This year for my Mother’s Day gift, my daughter treated me to a movie. We watched the new Star Trek.

 

As a teen, I grew up with the original show. My older brother was a science-fiction addict. One of his favorite authors was Robert Heinlein. Since I loved to read, I picked up these books and was introduced to the science-fiction world. So when Star Trek hit the air waves, my brother was hooked and I watched along with him.

 

Dad, however, would almost always turn the channel. This meant I didn’t watch every show, but I saw enough to know the characters and to develop a keen interest.

 

Years later when the series entered syndication, I was able to watch all I wanted. When the first movies came out with the original stars of William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, I saw those too.

 

When this 2009 “remake” was announced—and especially with the advanced special effects—I was eager to see what the writers would come up with.

 

I don’t call myself an expert regarding the storylines of Star Trek. But I’ve learned what I like and what I don’t like.

 

I do like the actor who played Spock. Zachary Quinto captured the character well, acing the Vulcan’s mannerisms, and sounding almost exactly like Nimoy.

 

Karl Urban as ‘Bones’ is perfect. He looked as I’d expected a younger Leonard McCoy to be. I loved getting to know how he and James Kirk first met.

 

In the old series, I never realized Kirk was so full of himself. In this new movie, it’s quite a revelation to see how Chris Pine plays a womanizing, ultra self-confident James T. Kirk.

 

Simon Pegg as Scotty and John Cho as Sulu are both great picks.

 

Actress Zoe Saldana plays Lt. Uhura. She’s certainly attractive enough to showcase the leading female role.

 

But it’s her characterization of the communications officer that I frown and go, “hmm.” And here is where, to me, the movie does a major “hiccup.”

 

I’d like to ask the writers, “Why did you change Uhura’s personality?” 

 

The television series' Uhura understood that the U.S.S. Enterprise was a military ship and she was an officer respectful to rank. Today’s Star Trek writes Uhura as smart-mouthed, carrying a ‘chip-on-my-shoulder’ attitude.

 

That is so not realistic, nor in keeping with the original version.

 

Another disloyalty is that Uhura attempts a romantic relationship with Spock. Yes, he’s half-human, so his emotions are stronger than a pure Vulcan. However, he strove to always restrain that ‘handicapped’ side. To show him and Uhura in caressing embraces is, in my opinion, an insult to Gene Roddenberry.

 

Still, the movie is action-packed and full of adventure. I laughed out loud during the comedic scenes. And the special effects were thrilling. If I were a reviewer, I’d give a four-and-a-half star out of five rating.

 

I hope in any forthcoming sequels Uhura’s character will be critiqued and appropriately ‘ship-shaped’.

 

Copyright 2009 by Lula M. Thomas 

Also see link below:

American Chronicle

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever wondered about the act of kissing? Of why a man and a woman can find such pleasure in touching their lips together? Since I write romance books, including a smooching scene – or two, or even maybe three – is mandatory. No story carrying the label of 'romance' can be seriously considered if this part is left out.

But what is the attraction? Why do couples do it?

Maybe I'm being too much "Mr. Spock" and looking at it from less of the emotional, but more of the logical side. But I find that question not only curious, but as Spock would say, "Fascinating!"

So I'm going to explore a few of the reasons of why the human race does this. Don't expect anything profound. I'm no scientist or doctor or anyone with a string of letters added as a title. This is just Miss Mae, romance writer, speculating.

When we look at a member of the opposite sex, immediately we want to know if this person is "gorgeous". We zoom in on the face. Does he/she have two eyes, one nose set in the right place, and then that mouth…yeah, okay, a nicely shaped full pair of lips. If it all fits together in a way we find pleasing, then we're hooked. More often than not, we catch ourselves watching those lips, how they spread to form a dazzling smile, how they stayed closed correctly when chewing food, or how they purse to release a whistle. The next thought can be, "so, how good a kisser is he/she?"

But, why? Why do we want to be kissed?

The lips are very thin skinned (you might want to chuckle over that, but it's true). In a light skinned person, the lip skin contains less of the cells which produce melanin pigment – or what gives skin its color. Because of this, the blood vessels are clearly seen, giving lips their notable red color. They have a high amount of nerve endings, the exact number I couldn't find. Yet, it's a given, right? We all KNOW how sensitive our lips are to touch.

So now we understand what makes them attractive, but still…WHY does a woman desire, crave, fantasize for a man to kiss her? And WHY does a man want to do it?

Here's my conclusion: we, as humans, love pleasure. Those nerve endings in our lips zap the information that it feels good to kiss someone and to be kissed back.

That's pretty frank and simple, isn't it?

I'd like to finish with a quote that encapsulates this mystique. 'There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not. The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.'

Ah, the way of a man with a maid. Test your lips. They won't lie.

Times are tough. You hear about it on the news, read about it on the Internet, and learn about it when either you can't find a job or your job is slashed. It's hard to find money to buy groceries, heat the house, pay that car note. Things tend to be overwhelming, and maybe a bit frightening as you wonder if the country is spiraling into a depression. If you can't afford a Big Mac, then you sure can't buy that ten dollar ticket to the movies. So, what can you do to try and escape from reality? Is there anything that will rob you from your worries without actually robbing you of your last penny?

Talk to some folks who lived--and survived--the Great Depression. Interestingly enough, even during those cash starved days, people found ways to be entertained. While they might have held socials, gone to plays, or just visited with their neighbors, one thing most all did -- they read. They read newspapers, articles, library books. Fiction books, especially, took them away to an imaginary world and made them forget, for a while, their own problems.

I didn't live during those times. But I discovered this information because I read about it. That's right. In a magazine.

Today, just like then, reading is very affordable, if not downright cheap.

Maybe you're not able to watch the latest block buster. So what? Do something better. Educate your mind. Discover the wonders of your imagination.

Read a book.