My First Star Trek Convention

I was excited... and a bit apprehensive. I know how much Moshe loves Star Trek conventions. I thought it would be fun to enter "his" world.

At the same time, I expected to meet some pretty strange people....

Barely 60 people attended the 'Q-Con 2' convention. I would not even call it a "convention"…. but when I called it a Star Trek “gathering,” Moshe got all hot under the collar.

“It’s a convention,” he corrected me. (He is so cute when he takes this Star Trek stuff so seriously!)

All kidding aside, I was also excited to meet John de Lancie, the convention’s guest star. John de Lancie played the recurring character of “Q” – a being who is both petulant and omnipotent (a rather dangerous combination).

De Lancie’s son, Keegan, who played Q’s son in an episode of Voyager, was also a guest star. Keegan is a Fulbright scholar, studying in Amman, Jordan. He and his parents were visiting Israel on a personal tour. The convention was scheduled around their visit!

It would have been fun to bring the kids too, but my girls had gymnastics and my son had Ofek (an afternoon program for gifted kids).

So Moshe took off early from work, and the two of us drove to Herzliya for the convention.

There was only one building in the area and I thought 'this can't be the place; it's a youth center.'

It was the place.

We arrived 15 minutes early (mark the date!), and hung around for a while until things got started.

There were about 15 people in the auditorium when this young guy, with big, thick-rimmed glasses (you can’t make this stuff up!), came out and asked which episode we would like to see.

After watching the episode, the guy came back to let us know that the next part of the program would begin in about half an hour, and did we want to just wait or watch part of another episode.

I kid you not! (We paid money for this!!)

Well, hey, we are Star Trek fans, so we voted for another episode! Duh!

In the end, we watched the entire episode, with time to spare before the program began.

Then we watched the episode with both Keegan and John de Lancie, with live commentary by Keegan. Afterwards, he chatted with the audience.

Then Marnie Mosiman, John deLancie’s wife, performed two songs. The first was a parody of “Without You,” from “My Fair Lady,” called “Without Q.” It was very clever. (She stuck in some Israel references as well)

Then John de Lancie read The Devil and Billy Markham, by Shel Silverstein. (I could only find part 1 on line, but de Lancie) Afterwards, he chatted with the audience as well.

During De Lancie’s Q & A with the audience, he mentioned that he acted in Days of Our Lives, back in the 80’s. My father’s cousin, Michael David, used to write for that show back then. They must have worked together.

De Lancie is currently directing operas, which I think is really cool. (If I can admit to liking Star Trek, then I can admit to liking opera.)

One participant asked de Lancie why he thought Q had such popular appeal – de Lancie suggested that Q’s absolute freedom, coupled with no sense of responsibility is every person’s fantasty. I laughed at first, then realized the profundity of that statement. It is true – it would be awesome to be able to do whatever one wanted with no concern about the consequences!

I was not like that, even as a teenager….

Afterwards, we got a chance to talk with John some more, and also Keegan and Marnie. They were all very nice and interesting people.

That was the best part of the convention being so small – it felt very personal and friendly.

Keegan says he comes to visit Israel fairly frequently. I mentioned that I worked as a tour guide and offered to help him plan an itinerary. I doubt he will take me up on my offer, but wouldn’t it be cool if he did?



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA

Shabbat HaGadol (the Shabbat before Pesach)

I planned on a simple Shabbat... but my good intentions got the best of me.

I invited my in-laws.

We are going to Moshe's parents for Pesach Seder. So, I thought it would be nice to invite them for Shabbat HaGadol (the Shabbat before Pesach).

My MIL (mother-in-law) is totally put together. Her Shabbat table is always set on Thursday night, and her cooking is always done by then as well.
(My Shabbat table is set… before we eat on Shabbat… and my cooking is finished by….. well, I finish cooking before Shabbat. OK, so we have a mad rush to set the plata (hot plate) and everything else before we light Shabbat candles. Wanna’ make something of it?! I admit it; I am not good at the “domestic” thing. Suffice it to say that my MIL and I have very different strengths and weaknesses!)

Anyway, I knew that her kitchen would be kashered (koshered) for Pesach before Shabbat. (I was right)

My in-laws do a lot for my family and me. I often wish there was more that I could do for them. I knew that it would make things easier for them to come to us for Shabbat. Also, it has been a long time since we had them over. So, I enthusiastically invited my in-laws, without even consulting my husband. (oops!)

Then, it turned out that Moshe had to go to work on Friday. He worried about not being around to help when we were having his parents over. I assured him that we would manage.

You see, that is what is so great about Shabbat. Whether you are ready or not, it comes and you make do.

Sure enough, Moshe arrived home at the same time as his parents, about half an hour before candle lighting. The food was cooked, the beds were ready (almost), and the house was cleaned (relatively speaking).

I still had the Shabbat table to clear off (despite my best intentions to keep it clear all week long) and the kitchen counters (which seem to have gotten cluttered again, after a whole month of keeping them clean).

When I invited them, my MIL asked if she could bring something. I suggested that a salad would be helpful, but I emphasized that they did not need to worry about bringing anything.

Well, my MIL arrived with a fabulous fresh garden salad and the ingredients for several other salads. She and my FIL also brought fresh pastries for Shabbat morning and two platters of ready made schnitzels (fried chicken cutlets) for lunch. And fresh Challot. And two boxes of sweet cereal for the kids to finish!

Shabbat was wonderful.

It has been a while since we have hosted guests for all of Shabbat, and my in-laws are great guests.

I had to cut out a bit early from dinner, and I crashed on the couch after the main part of lunch, but I did not have to worry. My husband and kids were happy to entertain! (It was difficult for my MIL to see my pain and my need for pain killers. I tried to make light of it, but I could tell she felt distraught.)

When I awoke from my Shabbat nap, my kitchen was neat and tidy. That was definitely my MIL’s magic!!

After Shabbat, my in-laws had to rush home. I might have liked them to stay longer, but I also had to get right down to “business.” Early Sunday morning, my son would be leaving for a three day tiyul (hiking trip). He needed my help packing!

The only disappointment was that when we were done packing for his tiyul, it was too late to watch Star Trek.

My eldest was out with her youth group, so she did not mind. But my youngest was really disappointed, as was my husband.

Had I realized earlier that family Star Trek night was not going to work out, I would have suggested that my daughter and husband do something special together.

*sigh*



Please daven (or send happy, healing thoughts) for RivkA bat Teirtzel.

With love and optimism,
RivkA