I’ve written once before about my love for science fiction, but Star Trek is definitely where it all started out. From a very early age I watched Picard and Kirk, and later Sisko and Janeway. I quite literally grew up consuming everything Trek, and in the process I learnt some very valuable life lessons. Star Trek has always had these long running ideologies – to be heroic, make the right decisions, don’t be selfish and above all else show compassion. These are part of me too. I’ve never been religious in any way, this is probably as close to it as I’d ever want to get (what would Janeway do? ).

The reason I’ve always been so drawn to Star Trek is because it portrays an attainable future, one that could actually happen and that you really wish you could be a part of. It always made me feel like I could actually fit into their world (this is probably why there are so many obsessive uniform wearing fans). In part this was because the storylines were often incredibly imaginative but they still somehow fell within the realms of possibility – the pseudo-science really helped with that. Also, the characters are just normal people, even the aliens. They aren’t superheros – but it doesn’t stop them from being able to save the world. These realisations have always inspired in me a desire to push myself harder, because for Starlfeet officers it always paid off in the end. If you worked hard enough, you too could be the Captain of a Starship one day. It didn’t matter if you were male or female, black or white or green, or bald – but you did need a hell of a lot of brains and courage too.

Through Trek I discovered and had a passion for science, technology and writing nurtured. At 7 years of age the very first thing I ever did on a computer was draw a black moustache on Leonard Nimoy’s face using MSPaint on Windows 3.0 and as soon as I got my hands on my own computer I learned to type so I could print my stories out on dot matrix paper – that always impressed my primary school teachers.

Obviously there are very many critics of Star Trek, but when you grow up with something you stick with it and see it differently to everyone else. You can gloss over the bad writing here and there, or feign no interest in the blatant overt sexualisation of the series in the late 90’s and early 00’s. It doesn’t take away from your enjoyment because you continue to feel deeply connected to it despite the plot holes and the spandex. Only someone who has grown up watching it understands the draw the franchise can have over you. Which is a pity, because in the end, it all went downhill, the last few movies and Enterprise were severely disappointing and I’d pretty much given up on it after that. I’d moved on to more modern science fiction and didn’t think Star Trek could make any kind of legitimate comeback, especially after the woeful Enterprise.

However, the new movie has completely restored my faith in the franchise. It embodies all of the things that I’ve always loved about Star Trek –  great characters, great stories, incredible action sequences, moral and emotional questions, all this and it also continues to uphold the ideologies that Gene Roddenberry intended to be at the core of Starfleet.

For that I am an incredibly pleased Trekkie, and proud to be one too.

My favourite item that I kept from my sci-fi obsessed past is the Star Trek The Next Generation Interactive Video Boardgame – A Klingon Challenge.

“This interactive adventure actually lets you board the U.S.S. Enterprise and “star” in a special Star Trek: The Next Generation episode!” The whole aim of the game is to overthrow a Klingon (on the starboard bow?) who has taken over the Enterprise. Kavok, the Klingon in question, appears on your TV screen every few minutes, generally angry and screaming insults at you. Just like in any boardgame there are various cards you can collect that will randomise your game play.

This card reads “You consult with a holodeck image of Captain Picard and are reminded that members of the Federation always cooperate. EACH CREW MEMBER WILL NOW GIVE YOU THEIR NEXT TURN.” I just love the way they put that, how very 24th Century. Your reward at the end of the game is moving up the ranks to become Captain and/or “A medal of valour”.

How this was considered a fun way to spend an hour is beyond me, I honestly don’t think I ever managed to get the maximum 8 people to play this either. It’s a pity I have all the pieces but no instructions. Looks like it’s back to the Star Trek Drinking Games for me.

Loving taking a trip down retro science fiction lane. I recently came across the blog of Adam “Mojo” Lebowitz who works as the visual effects supervisor on Battlestar Galactica, having previously worked on Star Trek Voyager and Babylon 5. Not only does he have interesting insights into his current work, he has also been posting some great behind the scenes stories and images about the visual effects from Babylon 5 and Voyager, making me want to go watch them all over again. Hating that I don’t have either of them on DVD.

Loving how easy Spiceidipity has made baking mouthwatering treats, without even having to worry about evil additives, because everything is 100% natural. Over the weekend the GF, Katie and I went to work on the Brownie Mix and the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. By literally just adding some eggs, butter and a little icing we ended up with all of these amazing treats. Hating how completely addicted I am to the cookies, though I do now have a whole new appreciation for oats!