Leslie Anne Tarabella Southern With a Gulf Coast Accent

Who thought we’d ever get a bit of wisdom from Star Trek? Well, all you Trekkies, that’s who. 

We’re very selective about the TV we watch, not because we’re great intellectuals sitting around reading and listening to symphonies, but in reality, we think most TV is junk. 

Without the first bit of marriage counseling or legal assistance, we struck a deal that for every two shows with British accents Bob (reluctantly) watches, I’ll watch one Star Trek series. We’re a match made in heaven  — or in space, the final frontier. 

The future of space travel looks bleak to me because everyone repeats the same outfit every single day. Black pants, red top, green top, yellow top, over and over. What kind of tortuous fashion future lies ahead? The first lady space explorers at least got to add groovy tall black boots with their mini skirts. The lack of seatbelts on the Enterprise caused people to fly across the room every time they hit a speed bump, so the mini skirts became more distracting than pointy ears and had to be replaced by space britches. 

Any scene with Patrick Stewart is a winner with me. Who can resist  the charm of Captain Picard? (Once again, a British accent wins). He recently grabbed my attention when he quoted a line from his old friend, Spock. “Exhilaration enhances the absorption of knowledge – in other words, live a little.”

Don’t you love it? Even a Vulcan recognizes the need for getting out in the universe and taking risks. Try something new. Sign up for a class, climb a mountain, swing from a rope, try a new lipstick color, learn a new language, sail the world.

All ages, all people, and I guess all Vulcans learn best by doing.  It’s why we may not remember the lessons in the classroom, but we remember the field trips. 

When I taught school, I’d give my students a list of things to try over the summer. I made sure most of the activities were free or included only a small fee. Story times, museums, nature walks, free movie days, puppet shows and open air concerts were listed in a summer fun booklet that included puzzles and coloring pages. 

Very few, if any parents participated in any of the activities. It was frustrating and broke my heart. 

Instead of getting out and allowing their children to explore their community and experience the exhilaration of something new, they sat home in front of the TV — watching violent and nasty junk.

I should have at least recommended Star Trek.

When parents of all income levels resort to allowing a phone, computer or TV to entertain their children, the exhilaration and learning potential plummets.

And marriages flourish with a little exhilaration as well. That’s why I have a Star Trek dress.

Live long and prosper.