Boldly Living & Prospering

Star Trek Limited Edition Pez set #190,296 out of 250,000. (6/3/14)

Today, June 3, is the 45th anniversary of the airing of the final episode of the real Star Trek on NBC. Last month, I also turned 45 for the (presumably) final time. For a far back as I can member, the original crew of the Enterprise has been a part of my life. From watching the reruns on our local WUHF station every Saturday evening to seeing the original crew's final hurrah, Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country, opening night in 1991--the year I graduated from college, I've taken it all in. While not unusual (let's face it, lots of people were born around specific stardates days somehow tangentially related to one facet or another of Star Trek lore), both my recent birthday and Star Trek's "anniversary" have provided me with a slightly different perspective on the age game. Less than a month after I was born,  Star Trek ended its original run on network television. Damn, time flies doesn't it?

Though I still enjoy re-watching the movies, and occasionally pick up a comic book (depending primarily on the creative team involved) from the Star Trek universe, I would not consider myself as a "hardcore" collector of memorabilia.  I do, however, enjoy the many memories that spending time with Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock bring forth. Every so often, one of my family will gift me with an  unusual Trek-themed gift for laughs (thereby creating new memories). A few years ago, my stepson bought me a collectible set of Pez Star Trek (Original Series) Limited Edition dispenser set depicting the entire original crew and the Enterprise (pictured above). I'm not exactly sure what one is expected to do with such a gift after chuckling over its kitschiness, but it has found its way around the house, most frequently settling in the rooms where I most often find myself recreating. On the days when I take a moment to review the character bios on the back and reminisce about best episodes, issues and movies, I am reminded again that time does fly--sometimes at warp speed.