First off, let’s get one thing out of the way. I’m a Trekkie. I grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. I believe that Patrick Stewart is the best thing brought to this world since sliced bread, for he is the hottest guy ever to me, bar none. He has the kind of screen and stage presence that can fill up a football field even if he was the only one there. He is a proper actor, having done Shakespeare prior and after his time on TNG… but in my youth, I didn’t appreciate him nearly as much as I crushed on little Wesley Crusher. Apparently I have a thing for mis-understood geniuses and is probably why the majority of the guys I have been in relationships with were intelligent and socially awkward.

I read the novels related to the Star Trek Universe, I have four of the five Star Trek series – in their entirety – on DVD. I have a few of the series’ bibles for reading amusement, and I keep up with most anything Star Trek related. I have a general knowledge of the life of many of the Star Trek main characters, and am interested more in the cultures, academia, etc of the Star Trek Universe over the technology, starships, etc that most conventional Trekkies know.

I became an engineer because I wanted to do what Geordi LaForge, Reginald Barclay, B’Elanna Torres and, yes, even Wesley Crusher did and became an engineer (well they were some of the reason). I got into robotics because of Data and Lal, and loved studying astronomy because of Star Trek. I became interested more and more in the human psyche and the personalities of people and what drives them because of Data’s constant interest in humanity… I guess in a lot of ways I saw myself more like Data than anyone else.

But one thing that I loved about these characters of the Star Trek universe… is that they weren’t all just techie-nerds, they weren’t all just brilliant minds, they had hobbies that were outside of the box. Data did some acting and singing (although he was an android by all accounts), Beverly Crusher danced, Jean-Luc Picard sang and showed off his Shakespearean chops.

So when word got around that the entire first season cast of Star Trek The Next Generation were going to be at the Calgary Expo in late April, I about nearly bought my tix to fly out to Canada just to see this happen live… and then convinced myself out of it. *sighs* Damn reasoning getting in the way of everything else. Instead I did the right thing and stayed in the states and waited til videos of the one hour plus discussion with the first season cast of ST: TNG. Oh, Em, Gee it was worth the wait.

Before we go on… here are the YouTube links, shamelessly stolen from Gamma Squad’s article:
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Please, go and watch the above link… but for some sound bites that I found particularly entertaining (mind you I was listening to the above links while at work… so I only typed what I found to be humorous).

Rules of Acting, per the cast of Star Trek The Next Generation at the ST Expo-sed
1) Live in the moment
2) Don’t bump into the furniture
3) Don’t / Never indicate (make sure your shoes fit)

Impressing Sir Patrick Stewart w/ their impressions of him:
Wil Wheaton: Which one of us did the best you. Just lie and say it was me.
Sir Patrick Stewart: The fact is that there were eight other me’s. Each one of you took an aspect of me because —
LeVar Burton: No no dear boy, it wasn’t eight of you. It was just that you were so big you could not embody one single entity
Sir Patrick Stewart: That… is a… compliment?

Parents explaining the concept of Death:
Mod: I remember the first episode of Star Trek, I was four years old… my first experience with death was the death of Tasha yar. My parents told me about death thru Star Trek–
Denise Crosby: I’m sorry you had to learn about death thru an oil slick. It doesn’t really happen usually, you know that? Cuz I’m really concerned…
Marina Sirtis: Unless you’re a fish in Louisiana, then it happens a lot.

Sir Patrick questions Wil Wheaton’s intelligence:
Sir Patrick Stewart: So I got a question, Wil. Why weren’t you that smart twenty-five years ago?
Wil Wheaton: Well sir, twenty-five years ago I was fourteen and struggling to find my bum with both hands.
Sir Patrick Stewart: I accept that excuse.

Gushing over Jonathan Frakes’ bravery:
Marina Sirtis: Johnny was amazing, because he ate stuff and he did stuff that none of us would have done–
LeVar Burton: And he slept with stuff–
Marina Sirtis: And he slept with stuff… But then you always had to kill them, or they died.

Is there a Doctor in the House?
From the Audience: I feel sick
LeVar Burton: I think he needs a doctor.
Gates McFadden: I don’t have my tricorder, come to my room.
Sir Patrick Stewart: That is what Jean-Luc wanted to hear Dr Crusher say.

Can an android like Data exist in our lifetimes?
Mod: Brent do you think we’ll ever see a humanoid android to the same caliber that Data was?
Brent Spiner: How would I know?!?!? I’m an actor! Why are you asking me? Is there a scientist in the house?
Mod: In your professional actor opinion
Brent Spiner: Uh, you know that’s even dubious.
Marina Sirtis: Possibly but he won’t be as funny
Sir Patrick Stewart: I was going to say, surely we have them, they are the front runners of the Republican Party.
Wil Wheaton: If we had that, they would have the compassion subroutine down.
Marina Sirtis: No, and they are definitely not as funny.
Jonathan Frakes: They don’t sing as well as you.