Wraithfodder's Lair

(It's the end of August and I'm only at 25. I will not be scrambling in December to finish 50, I will not.)

I've started watching Starfleet Academy, though I'm only thru ep 4. So spoilers! Rambly thoughts.

It's growing on me a bit, though I don't want to get too attached since I know it's been cancelled after 2 seasons. It's taken me a little time to get adjusted. It starts after there has been some sort of catastrophic event called The Burn, which hasn't been well explained, except there was a very tough period for the Federation, apparently even worse for the Klingon Empire, the Betazoid walled themselves off from the rest of the galaxy, and who knows what else will unfold. I gotta admit I find this starting strange. On one hand, it does give the main authority figure, the Admiral, a chance to regularly talk about how Star Fleet is coming back and its values and what it needs to stands for. But also, it's like... the city view of San Francisco looked full of tall buildings, only two of the cadets seemed to have a backstory touched by this devastation, I'm just... feeling adrift in the historical setting.

The main cadet character grew up primarily on his own (thanks to Star Fleet's abandoning their values during the Burn) and has manpain from his mother having disappeared, and one of my friends rolled her eyes and was, oh my god, a series centered around manpain. But he is black so at least it's not a white guy's man pain? And I'm hopeful he'll find his mom, so it's not a dead woman causing the angst? Anyway, I'm starting to like him now that he's settling down and focusing on his studies.

I confess, I'm not keeping everyone straight yet, and the one cadet who can survive in space and the Betazoid cadet look way too much alike. Everyone seems to have complicated backstories, which riff off Star Trek history. The Jem'hadar instructor is half Klingon! The Klingon cadet is a pacifist! One cadet is a hologram! etc. So one hand, it really seems like a show designed for Trek enthusiasts who would appreciate all the twists, except on the other, the Burn. Which changed everything and what exactly that means is going to be slowly pieced out.

But! There are moments that could be really slashy, and that always makes me happy. One pic here: https://www.tumblr.com/m-elayna/826308462241824768/sometimes-i-find-starfleet-academy-very-slashy

The end of the second ep, and the Betazoid is rooming with two other guys, and he's: "We’re roommates bro! Star Fleet for life! I love you bro!"

Then the guy who can survive space starts scolding the manpain guy about making his bed, "What are you doing? Tuck and fold. Tuck and fold." And they start making the bed together.

Which makes the Betazoid happy. "Bros making bros’ beds! I love to see it."

And I'm like... Me too, dude. Me too. Let's have lots of young men doing domestic chores, I can jive with that.

It is a show about the Academy, so that has been a change. I'm used to most Trek eps having the pattern of going down to a planet or meeting another spaceship in space and fixing something. And this is, prank war! Cadets on sports teams! It's a very different rhythm than most Trek shows, which threw me a bit but I'm adjusting.

I've always liked Holly Hunter, I like her Admiral, even the bare feet. (I'm not sure why she's supposed to be over 400 years old though. Is she only half-human or are humans supposed to be living that long?) Robert Picardo back as the Doctor, yay! Canonical lesbian couple, yay! The cadets are growing on me!

Anyway, my plan is chunk thru the remaining episodes and then catch up on Strange New Worlds before ConStrict, so I will be able to discuss all Trek then.

I was very sorry to see that Dolly Parton had passed. I've reached the age where 80 doesn't seem that old, though I know she was missing her husband. Cancer sucks.

My local paper had a number of articles about her, including one on her top 10 songs (in their opinion), and it just feels odd that I only know half of these songs.

The ones I know:
Jolene, 1973 (though possibly I didn't know this one until it was sung on Glee)
I Will Always Love You, 1973 (definitely didn't know this one until years after the Whitney cover, and when I read it was a hit for Dolly, I was WTF?)
Here You Come Again, 1977
9 to 5, 1980
Islands in the Stream, 1983

Ones I don't know:
Dumb Blonde, 1967
Coat of Many Colors, 1971 (I remember when there was a TV movie based on this song, but not sure I've actually heard it)
My Tennessee Mountain Home, 1973
Love Is Like A Butterfly, 1974
Light of a Clear Blue Morning, 1977

I guess it's not surprising that I don't really know her music, in that I didn't start listening to country until the 1990s. Watching 9 to 5 in the theater was probably the first I became aware of Dolly. She was good, that whole movie was fun, but I didn't look up her music. She really is someone who has earned much of her revered status through being a good person and her humanitarian efforts. The world would be a much better place if more people followed her example. Care for others and make tangible efforts to help them if you can, such a simple but powerful message.