Gary's Quotes and Trivia Gems for June

Welcome to June’s Quotes and Trivia Gems.

Each month, I reach into my treasure trove of quotes and pull out my favourite gems and personal stories that inspired them.

On becoming a Trekkie.

June 2019 marks the 50^th anniversary of the airing of the last episode of the original Star Trek series. That’s right, 50 years!

I first began my journey of becoming a Star Trek fan when I was thirteen.

Of course, I couldn’t know that I would become a full-fledged Trekkie until much later. Only after the original Star Trek series was killed then resurrected through reruns did it become a worldwide cult favourite.

When I was ten, I was a dutiful member of our local Wolf Cubs Pack. Three years later, when Star Trek hit the airwaves, I was caught in a moral dilemma that Captain Kirk would appreciate. Star Trek was on at the same time as my Wolf Cubs meetings. Long story short, Star Trek won out!

Star Trek lasted only three seasons (79 episodes) and yet it went on to spawn a franchise of six television series, thirteen features films, numerous books, games and toys. It’s now widely considered one of the most popular and influential television series of all time.

Star Trek – a pioneering TV show.

Surprisingly, Star Trek almost didn’t make it to air. Its first pilot was turned down by NBC who criticized the show as “too cerebral”. However, the second pilot succeeded in making it to air. It included many of the same cast members who would go on to complete the entire run of the show, including Nichelle Nichols who played Lt. Nyota Uhura, the first African-American woman to hold such an important role in an American television series.

My favourite episode was the infamous The Trouble with Tribbles.

As with most Star Trek episodes, it contained a moral. This one, the dangers of upsetting the natural order by introducing foreign fauna – you know, like rabbits in in 18th century Australia or Asian Carp in the ’60s and ’70s.

“Live long and prosper.”

I was particularly intrigued by the Vulcan mind meld, and inspired by the opening mission statement:

Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its 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.

The American moon landings ushered in a feeling of positivity and hope in during the political and social upheavals of the time. Everything seemed possible – including intergalactic travel.

Because Captain James T. Kirk was played by Canadian actor, William Shatner, the show was even more special.

Not only were we both Canadian, but we were also both Montrealers. So I figured if Montreal could produce the future Captain of the Starfleet, who knows what strange new worlds would be open to me.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘You will never always be motivated, so you must learn to be disciplined.’ – Author Unknown” quote=”‘You will never always be motivated, so you must learn to be disciplined.’ – Author Unknown” theme=”style2″]

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[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.’ – Andy Warhol” quote=”‘You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.’ – Andy Warhol” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”It is a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one’s safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract. – Alan Shepard” quote=”It is a very sobering feeling to be up in space and realize that one’s safety factor was determined by the lowest bidder on a government contract. – Alan Shepard” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Opportunities multiply as they are seized. – Sun Tzu” quote=”Opportunities multiply as they are seized. – Sun Tzu” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.’ – Amelia Earhart” quote=”‘The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.’ – Amelia Earhart” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘Learn to sit back and observe. Not everything needs a reaction.’ – Author Unknown” quote=”‘Learn to sit back and observe. Not everything needs a reaction.’ – Author Unknown” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘Time flies whether you’re wasting it or not.’ – Chrystal Woods” quote=”‘Time flies whether you’re wasting it or not.’ – Chrystal Woods” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘There are often evolutionary parallels on the different worlds because creation tends to be economical.’ – Julian May” quote=”‘There are often evolutionary parallels on the different worlds because creation tends to be economical.’ – Julian May” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘If you are outgrowing who you’ve been, you are right on schedule. Keep evolving.’ – Author Unknown” quote=”‘If you are outgrowing who you’ve been, you are right on schedule. Keep evolving.’ – Author Unknown” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected.’ – Amy Rees Anderson” quote=”‘A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected.’ – Amy Rees Anderson” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘When ships to sail the void between the stars have been built, there will step forth men to sail these ships.’ – Johannes Kepler” quote=”‘When ships to sail the void between the stars have been built, there will step forth men to sail these ships.’ – Johannes Kepler” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘Two mysterious people live in my house. Somebody and Nobody. Somebody did it and Nobody knows who.’ – Author Unknown” quote=”‘Two mysterious people live in my house. Somebody and Nobody. Somebody did it and Nobody knows who.’ – Author Unknown” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘Never tell anyone your plans, show them your results instead.’ – Author Unknown” quote=”‘Never tell anyone your plans, show them your results instead.’ – Author Unknown” theme=”style2″]

[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘Don’t just discover … Encounter!’ – J. P. Osterman” quote=”‘Don’t just discover … Encounter!’ – J. P. Osterman” theme=”style2″]

For a thirteen-year-old, the idea of discovering new civilizations in far-off galaxies was an analogy for discovering other cultures and countries here on planet earth.

Travelling is an exhilarating blend of new experiences:

observing how other cultures live, love, eat and celebrate.
gaining insights into what they care about and how they care for each other.
Experiencing how they express themselves in art, music and literature.

Star Trek planted the curiosity seed in my thirteen-year-old brain and the mission to explore strange new worlds has been growing there ever since.

I’d like to leave you with one of my favourite quotes from one of my favourite artists.

“The thing the sixties did was to show us the possibilities and the responsibility that we all had. It wasn’t the answer. It just gave us a glimpse of the possibility.” ― John Lennon