Though I've long been a fan of the numerous Star Trek story-lines, primarily the original series and its film spin-offs, I've never considered myself a Trekkie/Trekker. Never owned a uniform, phaser or communicator. Never wore Vulcan ears, though a horrible sunburn at age 9 had nearly the same effect.
So, when I was given the chance to attend the Sacramento Star Trek convention this past Sunday to shoot some photos for
the Sacramento News & Review (the
staff photographers were all otherwise occupied that day), I was a bit surprised at how giddy I was feeling about the assignment. Suddenly I was watching
every bit of Trek I could, as though prepping myself for a role, re-acquainting myself with the subtler details of the Enterprise crew and its exploits.
At the heart of my excitement was the fact that both Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner would be appearing together to celebrate Star Trek's 40th anniversary. I respect both men for their work on the show (of course), but I'm a bigger fan of their genuine wit, and their openness to self-parody. Both men do some fantastic charitable work, and moreover neither of them let their celebrity overshadow the charities they work for.
When I lived in Boston back in the early '90s, my apartment was just down the street from the Vilna Shul, a synagogue, built in 1919, on Phillips Street in Beacon Hill. Its congregation had shrunk, and the building had been left vacant for 15 years before it was beautifully restored in 1990. Mr. Nimoy was on the Advisory Board that helped bring new life to the shul as a place of worship and community. Yet his participation was never the focus of the project, a testament to his character that has always stuck with me.
Having never attended a Star Trek convention, I was expecting all the stereotypes, and I wasn't really disappointed. It must be said, though, that the fans (credit where credit is due, they're more dedicated than I) were a friendly and accommodating bunch, not as nit-picking or as "Trekkier-than-thou"
as they are so often portrayed.
Needless to say Shatner and Nimoy were in top form: extraordinarily entertaining and personable. I could have listened to their banter all day.
Check out the full story on the Sacramento Star Trek convention by
Arts Editor Becca Costello.
Thanks 
