After 20 years, "Tribble-ations" is still Trek's best fan film

November 4th is not only the day to say "Happy Will Rogers Birthday!"—yes, there is a physical as well as a philosophical link there—but this year it's the 20th anniversary of DS9's delightfully and awesomely monument anniversary homage show, "Trials and Tribble-ations."

Now this is a valentine to fans. I mean, it's pro-Trek's own fan film, is what it is.

Look, even if you're not a DS9 fan or even an original series fan—you must get  familiar with this episode. It's the "Charlie Brown Christmas" of Trek that transcends everything else ... and when it was made, I dived in to do a two-day set visit for the best bits for a TEN-page feature for the official Communicator magazine (before I was editor)... and wound up helping make a little history myself.

In fact, I've long said this was the most effortlessly fun writing project I've ever had—it's both a diary and an interview digest. That shoot was simply a magical time ..as magical as the final episode preserved on film turned out to be.
Sadly, none of the custom photos I took were used on deadline for the spread, but you can still see and read these original PDF pages here, via my site:

 

What's more, this year's Trekland: On Speaker Vol. 5 "30 at 50" featured my remastered stage visit to "Tribble-ations" (as well as "Flashback"), and there's even more good background there—in 17 of the actual voices, from 1996. It's a great anniversary year gift! The new online order page is coming with the new site in a matter of days, but for now...

When I am live at conventions, as with Northeast Trek Con or Starbase Indy, you can grab one from me there.. as you could since its debut at STLV.

Here's the back cover:

Gift mail deadlines in Trekland—there's all kinds & prices

Happy holidays! Here's a quick note for you Trekland shoppers and celebrants:

I don't often cross over here from the blog to The Trekland Trunk, the colletibles/gifts outlet for my archival artifacts and oldie/funky retail items. But as the gift season for Christmas winds down, here's a couple of reminders that there's more stuff out of the Trunk than ever before right now, and that some deadlines are fast upon us:

—This week's Sunday-ending "regular" eBay rounds and the "live-n-local" Sunday items on Facebook will be the last that can be mailed in time for easy Christmas receipt. I will catch up all mailings by that next day—Monday, Dec. 21. That hopefully means arrivals by Dec. 24 at the latest. (These photos of TNG door label, James Doohan autograph, Nemesis crew jacket and 2x3x2 TNG Stage 8 stage plan are but a few of what's up this week)

—I"m putting a few other 24/7 items up, both studio collectibles and routine-but-old retail items, as well. They may run through Monday, but I will also get them out the next day.

—For those who are looking for tax-deductible "office decor" or the like, I'll have some items up even through Christmas and until the first of the year.

—Of course, anything can be grabbed at any time if you are so moved.  No need to wait til bid closing dates! I've been putting up a few more "smaller" and yet collectible items, too.

Oh, and one more note: PORTAL 47 has grabbed a lot of my bandwidth this season, but don't forget Trekland: On Speaker remastered archival CDs when you need a great stocking-stuffer for the hungry background Trekfan on your list. The last 3 annual titles are all in stock, and there are multi-disk specials—check it out!

Just order by noon Monday to ensure domestic US arrival by Dec. 24!

CYBER MONDAY Trek gift specials—EXTENDED !

UPDATE:All CYBER-MONDAY BONUS SPECIALS EXTENDED ONE WEEK, THROUGH MIDNIGHT MONDAY, DEC. 7!
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When I started this blog and my website as an "entrepreneur," I had no idea that I'd have anything of my own to actually sell on it—besides some big, awesome, official, licensed product like Stellar Cartography.

But here it is 2015, and look:
Here's holiday gift ideas and CYBER-MONDAY specials just from me and my Trekland … and beyond!

Got a long-time Trekfan on your list who's been around the quadrant once or twice… or a newbie who wants to KNOW IT ALL RIGHT NOW… or even one across the miles who's pretty isolated? Well, may I suggest:

—For a stocking stuffer, the latest edition of TREKLAND: On Speaker, my remastered, theme-based audio chunks from my 500+ extended interviews with Trek’s actual creators —fresh from back in the day?  Volume 4 for 2015 spotlights four creators in Voyager’s premiere on its 20th anniversary, in CD jewel case with tri-fold photos and notes—and autographed if you like ($21.95 includes US/Canada postage; + $3.50 for foreign orders). And Volumes 2 and 3 are also still available, at a multi-discount.

—For a gift that gives a Trek fix all year long: My new PORTAL 47 deep-dive monthly fan experience —and right now with a couple of CYBER MONDAY special bonuses! For the cost of a movie for two each month, there is NOTHING like it in pop culture, much less Trek: A backstage pass live and online to the 24th century via my insider memories, archives and crew friends from the 80s, 90s and Aughts!  Your Trek insight goes to a new level, where no savvy fan has gone before! But hurry—these bonuses end at midnight Monday!


—And if you really want to mark Trek's big "5-0" with a big splash, can't beat  our Geek Nation Tours’ special extended 2016 edition of “LA2Vegas”Trek Film Sites tour with me as guide—ending at Vegas Trek, and this year adding an optional San Francisco leg to start.  


Or for the Trek tour experience in a one-day package: check out the Valley of Fire“Kirk Memorial” Adventure. 

If your gift hunches run to actual studio Trek production artifacts, just know we'll have more than the usual number of unique goodies in The Trekland Trunk as well the next few weeks—just check the Facebook page or Twitter ... or direct at eBay!

—Then again: For all those nieces, nephews, cousins, classmates, fellow science geeks…or anyone who cares about kids, education, and our future in space:  Don't forget that a ticket to fly any name into space as "virtual crew" costs only $20 at  Enterprise In Space, the real-world, non-profit all-new space orbiter aiming to fly and return 100+ winning projects from students around the world, plus new aerospace tech and computer demos—paying homage to the best of inspired, future-leaning sci-fi and sci-fact.  

Your giftee's name is on a microchip, verified on a certificate and viewable on tour afterward as proof of their flying aboard the first true Enterprise in space!  I'm proud to be spokesman and lead outreach for EIS, reminding you that while a dozen space industry partners have pledged $27 million in in-kind donations, this simple $20 grassroots crowdfunding across the globe will let us get expenses covered right now as we build and contact more donors.



There you go—and for any Santa's budget! A batch of totally out-of-the-box gift ideas for that certain fan that take Trek, and the love of its vision for humanity, far off the retail path.

As always, for questions about any of my own or partnered projects, just email me at larry@larrynemecek.com.

Some new thoughts on thankful—Dateline: Trekland

Normally, any Thanksgiving post by me anywhere turns on a fun recall of the epic WKRP episode. You know.

But this year—and not through any trauma, or epic turn of life—I"m feeling my thankfulness in some all new ways. And no, not even for the 50th anniversary of this driving force that has entertained,  enraptured, inspired and even connected so many around the world in such good works and ideals.

And not even for a new series, finally... much less another stab at a feature film.

No, I'm feeling thankful for all of you out there who are reading these words, following my projects, sending good thoughts my way or even sounding off. And most of all, taking active part.

Because, bit by bit, that thankful feedback and my own slooow evolution of awareness has helped me to really, finally, figure out my place in Trekland...and the greater world today. Exciting wacky projects still come along out of the blue, of course, but the scariness of losing old "big box" bosses and paradigms has finally begun to yield to an excitement for the new world of DIY business ...and how that might apply to all things Trek.

And, especially, to those who love, treasure, and unabashedly honor Gene's creation as a driving force of fun or even philosophy in their lives.

Some of you may recall I talked about a couple of major goals at the dawn of 2014... and how I had to make priorities, even among my beloved Trek projects. Now, almost two years later, I'm finally getting there.

Finding the ways that today's tech and culture allow me to freshen the old, uncover the forgotten, and help those folks connect the Trek dots even as new dots are being created .... well, I'm grateful and thankful for the sense to figure that out, and for all those who seem to want me to. Just about the time I decided that every story, insight or memento in Trek's First Fifty is moldy-old or just tired ... along comes a new fan who needs a new shot of Trekland goodness—or a whole generation who does, too. And they in turn regurge, and bring a shiny fresh take on it to entertain and inspire all of us. Especially me!

I love how Trek, via its fans, never grows old. What a core, future-leaning gift of intelllgence, love, fun and respect that Gene and all his collaborators left us in that silly little failed TV show.

So yes—thanks to you all for finding the worth and enjoyment of my experiments in bringing  the Trek odyssey to life in unique, all-new ways —my ways— with On Speaker, with The Trekland Trunk... and now, especially, the real cherry on top: Portal 47.

It's still a new, evolving experiment with a long way to go, but I'm thankful so many of you all feel the ride is worth it, and continue to jump aboard—and share the word.

In fact, I'll be sharing a word or two here tomorrow on my new Trek works—just in time for Cyber Monday. More on that then, but for now...

No, I've never felt a Thanksgiving like this before. With the new economy, new self-awareness, and Gene's vision still exciting all of us young and old, I look forward to moving on ... with many more thankful days to come.

New 'On Speaker': The '95 VGR voices of 'Caretaker'!

If it's August and Vegas Khhaaann is past, that can only mean one thing: 

The latest TREKLAND: On Speaker remastered audio collection from my archives... is now out!  Fresh from its annual STLV debut,  I'm very proud of my latest deep-dive Trek interviews on collectible CD.

For our fourth annual volume, we continue marking anniversaries—and for 2015 that means the 20th birthday of Voyager's premiere, and thus the title: "Taking Care of 'Caretaker'."

On this disk you'll get the On Speaker debuts of the one and only Jeri Taylor (lower right), the co-creator, exec producer and mentor-creator of the Kathryn Janeway character... as well as Trek's other production designer and leader of 13 seasons of Trek art departments—the Emmy-winning Richard James (top right), who got to do this one from scratch. There's also segments from  VFX producer Dan Curry (lower left) and the late, great TV Trek director Rick Kolbe, who reveals why he got exec producer Rick Berman's hiring call for "Caretaker" in the middle of the night… in a Georgia swamp.

As always, you get the three-panel liner notes, my original photography, an audio introduction and intros to each segment, a maxed-out 1:20 of actual voices …and the option of an autograph on the cover panel.  

And, as always, it's all graced by the audio and art design talents of my friend and trek.fm podcast network founder-czar Chris Jones (or @cbryanjones for all you Tweetsters).

Check out the page, and even get a deal on prior-volume CDs in multiples—all of which I'll likewise be happy to sign.  Vol. 1 is sold out, but it's still on my to-do list to get up as an iTunes download and get started that library. Each CD after Vol. 1 will be limited to 100 disks, then kept up for digital downloading as well. 

I hope you enjoy our latest in this series of incredible e audio snapshots in time—fresh in the day, and yet fresh today too! 

Vegas Khaaann! Here's my stuff and MY NEWS!

UPDATE: The room site (Masque Rm 4020) and Facebook Event page for Saturday's "Dr. Trek Show" for The Con of Wrath are now posted (more below).


The big Creation Star Trek #STLV Las Vegas KHHAAANN! faces the same challenge as Star Trek itself: How do you do the same fun thing year after year, but have something new as well?

Everyone from Creation, CBS and all the actors, crew and fans on down face that challenge and meet it swimmingly each year.  For so many folks it's just a big reunion  There's already more of the new photo op and stop-in features around the con site you saw last year ... but for ME here in Trekland, this year is fresh on two counts:

FIRST, we'll have the WORLD DEBUT of the fourth entry in our TREKLAND: ON SPEAKER themed and remastered archival CDs—this year for the 20th anniversary of Voyager's launch, and it;s titled "Taking Care of 'Caretaker' " with the 1994-95 voices of Jeri Taylor, Dan Curry, Richard James and Rick Kolbe. At the table, and available for signing! Plus, some Vol. 2s and 3s.

And SECOND—the all-new debut of my PORTAL 47 backstage beam-in pass, the all-new Star Trek insider "savvy fan" home experience I've been talking about developing for years. You can hear about it and get the info sheet at any of my events this long weekend —or the table. (Stay tuned for more here soon, too).

Best of all, the new On Speaker edition and/or a three-month pass through PORTAL 47 will be among the prizes at several of my events this weekend! 



So what's the TREKLAND DAY BY DAY?

First up: This year I'll be returning to posted TABLE HOURS at my booth, which will not be a 24/7 affair!  So check the table for final hours posted by Day 1.

Just know I will be there 4-5 hours a day at least… especially with both my brand-new offerings as well as the latest breaking news about ENTERPRISE IN SPACE,  the Con of Wrath, Star Trek Continues, 

Look for a few "live" TREKLAND TRUNK items with me on-site, for those interested, who'd like to save postage or even freight. (Watch for updates at table and at the Trekland Trunk Facebook list.) We are already planning a "T-Trunk Regulars" meetup, with about a dozen or so of them on hand.

I"m sure we'll also try for a LA2Vegas tour alumni photo as well!

But my big agenda of course begins before the actual con starts:

WEDNESDAY—

—7 am sharp, Rio front doors: We'll be loading up the SUVs for our second annual "Kirk Memorial" Valley of Fire adventure (and lunch) with Geek Nation Tours—check to see if we still have any of our 20 spots left. This is the "off year" for the big week-long tour, but for the Big 5-0 in 2016 we already have the "LA2Vegas" planned to feature some all-new sights AND also include our first-ever "SFx2" option —location sites and stops around SAN FRANSISCO! Teras of GNT will be at his booth all weekend for more info … But on Wednesday, we'll be back by mid-afternoon for plenty of time to rest up, cool off and get ready for ….

—9-Midnight?, Masquerade Bar/Rio: The FIFTH ANNUAL LANDING PARTY co-sponsored by Trekland along with the Roddenberry MIssion Log podcast, Glue Guns and Phasers, trekmovie.com—Games, trivia, prizes … and my first real public unveiling of PORTAL 47. At the Rio's Masquerade Bar, of course—since the Rio's  Irish pub space is STILL closed. But everyone will be there! 


THURSDAY:
—For the first time in ages—aside from table hours, I'll have no scheduled events this day…aside from meetups  and gladhanding. Which means after all these years I might finally make it to karaoke!


FRIDAY:
—9:55 AM, Secondary Stage: The STLV debut of CAPTIONS LOGGED, where I preside over a goofy blooper image caption contest based on part of my official Trek magazine column. Compete against your fellow fans, winners by audience choice! Prizes and fun, for 35 minutes. so don't be tardy.

—NOON, Main Stage: Leonard Nimoy Memorial:  Not sure the exact time yet, but one of the emotional highlights this year has to be Adam Nimoy's appearance and update on his documentary about his father. Creation's Adam Malin asked me to join him and Richard Arnold to reminisce during a slide show, either before or after his interview with Adam.

—11:30 pm,  AMC Town Square 18 off-site, 6587 La Vegas Blvd.: A special FREE screening of Star Trek Continues' Ep. 4, The White Iris, with much of the cast and some fellow crew (see the link)—just like last year. This actually follows a 9-11 pm screening and panel of Star Trek Renegades, with specialty Trek drink-drinks in-between.  FREE tickets will be distributed by trekmovie.com  AT THE SCREENING SITE to the first 250 people in line!


SATURDAY:
—9-11 pm, Rio Masquerade Tower RM 4020: Yes, of  course it's another DR. TREK SHOW crowdfunder party for THE CON OF WRATH—you now the drill: Kick in $20 or more for your screen credit (or add to past gifts), and live we'll have trivia, prizes, rare Trek video AND doc clips—including this year's latest from Laura Banks and Nichelle Nichols!  This may overlap some other nightlife still not announced, but hey—having 15 or 20 is just fine. Of all the live cons where I gratefully host this event, there's none like STLV! 


SUNDAY:
—Again, a day I'll be "off the grid" aside from tabling.

So, tell me again what's so big about a five-day Khaaaann is in 2016?


Well, that's my end of it. Lighter this year on hard-core talks, so more for me to focus on of "mine"—and to just enjoy seeing everyone. Aside from the official Creation schedule, check out these boards on Facebook — like Unofficial STLV and STLV After Hours.

Last two days! Gift my deep-dive Trek audio awesome

If you have a hardcore Trekfan on your gift list who's seen and heard it all, I'd humbly remind you of a great idea: my "On Speaker" CDs of remastered Trek creators' voices from back in the day, each annual edition keyed to a theme. You can see all about the latest here, with Ira, Ron, Dan, Gary, Brannon, Rick and Michael.

BUT MAIL NOTE: If you want it where you need it for US delivery by Christmas Eve, I need the order by NOON PST this SATURDAY, DEC. 20. (I'll ship from SoCal, obviously, and if your addressee is west of the Rockies, that deadline could stretch til noon Monday, Dec. 22. )

We still have our two-fer discount: buy both available Trekland: On Speaker CD editions—Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 (left), with interviews from back THEN from the makers of TNG's finale on its 20th anniversary, and DS9's on its 15th. If, as gifts, you want two 2's or two 3's, check the two-fer box and then leave me a BIG NOTE as to what you want. And happy to sign them for gifts, as you'd wish.

(Vol. 1 is still destined for downloading on iTunes, et al. Thanks as always to Chris Jones of the trek.fm network for the incredible remaster and graphics job, too.)

FYI, we're having one more go through Sunday of some of my archival items from The Trekland Trunk (get notified via on Facebook or Twitter) in time for Christmas, and one more Sunday four-hour Facebook "live bid" at 11 a.m. PT— barely in time for U.S. arrivals on Christmas Eve Wednesday, if that's a concern. Just check the Facebook...

Even wihtout bidding, please stop by and check out the wonder of all that is odd and beautiful from the  in-studio and behind-the-scenes world of Trekland, like the Voyager cast's S2 1995 Christmas gift blanket... or the DS9 mill's 1994 S3 company-wide gift.

Cyber Monday? Two quick gift ideas from Trekland!

Well, in the spirit of the day—a quick suggestion and a reminder this holiday season:

If you need stocking stuffers, or easy gifts for the workplace, schoolplace, churchplace or distant relatives... and don't mind taking a charitable tax deduction... why not get your friends and family likewise inspired into the future—and signed aboard the First Enterprise In Space?

I'm talking about offering "gift seats" as virtual crewmembers about "Enterprise in Space," the NSS Enterprise orbiter non-profit mission with student projects and aerospace demonstrators that will launch in 2019, sponsored by the National Space Society and with an incredible team in charge I'm pleased to be part of.

It's the same simple set-up as always: As with any donor of our only grassroots request (you can give more, of course, as your passion demands it!), each "crewmember" has their name added to a chip that will join the payload and be recovered—proving all those "aboard" were aboard the first really spaceborne Enterprise.

Yes, there's a gift certificate option you can download after your simple $20 donation (or more)—plus your loved one is set up to get all updates and special news over the four-year life of the mission til launch, and then after re-entry and recovery for display and touring, to boot!

Then, too: As a 501c(3) non-profit… if you need to do good works AND reduce your taxes, you can also park your giving with EIS as well by Dec. 31, or April 15. OR... even have us as your sci-fi convention or other event's beneficiary "charity," if you need one that looks futureward.

Of course, for variety, far be it for me not to also toss in a reminder about those REMASTERED archival interview Trekland CDs of mine, recorded during finales of TNG 1994 and DS9 1999—Vol. 2 and 3 (at left) still available in hard-shell and ready for an autograph if you want it, now with a 2-fer price!  I'm also happy to personalize to whatever giftee name you'd like, if you just include the info on the order form.

Niners take note: New 'On Speaker' CD #3 is now out!

The Vegas Trek sneak-peek debut is over—and Volume 3 of "Trekland: On Speaker" is here for good!

As our buds at trekmovie.com have noted, this is the archival series that shares my long-stored, long-form audio interviews with Trek creators from back in the day—fresh from the work, and remastered from old analog cassette tape to digital files.

And as a bookend to last year's edition marking 20 years since the TNG finale, for 2014's debut at Vegas Khhaaann we are celebrating in like fashion the 15th anniversary of "What You Leave Behind," the two-hour final chapter of DS9.

For "What They Left Behind" you get an hour and 18 minutes of revealing conversations from back in 1999-2000 with writer-producer Ron D. Moore, visual FX producer Dan Curry and supervisor Gary Hutzel, and some 25 minutes with show runner Ira Steven Behr—with not a shallow sound bite in sight. Plus, as an actual CD in jewel case, you get my three-panel liner notes, photos and context, along with my brief audio intros to the album and each guest. 

I'll even sign it for you! 

On my website, you can get yours—or check out the two-fer special if you get the new issue and Vol. 2 as well: the  similar disc celebrating  "All Good Things…," TNG's glorious ending.  (At the moment, Vol. 1 —"Future Voices, Passed"—is not available in hard copy, but will soon be downloadable; stay tuned.)

Once again, hats off to buddy Chris Jones at trek.fm/Stellar Debris for both his graphics on the case liner design and for the audio remastering project (and for the nice shout-out on "The Ready Room" news). And kudos to QBT Media in Monrovia, all the CDs I now have in stock are professionally printed and pressed. Many thanks also to everyone at Vegas Khhaaan who snapped one up, including everyone on the LA2Vegas Trek Tour who took me up on my special just for them!

No, it never truly 'ended': Happy 20th, 'All Good Things'

Well, here's a benchmark everyone is talking about feeling "old" over.

For those of you who didn't get your TNG through a Blu-ray or Netflix binge-watch, today marks the 20th anniversary of the week-long birthday of the airing of TNG's celebrated finale, "All Good Things...".*

Yep, TWENTY.


I could only cram in so much for this wonderful and complex show in the TNG Companion show notes... still available on Kindle or the occasional rare paperback that pops up... Which is why I love doing the Trekland: On Speaker CD series now. Funny how we chose "All Good Things..." for our Vol. 2, this year!

Enjoy updates with Ron D. Moore and Brannon Braga for AGT all over the web this year, but if you want to actually hear them... much less showrunner Michael Piller, or director Rick Kolbe, both of whom have passed now... you might check out our great disk of their voices ...from 1994 ... and the liner notes.

Time has been very kind to Ron and Brannon's career milestone, but it only took a year or so before everyone (including the writers) realized, ironically, that the rushed, 24/7 writing job they cranked out on this series-ender was a far more powerful piece than the Generations feature film they'd slaved over for more than a year... for various reasons.

Filming was still mostly secreted to little ol' me, recent;y arrived in LA to write the TNG Companion update, but in my two-month stay I got an awful lot of sneak-peeks, and a look at the script as well, to be able to ask about it in time. I remember standing outside Stage 8-9 the day they shot the "full crew" scene of Past Picard's arrival address to his "new" crew, and seeing buddy and Trek extra Guy Vardeman emerge among the mob after it wrapped—wearing his "Darien Wallace" command red uniform, noticing he was wearing lieutenant commander pips, and getting shushed before I opened my big mouth too loud. Such was the mood and vibe and the way of things, back in the day.

Lots of folks will be hauling it out to watch, today, I'll bet. Just don't forget: you can legally party on this topic for six more days.* Just sayin.'





*I say week-long because, as you should recall, TNG was syndicated, with various markets seeing it on various days of the week... and May 23 was merely the first available date in the week for aiting: a Monday, as the LA and many other affiliates had it. We at the time in Oklahoma City, of course, had to wait til Sunday night as usual... 10:30 p.m. On May 29.

2014 in Trekland: A bevy of crazy-busy new biz... and bub-bye Bones

You remember Janus, right?

No, not the mutual funds per se*, but the Roman god of time and passages, with dual "front and back" faces who could see into both the future and the past—and thusly the namesake of January, when we naturally catch our post-new-year selves doing the same thing: planning tomorrow, reflecting on yesterday. (I love it when I remember something like this from my fourth-grade language textbook.)

And looking ahead to the coming year I already know there's a boatload of things headed right at me—exciting things! I have three brand-new projects staring me in the face—two of them Trek, and the third a long-term date with a mic—but as usual I can't talk about them until they bloom or launch, hopefully by midyear. (Sorry, no links. Yet. And not a lot of fancy logos to break up this one: There's too many! I just want to get through all the words, okay?)

Now, that doesn't even count maintaining the Trekland Trunk after a fast start—I could use an assistant just for that—much less growing this blog and videos with some big overdue plans, and most of all getting our "Con of Wrath" documentary back on the front burner. It  took a back seat when 2013 turned crazy-busy—the long-planned home and office move, coupled with the unexpected joys of writing "Stellar Cartography" and stepping into the McCoy smock for Star Trek Continues.

I'm also proud of serving on boards for new exciting non-profit missions—and for one, I urge you to check out science-based Enterprise in Space project.

Toss in the LA2Vegas Trek film site tour for Geek Nation Tours, some big con trips including Germany's FedCon, another Trekland: On Speaker archival theme CD to come, and my column for Titan Trek mag....and again, it's an overloaded blue-plate special of a year.

But while my three new prospects are exciting, they are half or wholly all on me—meaning a ton of blood, toil, tears and sweat ahead in solo development work, otherwise known as "git'erdone." I'm excited for the challenge, and can't wait to talk about them when ready.

But thanks to Janus, I can learn from a 2013 look-back—and I can also learn from a fourth-grade textbook in another subject. Because, simply, the math "don't add up" when you tally up all this time and energy required—even more than it didn't add up in 2013. Many of my Vegas friends know the big cons were just a blur to me last year, and you readers know the blog has certainly taken a hit here at year's end as the Trunk got established. Well, there'll be even more like that unless we make a few adjustments and shifting of commitments—making way for some bold business ideas that have been long overdue around here... and, in fandom's case, an exciting addition or two to the Trekscape.

So, in the big mix of things, that's why for starters I have agreed to step back from playing Bones in STC as of now, and let that be the first relief valve. Just as it's no surprise that the opportunity was a dream come true for this McCoy/De Kelley fan, so too is the truth that the "gym time" I wanted to put in for the role took a big squeeze, in a production that had such a high bar to begin with. McCoy deserves better, the company deserves better, and *I* deserve better for work like that—but time is the fire in which we, uh, can't clone ourselves.

At the same time, STC has asked me to stay in the family as a creative consultant producer—and be involved in stories, Trek-vibe consulting, and a return to camera at some point when it can be done right (and when the big Tellar Prime script finally comes calling!) And nothing can take away the thrills of the great cast and crew, a jaw-droppingly beautiful Sickbay set on my very first day, and playing the good Doctor in these two episodes—one of which you still have to wait to see until Feb. 8-9!

And nothing can top the memory of our incredible Phoenix world premiere reaction—or that of the honest reviews across the spectrum, and much love shown to me from all the STC fans as I stretched muscles that hadn't been hit in a long time. A lot of work, a lot of love, a lot of good people: I support all the fans films, but Continues is a special group, and its product and my relationships there just got started.

I may make more shifts on my palette like this, as everything new before me is not only a creative challenge but a final product I can't wait to unveil in the case of the Trek plans—solo or not. You Con of Wrath supporters and donors have been patient as well, and I promise some new updates too—and there may even be an all-new newsflash on that score, as well.

Finally, an apology—for there was a time when anyone in creative development kept all their cards close to the vest... no jinxes! Knock on wood! But the revolution in 24/7 social media and crowdfunding has changed all that... leaving folks like me to be coy when I try to explain what the heck is going on right now over coming months. So my regrets, then, if this has sounded more like a fizzbin lesson than a log entry.

Meantime, among the fun Trek stories like this one and that famous backlog of vidchats I haven't really shared since April, I'll use Trekland The Blog keep you posted about my own headlines here first, as well via my newsletter—while also telling tales to those podcast hosts who keep having me on, for some reason. Fans keep asking me about doing my own podcast, but.... really? WHEN? Didn't we just have this discussion?

Stay tuned! It's going to be an incredible 2014... and I'm glad you are aboard.


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*OR the primary star to Horta home on its planet VI.
YES, me of all people—I get it.

After movie news, try out a podcast or three. With me.

On top of this being an insanely busy month in Trekland old and new ... and the frenzy over a character name and a trailer ...

Well, when things calm down over John Harrison, perhaps you'll have time to try out a few podcasters ... who were good enough to have me on this past week.

We talked about everything from the opening salvos of Into Darkness mindgame hyper-promotion to fan generations with Doug Mirabello and Jose Munoz, Trek TV vets now on The Zero Room... where they forced me to explain all over again about The Con of Wrath. With some all-new points by the boys I hadn't even thought of. Our chat follows after their regular couple takes on comics/sci-fi news of the week.

Wayne Emery at the UK's Trek Mate was good enough to have me back on and share the concept of the Trekland: On Speaker debut CD as a late gift idea (foreign gift deadline is Friday!), and mentioned it there as well as current topics we'll all been buzzing about.We are the final segment there, after co-hosts' other takes.

Then, my buddy and colleague Teras Cassidy of Geek Nation Tours joined in on Germany's TrekcastDE with Malte Kirchner, where we spilled beans on the new Hollywood to Vegas 2013 Trek sites tour, now reservable on deposit ... and yes, "TLOS" Disc 1 as well. Honored to be Malte's second-efer all_english cast, too!


Really, if you want a taste of where Brit and German podding is going re: Trek, take a listen there and in future. Back in L.A., Doug and Jose (co-creators of the unsold Animated Star Trek pitch for the old st.com) cover the broad swath of things genre and fannish; they've done 211 episodes, and we just gave 'em a big taste of Trek this week in our first, too-long-delayed visit.

AND THEN: this Trekland Media Watch of note ends with a long article on ArsTechnica.com about Huston Huddleston's Enterprise-D bridge restoration/museum—a good involved read that was also good enough to include me.




And more's coming ... podders want to know about the CD and the Tour as last-minute gift ideas. Who can blame them? So stay tuned.


And now, back to our regularly scheduled program: "JJ's Movie Marketing Seminar."...