memories

My dad.  There were few things on this earth that my dad could not fix, build, remodel, or reinvent.  His many skills were honed from years of building houses, fixing cars, doing fine woodworking, being involved in boy scouts, working on film crews, doing upholstery- you name, he's done it.  He embodied the typical manly-man in terms of doing things with his hands with as few words as possible.  The one anomaly in the typical manly activities of my dad was his utter disinterest in professional sports.  Growing up, baseball, basketball, and football games were NEVER on our TV.  Sunday afternoons were NEVER spent watching the game.  We rarely went to watch our local teams play- and if we did it was with someone else's dad.  My brother was not pushed or encouraged to join the high school sports teams and it wasn't until I was married that I could tell you when football season or baseball season began/ended.  (Or which teams played which sports for that matter).

So nostalgic memories of playing catch with my dad in the backyard, or cheering for the Superbowl are non-existent in my childhood memory lane.  What is present, however, is a thorough knowledge of all things Star Trek.  By the time I was of 'TV watching-age' (whatever that is) I recall watching old episodes of Star Trek with my dad.  They must have been on around 5 pm- as I remember my mom calling us to dinner while the final credits rolled on each episode.  As a result of being exposed to Klingons and Romulons from an early age, my brother and I developed an interesting imagination.  Much of our play was centered around Star Trek themes.  

My parents had a 1984 brown and tan VW Vanagon.  The pull-down arm rests and 'special features in the back seat (flip up ask trays and hand-crank windows) were perfect for recreating Star Trek adventures.  I distinctly recall commanding (yes, of course I was the captain!) our Starship VW to warp speed ("Warp speed- ENGAGE!" (pause...) Mom, I said ENGAGE!").  Our adventures in the vanagon were always to explore a strange new world (cross country road trips to family in IL), to seek out new life and new civilizations (midwest relatives and CA friends), and to boldly go where no kid has gone before (like In N Out burger or to our family's cabin in Wisconsin!).

The Starship VW

Last night The Incredible Austin and I went with my parents and brother to see the new Star Trek.  I liked it.  My dad liked.  I'm not a movie reviewer (I'll save that for my film-y cousin ) so I'll skip the plot synopsis- but it was fun to remember all those old episodes with my dad, and commanding the Starship VW with my brother across the US all those years ago.

Live long and prosper!

-CtF