Kunli-gad-muf.. Sochya odu-tor.

Hollywood Walk of Fame Trading Cards - Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner 1991

It is Christmas. I sit here wrapped in a soft new blanket drinking eggnog, eating Ferrero Rocher, and admiring one of my gifts - two Hollywood Walk of Fame trading cards (mint!) from my sister, ordered off ebay. They are the most beautiful trading cards I have ever seen, and they will never leave their protective slips.

Leonard Nimoy's card has a publicity photo from "The Sun Also Rises" on the front:

And some interesting information on the back, including his birthday, the location of  his Walk of Fame star, and his career highlights:

The picture on the back seems to be from the time of his interview with Dr. Julius Strangepork in 1984.

William Shatner's card (No. 177 as opposed to Nimoy's No. 8) has a photo of the incredibly handsome man himself on the front. I am unsure of the source of this photo, however:

On the back, as on the other card, reads information such as his birth date, the location of his star, and the highlights of his career. For some reason the "the" in "The Kidnapping of the President" has a capitalized "h" as well as "t". These are important things to notice. The photo used is a publicity photo from T.J. Hooker:

I am actually very glad that they did not focus too much on their roles as Spock and Kirk, as they have done so much more in their lives. For instance, William Shatner was absolutely genius in Judgement at Nuremberg, and Spock was just as (if not more) sexy in his role as Dr. David Kibner in Invasion of the Body snatchers. I also loved him in the Sea Hunt episodes and in the Balcony. But especially in Sea Hunt.


I wish you all a Merry Christmas! To celebrate, let us all watch Leonard Nimoy in my favorite 1992 Hallmark Commercial:

Svi'nash-tevun-yonuk - kril'es heh kunli-sa'hat..

A Long and Somewhat Pointless List of my Star Trek Books and Novels (Part One)

This week I have been going through all of my Star Trek novels and books - donating unnecessary doubles and putting them back on the shelf in pristine order. I also took pictures of my books as I found them and put them in order. If there is a book out of order, I didn't find it until after the appropriate picture was taken and it's group was put away.

My favorite novels have an * in front of the title. If you see doubles, it is either because one is in mint condition and the other is for reading, or because the two have different covers. HC stands for hardcover. This is part one of my list.

The Entropy Effect - Vonda N. McIntyre
The Entropy Effect - Vonda N. McIntyre
The Klingon Gambit - Robert E. Vardeman
*Black Fire - Sonni Cooper
Triangle - Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath
Web of the Romulans - M. S. Murdock
*Yesterday's Son - A. C. Crispin
Mutiny on the Enterprise - Robert E. Vardeman
The Trellisane Confrontation - David Dvorkin
Corona - Greg Bear
The Abode of Life - Lee Correy
The Tears of the Singers - Melinda M. Snodgrass
*The Vulcan Academy Murders - Jean Lorrah
*Uhura's Song - Janet Kagan
*Ishmael - Barbara Hambly
Ishmael - Barbara Hambly
Killing Time - Della Van Hise (Original)
Dwellers in the Crucible - Margaret W. Bonanno
Mindshadow - J.M. Dillard
Dreadnaught - Diane Carey
Demons - J.M. Dillard

The Abode of Life - Lee Correy
Shadow Lord - Laurence Yep
Pawns and Symbols - Majliss Larson
Battlestations - Diane Carey
Deep Domain - Howard Weinstein
Dreams of the Raven - Carmen Carter
*The Romulan Way - Diane Duane and Peter Morwood
How Much for Just the Planet? - John M. Ford
Bloodthirst - J.M. Dillard
*The IDIC Epidemic - Jean Lorrah
*Time for Yesterday - A. C. Crispin
Time Trap - David Dvorkin
The Three Minute Universe - Barbara Paul
Memory Prime - Gar Reeves-Stevens and Judith Reeves-Stevens
The Final Nexus - Gene DeWeese
*Vulcan's Glory - D. C. Fontana
Double Double - Michael Jan Friedman
The Cry of the Onlies - Judy Klass

Rules of Engagement - Peter Morwood
*The Pandora Principle - Carolyn Clowes
*Doctor's Orders - Diane Duane
Enemy Unseen - V.E. Mitchell
Renegade - Gene DeWeese
Legacy - Michael Jan Friedman
The Rift - Peter David
Faces of Fire - Michael Jan Friedman
The Disinherited - Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman, Robert Greenberger
Ice Trap - L.A. Graf (Ecklar, Karen Rose Cercone, and Melissa Crandall)
Sanctuary - John Vornholt
Shell Game - Melissa Crandall
The Starship Trap - Mel Gilden
Windows on a Lost World - V.E. Mitchell
From the Depths - Victor Milan

Logs One, Two and Three - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Logs Four, Five, and Six - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Logs Seven, Eight, and Nine - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Traitor Winds - L.A. Graf (Ecklar, Karen Rose Cercone)
The Best of Trek - Misc Star Trek Fans
The Best of Trek 3 - Misc Star Trek Fans
Log One - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Log Two - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Log Four - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Log Five - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Log Six - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Log Ten - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Star Trek 1 - Adapted by James Blish
Star Trek 4 - Adapted by James Blish
Star Trek 5 - Adapted by James Blish
Star Trek 8 - Adapted by James Blish
Star Trek 10 - Adapted by James Blish
The Classic Episodes 2 - Adapted by James Blish

TNG Encounter at Farpoint - Adapted by David Gerrold
TNG The Captain's Honor - David and Daniel Dvorkin
TNG A Rock and a Hard Place - Peter David
TNG The Eyes of the Beholder - A.C. Crispin
TNG Exiles - Howard Weinstein
TNG Q-in-Law - Peter David
TNG Imbalance - V.E. Mitchell
TNG Rogue Saucer - John Vornholt
TNG Devil's Heart - Carmen Carter
TNG Imzadi - Peter David
TNG Q-Squared - Peter David
TNG Masks - John Vornholt
TNG Descent - Adapted by Diane Carey
*TNG Unification - Adapted by Jeri Taylor
*TNG Crossover - Michael Jan Friedman
TNG Relics - Adapted by Michael Jan Friedman
TNG X-Men Planet X - Michael Jan Friedman
TNG Preserver - William Shatner

New Earth One Wagon Train to the Stars - Diane Carey
New Earth Two Belle Terre - Dean Wesley Smith with Diane Carey
New Earth Three Rough Trails - L.A. Graf (Ecklar, Karen Rose Cercone)
New Earth Four The Flaming Arrow - Kathy Oltion and Jerry Oltion
New Earth Six Challenger - Diane Carey
Avenger - William Shatner
The Return - William Shatner
Dark Victory - William Shatner
Spectre - William Shatner
My Brother's Keeper Republic - Michael Jan Friedman
My Brother's Keeper Constitution - Michael Jan Friedman
*Strangers from the Sky - Margaret Wander Bonanno
Cast No Shadow - James Swallow
*Vulcan's Heart - Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz
*Star Trek: The New Voyages - Misc. including Star Trek stars
*Star Trek: The New Voyages 2 - Misc. including Star Trek stars
*Spock's World - Diane Duane
Mudd's Enterprise - Adapted by J.A. Lawrence
World Without End - Joe Haldeman
Planet of Judgment - Joe Haldeman
The Captain's Table War Dragons - L.A. Graf (Julia Ecklar, Karen Rose Cercone)

Invasion! - Diane Carey, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Dean Wesley Smith, L. A. Graf, Dafydd Ab Hugh
Enterprise The First Adventure - Vonda N. McIntyre
Terok Nor Dawn of the Eagles - S.D. Perry and Britta Dennison
Vanguard Precipice - David Mack
DS9 Trials and Tribble-ations - Adapted by Diance Carey
DS9 The Heart of the Warrior - John Gregory Betancourt
DS9 Fallen Heroes - Dafydd ab Hugh
Final Frontier - Diane Carey
The Brave and the Bold Book Two - Keith R.A. DeCandido
The Brave and the Bold Book One - Keith R.A. DeCandido
Enterprise By the Book - Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch
*ENT Surak's Soul - J.M. Dillard
Star Trek (2009 Movie) - Adapted by Alan dean Foster 

*Vulcan! - Kathleen Sky
Log Five - Adapted by Alan Dean Foster
Star Trek 6 - Adapted by James Blish
*Strange and Amazing Facts about Star Trek - Daniel Cohen
*I am Spock - Leonard Nimoy
*Star Trek Memories - William Shatner with Chris Kreski
Quotable Star Trek - Jill Sherwin
VOY Hologram Handbook - The Doctor and Robert Picardo
The Physics of Star Trek - Lawrence M. Krauss
*The World of Star Trek - David Gerrold
The Klingon Dictionary - Marc Okrand
Klingon Galactic Traveller - Marc Okrand
*The Star Trek Interview Book - Allan Asherman
TNG Customizable Card Game Official Player's Guide - Brady Games

Firestorm - L.A. Graf (Julia Ecklar, Karen Rose Cercone)
The Patrian Transgression - Simon Hawke
Crossroad - Barbara Hambly
The Better Man - Howard Weinstein
The Fearful Summons - Denny Martin Flinn
Twilight's End - Jerry Oltion
*The Motion Picture - Gene Roddenberry
The Wrath of Khan - Adapted by Vonda N. McIntyre
*The Search for Spock - Adapted by Vonda N. McIntyre
*The Voyage Home - Adapted by Vonda N. McIntyre
The Final Frontier - Adapted by J.M. Dillard
The Undiscovered Country - Adapted by J.M. Dillard
*Spock Must Die! - James Blish
*The Lost Years - J.M. Dillard
A Flag Full of Stars - Brad Ferguson
*Crucible: McCoy - David R. George III
*Crucible: Spock - David R. George III
Crucible: Kirk - David R. George III

The Prometheus Design - Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath
Perry's Planet - Jack C. Haldeman II
The Galactic Whirlpool - David Gerrold
Death's Angel - Kathleen Sky
World Without End - Joe Haldeman
The Fate of the Phoenix - Sondra Marshak and Myrna Culbreath
*Spock, Messiah! - Theodore R. Cogswell, and Charles A Spano Jr.
Star Trek 3 - Adapted by James Blish
The Motion Picture the Photostory -  Richard J. Anobile
The Wrath of Khan the Photostory - Richard J. Anobile
Fotonovel 1 City on the Edge of Forever - Mandala Productions
Fotonovel 8 A Piece of the Action - Mandala Productions
Fotonovel 9 The Devil in the Dark - Mandala Productions
Fotonovel 12 Amok Time - Mandala Productions
VOY The Garden - Melissa Scott
VOY Ghost Dance Dark Matters - Christie Golden
VOY Her Klingon Soul - Michael Jan Friedman
New Frontier Book One - Peter David
New Frontier Book Three - Peter David
*NF Excalibur Renaissance - Peter David
Invasion! First Strike - Diane Carey

The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh Volume One (HC) - Greg Cox
Crisis on Centaurus (HC) - Brad Ferguson
The Wounded Sky (HC) - Diane Duane
*The Search for Spock (HC) - Vonda N. McIntyre
The Covenant of the Crown (HC) - Howard Weinstein
*The Vulcan Academy Murders (HC) - Jean Lorrah
The Ashes of Eden (HC) - William Shatner
The Final Reflection (HC) - John M. Ford
*My Enemy, My Ally (HC) - Diane Duane
Mission to Horatius (HC) - Mack Reynolds
*Vulcan's Forge (HC) - Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz
*Sarek (HC) - A.C. Crispin

Introducing: Paul.

Bah Weep Gragnah Weep Ni Ni Bong, T’Laina fans!

I know, I know - you came here today expecting to drink tea and read some epic Star Trek blog posts, and I apologize if you’re adamantly against trying new things… and now you're just curious as to what the hell is going on. Who is this interloper babbling on about nonsense? I’m the girl’s boyfriend. I’m the lovely bloggers biddy boy. I’m the one who pays for 8% of her memorabilia and such.

Call me Paul.

A Ceti Eel larvae creeps up on Paul's shoulder...

I’ve known the lass for a good four years, and obsessed over her and lovely eyes the entire time. This year, shortly after my birthday we consummated our relationship with the purchase of a rather expensive Transformer (Sentinel Prime, for the curious), she demanded I “do” a blog post about Star Trek and Doctor Who - and who am I to argue?

Before I met her I must confess, Star Trek and Doctor Who were in the background of my life - present, but not in the forefront. I was aware of it, the characters, the eleven different incarnations of the Doctor… but it never really interested me. Even the 2009 Star Trek rape - I mean film - made me shrug and say “meh”.

After T’Laina started dating me, she put me in mandatory trek classes, and then Doctor Who classes. Color me surprised - I found myself very much enjoying both. The characters, the situations, the performances… all very nuanced material actually. I won’t say I stereotyped either as “generic sci-fi crud”, but I didn’t expect the intelligence or social commentary.

Into the ear canal, to the cerebral coretex!

T’Lania speaks very highly about her Trek and Who, tons and tons of hours whittled away on it. Sometimes it bothers me, but most times not. It depends on how much she does it.

For me, the first thing that comes to mind when I think of either Star Trek or Doctor Who is a combination of Wrath of Khan and the very poorly made movie Dr. Who and the Daleks, starring my personal favorite Actor, Peter Cushing. T’Laina hates that particular film, as she says it is a bad knock-off. I only like it because it’s Cushing.

Now, just saying up front:
Favorite Captain: Kirk
Favorite Doctor: Sylvester McCoy.
Why? They’re the ones I find the most enduring.

I must confess that I myself am a nerd in general - my heart and interests lie in a sea of giant monsters and DC superheroes. But with T’Laina, an adventure into the world of television sci-fi was made very enjoyable. I would be very happy to read a comic wherein Batman throws punches with Spock!

That is all for me today, dear friends. I return you to your regularly scheduled blog posts.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine Ads - Playmates Figures and Game of Trivia 1993

Going through a copy of Starlog Magazine (1993), I found quite a few interesting ads, articles,  and comics relating to Star Trek: The Next Generation. I am actually scanning them right now. Until I have scanned some actual articles, here are a couple of advertisements.

Coming this fall: I don't actually have this game as of yet, but from what I have heard I would definitely like to.

Game description:

Star Trek: The Next Generation Trivia, Exploration and Discovery is a game of navigation, search, and discovery. The object of the game is to ‘seek out new life and new civilizations’ on an unknown number of planets and be the first to report them to Starfleet Command. It is a fun, challenging game for those with general Star Trek knowledge and even more exciting for dedicated Star Trek fans.

You are the Captain of your own starship, in control of your navigation and in command of your actions. Your knowledge of Star Trek: The Next Generation influences your success. Unpredictability abounds. You are always on the lookout for chance encounters with the Borg ship, Temporal Fluxes, “Q”, planets, and other starships. Your sensors detect these entities to keep you abreast of your relative position.

Test your knowledge of Star Trek: The Next Generation as you commandeer your own starship through unexplored territory.

There is also an ad on the back of the magazine for some TNG Playmates figures that come with exclusive Skybox Playmates collector cards.

One thing I don't have enough of is Borg merchandise. I find the Borg to be quite fascinating, as well as aesthetically pleasing. I would love to get a hold of any one of these figures - but if I could get a hold of those two Borg, I would be utterly elated.

A Different Sort of Mirror Spock.

My best friend has always made cute dolls and tiny foods out of felt. In fact, it was she who got me to try my hand at making a Dalek, Vulcan, and Andorian. For the last couple of years, she has made me a small doll for my birthday. This year, she came up to me at work and gave a small felt Spock doll:

I noticed right away that the insignia was on the wrong side, but justified this by telling everyone that he was a different sort of "Mirror Spock" - the one that Spock himself sees in his reflection. Also, that our reflections in the mirror are actually us in another universe, and that we are actually copying them.

Thanks, Kaitie!

Bitter Ambiguity - Branching Odd

I have been away from Vibrant Oxymoron lately, due to an extremely busy schedule and the fact that I have delved into the arts once more. In fact, I have set up an alternate blog called Bitter Ambiguity which I devote entirely to the messes I create. You can check it out by clicking HERE or by clicking the picture link on the sidebar. Here is a tiny preview:

PS. This will be the only post that is not in any way related to Star Trek or Doctor Who. But there is some Trek/Who drawings on there...

Also PS. I am back now, so expect some Trek/Who posts soon...