Star Trek, Vulcan Language, and Doctor Who Cookies

Today I finally got around to making some cookies, and decided to make them Star Trek and Doctor Who themed. 

First I decorated the Dalek cookie, and then brought it around to the members on my family squeaking "exterminate" in a cute little voice:

I then decorated my little Spock cookie. He is blushing because his body looks like a potato, and I even made the phaser hanging on his belt:

I also made a large square cookie and wrote "slor vel" (sweet thing) in traditional Vulcan calligraphy. Sarek approved:

Making cookies is fun.

A Surprise Package - Ri-gishu New'a'lek

The other day, while checking my PO Box before shopping for baking supplies, I was surprised to find something unusual - I was to go to the desk to pick up a parcel. I didn't remember ordering anything other than zines lately, so I was honestly quite confused. I signed for the package, and they brought out a box wrapped in brown paper - I looked at the return address smiled one of the biggest smiles that I have smiled in a very long time.

It was a package from my dear friend T'Puhku in Germany, to whom I had been sending Star Trek books and with whom I run the Vulcan Language tumblr.

I hurried through my shopping and ran home, not even taking off my shoes and hat before sitting on the floor and unwrapping and opening the package.

Onside was a chocolate Nicolaus (she explained to me that every December 6th, people from German-speaking countries put a boot in front of their door, which is then filled with these exact chocolate santas, nuts, mandarins, and small presents. I found that absolutely fascinating, and I munched on his head while I read it. I then did some further research online.), a cashmere pashmina handmade in the Nepalese Himalayas (one of the softest things I have ever owned, I actually slept with it last night), a bumper sticker, and the small canvas with art and writing.

The bumper sticker is in the Vulcan language, and says "Vath-hali t'nash-veh ek'tal-hali T'Khasi" which translates to "My other vehicle is a Vulcan Science Vessel". I don't have a car to put it on, but it looks just as dashing on my wall.

The painting that she did for me is definitely my favorite, however - it says "Sochya eh dif" (Peace and long life) in Traditional Vulcan Calligraphy (vanu-tanaf-kitaun) and has an idic in the corner. I love everything about it - the colors, the design, the texture! She even sent a little eisel with it, so I had no problem finding a place to display it - it is now on the shelf right next to my bedroom door, beside my dead bird and a framed photograph of Richey Edwards. It is truly a place of honor.

(insert preferred holiday greeting here)

T'Laina

IDIC Star Trek Shirt Photos

I haven't been blogging a lot - I have been working and pursuing other interests, such as photography. I have also been spending a lot of time on the Vulcan Language tumblr, which I started and now run with T'Puhku. I feel like the Vulcan language and culture are very separate from Star Trek, in a way. Like they are two very distinct obsessions (which they are) and I almost forget at times that the vulcan language ever had anything to do with Star Trek at all.

A couple of months ago I received an IDIC shirt in the mail, and it is definitely one of my favorite articles of clothing. I found it while I was browsing ebay, and immediately went out to buy a prepaid visa, came home, registered my visa, and bought the shirt. Luckily, I had another shirt in my closet which was the same style, and so I got my measurements from that.

I went outside to take some simple photos of myself wearing the shirt, but that somehow turned into a full-blown self photography project (which included using a tutu as a headdress).

The best place for taking photos happened to be in front of my apartment building, right beside the main street and a sidewalk. I had people watching me from their cars, and a couple of people asked if they could take my picture. One person (an amazingly nice woman) even directed me, asking me to look through the lens of my camera like I was taking a photo. We spoke for a while, sitting on the grass - and I taught her how to say "dif-tor heh smusma".

Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations - a philosophy that I think more people should adopt. If you would like one of these lovely IDIC shirts for your own, you can get it here (women's) or here (men's).

My visit home - Yaret ha-kel t'nash-veh

Vokau du wak lu yaretal nash-veh ha-kel fi'T'Khasi - eh vesht kum-tor t'hai'la nash bikuv t'nash-veh fa'wuh t'huhrik kahrlar ha.

Remember that time that I visited my home on Vulcan, and a friend took this picture of me in front of one of the major cities?

Fai'ei vokau nash-veh.

because I do.

"J" is not a letter.

J is for... J!

J is not a letter - not in the Vulcan language, anyway.

A lot of people spell Vulcan words according to the Federation Standard pronunciation and alphabet. For instance:

T'hy'la instead of t'hai'la (the letter "y" is not used as a vowel in vulcan)
Eit'jae instead of eit'dzhae

X is not in the Vulcan alphabet either, but seems to have been used in words regardless. The correct spelling, for example, of "Xon" would be "Kson" when using Vulcan symbols.

The Vulcan alphabets, as taught by the Vulcan Language Institute:

Traditional Golic Vulcan:
S T P K R L A D O E V U H G Ch I N Z M Y F W B Sh Th Kh Zh Ts Dzh Ks

Modern Golic Vulcan:
S T P K R L A Sh O U D V Kh E H G Ch I N Zh M Y F Z Th W B

Yeht'es t'Nash-veh - My Truth

From now on, I will be posting any Vulcan translations on Vibrant Oxymoron's new sister blog, "Yeht'es t'Nash-veh". Not only will I continue translating Star Trek related literature and transcripts, but I will also be translating miscellaneous material that I enjoy, or material that has been requested..

If you would like to request material to be translator or have any questions, you may comment here or email me at vibrant.oxymoron@gmail.com.

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..