Florida 1: "We choose to go".

I've actually been back from my trip to Florida for a week now, but I'm going to exercise my prerogative as a science fiction fan (and the owner of a time machine) and do a bit of time travel. I'm just catching up on the blog postings from the trip now on May 2nd, but I'm going to post them for the dates in April when the events discussed took place.

Overall, the trip was fabulous - my friend Colin and I had a great time hanging out and photographing cemeteries in Key West, alligators in the Everglades, beaches in Cocoa Beach, and all things NASA at the Kennedy Space Centre. My thanks to Colin for continuing to provide tireless and uncomplaining* transit services for a single passenger even though he was on vacation - as a non-driver, I would never have been able to cover that kind of territory on my own.

I have to admit that the last destination was really the focus of the trip for me, and it completely lived up to all my expectations. But we'll get to that in due time.  For now, let's turn back the clock and sit down on Air Canada Flight 142, going from Vancouver to Toronto...

- Sid

* Okay, in the interests of full disclosure, he was getting a bit little worn out by the time we were got back to Miami for our return flight.  But only a little.

Spock's Beard.

Dr. McCoy:  Jim, I think I liked him with a beard better. It gave him character. Of course almost any change would be a distinct improvement.  

Mirror, Mirror:  Star Trek, The Original Series

I've mentioned several times that our HR department doesn't seem to be asking enough questions about Star Trek when hiring people, and this fundamental lack of due diligence has reared its ugly head again.

One of my co-workers is optimistically working away at a beard, and it changes his appearance substantially.  I suggested that if he just trimmed it down to a goatee, he would look very much like the evil mirror version of himself.  He frowned at me, and I said, "You know, evil alternate mirror dimension Spock?  With the beard?"  He gave this some consideration and finally said, "Sorry, no, I don't get it."

A sad conversation, but one which clearly illustrates the fleeting nature of pop culture fame. It's interesting to think that there's a point in the future when no one will understand why it's necessary to wave your arms up and down when saying, "Danger, Will Robinson!", when the significance of "No, I am your father!" will be lost, and if you Google™ "Spock's beard", the only results will say, "Los Angeles based band formed in 1992..."

- Sid

"Move along, move along."

And really, how often do you read the phrase "Now that I'm in love with a geek"? *

- Sid

* Not nearly often enough.