Trek Out: TNG at the Movies

Last night I went to a screening of two episodes from the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation at my local movie theater. It was a one time showing, and was mainly to promote the release of the Blue-Ray editions.

My local chapter of Starfleet, the USS Wernher von Braun, was there handing out free Star Trek trading cards and entering people in a raffle for an autographed picture of Brent Spiner (Mr. Data).

I picked two trading cards to bring home. I haven't gotten a good look at the trading cards before. Quite a few of them were trivia questions with slightly blurry photographs from episodes. But near the bottom of the stack I found these beauties:

Star Trek trading cards

I'm going to try framing them in a shadow box using tips from my favorite craft & geek blog, Epbot. I'll let you know how it goes.

One of the cutest moments of the evening was when two young boys came in dressed in Star Trek outfits. They got their picture taken with the head officers of the USS Wernher von Braun, with everyone grinning and proudly signaling "live long and prosper."

I was also able to borrow a uniform for the showing. It was my first time wearing a Star Trek uniform, and I was a bit nervous I'd look goofy or out of place.

Me in a Star Trek uniform

I wore black dress pants and black shoes, and then borrowed the top and the pin. This style is from Deep Space Nine. I like the simple cut and style of the top, even though my heart is more with TOS and TNG. I'd really love to have a science officer uniform (blue) from The Original Series someday, and make my own tricorder. In addition to my Gorn costume, of course.

The screening itself was a lot of fun. Watching Where No One Has Gone Before and Datalore was really enjoyable with a theater full of people. Where else can you hear the right kind of laughter when Picard says "Shut up, Wesley"? Fan community is why I love going to midnight screenings, why conventions feel like a party with friends I just haven't met yet, and why I love to write and read genre.

The USS Wernher von Braun is having a workday next spring. We're getting together to make tribbles to give away at the Star Trek 2 movie coming out next year. I hope they do what tribbles do best - multiply, and grow Roddenberry's vision of a better future.