Remember Me

Tomorrow I intend to do a crazy ass thing! I’m going to bike to work. Now I know what you are saying, “millions of people bike to work every day what is so special about you?” Well the big challenge is that I live 12 miles away from work so it is a big deal people so get on board! I’m not going to be making the venture alone though, one of my coworkers is going to make the trip with me and I’m actually really excited to try this venture. Wish me luck everyone.

Remember Me

Dr. Crusher is welcoming aboard a guest at Starbase 133. He is an old colleague of hers from when she was a simple medical student at Starfleet Academy. While she is giving him a tour of the Enterprise there is a minor accident with a warp bubble experiment but nothing is of concern at the time. Soon after though Beverly’s friend is missing and as time goes by more and more people are missing from the Enterprise. Dr. Crusher believes that she is going crazy because no one else seems to think there is an issue. Meanwhile we are flashed back to the Enterprise where Dr. Crusher is missing from the ship, the whole crew is looking for her and they too trace it back to the warp bubble experiment. Wesley believes that the only one who can help is The Traveler (from the first season episode “Where No One Has Gone Before”). He reveals that Dr. Crusher is stuck in another warp field plane, or something like that, and that he and Wesley will be able to bring her back, as long as she feels she can return. Both planes of existence end of reconnecting and the good doctor is returned to the Enterprise. 

Suddenly Human

I was so confused all day because it was my first day of work for the week but it was a Tuesday. It was a good confusing so I tolerated it and loved every minute of the day. Truly nothing of note happened today other than my homeroom won the school-wide knowledge bowl! I am so proud of my kids I feel like proud papa bear looking after his cubs.

Elliptical Machine: 2.74miles and 472calories

Suddenly Human

The Enterprise stumbles across a Talarian research ship that is heavily damaged and upon investigation they find three Talarian teenagers and one human teenager. The young human is part of the crew of the ship though and appears to have no desire to interact with the humans on board the ship. He reveals his name to be Jono the son of Captain Eldar and he refers to himself as a Talarian. Upon further research he is discovered to be Jeremiah Rossa, the only survivor of a Talarian attack on an Earth colony. He is the grandson of an Admiral and so it is decided that he must be returned to his people on Earth. At Troi’s request Picard is tasked with the job of trying to connect Jono with his humanity. Through several attempts Picard eventually breaks through to Jono and releases a shit storm of emotions. In the midst of a rage filled flashback Jono takes a knife and stabs Picard in the chest. The Talarians demand Jono’s return to them and they nearly go to war until Picard admits their mistake in trying to keep Jono and he is returned to his people.

The show features a strong central performance by Chad Allen as Jono the young human/talarian. Chad Allen went on to star on the show Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Opposite Jane Seymour. Chad Allen also has become a gay activist over the years after he was outed nationally by his current boyfriend. That is a shady move on the part of his boyfriend to simply date the guy so he can get some money out of the deal.  Also of note, I wish they would have played up the fact that Worf really has the same exact story as Jono though slightly changed. This plot addition really would have made the show even better than it was. 

Brothers

Do you ever have a day where you have so many plans and get almost none of them accomplished? Today was one of those days for me! I had planned to get so much yearbook entry stuff done but instead got a little bit of work done and have watched several movies including Iron Man 1 and 2 and Thor. I’ve been working my way through the Avenger character films and tomorrow for Memorial Day I will be watching Captain American because it seems the most fitting choice for the holiday. Yesterday I watched both Hulk movies and clearly preferred the one with Edward Norton over the Eric Bana version. In other news I got my tattoo on Friday and It really didn’t hurt like I thought it would which is a good thing because I am a wimp. The stars look really great and I’m starting to plan my next tattoo already and I’ve decided that when I hit my target weight I will be getting another one!

Elliptical Machine: 2.15miles and 367calories

Brothers

The Enterprise is en route to a Starfleet medical base to cure a young boys illness that was caused by a long and accidental practical joke between two young children on the ship who are brothers. While on their way Data somehow becomes catatonic and takes over the ship. He alters the course of the ship and hijacks the ship effectively locking everyone out of control and taking them for a ride. In the meantime the young man who is dying is only getting worse in his condition. The Enterprise enters orbit around a planet and Data beams himself down to discover Dr. Noonien Soong, his creator. Soong reveals that he had a homing device in Data so that he could recall him when he needed to. During a long conversation Lore shows up in the same catatonic state. Data warns Soong not to reactivate him but he does anyway. Soong reveals that he has an emotion chip for Data to help him become more human-like. Lore of course gets pissed and wants that chip so he devises a plan to steal it and succeeds in the plan. Soon later Soong dies at Lore’s hand and Data is rescued and returned to the Enterprise. The young man’s life is saved and he and his brother reconcile their differences. There is an ominous ending though, knowing that Lore remains at large and will for sure be back to bother everyone in the future.

This is a fun episode to watch for the simple fact that Brent Spiner plays three very different characters Data, Lore and Soong. Each character is unique and different and his three performances are truly the centerpiece of this episode. I will never understand how this didn't even garner any sort of recognition such as an Emmy nomination or win for his work. It is really a shame that science fiction work has never garnered the same level of respect other shows have. 

Family

I have but three more 12 hour work days left before the summer begins! I can’t wait to have some more time this summer to have fun. This is going to be the summer of Paul. There will be fun, friends and fitness, I can’t wait! I am finding this weight loss thing to be a challenge as of late, I’m feeling hungry so I’m eating but eating healthy foods. Despite being modest with the food and exercising I am still not losing weight at the moment. I have been at 210 the past few days, so I need to just recommit to the whole thing and kick my butt into gear! I am thinking of joining a gym for a three month package to start getting into weight lifting. It seems like a good idea!

Elliptical Machine- 3.5miles and 610calories

Family

A few weeks after the Borg incident the Enterprise is still in space dock orbiting the Earth while she is being repaired. There are three stories being told in this episode so I will explain each of them separately.

Picard’s Story: Picard has been given shore leave and has decided to take his leave on Earth, specifically France at his family’s home and vineyard. The decision is made against Troi’s advice but Picard is adamant that he must see his family because he has not seen them in 20 years. Upon arrival Picard meets his nephew Rene, and his sister-in-law, Marie, both of whom he has never met before.  Picard and his brother, Robert, have a difficult relationship and there has always been tension between the two. Robert is jealous of Picard’s fame and notoriety and appears to be against all of the modern technology. Picard nearly accepts an offer to work on an Atlantic Ocean discovery team but in the end decides against this as he realizes his place is on the Enterprise. Picard and Robert eventually mend fences after getting drunk and starting a brawl with each other. That’s how a sensible family solves their problems, right?

Worf’s Story: While in orbit around the Earth, Worf learns that his parents have scheduled a visit to the Enterprise. Worf is reluctant to have them aboard as he is slightly embarrassed by them but at the same time he knows he wants to see them. Worf’s parents are both humans who adopted him. They are Russian and very proud of their son! It is a combination of Worf being embarrassed but also his parents are fans of the over share. Worf’s parents start talking to the crew and want to learn if he is ok and has friends on board. Guinan sheds light on Worf’s life on the ship and helps them to realize that he truly does love them both. In the end Worf and his parents have the discussion about him being disowned from the Klingon Empire. His story ends really well and we get to see a smile from him.

Wesley & Beverly’s Story: Dr. Crusher receives a package from Earth that brings back some old memories. The case is a collection of her late husband Jack’s personal effects, including a holographic recording that was intended for Wesley at age 18. The mother and son are reminded of the feelings that they have not dealt with in a long time but they end up moving on with their lives. Wesley listen’s to the recording and is moved by a touching message from his late father.

This is a wonderful episode! It doesn’t even have an enemy or other issue other than family tensions and the stressors of life. The show could just as easily have been an episode of any night time soap minus the references to the Borg and other sci-fi terminology. 

The Best Of Both Worlds, Part 2

Happy Monday Folks! Today was just another Monday to be honest so I don’t have a lot to really share here. Maybe I should just string together a series of random words to make it appear like something really happened. Shim Sham, hullabaloo, soft shell crab, watermelon! In some news I’m up a few pounds at the moment, I think because of all of the food and liquor over the weekend. It should be back down in a few days. So, no worries there.

Elliptical Machine- 650calories and 3.7miles

The Best Of Both Worlds, Part 2

The show picks up right where the previous episode left off. The Enterprise proceeds with its plan and opens fire on the Borg ship and it really has no effect on the cube. The Enterprise is nearly paralyzed and the Borg ship resumes its course to Earth to assimilate the entire planet. The crew is left with a few tasks, trying to repair the ship to rendezvous with the rest of the Fleet at Wolf 359, and figuring out a way to rescue Picard, all while trying to mourn the apparent loss of the Captain. Riker is struggling until Guinan gives him a lovely pep talk and he grows a set and takes command. A plan is set into action to distract the Borg ship by separating the Enterprise into its two units and then engaging the cube while a shuttle gets through to attempt a rescue of the captain. The plan works well and the captain is rescued but the ship is left heavily damaged. With Picard now on the Enterprise Crusher and Data work to revive Picard and find a way to learn a few secrets of the Borg, Locutus though makes it clear that he will not assist the Federation in any way. Crusher and Data reach Picard through a mind link and are given the advice from Picard to make the Borg ship “sleep”. The ship goes into hibernation and self destructs, leaving the Borg threat nullified, for now at least.

What an amazing conclusion to a great first episode. With Picard out of the way the rest of the crew is given a chance to take on a bigger role in the show, which is nice to see as occasionally the other cast members don’t get a lot to do. The fourth season is truly where the show started to really shine and I can’t wait to walk through this season. 

The Best Of Both Worlds, Part 1

What an amazing weekend of fun! I was in my best friend's wedding over the weekend and it was full of joy, a few stressful moments, and lots of partying! The wedding went off without any major disasters happening which was great. Something very peculiar happened to me though this weekend. I was partying and having more than my fair share of fun at the reception and by fun I mean several drinks of both wine, liquor and beer. It lead to a fun night of dancing, joking and singing and by about 1AM I was really starting to worry about how I would feel the next morning. I got myself to bed after having pizza with the other members of the wedding party and a quick dip in the hot tub. I slept very restful and woke up in the morning feeling just fine! No headache, no dizziness, no upset tummy, just a clear head and a sense of refreshment from restful sleep. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN??? The Maid of Honor and I went drink for drink for a while and I know I had more than she did and lets just say she did not fair so well in the morning. I will take it s a springtime miracle and move on with my life!

Elliptical Machine- at my folks house for the evening while they are out of town so I forgot to write down the numbers

The Best Of Both Worlds, Part 1

A Federation outpost has been destroyed and the Borg are most likely behind the violent act so Starfleet has sent an expert out to the Enterprise to assist in the investigation. The expert is a certain Lt. Commander Shelby, who is a brash young woman working her way up through the ranks at Starfleet. She also just happens to want Riker's job so bad she can taste it. Riker we learn has just been offered a command of his own, again, and plans to turn it down, again. Before any big decisions can be made the Enterprise encounters a massive Borg Cube and they are soon under attack. They are able to avoid the Borg for a while but eventually they are attacked and overwhelmed by the powerful foe. The Borg while aboard the Enterprise, capture Captain Picard and bring him back to their ship. The rest of the crew tries to figure out a way to rescue the Captain and better defend against the Borg's ability to adapt to technology and phaser fire. While on board the cube attempting to rescue Picard Data, Crusher, Shelby and Worf discover that the Captain has been assimilated into a Borg. In the final encounter with the ship Riker orders that a newly developed weapon be used on the ship that will hopefully destroy it, but may destroy the Enterprise. Before they activate the weapon the Borg hail the Enterprise and Picard, now called "Locutus of Borg" informs them that they must surrender and that resistence is futile.

This is the first cliffhanger episode of the series, something that becomes a standard for the remaider of the series run. The Best of Both Worlds two parter has been called one of the finest shows in the series and among the best TV episodes ever produced. This show marks the end of the third season which means that I have been working out for about 7 seasons of TV. Several more to go now, so bring on The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2 tomorrow night!

Transfigurations

Today was a really hairy situation folks! This is maybe more than any of my readers want to know but I need to get this off of my chest! Well my back actually. For years I have dealt with being fat and that bugs me for sure but there is something I have always hated even more, I have a hairy back! It is so gross and let’s be honest I’m not a cave man living in the Stone Age. My question to the universe is this… Why couldn’t I have been one of those guys who just isn’t that hairy? I’m fine with the hair on my chest but the back hair that is just gross! That is all I have to say today.

Elliptical Machine- 539calories and 3.19miles

Transfigurations

The Enterprise is mapping an uncharted star system and discovers an unidentified alien in the wreckage of a space craft on an uninhabited planet. The man is unconscious and is brought aboard the ship under the care of Dr. Crusher. The man makes a very rapid recovery but has lost his memory of his life but has premonitions of what he once was and what he is becoming. Dr. Crusher develops a friendship with this man but it is slightly more than friends but less than lovers. An alien ship begins to approach the Enterprise and the man becomes more nervous and tries to escape the ship so that he can live. Of course he is stopped by his own conscious and he stays to talk it out with Picard and Crusher. The aliens are his species and say that “john” is a criminal. “John” reveals the he is the first of his kind who is going to transform into a higher level of being and that is what he is being hunted for, not a real crime. He transforms and is allowed to go upon his way as a new being.  On a side note Geordi is apparently awful with women but gets an added boost of confidence when the alien touches him and a warm flash happens.

I am so excited for the next two episodes because they are two of the best episodes in Star Trek history because Captain Picard becomes a member of the Borg. 

Stayin' Alive... A Glee Post

Happy Tuesday,,, Two Hours of GLEE tonight I may just explode! I actually just watched the Saturday Night Glee-ver episode and I’m currently watching the Big Brother episode as I write this post. The quality of the show has been up and down since the first episode but I still love it to death. It is truly what I wish my high school experience was. Well minus the teenage pregnancy, parent issues and the bullying! Even as an adult the show has helped to give me more courage to live my life exactly how I want to live it, I just wish that it was on when I was in high school. When I was in school we had MTV’s Undressed and Will & Grace. One of which was on later than I went to bed and the other was a group of people who were all older. Will & Grace proved that yes it does get better eventually when you are older and live in New York City. Glee though proves that you can be who you want to be and that it can be “better” now, even in a small town like Lima, Ohio. I’d often thought what it would be like to go back to St. Francis High School and see what it is like there for all of the gay kids in Franny Town! I hope better than what it was like back in the day.

In other news, summer is rapidly approaching and I am finding myself addicted to the Men’s Fashion category on Pinterest. I am so excited to try on some new fashions and some bolder looks! I saw a pair of teal shorts at Target the other day by the way and they looked so amazing but I didn’t buy them yet because I’m waiting to go shopping with my fashion guru the lovely Ms. Andrea (My BFF)

Elliptical Machine- I forgot to write down my stats but I looked before the end and I burned more than 400 calories

Menage a Troi

Ya know expectations of a situation play a lot into our mood and perception of a given situation. I found this out the hard way today when I was told in an email that my last patient wasn’t coming to work today. I was jumping for joy at the thought of getting home early and having a relaxing fun filled afternoon. I was happy, but when I got to work if found out that the email was mistaken and I had a full caseload. Amazingly enough I was instantly crabby at the whole world. I left work in better mood ready for the rest of my day. And once again my workout changed my entire mood and I am feeling wonderful today. On a related note I think the universe may finally be returning all that good karma I’ve been putting out there for years as opposed to the bad juju I’ve been getting for the last few years. You get what you put in I guess.

Elliptical Machine- 468calories and 2.46miles

Ménage A Troi

The Enterprise is hosting a reception while in orbit around the Betazoid homeworld which includes the Ferengi, a fact that is putting everyone on edge. The delegation includes the brassy Lwaxana Troi who desperately tries to fend off the advances of a horny Ferengi Damon. She turns him down and that seems to be that and everything goes back to normal. Riker and Troi decide to take shore leave on Betazed as part of their on again off again romance. While vacationing Riker, Troi and Lwaxana are kidnapped by the Ferengi. The Damon has the hots for Lwaxana but also wants to use her telepathic powers to help him in business deals. Troi and Riker are left alone in the detention cell while Lwaxana is left to seduce and take advantage of the Ferengi’s weakness. She overpowers the Damon but of course is caught by a dorky scientist Ferengi who wants to do tests on her brain. Riker and Troi manage escape and rig a signal to help the Enterprise find them. Back on the Enterprise Wesley Crusher is supposed to be heading off to enter Starfleet Academy but he helps discover the signal and can’t leave. As a result he can’t enter the Academy until the next year. Upon discovery Lwaxana has Troi and Riker beamed back and then makes Picard “fight for her affections” with the Ferengi Damon. Picard engages in a dramatic outpouring of poetry and threats of violence and the Ferengi give in and return Lwaxana. In the end all is set well and Wesley is promoted to a full ensign and he finally gets to wear a real uniform!

The episode is just pure fun! Majel Barrett as Lwaxana is just such a joy to watch because of the nuances she gives the character that is somehow a mix of all four of the Golden Girls rolled into one. The episode also features a minor guest turn by Ethan Phillips who went on to play Neelix in Star Trek Voyager.  

Sarek

Today I bought a few plants for the outside of the house and they look really cute. The house just looks cozier and fun when there are a few plants outside to liven it up a bit! I am in the market now for a big metal star to hang against my brick exterior so if you have seen one at a store or have a suggestion for one please send it my way! Yesterday I rode bike instead of doing the Star Trek thing here. That being said the most amazing thing happened to me yesterday when I was shopping at Kohl’s. I bought a pair of shorts that were a size 32! I had picked up the 34s and tried them on and to my complete shock they were too big. I went out and picked up the 32s, put them on and nearly started to cry but instead I did the happy dance for a few seconds! The best part of the story is that Kohl’s gives you “kohl’s cash” so I can go and get another pair of them later on this week! I think I will get a pair in Navy or Green.

Elliptical Machine- 540calories and 3.2miles

Sarek

The Enterprise is playing host to Ambassador Sarek who will be completing a treaty discussion with a group of aliens called the Legarans. Of note is that we never see the Legarans so they really aren’t that important to the rest of this story. Sarek who is now an elderly Vulcan of 202 years old has decided that this will be his final mission but we quickly learn that his health is rapidly failing though no one wants to admit it including his staff and his human wife Perin. As Sarek spends more time on the Enterprise there is a string of odd incidents where the crew becomes violent towards each other for the smallest of reasons. Picard, Crusher and Troi really become worried when Sarek begins to cry during a Mozart recital on board. Crusher and Troi form a hypothesis that Sarek has Bendii syndrome, a rare disease in which elderly Vulcans lose control of their emotions. It is essentially the Vulcan equivalent to Alzheimer’s disease. The situation becomes increasingly intense but Sarek refuses to leave the talks. Picard and Sarek agree to perform a mind meld so that Picard’s calm and mental stability can be used by Sarek to get through the talks. The downside is that Picard will have to struggle with all of Sarek’s emotions and mental anguish for a few hours before the side effects wear off. The talks go well and Sarek’s dignity is saved and Picard goes back to his command.

It is really fun to see Ambassador Sarek in this episode. Since Vulcans have an estimated lifespan of 150-250 years of age if I remember right, he was perfectly able to be in this episode. The character always had such dignity and honor in his presence on the show and in the movies that it was interesting to see him lose a little bit of that cool. It was also great to get a further glimpse into the Vulcan culture and civilization. Fun fact too is that Sarek was 202 and nearly dead in this episode but a year later he would be on screen again as Sarek in Star Trek 6 nearly 80 years prior to this episode’s timeline. 

The Most Toys

Today I went and saw the Avengers with a friend of mine and had a total blast. I find it funny that for having never read a single comic book in my life I love super hero movies! Now I don’t go to the theatres for every one of them that comes out but I do go and see the good ones. I saw Thor and Captain America last year and have been very excited for the Avengers ever since. I am now looking forward to watching the two Iron Man movies and rewatching the other movies. Also another good reason for watching these movies is that the guys are usually pretty good looking and wearing tight or revealing clothing. I know it is a bad reason to like watching a movie but hey if it works for other people I can use that excuse too. Come to think of it I am very excited the new Spider Man movie and the new Batman movie. There are so many good super hero movies,,, so the moral of the story is this folks… If you have any suggestions of good super hero movies that I need to watch pass them along.

Elliptical Machine- 480calories and 3.01miles

The Most Toys

The Enterprise is transporting a rare element to help fight a planet wide water contamination plague. While transporting this chemical from one ship to the next on a shuttlecraft Data is kidnapped by the ship’s crew. The crewmembers blow up the shuttlecraft to make it look like a freak accident. The Enterprise must go off on its mission to save the needy planet. Meanwhile Data wakes up to find that he has been kidnapped by a man who has a propensity for collecting rare and one of a kind artifacts. He has gone to a lot of trouble to “collect” data and he is relishing in his new toy. The only thing he didn’t take into account is that his new toy didn’t want to be collected. Data works hard to resist and to find a way to escape and he eventually gets into cahoots with the other crew members to escape. Meanwhile back on the Enterprise the whole crew is having a hard time dealing with the apparent death of Data but they must continue on with their mission. Geordi has the most difficult time with the loss and starts a detailed investigation of the accident. When they get to the planet the crew discovers that the whole water contamination plague was a set up and part of the plot to capture Data. The Enterprise ends up picking Data up just in time before he shoots his captor. 

The show is an interesting little episode that helps to advance Data's character and gives him some interesting choices to make along the way. This episode also features a very fun guest starring role from Saul Rubineck. 

Hollow Pursuits

I’m back for good this time! The Wizard of Oz is over and I have made the very smart decision not to do theatre this summer so that I can have a life.  I will admit that I nearly auditioned for a show this week but decided against it! I really don’t have much to say today so this is a bit of a boring post.

Elliptical Machine- 450calories and 2.61miles

Hollow Pursuits

The Enterprise has a problem and his name is Reginald Barclay! Barclay is a bit of a nervous nelly and doesn’t seem to be fitting in with the crew at all. Everyone on board is either complaining or trying to help him or doing both. Since Barclay is an engineer the problem falls mainly to Geordi. Meanwhile on board a series of malfunctions start to happen and the Enterprise is put in danger because the ship keeps accelerating beyond the danger point. Barclay and LaForge work to figure out this problem and of course they do in the nick of time. There are some hilarious moments in this show and of course it is called hollow pursuits because Barclay prefers to live his life in the holodeck where he can control the situation more effectively.

Barclay is introduced quite grandly in this episode and we get to have fun with him over the next four seasons as well! He is the 24^th century’s loveable neurotic crazy man, he is actually quite like Niles on tv’s Frasier.