Live Long and Prosper Leonard Nimoy

I really cannot express how utterly sad I have been the last 24 hours since I found out about the passing of the great Leonard Nimoy. He was a great man with many talents and has touched the lives of countless numbers of people since the world was first introduced to Mr. Spock in 1966. I have never met the man and really never knew that much about him outside of his involvement in Star Trek but he has always been a hero of mine. Spock was an outsider on the show but he was utterly important to the Enterprise and it just showed that you could be different and still a part of the action Spock was always my grandmother's favorite character as well and that meant a lot to me. She is the reason I began to love Star Trek and I guess Leonard's passing reminds me of things that are gone.

After this sad news I have been binging on Star Trek. Since last night I have watched 4 episodes of the original series and I am currently on my fourth episode of Deep Space Nine for the day. I'm loving every minute of this marathon, despite its reason. 

CROSSFIRE

The Bajoran first minister is on the station to complete negotiations with the Federation for Bajor's admittance to the Federation early. There has been a threat against the minister so Odo and Worf are stepping up security. The minister is making it difficult for his security to be ensured and that is made even more difficult when Kira falls for the minister. Much to the dismay of Odo who secretly has fallen for her too over the past few years. In the end Odo silently gives up and just isolates himself more than he already was. 

RETURN TO GRACE

Kira has been ordered to attend a conference between Bajor and Cardassia to discuss strategic issues with the Klingons. Kira is shocked to see that Dukat is the one transporting her to the conference. While on the way Kira and Dukat learn that the Klingons have destroyed the conference site and killed all of the members of the delegates. Kira and Dukat turn rogue and eventually capture a Klingon Bird of Prey. Dukat plans to continue his campaign and Kira persuades him to let his daughter live on DS9 for her safety. 

SONS OF MOGH

Worf's brother Kern has arrived on the station and requests that his brother conduct a ritual Klingon murder. Kern and Worf's family has been disgraced and Kern feels that he has no place in the world anymore. Worf is stopped at the last moment and Kern lives. Kern continues to try find a way to die either at his own hand or at the hand of someone else. He even joins the Bajoran militia as a security officer but this does not work out. In the end Worf has Bashir wipe his memory without his knowledge and performs plastic surgery so that Kern can rejoin Klingon society as a new person. 

BAR ASSOSCIATION

Rom and the rest of the employees at Quark's Bar are fed up with the horrible conditions and treatment! From a recommendation by Bashir, Rom forms a union and the employees go on strike. The Strike causes a lot of friction on the station and eventually the Ferengi FCA get involved. The Union continues forward and the FCA has the shit kicked out of Quark. In the infirmary Quark agrees to honor the demands of the union but not officially. In the end though Rom becomes a technician working for the Bajoran Militia. 

Paradise Lost

Today I decided it was a good day to kick my ass at the gym and I did it! I opted to complete my planned lifting routine which I am enjoying a lot more than I thought that I would. After that I ran three miles on the treadmill. My reward for the whole thing was some time in the sauna at the gym. The people at my gym are good people if not a little different and well just small town. It was a fun day at the gym!

Paradise Lost

At the end of the previous episode the power went out on Earth and Starfleet was set into a state of military control by the president of the Federation. A few pieces of information are brought to Sisko’s attention including the Red Squad being deployed and returned around the time of the blackout. Through some digging he discovers that Red Squad was sent out by Admiral Leyton in an attempt to overthrow the Federation on Earth in order to more solidly fortify the safety of the Alpha Quadrant. Leyton has a plan in place to form a coupe in the misguided belief that he is helping the Federation instead of destroying it. In the end the plot is foiled and Leyton is removed from command. The suspicion on Earth of the Changelings still runs high though so not all is right in the world.

Homefront

I witnessed a new level of douchery at the gym this evening.  A man was standing in the bathroom and shaving.. HIS CHEST! Are you fucking kidding me dude? Really? Shaving your chest in a public space? Why don’t you just drop trow and wax your pubes while you are at it bud! I do continue to be shocked and appalled by the behaviors of the other patrons in the gym that I go to on a regular basis.

In other news I was called a Fucking Bastard by a kiddo at school today so that is sweet. The worst part is I didn’t even deserve but really who does deserve to be called that, except well Hitler.

Workout: Run 3 miles & Biked 15 minutes

Homefront

27 people are killed at a Romulan/Federation peace conference and a Changeling is found responsible. Sisko and Odo are called to Earth to meet with Starfleet Command and the President of the Federation. Earth is found to be in a slight panic and increased security is on the rise around the planet. Sisko is placed in command of Starfleet Security and measures to screen out Changelings are put into place, much to the dismay of the President. throughout the time at Starfleet Odo discovers that a Changeling has been impersonating an Admiral at Starfleet and things become much more serious. An added benefit of the trip home means that the Sisko and Jake get to visit the aging elder Sisko who runs a restaurant in New Orleans. Joe Sisko’s health is declining and tensions among the family are high because of the stubbornness of the old man. Nog also shows up and talks about a mysterious group at the Academy called Red Squad. Things are all sorts of suspicious and then the power goes out planet wide leaving Earth defenseless.

Our Man Bashir

Happy President’s Day everyone! I’m not sure how I am supposed to celebrate this holiday so I spent it on the couch in my sweats watching Netflix. I had the day off of school today which was fun but I still had to go to my second job. All in all it was a really fun day capped off with a visit to the gym. I actually ran two miles today and it didn’t hurt! I am really starting to feel so confident and happy about my running! Running makes me smile :)

Workout: Biked 7 miles, Ran 2 miles

Our Man Bashir

Sisko, Dax, Worf, Kira and O’Brien are on their way back to the station when there is an accident on board and the runabout blows up. Luckily, the station was able to get them out of there in time but they are forced to store the crew in the computer banks of the station until they can figure out how to rematerialize the five officers. Meanwhile Bashir and Garak are on the holosuite enjoying Bashir’s new favorite program where he is a British spy in the 1960’s. The characters in the holosuite take on the appearance of the five crewmembers trapped in the computer. Bashir and Garak must outwit the evil plans of Dr. Noah while managing not to kill anyone or else their patterns will be lost forever. In the end Bashir beats the computer program and keeps everyone alive so that they can be restored to their normal selves.

This episode was released 3 days after the James Bond movie GoldenEye, the first bond movie after a six year hiatus. The look of the episode is pure Connery era Bond and it is a lot of fun! The best part are the names of the women-- Mona Luvsitt and Honey Bare! I loved it but I guess that is because I’m a huge Bond fan.

The Sword of Kahless

It is Valentine’s Day and I’m single.. is that enough information for the world? Actually it is not because this year I am trying to make the conscious decision not to get pissy, drunk, or moody on this meaningless holiday in the middle of February. Yes I am single but I am going to treat myself as my Valentine this year because I’ve kind of been in a relationship with myself the last 32 years and I’m not even getting that right the entire time. So I’m celebrating me this year!

On a fun side note I am so very happy, thrilled, relieved and just plain giddy! I went to the gym this morning with the intent to start running again after my PCL tear last month. I got on the treadmill really hoping that I could just do at least ½ a mile but I was able to get through an entire mile without pain. Granted the pace was an abysmal 13 minute mile but I ran the whole time and it didn’t hurt at all! I have not run a single step in the last month and I really had no clue how today would go. I also knew that running had become part of my “sanity” routine that helped me to feel better and to brighten my spirits but I guess it is a bigger part than I thought. I now just need to add another four miles before the middle of April when I have my first race of the year.

Workout: Ran 1 mile, Biked 15 minutes and Elliptical for 20 minutes

The Sword of Kahless

Kor is visiting his friend Dax on Deep Space Nine and is entertaining the crowds at Quark’s Bar with stories of his gloried past in battle. During the story Dax takes it upon herself to introduce Worf and Kor. The two hit it off over a story about the Sword of Kahless, an ancient Klingon artifact similar to the fabled holy grail. The three set off on a journey to find the sword on a remote planet in the gamma quadrant. Upon arriving there and finding the sword the three are ambushed by members of the House of Duras looking to claim the sword for themselves in order to reclaim their glory. Dax, Kor and Worf now are on the run through a series of underground mines. While trying to escape Worf and Kor begin to distrust each other and want to claim the sword for their own purposes. In the end Dax gets the three out of their and forces Worf and Kor to beam the sword into open space. This way no one has the sword and therefore it won’t turn the empire against itself.

Little Green Men

I think I made a friend at the gym! My faith in humanity is restored as I’ve actually met a non-douchebag at the gym. Really nothing else to report about my Friday.

Workout: Bike and Elliptical Machine

Little Green Men

Nog is about to head off to Starfleet Academy on Earth but first wants to make a small fortune so as is the case in Ferengi culture he sells his childhood belongings to anyone willing. During the sale Quark learns that his new shuttle has finally arrived after ten years of waiting. Quark graciously offers to take Nog and Rom to Earth in the new shuttle. Only after they are underway do they learn that Quark is smuggling a highly volatile chemical in hopes to sell it to weapons dealers. When they are traveling at warp speech an accident occurs and send them back in time to Earth’s past. To be specific the three Ferengi end up on a military base in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947. After they are able to fix their universal translators Quark sets at striking up business with the humans in hope to take over the planet and rewrite the history of the Ferengi Business Empire. Nog and Rom just want to get back to their own time and not mess anything up. Odo also shows up as he is ever the watchdog when Quark is involved and as it turns out he was correct on a hunch the there was something wrong with Quark’s kind gesture. The three befriend an army doctor and his fiance who eventually help smuggle them back to their ship. Rom figures out how to use the blast energy from a nuclear bomb test to recreate the accident and magically all is back to normal. Nog is at the Academy, Rom is back at the bar, and Quark is in jail.

This episode is pure fun! Qark, Nog and Rom are rarely seen in this front stage as main characters and a family unit which is always a lot of bickering and hilarity. It is also fun to speculate if there were really any aliens found at the infamous Roswell crash of 1947.

Starship Down

I was recently in a play and now that that is over it is what my best friend calls “time to build a machine.” Referring to making oneself more physically fit and closer to your ideals. I am taking that moniker on have decided that it is indeed time to build this machine. I’ve been doing my research and found a beginner weight lifting program that seems just perfect for me. it is very regimented and basic which will be good for me because well I know nothing about lifting weights. And lets be honest I love following a schedule, I think that is why marathon training suited me so well. The program is a two day a week plan that gradually becomes a three day a week program.

I’ve been going to the gym a bit more lately trying to get back in the swing after this torn Posterior Collateral Ligament of mine :( The one big thing that I have noticed is that there is a lot of douchebags at the gym in Zimmerman MN! Ok not a lot but definitely a few more than the gym I used to attend. And another thing, what the fuck is with men walking around completely naked in locker room. I’m not saying i completely hate it but really what is with people’s comfort levels? These people just let it all hang out and don’t give a shit, in fact i believe some of the guys are walking around in hopes of getting looked at. Well let me tell you the guys who want to be looked at are the guys you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole even if they were extremely rich. YIKES!

Workout: 25 minutes on the bike and 20 minutes on the elliptical

Starship Down

The basic premise of this episode is that extreme situations bring out the sharing of feelings amongst people you see every day of your life and build deeper bonds. The Defiant is in the Gamma Quadrant to negotiate a new trade deal with the Karemma when the Jem’Hadar attack. The attack sends the Defiant, Karemma ship and two Jem’Hadar vessels into the atmosphere of a nearby gas giant planet. The ship is nearly paralyzed and everyone is split up into groups. Kira is left on the bridge with Sisko who has a head injury. She must keep him awake or else he will die, so she does this by telling folk stories and praying for his life. Dax and Bashir are trapped in a conduit and have a heart to heart about how he used to chase her and now they are just good friends. Quark is stuck with the Karemma merchant and they are faced with defusing a bomb and then making a new trade agreement. Finally there is Worf and O’Brien stuck in engineering charged with gaining control of the ship and getting everyone out of there alive. Worf of course isn’t handling command too well but O’Brien gives him some advice and the cork starts to gradually come out of his ass. In the end everyone is safe and back in the Alpha Quadrant and closer than ever.

Rejoined

I have not been working out a lot lately and I have not run a single step since the first week in January. Dealing with injuries is not a ton of fun, let me tell you. The injury happened during a broom ball game, I was just getting on the ice and twisted and the fell down directly on my knee. OW!!! From what my doctor said it appears to be a tear in my meniscus of the left knee. I just had an MRI yesterday and I am patiently waiting for the results to get back in from the doctor. I have been told that it would be a very easy fix if surgery were needed. I am trying not to freak out and I am trying to just think of the positive things. needless to say I am done with the broom ball season, not that I was that much help to the team anyway. 

Currently I am also doing a production of the Jungle Book and we open Friday! It has been a great rehearsal period. The most fun has been playing King Louie a crazy jazz singing orangutan! The other fun part has been working behind the scenes a bit more. It is a goal of mine to start getting into directing theater and I’ve done a bit more blocking, choreographing and lighting/costume help this time. 

Workout: 45 minutes on the elliptical

Weight: 213 :(

Rejoined

A team of Trill scientists have come to Deep Space Nine to work on creating the first artificial wormhole. The team includes two men and a woman, who just happens to be the new host of a symbiont that used to be married the host of the Dax symbiont. Everyone on the DS9 crew and the Trill scientists are concerned that this will rekindle old love and the two will be tempted to reconnect. The only problem with the two hosts reconnecting is that this is strictly forbidden in Trill culture and penalty is exile from the Trill homeworld and the eventual death of the symbiont. As the work progresses with an initial success of an artificial wormhole, the two fall back in love. Through a series of actions Dax decides to risk the penalties and reconnect with Kahn (the former symbiont). It appears that both have decided to risk it all but then Kahn changes her mind and Dax is left in pain and alone. 

This is the ONLY ONLY ONLY example of even a semi-homosexual couple in all of Star Trek. I say semi-homosexual because it is a case of two women who used to be a heterosexual couple in their past lives. It had been said by Gene Roddenberry that he wanted their to be gay characters in Star Trek but it never happened. I accept that this was a positive step forward in 1995 when it aired but now it seems lame. On the other hand it does have a lot to say about how love is between people and that doesn’t have to be between a man and a woman.