Are you the Trekkie through whom people live vicariously?

[Dale]

As Trekkies, we're a relatively rare breed... few in number. Generally speaking, we seem to be spread out one-per-workplace... and sure, we have our Trekkie friends, but for the most part we move in non-Trek circles far more frequently.

I am the "known Trekkie" where I work, and this means that anything that comes through the office that's even remotely Trek related ends up routed to me.

During the build-up to the movie, every rumor that made its way into the mainstream was brought to me over and over again...sometimes they thought they were bringing me big news, or sometimes they were looking for explanation and/or debunking, but they always wanted me to know that they were in the loop. Of course they were usually way behind what I already knew.

When there's new Star Trek around, like now, the effect becomes amplified. People want to know if I've seen it, how many times I've seen it, what I thought of it. They want to tell me that they've seen it and what they thought.

It's a little like becoming a celebrity, temporarily. People around me want to share in my excitement about Trek for a while, to live vicariously through me and feel, if only for a moment, that they're on the inside of the Trek phenomenon the way people like us have always been.

Does anyone else have this experience? Are you the Trekkie though whom others like to live vicariously?

 

[SpocKirk]

What is the definition of a Trekkie though?

I mean I've watched all the series since the 60's and seen all the movies and loved them but I would never dress up in the uniform or go to a convention or slip Klingon language into a conversation

 

[Dale]

In my book it's a label you have to choose for yourself. If you don't think you're a Trekkie, you're not.

 

[SpocKirk]

Yes but I just pointed out I'm a Trekkie in several respects but not in others.. I think non Trekkies actually think only the full on uniformed nerds qualify

In my book it's a label you have to choose for yourself. If you don't think you're a Trekkie, you're not.

 

[CommanderRaytas]

No, I think anyone who is a fan of the franchise qualifies, and not only in our own view. I mean I don't speak Klingon, never went to a convention or anything of the sort, but I'vve watched most episodes of all series (even VOY and ENT, the least loved children of Trek), and own many of them on dvd.

People have been talking to me more frequently about Trek as of late, yes, asking questions and telling me how cool they think this new film is.

 

[Therin of Andor]

Does anyone else have this experience? Are you the Trekkie though whom others like to live vicariously?

Yep. In the 80s and early 90s, here in Australia, I ran a 1000-strong Star Trek club and it was expected that I'd buy and read all the novels and comics, etc., and tell people which ones were worth their investment. And I was the one who read "Starlog" magazine, and cultivated penpal contacts all over the world to help our newsletter to keep pace with ST gossip (pre Internet).

At work, my colleagues have had high expectations that I keep my finger on the pulse. The funniest incident was one woman who, in February 2003, raced up to tell me that she'd read in the newspaper that a US-made fan film had been launched on the Internet, and that its unexpected popularity had crashed Apple's webspace.

"'Starship Exeter: The Savage Empire'?" I asked. "Actually, I'm IN it."

That took the wind out of her sails!

 

[T'Paul]

No, I think anyone who is a fan of the franchise qualifies, and not only in our own view. I mean I don't speak Klingon, never went to a convention or anything of the sort, but I'vve watched most episodes of all series (even VOY and ENT, the least loved children of Trek), and own many of them on dvd.

People have been talking to me more frequently about Trek as of late, yes, asking questions and telling me how cool they think this new film is.

Whenever I leave my house I am in costume. I've been getting a lot more comments this past week.