Get Your Geek On

Part of me says to myself, "You know, doing a Star Trek-themed happy hour for CSAC probably wasn't a smart idea - no women."

Sure, no one showed up at Frederick's Music Lounge, but I still had fun nonetheless. They were planning to begin Deep Space Nine (after cycling through Next Generation). However, due to a missed mail delivery, they had to rely on the Citizen Kane of Star Trek movies.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Oh, yeah.

This, like the Marx Brother's Duck Soup, Star Wars and A Hard Day's Night, is a film I have probably seen well over 300 times. (Plus, I knew the bartender was cool when we both complained about the lack of a decent DVD of Help, the Beatles' second movie). It's one of the movies that has - literally - shaped my character.

When it came out, I was still in high school, and I would take in a dollar show every night at the now-demolished Brighton Theater to see it. Of course, when you're in high school, the cool thing is the starship battles. Two ships phasering the holy mess out of each other, just 'cause they could.

Now, I can see the deeper themes - aging, loss, renewal, learning how to win the no-win situation. (I actually have this page printed out and hanging in my office - helps me through the tougher times, much like someone hanging the Serenity Prayer). Plus, thanks to the script (and Ricardo Montalban's performance), I now feel that I have read the best parts of Moby Dick.

The funny thing is...I'm not really a "happy hour" kind of guy, and my Wednesday nights get booked pretty quickly. Now, I feel (for the moment) that I have a new place to hang, and where to encourage my fellow geeks.

So, if you're in STL, and want to come out of your geeky closet, my advice - Frederick's, Wednesday night. CSAC's loss is your gain.