Tech Diary | At Home with Tech

June 18, 2023

Why Strange New Worlds is Now my Favorite Star Trek Series

This Star Trek prequel has made what’s old new again. Here’s how it continues to successfully bridge the generations in my home as season 2 begins.

Don’t get me wrong. I loved season 3 of “Star Trek: Picard.” Of course there was pent-up demand to get the band back together for one more adventure. Yes, “Picard” was awesome, even though it felt like the last few episodes were rushed to get it all in. And yes, there were some plot holes, but who cares?!

We got another season of “The Next Generation,” and mostly at its best. That’s a gift, and a proper send off after the last movie (“Nemesis”) offered such an unsatisfying ending two decades ago.

But “Star Trek: Picard” was about good endings. “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” is about great beginnings.

Fun in the 23rd Century
I’ve said before that “Strange New Worlds” on Paramount+ has nailed the successful recipe of “Star Trek” better than any Trek since the original series. And in some ways, “Strange New Worlds” has improved on it.

It’s fun and optimistic. Each character and attached actor is compelling. The scripts are smart. The special effects lavish geeky love on the Enterprise in ways we Trekkies have only dreamed of.

But the show is no lightweight. It’s got some serious themes. Really serious. If you know “Star Trek,” you know the tragic story of Captain Christopher Pike, who precedes Captain Kirk. And the writers have decided to give Pike’s character insight on his future. Whoa. That’s heavy.

We know how it ends. Or do we?

Captain Pike Rocks!
Speaking of Pike, I’ve got to say that Anson Mount gives us arguably the best captain in the Star Trek universe. I know that’s going way out on a limb. But he perfectly captures the essence of the original Starfleet captain: a bold boy scout who still breaks the rules when warranted. He’s also really fun to watch.

His acting helps this series feel entirely confident and comfortable. It needed no time finding its groove.

“Strange New Worlds” is so confident in itself that it sidelined Captain Pike in the first episode of its second season and leaves the whole story to Spock and the rest of the crew, including Nurse Chapel and Dr. M’Benga.

Spock and Nurse Chapel
The first season set the structure of giving major storylines to each of the supporting characters throughout different episodes, and this trend is happily continuing. Instead of overinvesting in new guest characters each week, The writers of “Strange New Worlds” continue to focus on deepening our understanding of the Enterprise crew.

And we already thought we knew many of these characters, right?

Admittedly, the writers are bending Star Trek canon a bit, especially with the growing relationship between Spock and Nurse Chapel. But I think that’s absolutely fine. By now, we’re used to plenty of ‘reimagining’ of core science fiction stories.

Star Trek Doesn’t Need Salty Language
“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” manages to be both fresh and retro simultaneously. It proves that you don’t have to warp Star Trek down a dark path to try to reinvent it like “Star Trek: Discovery” originally attempted.

It’s also resisted the urge to throw around four-letter words like both “Discovery” and “Picard” have done. Thank you very much.

Not that salty language is so critical an issue for me anymore, as our son is now thirteen. He consumes plenty of profanity when watching the MCU.

But back when “Discovery” premiered, he was only seven. And I was really upset that we couldn’t watch new “Star Trek” together.

Appointment Viewing
Happily, “Strange New Worlds” is Lester family viewing time. And this Trekkie dad couldn’t be more pleased to finally be sharing his life-long passion with his son. My boy loved the show’s first season.

No, “Star Trek” is not quite as cool as “Star Wars” or the MCU. Not for him (and that’s okay).

He insisted on giving me a little sigh and eye roll when I proclaimed after dinner that it was time to watch the second season premiere of “Strange New Worlds.”

He countered that he would prefer to watch the MCU’s “Secret Invasion” series. Fortunately, the premiere of that Nick Fury show on Disney+ was still a week away.

So he agreed to sit down on the couch with me and my wife for a little “Trek.”

Star Trek is Family Time Again
And when Spock (wonderfully reimagined by Ethan Peck) sat in the captain’s chair and struggled to come up with a clever line to order the Enterprise to warp speed, I turned to peek at my son’s face.

He was smiling. And yes, I think I spotted my young teenager laugh. The three of us all laughed together… watching “Star Trek.”

That was the best early Father’s Day gift I think I could ever get.

Our son may never be a Trekkie. And once upon a time, my wife didn’t know the difference between a Tribble and a Klingon.

But we’re all together watching “Star Trek.”

I’ll take it.

1 Comment

May 21, 2023

A Father’s Reflections after his Son’s Bar Mitzvah

Yesterday reflects a course adjustment for my family that’s three generations in the making. Here’s why.

Our son had his bar mitzvah yesterday. He was amazing, even if I am a little biased.

He was prepared. He was relaxed. He hit it out of the park. For someone who doesn’t exactly crave the spotlight, he appeared relatively Zen.

My wife and I are so proud of him. This was his day in every way.

A Return to a Family’s Tradition
It also represented a major shift in the timeline for my family. It’s the first bar mitzvah in my immediate family in three generations. I didn’t have one, and neither did my father. But both sides of my family came from observant Jewish ancestors. So yesterday was a definite reset.

I couldn’t be happier.

Our son now has the foundation that I never received growing up. And as a young adult, I began to recognize the gap. That choice my parents made for me to not have a bar mitzvah is part of a much larger conversation about their perception of Jewish identity during those decades.

Suffice to say, it’s usually best to fully embrace who you are so you can fully become who you are meant to be.

I’m the bridge. My son is the future. What he decides to do with his foundation is up to him. But now he’s got it…

Seven Minutes of Pure Joy
At our son’s party, my wife and I wanted everyone to dance the traditional hora with us and lift up our son on a chair like you often see at Jewish celebrations. And that’s exactly what we did.

Watching him float up there was glorious. Then my wife went up, and finally it was my turn.

It was magical. I felt weightless. Time slowed down as I spun around in the clouds.

Family and friends were laughing, clapping and smiling. All of that love and support flowed around me and through me.

I will never forget the feeling.

Taking It All In
Yes, the feeling of an entire community’s warm support at our Congregation Beth El earlier in the day.

That knowledge that you were participating in one of the happiest days of your life.

And the love of family and friends, some who drove far through an all-day pummeling rain storm to be with you.

It was a special day.

Positive Momentum
Oh yes… Did I mention that we got an inch of rain yesterday? And of course, it derailed our outdoor plan A for the evening party. But we had a great indoor plan B.

There was simply too much momentum going. There could be no wash out.

As the evening party rocked inside, I occasionally glanced at the torrential rain outside.. And I smiled.

It was exactly as it was meant to be. And it was perfect.

My Message to the Universe
I don’t think you get many days like yesterday. So when they come along, it’s important to be as present as you can be to take it all in. That’s the advice I received, and I followed it!

I’m also finding it useful to write about it a bit to help seal in all of that joy.

So, I sat at my desk during my magic hour this morning. I reflected with my cup of Joe to the left of my keyboard. And the above is what flowed out.

And now I upload my story to the universe. I send it to the past. I send it to the future.

Everything feels right.

1 Comment

May 14, 2023

Why You Really Have Multiple Mothers

You’re more than the sum of your life experiences. The past has a way of traveling forward through generations and affecting your existence in ways you can’t possibly know. Think you‘ve been influenced by just one mother? Think again…

The love of a mother is unique and irreplaceable. My mom’s been gone since 2006, and of course, I miss her. She was the quintessential Jewish mother. Doting. Over protective. Always there for me. I am at home with tech, because she bought me my first audio cassette recorder for my 7th birthday.
(My father thought my sound-collecting interest was a passing fad, but my mom had her x-ray mom-vision that could see deeper into my heart and ultimately my future.)

Even after I had grown up and moved out, she still mothered from afar. She clipped and mailed news articles on topics she thought would (or should) be of interest to me. She was only a phone call away, and yes we talked often. Of course, I had my standing dinners with my father over the years when I was back in town, but I’ve reflected a lot about him lately.

Today is about mothers.

Multiple Mothers
Usually, you think of having one mother or person who served in that pivotal role during your early life. And that was certainly the case with my mom. But I believe the superpower of mothering is partially fueled by the past through a form of time travel.

As I look at old photos of both my grandmothers, I definitely feel a distant influence from both of them… as mothers.

And even though I never got to meet them, they influenced how my parents grew up and ultimately how they parented me. So, in a way, both of these women were also there with me through some of my parents’ unconscious behaviors.

If we extend this logic further, I am inevitably the result of a long line of mothers who stretch way back into my family’s history.

Aren’t we all?

All the wisdom. All of the unconditional love. All of that warmth.

Each of us contains all of this timeless ‘mom collective.’

My Paternal Grandmother
I’ve been going through photos of my grandmother Rae lately… ever since my father passed away.
Rae looks like quite the force. Smart. Funny. Clever. Daring. Compelling. She could not have been happier as she brought up her young family with my grandfather in the mid 1930’s.

Then, she died unexpectedly when my father was just four years old. It must have been absolutely shattering. My father didn’t talk about it with the same intensity… I’m sure as a long-established coping mechanism.

My grandfather never remarried, and he and his two young sons moved forward in their lives as best as anyone could.

So, Rae’s major influence on my father was unfortunately her absence as a mother after those few short years.

Still, I look at the photos of her, and I cannot help but feel a connection… a beneficiary of all of her strength and goodness. Of course, her love brought my father into this world, and she set him on his young path.

Thank you, Rae. Happy Mother’s Day.

My Maternal Grandmother
Then, there’s my mother’s mom… Blanka. She was originally from Hungary.
She looks much more serious, right? I don’t have as many photos of her. So it’s harder for me to paint my own picture..

My mom didn’t give me a lot of background on what her mother was like. The main part of Blanka’s story was that she had a serious bout of pneumonia when she was young and as a result was sickly across her adulthood. My mom spent a lot of time taking care of her when my mother was a teenager.

Blanka ultimately died young. My mother had grown up by then, but my mom was only in her twenties.

Still, as I think about Blanka’s life, there are two decades of mothering that influenced the person my mom became. (See first paragraph.) I don’t know those stories, but I know that as a result, there’s a part of Blanca in me.

Thank you Blanka. Happy Mother’s Day.

My Mother
Looking at both stories of my grandmothers, there’s the unfortunate similarity that both their lives ended way too early.

Not that one’s life should be singularly judged in terms of longevity, but I feel blessed that my mother lived for as long as she did. And happily, she was my mom decades into my adulthood.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.

My Wife
And this brings us to the present.

I’m also blessed to be a parent of a young teenage boy. He is so great. And this is, in large part, due to his amazing mother.
Thank you wife for everything you do for our son every day. I can see your empathy, love of nature and balanced mindfulness flowing in his being.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Generations of Motherly Love
They say it takes a village. I can easily see that using my expanded view across time.

To all of the mothers in my family who have provided so much love, support and wisdom to the generations… you’re all rock stars!

Category: Tech Diary

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: