Captains Courageous - Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

"Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. It's five year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before." – James T. Kirk – TOS: The Corbomite Maneuver (First use of this)

To deny the impact of Star Trek in all its iterations on my life would be a great lie.  Further it would be wrong to think that I agree with all that the several series put forth as axiom and principle.  Still on the whole the philosophical approach is that we boldly take on the great adventure.

I have always felt that the life of being on a starship would suit me.  I am a vagabond at heart.  I love the idea of seeing all that is out there up close.  I love the idea that we can find what is there and learn from it.  I long to see all of creation and worship the creator.  I realize that some of you think all of this is a series of cosmic coincidences.  I will not argue about that.  I will respect your right to see things as you will.

What I do see in the things we have discovered is wonder and beauty.  I see the need to find a way to be good enough to each other that we can put the resources into getting out there.  We cannot cure all the ills of the world.  We can treat each other with love and kindness. 

I do not think we can create a utopia.  I do think we can do much better than we are.  If I hope speak of Christ and be heard then I must put helping others first.  I must put the needs of others ahead of my wants and wishes.  I must insist that our energies be put toward the greater good.  We must be more civilized if we are to seek out new civilization.

“’Let me help.’ A hundred years or so from now, I believe, a famous novelist will write a classic using that theme. He'll recommend those three words even over I love you." – James T. Kirk – TOS: City on the Edge of Forever

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - Human Rights

Greetings Dear Reader,

Admiral Dougherty: "Jean-Luc, we're only moving six hundred people!"

Captain Picard: "How many people does it take, Admiral, before it becomes wrong? Hmm? A thousand? Fifty thousand? A million? How many does it take, Admiral?"  -  Jean Luc Picard – TNG: Insurrection

I apologize in advance that this is going to sound harsh.  That is not my heart; to be harsh.  I do, however, need to be clear on this topic.  I am not pointing fingers.  I am confessing truth on behalf of all of us.  I am not hating anyone.  I am hating practices that we tolerate for the sake of our own comfort.

Let us be clear.  We tolerate human rights violations.  We ignore them in third world countries.  We do business with nations who treat women as property.  We are product dependent on nations where freedom is not a way of life.  If you deny that everyone benefits from these situations then you are lying to yourself.

To verify this just ask yourself where your stuff comes from.   I am not on a rant about buying things that are “Made in America”.  That is another discussion.  What I am concerned about is the actual cost of the things we have.  From diamonds to cheap shoes we all know in the dark recesses of our minds that our “stuff” is often produced in part from the suffering of others.  We know it.

We need to ask ourselves how much human suffering we are willing to purchase for the sake of our greed, ego, or comfort.  We need to recognize that we walk over corpses for our things sometimes.  We will protest wearing fur whilst wearing a t-shirt made in a Thai sweatshop by an eight-year-old child.  We will allow women to be treated as things in the Middle East to save a nickel on a gallon of gas.  We allow restaurant workers to be underpaid so the price of our salad won’t go up.

I cannot solve all of the problems that violate human rights.  I can barely scratch the surface.  I can, however, be aware.  I can give my custom to places that respect human rights and conduct business in that way.  I can assure that I treat all humans as precious and valued.  I can sacrifice plenty to raise the station of others.  I can decide that violating one human is enough to disallow.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - Creativity

Greetings Dear Reader,

"Without freedom of choice, there is no creativity. Without creativity, there is no life." – James T. Kirk – TOS: The Return of the Archons

One of the things I see is a subtle curbing of creativity in the world.  We have all seen the posts about political correctness and protests against this or that social view.  I am not taking a position on any issue.  What I am concerned about is our lack of creativity when it comes working against or for the things that matter to us.

Is seems we have lost the idea that we can do something other than shout epithets and descend into violence.  An example of what I am pondering is a town in Germany that tricked Neo-Nazis into raising money for an anti-extremist charity.  Basically the convinced townspeople to donate money to the charity for the length and number of the march.  If we did this instead of giving attention to the nasty things in our world it would do a great deal of good.

We could also be more creative in solving the social problems that are ever mounting.  There are many ways we could take better care of each other but we instead choose to be selfish and spend our resources on things we do not need.  It should bother us that one of the most secure money-making businesses in our nation is self-storage.  Think about that for a moment. 

Without creativity, we become drab and lifeless.  We lose the vital vibrancy of life.  We were created to be sub-creators.  Tolkien’s essay On Fairy Stories deals with this much better than I could.

Create Dear Reader.  Be sure to create things that make life richer.  Value the creativity and your spirit and use it to make the world a better place.  I know that I need to do this daily.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - Fear

Greetings Dear Reader,

"You know as well as I do that fear exists for one purpose, to be conquered." – Kathrine Janeway – Voyager: The Thaw

If one discovers what he or she fears and conquers it one can accomplish almost anything.  Fear kills the mind and hinders action.  It debilitates and destroys.

When we look at all the problems in the world they can arguably be traced back to fear.  Despots and tyrants rule through fear.  One may say that there is greed for power and control.  At the heart of both is a fear of something.

It is our fear that keeps us on the ground when we can fly.  It is our fear that holds back from the great adventures.  When we move out of fear we actually fail to move.  I have made my worst choices out of fear.  I have done the most harm I have done in life because I moved out of fear.

We use fear to motivate others to do, to buy, and to join.  Perhaps the reason that we do this is because it gives us control.  It gives us power over others.  From advertising to governing we use fear to work our will on others.

My Grandfather would always tell me that “It is OK to feel afraid.  It is never OK to let the fear be in charge.”  Fear is a foe to conquer.  I must defeat it and assure that it has no purchase in my life.  I can listen to it and hear what it has to say.  I must not allow it wo have sway. 

Following Christ requires that I see the fear for what it is and deny it the power to hinder my journey.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - Leadership

Greetings Dear Reader,

"Part of being a captain is knowing when to smile, to make the troops happy. Even when it's the last thing in the world you want to do. Because they're your troops, and you have to take care of them." – Benjamin Sisko – DS9: Rules of Engagement

One of the sacred truths of leadership to me has always been that if you take care of your team the work will get done.  I am sure that most of the people that lead us do not understand this.  If we truly took care of the people things would be much different. 

There will always be those who are not satisfied with the way things are.  There will also always be those who just want to burn things down.  The average person, however, just needs his or her needs met and little love and kindness. 

It is our fear, greed, and passions that drive us to do less than care for others.  It is our lack of understanding that if we care for each other we will not lack anything.  Whether our need is physical, social, or spiritual our caring for others will feed those needs.

Our failure to see and meet the needs of our “team” (read all humans) is what causes the gaps that others try to fill with things that do not satisfy.  It is what I do when I fail to focus on Christ.  When I put my own needs first I fail those around me.  It is then when I lack faith.  It is in those moments that I most need to think of how my failure will impact others if I continue. 

At the core of all leadership is the dire need and ultimate requirement to care for and take care of the lead.  As I see new responsibilities in this area unfolding for me I must remember that this seminal value will do more than anything else to help me do well.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - Suspicion and Paranoia

Greetings Dear Reader,

Suspicion - "The road from legitimate suspicion to rampant paranoia is very much shorter than we think." – Jean Luc Picard – Star Trek TNG: The Drumhead

The deeper we delve into division over issues as a society, the easier it becomes to accept lunacy as common thought.  There is sound reason for having solid immutable principles such as presumed innocence and freedom of speech.  If we abandon this “prime directives” even when we think what is being defended is abhorrent then we create precedent for the decent to become abhorrent.

Consider the current outrage over certain racist ideas that are gaining loud expression.  I agree that racism is horrid and must be squelched at every turn.  If, however, we drive expression of those views underground instead of openly opposing them, we create a rat’s nest for breeding hatred in secret.  We cannot control the hearts and minds of others.  We can fight and win with love and kindness.

The problem with making anyone guilty of a crime because of his or her thoughts and words is that we cannot always assure that we will control who decides what is “hate speech”.  We leave a dangerous door open that contains a ravenous beast behind it.  We put into motion the thinking that people can be criminalized for thoughts and words.  What happens then when your philosophy or faith becomes the unpopular one? 

We can fight all hatred and prejudice through love and kindness.  We can turn calls for hatred into opportunities for goodness.  We can defeat all of this if we keep in mind that we must not become evil to fight evil.  Picard again sums it up at the climax of this episode.  “You know, there are some words I've known since I was a schoolboy. ‘With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably.’ Those words were uttered by Judge Aaron Satie as wisdom and warning. The first time any man's freedom is trodden on, we're all damaged.”

As a Christ follower I must assure that all humans are treated well or I am contributing to evil, not fighting it.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - On Humanity

Greetings Dear Reader,

"Human flesh against human flesh. We're the same! We share the same history, the same heritage, the same lives. We're tied together beyond any untie. Man or woman, it makes no difference, we're Human! We couldn't escape each other, even if we wanted to. That's how you do it, Lieutenant. By remembering who and what you are, a bit of flesh and blood afloat in a universe without end. The only thing that's truly yours is the rest of humanity. That's where our duty lies." – James T. Kirk - Star Trek TOS: Who Mourns for Adonis

We hear of new acts of terror, conflicts, crimes, and horrors almost daily.  Man’s capacity to be creative is mirrored in his capacity to find new ways to do harm to his fellow human.  From indifferent neglect to overt genocide we create ways to harm each other.

Trillions of dollars find their way into military budgets for research, development, testing, and deployment.  Imagine what we could do with those resources if they were committed to doing good.  Imagine what we could do were to embrace the simple truth that in the physical world all we really have is each other. 

We forget that when all else is stripped away all that matters is how we treat each other.  Whether you have faith or not you have a primary obligation is to humanity.  People are your tribe.  They are your only hope in the natural world.  Nature and others species are not going to band together to help you.

For me, as a Christ follower love of other humans comes only slightly after my obligation to love God.  Further, my love for others is the only way that humans can see my love of God.  Everything that detracts from my love for others is a smokescreen at minimum and perhaps destructive at the heart of it.

I must see every human life as vital, valued, and precious.  We can be better if we choose to do so.  We can build instead of destroying.  We can use resources save lives, build hope, create opportunity.  We can do better.  I must do all that I can.  It is my prime directive.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - Prejudice

Greetings Dear Reader,

"Why are you so surprised? Whenever a group of people start believing they're better than everybody else, the results are always the same." – Jonathan Archer – Enterprise: Cold Station 12

We seem shocked when the violent results of allowing prejudice to thrive become evident.  We compare the quiet common prejudice to the blatant and overt and pretend there is a difference.  I suppose there is.  The blatant is at least honest.  It is still wrong and they not honest about the truth but it is honest. 

There has never been a successful time when claiming superiority over others has worked out for the good.  I have written before about the fact that my faith claims to be the truth about who God is and the way in which he deals with humans.  I understand that there is an arrogance in this that can breed prejudice and supposed superiority. 

That is why faith hinges on humility.  That is why at the heart of the gospel is the command to constantly be aware of the needs of others.  That is why our fallen state, our sinful natures are the great equalizer.

I cannot for a moment forget that I possess a treasure, freely given to me, that I am to freely share with others.  I am not to judge, condemn, hate, or feel superior in any way.  I am required to see everyone beating heart as one to be loved in kindness and humility.  When I think that I am superior to anyone else for any reason it is in than moment that I am low and in the greatest need for forgivness.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - Tolerance

Greetings Dear Reader,

"There's a difference between respecting the spiritual beliefs of other cultures and embracing them myself." – Katherine Janeway – Voyager: Sacred Ground

Do we really consider that there are things that are not acceptable to even consider?  I am not advocating for thought police or denoting that things spring to mind that we have to fend off just because of our nature. 

I am going to use an absurd example.  What I am saying is that it is wrong for me to consider for a moment that it is allowable to think that we should kill someone because the toenail on his or her pinky toe is too small.  Like I said, absurd.  But replace the pinky toe example with something real in your mind. 

There are people who believe that other people should be killed because of their beliefs.  This too is absurd.  Both sides of our deeply divided nation contain factions that embrace this notion.  Then there are those who scream for tolerance unless you embrace something which they will not tolerate.

The deep vein of truth here is that I do not have to agree with you or embrace your beliefs as valid to be good and kind to you.  I do not have to agree that every idea has merit to love those who hold those ideas. 

There are ideas that I find heinous.  There are beliefs that I think absolutely wrong.  It is an error to think that disagreement is rejection of the person.  It is a lie to think that I have to agree with everything you think and believe to love you and treat you with respect.

Those who require us to do so cause great division in the name of tolerance.  They violate the very standards they profess.  Their pleas for tolerance are intolerant. 

I am not permitted to treat anyone in an unloving way.  I do not agree with every belief or position others hold.  I do strive to love everyone.  I will respect your beliefs and values.  I will not always agree.  I will love you and be kind to you.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Captains Courageous - Questions

Greetings Dear Reader,

"That might be the most important thing to understand about Humans. It's the unknown that defines our existence. We are constantly searching, not just for answers to our questions, but for new questions." – Benjamin Sisko – DS9: Emissary

One of the things I value highly is life-long learning.  It was a bane of my youth that I was always curious, filled with questions, and pestering adults with them.  More than once I was punished for asking an honest question at the wrong embarrassing moment.

As I grew older and developed my keen desire to also play with words to better understand them, I coupled that with questions.  It results in questions such as “does one have to vert before one can revert?”

 I love the moment of pondering before the questioned gets the point and the joke.  I get laughs, groans (especially from y kids), and at times a response that really ponders the point.  It is an exercise in thinking.  Since words are one of our primary vehicles for communication we really must think about them.  We must ponder the words we use and choose them well.

So many of the words we say are clumsy and wasted.  What if we chose each word with care?  We could slow down and better state what we think and feel.  We could ask better questions.   We could look for better answers and find new questions that matter.

We also ask the wrong questions.  We ask about the latest fashion instead of asking how to clothe those in need.  We ask about the best coffee shop or where to get the most expensive coffee instead of asking how to get water to places where people die of thirst.

It is not wrong to want good coffee.  It is wrong to have poor priorities.  I must be constantly curious about how to ask and find answers for the right questions.  I must not put the mundane or minor above the great questions.  I must make time to ask, seek, and understand.

One of my finest moments as a teacher was when a student made a very bold statement that she knew I would find in error.  After making the statement she blurted out, “And don’t say ‘let me ask you a question.’”  Of course, my response was, “Why should I not ask a question?  Do I not need to learn?”

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - Racism

Greetings Dear Reader,

“If there is one ideal that the Federation holds most dear, it is that all men, all races can be united.” – Captain Picard, Nemesis 

It troubles me greatly to see how blatant racial hatred has continued to emerge in our nation.  It is wrong to think less of anyone based on physiological characteristics.  We struggle with this because we have inherited some kind of division from our forebears.  Past wrongs inform actions that treat others with disrespect or even hatred just because of the way DNA lines up.

In an enlightened society this is simply stupid.  I do not use that word much in my writing because I do not like it.  Still, to disregard someone in any manner simply because of his or her DNA speaks to ignorance, hatred, and evil.  It speaks to choices made out of disregard for intelligence and common sense.

It troubles me even more that some of those voicing racial hatred claim to follow Christ.  The two cannot be more divergent.  Following Christ is centered on loving everyone no matter how deplorable you may think they are.  This means that true Christ followers must even love those who spew filthy hatred in the name God.

I do not have to support them, agree with them, or give value to their words.  I do have to love them.  This is perhaps at the core of the ideal of uniting all people.  You will see many messages of unity that are filled with hatred and prejudice.  You will hear a few that ask us to unite under the common bond of love for all life. 

We can only do this if it is inclusive.  I am proud of my children.  They are not racist.  When they were young they were never allowed to describe people to me by race.  They had to tell me who their friends were by charter and qualities of the individual.  Both of them excel at seeing people as people.

I cannot follow Christ if I allow or participate in hatred of any kind.  The most foolish kind may be disregarding anyone at any level because of his or her DNA.  We can be united but only under the banner of love that embraces all life as precious and valued.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous - On Death

Greetings Dear Reader,

“How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life.”

This may seem obvious but it puts in mind the recurring theme of Star Trek the Original Series (TOS) that we often overlook.  Even though it became a meme, red shirts (security agents) often died on away missions.  Almost every episode saw the death of someone.

Dealing with death became very important just as the Original Series was nearing its end.  My Grandfather moved on to that undiscovered country and there was no solace to be had.  I entered a deep void that almost took me.  I did not understand how to deal with death.

Though this quote would not come until much later in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, syndication of the TOS in the early seventies gave me some dry ground to get to the time when I finally dealt with death.  Once again my parents were too occupied to see my needs but the daily reruns on a local independent channel flinted a spark of hope into my spirit.

I was again dealing with death and I was planning my own.  It was the episode “The City on the Edge of Forever”, my favorite TOS episode that delayed me long enough for the universe to intervene.  The conversation that led to my embracing faith began with a conversation about Star Trek and Captain Kirk. 

On the eve of taking my own life the man who became the third hero in my life helped me turn death into a fighting chance to live.  We spoke of my Grandfather; first hero.  We spoke of Captain Kirk; my second hero.  Ray, the man speaking with me told me of his time as a jet pilot.  He listened to my hurt and my heart.  He helped me deal with death so that I would not embrace it too soon.

When I heard this line so many years later I had no idea that in a few short years death would again force me to deal with his uninvited eventuality.  It was these words that helped get me through that as well. 

This is not all there is.  This is the journey and getting to the destination requires death for most of us.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Captains Courageous ~ Opening Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

For fifty years I have been influenced by my relationship with an elite group of people.   These are the men and women who have owned the center seat of a starship.  To deny the impact of the various Star Trek series on my life would be dishonest.  Their philosophies, actions, and impact have shaped much of my thinking whether their impact was as counsel or foil.

My relationship with James T. Kirk began when I was six.  The others, Jean Luc Picard, Benjamin Sisko, and Katherine Janeway came much later but have had their place as well.  Even Jonathan Archer has contributed to the chorus of thought.  It is not his fault the writers and producers failed him.

As I think through the changes in my life that are ongoing and beyond my control I turn to these noble characters for their input. They so often served as …” thought in the early morning, solace in time of woes, peace in the hush of the twilight, balm ere my eyelids close.”   In this present time I wish to ferret out the things they say and weight them against the light on the marshes.

I wish to also prepare my mind and expectations for the new Star Trek frontier on the horizon.  A new show has been long overdue.  I hope it is not disappointing.  Enterprise was.

More important, I need to assure that whilst I have so much time to myself that I bolster my charter with the things that inform it to be better.  I need reminding of my first duties and how to assure that I do not take a wrong path just because it is easier.

You too are valued counsel Dear Reader.  Your company on this part of the journey would be valued and welcome.  I will follow the Captain of my soul ship first, but since all truth is his, I will remind myself of the truths that guided me even before I knew my place as his follower.  Moorings are clear.  Ahead one quarter impulse (for the moment).

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Second Thoughts – Still Boldly Going

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

Fifty years ago today at 10:00 PM Eastern time my mother awakened me from slumber in my room.  She led me to the living room and gave me popcorn and juice as I watched the opening moments of the first Star Trek episode. 

I was instantly enthralled.  I have spent the last fifty years living and reliving the many voyages of the Starship Enterprise.  Her ongoing mission in my life has shaped my love of literature, film, and life.  I owe a debt I can never pay to Gene Roddenberry and the cast of that original series.  I talk about this at length in Sheetrock on the Road, my latest novel. 

As I think about all that has happened surrounding this show and its children I ponder all the people that have journeyed with me through the adventures.  I have used the common ground it creates to entertain and educate.  It has been the backdrop to much of my thinking and values.

I have been privileged to meet William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Deforest Kelly, and Georgie Taki.  I have spent hours in discussion of the philosophies and values represented in the episodes with students, friends, and families.  The final frontier is still not close enough to us for my liking.   I think we need to try harder to build the dream.

As this milestone passes I am thankful for all that has been given me by this lovely creation.  IT is in this fantasy that I find much of my understanding of reality.  It is in these characters that I find much of my character.  Long after the credits fade and I trundle off to bed the lessons and adventures of Star Trek linger in my heart and mind.  It is in this that I sometimes find the courage to keep boldly going.

Thank you Gene for your creations and their place in my lives.  I lift a glass of Romulan Ale to you and with you much peace.  I pray we can actualize your dream.

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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Second Thoughts – Star Trek Beyond Commentary (SPOILERS)

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

I have heard both sides of the discussion on this film.  There seems to be no middle ground.  My younger Son, Bezel said, “It is not just a great Star Trek film.  It is a great film.”  Another friend hated it.  He said it was too much like the original series.

I loved the film.  It keeps its promise to take us beyond in ways I value.  It also was a good film on its own merits. 

Beyond the Five Year Mission:

We see Kirk and crew at a crossroads.  It is after the five year mission.  It is beyond the commitment and the team is strong and loyal. The three have become good friends; family.  The crew is loyal.  There are five years’ worth of logs, episodes, and stories.  Kirk makes me laugh when he says it feels “episodic.”  The federation is growing faster than it did in the other time line.

Beyond the Original Choices:

Kirk refuses the Admiral’s Chair.  He stays with his ship.  The original words of the original Kirk become unnecessary.  Yet the hope in them is fulfilled “Don’t let them promote you.”  The new Kirk stays with his ship even though he still must get a new one.

Spock also stays.  He does not go to New Vulcan.  He does not pursue being more Vulcan. In fact he becomes more human (More on that later).  He chooses to become more of a friend openly.  He chooses to use colorful metaphors sooner.  He communicates the loss he feels when his other self dies.  He is both a Vulcan and one of us. 

Beyond the Original Cast:

The new cast pays such beautiful homage to those who have been left behind.  They love and respect the characters and the actors without being cheesy or ham handed about it.  They do such a beautiful job of closing the loop on that which I have loved since I was a wee lad. 

Another goodbye is the sad and painful one we bid to Anton Yelchin.  Some of his lines in the film become so cryptic because he is dead.  I am not sure how they will handle it in the films but I know that the loss will be felt for quite some time.

Star Trek is part of me.  It is part of the best part of me. I have a Spock and Bones in my life.  I am seeking for some other things.  My mission is ongoing.  I am still trying to turn death into a fighting chance to live.

I have this poster and it is still true, almost everything I needed to know I learned from Star Trek:

• Seek out new life and new civilizations
• Non-interference is the prime directive
• Keep your phaser set on stun
• Humans are highly illogical
• There is no such things as a Vulcan Death Grip
• Live long and prosper
• Having is not so pleasing as wanting; it is highly illogical, but often true
• Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations
• Tribbles hate Klingons (and Klingons hate tribbles)
• Enemies are often invisible- like Klingons they can be cloaked
• Don't put all your ranking officers in one shuttle craft
• When your logic fails, trust a hunch
• Insufficient data does not compute
• If it can't be fixed, just ask Scotty
• Even on our own world, sometimes we are alien
• When going out into the Universe, remember: "Boldly go where no one has gone before"

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Second Thoughts – To Boldly Go

Greetings Dear Reader,

Sometimes I will end the day with thoughts that are important to get out.  Usually I just write them and put them in my journal folder.  I have chosen that on occasion I will share them with you Dear Reader.

I was six years old and the summer heat had not yet broken in Atlanta.   The Braves were having a losing season.   School was already a torture under the tutelage of Mrs. Methuselah Mars.  And then the Great Bird of the Galaxy flew into the heart of my small black and white TV and into the soul of a six-year-old fatherless boy.

Forty-nine years ago today Star Trek premiered.  The show was in danger of cancelation from the outset.  Still over three years the work of the cast and crew of this ground breaking, envelope pushing show changed my life.   I learned so much about life during these weekly forty-four minute adventures. 

The challenges Kirk and crew faced taught me values and judgment.   They taught me to see the good in everyone.  I learned to honor the differences between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.  Later in life I had the honor to meet and thank each of them.  Today as I ponder the long life and deep success of this venture I am reminded of the good it has done in so many lives.

This entertainment transcended simple fun and dared to teach us along the way.  Thank you Gene Roddenberry and company for all that you have given me.  I continue to learn from reruns and movies.  Hailing frequencies open Captain. 

All that I Needed to Know About Life I learned from Star Trek:

• Seek out new life and new civilizations.
• Non-interference is the Prime Directive.
• Keep your phaser set on stun.
• Humans are highly illogical.
• There's no such thing as a Vulcan death grip.
• Live long and prosper.
• Having is not so pleasing a thing as wanting; it is not logical but it is often true.
• Infinite diversity in infinite combinations (IDIC).
• Tribbles hate Klingons (and Klingons hate Tribbles).
• Enemies are often invisible - like Klingons, they can be cloaked.
• Don't put all your ranking officers in one shuttle craft.
• When your logic fails, trust a hunch.
• Insufficient data does not compute.
• If it can't be fixed, just ask Scotty.
• Even in our own world, sometimes we are aliens.
• When going out into the Universe, remember: "Boldly go where no man has gone before!"

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)