursday

"Is today Thursday?" I would ask from time to time when young.

"All day if it doesn't rain*." my dad would invariably reply.

It's not raining here today, so I guess it's Thursday.



*If you don't get it, say Thursday quickly so it sounds like thirsty.

Safe For Now

Along the David Thompson Highway.

Alberta is safe for now.
Premier Alison Redford was returned to power with enough of a majority to do most of what she wants to do.
Danielle Smith was elected and can now lead the Wildroses from the legislature. We can see her in action holding the PC's feet to the fire for not being conservative enough.
The Wildroses have enough seats to worry the Redford government in the way that a dog worries cattle.
This is healthy and good.
Redford accepts climate change is real and that human's take their fair share of blame for it. Smith said the science on this was unclear.
This leads me to my post title. Though hardly in the clear, Alberta's natural beauty and (mostly) fresh air and (many) clean (appearing) streams are (moderately) safe for now.

Gratitude Monday--Election Edition

This is only wild rose I want to see blooming in Alberta

Today is election day in Alberta. I am grateful I live in a country where I can vote without fear. 

That said, I do have fear this time. I am scared the Alberta Wildrose Party will take the helm of the province and send us reeling back in time a few decades.

Leader Danielle Smith is a smart woman who knows how to present herself and the party ideas. Some of them sound good on the superficial level. Give them some critical thought and we can see that white guys believe they speak for everyone and are listened to by everyone unlike those ethnic people, gays and lesbians do not need protection (and by inference do not deserve same) and that the jury is still out on climate change.

She will, however, balance the budget on the backs of the poor and the ill while patting us on the head and handing out $300 cheques.

But this is Gratitude Monday and I'm getting away from my point.

I am grateful that by tomorrow we'll probably have a viable Opposition in government for a change. And that means no matter who gets the nod from the voters there'll be others on the job to keep them reasonably honest.

I am grateful I live in a democracy, but I do wish more of us would use it.

.

Photo-Finish Friday -- Lone Man

A  lone man near a deserted streetcorner in Guatemala City.