Star Trek Convention, Day Two, Part Two: Poodle People, Taxi Drivers and Love

I ordered room service this morning as a sort of indulgence, and to save time. The man who brought my food wheeled it in, and then asked me if I was going to the convention. He could probably could tell by my DS9 t-shirt.

He immediately launched into his issue: A friend of his died and left his Star Trek collection to him, and "it's not my thing." He's hoping to sell it all, and he thinks convention goers would love it. So he left three of his little ads with me and said he was going to leave several over on the convention tables.

**ATTENTION**
COLLECTORS/VENDORS! I have for immediate sale thousands of Star Trek merchandise. Much to choose from - games, ships, comics, novels, magazines, posters & collectors plates (many autographed and authentic.

Even though I wished Otis well, I pretty much ignored the ad and hurried to the convention.

The first thing Marina Sirtis (Counselor Troi in Next Gen) said, as she and Brent Spiner (Data) cane on stage after Michelle Forbes, was: "I always hated Michelle. For three reasons. She's beautiful. She was so effing smart on the show. And she's younger than me."

Brent interrupted. "The same reasons you hated me."

Marina thought a moment, and then said, "Wait a minute. You're not younger than me."

Thus, a very entertaining hour started with Marina and Brent. Each of these actors is funny is his and her own right, but together they have someone to play off. This was their first time being paired thusly, and they really enjoyed it.

When one fan said she'd been watching her entire life, Marina stopped her. How old are you? 19. "She was an embryo when we started in 1987. And here we are, doing the same old schtick."

Marina went to England for several years to act in various roles there, and came upon an old friend. "Marina," she said, "I haven't seen you in 20 years! Where have you been?" "I went to America," Marina replied. "Oh? And how did that work out for you?" asked the friend. "Pretty good," deadpanned Marina. As Brent explained to us, no one in the industry, or outside Star Trek fans, "knows who we are." So while the Next Gen experience didn't necessarily help get them jobs after the series ended, it didn't typecast them either.

After Marina and Brent, I went over to Grace's line. She was finally there. There was one person ahead of me. The longer line was for Max, a line that kept encroaching on our little line. Max was getting up, having pictures taken with people, and even in the short time I stood in line for Grace, got up and disappeared.

I asked Grace to make the photo out to "Rabbi Ruth Adar." "There are women rabbis?" she said, looking amazed. Yes, I replied, and it took her 6 years of study to get there. She was just ordained a few months ago. Grace looked at me and said, "What a journey! I wonder what she'd think of my being a Messianic. Jesus was a Jew, you know." She winked at me, gave me a blessing, and I was finally on my way with an autographed photo for my sweetie.

Thank God that's the only autograph I'm getting at this show.

I went back to the theatre and waited for Majel Barrett to come out. While her son, Rod, was talking about his business (at the age of, well, middle-age, he finally decided to get serious about the family name and its possibilities), I watched the Poodle People.

Ricky and I first saw the Poodle People in the mid-'80's, I think it was, in Pasadena. As we were waiting in line, two old-looking adults with Next Generation uniforms on walked by with two poodles, likewise attired in Next Gen uniforms. At that convention, during every performer's time on stage, they would get on line, and, rather than ask a question, point out their two poodles: Lieutenant Tasha Yar, and Lieutenant Commander Data.

I see that they haven't changed. They're still old, they still have poodles, although these are obviously a different generation. And they have added one more dog.

Some mother with her daughter who wanted to pet the dogs said to the poodle woman: "They pretty much stole the show," when they were up their at the microphone. "They always do," the Poodle Woman replied. That's why I don't like seeing them: that's all they're about.

Majel finally joined her son with only about 10 minutes left in the presentation. She's still sharp witted but a lot slower, and I believe her hearing has been affected. It was wonderful to hear her say, "It was Gene's vision," meaning, not hers. She's a wonderful torch bearer for the series. She got to visit the set of the new J.J. Abrams movie and hopes it succeeds. But the Star Trek series are dead. "It's over," she said with great finality.

I didn't stay for Garrett Wang, although I waited until he came on stage. He's still very funny, but seems more grounded now. Nice to see.

I got into a taxi and asked him to take me to the Mirage for the Beatles' LOVE show that I had a single ticket for. During the ride, the driver, Faid, asked me if I was in sales. No, I'm retired, I said. "Restaurant?" he asked. His English wasn't as good as he thought it was, and my Farsi is downright abysmal. When I told him I had been a Customs Inspector, he knew what that was. He wanted a job and asked me how to apply. I told him to go online at OPM, but warned him it was a two-year process. He said he was good at investigations (even though he had worked at the Hilton before in service, and was currently a cab driver). I said, no, no, they're looking for people who can deal well with people, persuade them. You might be able to get into investigations later, but first you have to get your foot in the door. As I was leaving the cab at the back door to the Mirage, he was telling me how good he would be in investigations in Customs. Oh, well.

I got their early, which is what they want. I took my seat in the really unusually shaped amphitheatre. I had a brilliant seat, only two rows from the stage. The theatre was separated into several parts so that the Cirque du Soleil participants could come in from several sides. It was just amazing. To say that it was visually stunning would be using inadequate words. There were bungee cords, acrobatics, high wire, scenes on screens, and little vignettes played out as the music of the Beatles played. George Martin chose some interesting pieces, including some alternate music I'd never heard. It was frickin' brilliant. My jaw dropped at some of the things I saw, and my eyes teared up with the nostalgia of it all.

I was determined to skip the cab driver conversation -- I never mentioned the one earlier where the guy explained to me global warming and the bank loan problem, all within a ride to the Tropicana -- so I walked to the monorail. I stopped and gambled at Harrah's because I have their slot card. I discovered that one of the free drinks I got, a margarita, was so delicious I had to have another. So I gambled some more and found this delightful little video slot machine. I don't remember the name, but the bonus rounds came fast and furiously. When I had finally lost my $20, the 2nd margarita showed up.

I got off the monorail, and immediately went to the Star Trek machines at the Starquest casino. They were all busy. I played Mr. Monopoly for awhile and all of a sudden won 20,000 pennies! $200. Very nice. I went out onto the main floor to find a $5 blackjack table, but there weren't any, and all the $10 tables were full. But there was an empty seat at the Star Trek machine.

So, at the end of the day I was promoted to Yeoman, and I now have 13 medals.

Tomorrow reinforcements are coming in. I'm having lunch with Gayle and Kathy, and then Debbie arrives.