One reason to hate and a lot of reasons to love Star Trek Into Darkness

Contains spoilers

One reason to hate

The movie did not end with a long shot of Captain Kirk sat in the Captains chair with a tribble on his head. Looking fed up as he surveys an Enterprise bridge which is covered in tribbles.

Lots of reasons to love

Nostalgia Value

The movie starts on a planet with a population and style very reminiscent of the original series. The effects are much improved over those of the 1960s but the quirky design and sense of adventure are still there.

Beautiful shots of the  USS Enterprise

They did a fantastic job in designing the new Enterprise.  Keeping a lot of the elements that fans like and then adding their own style. The movie takes full advantage of the design with new and  imaginative shots. A particular favourite of mine was when the Enterprise rose out of the water. These shots are well made, whilst avoiding the over indulgence that happened in Star Trek The Motion Picture.

Development of characters

The movie is action packed but still spends a lot of time to focus on the characters. The interaction between the cast captures the  feel of the old TOS crew well. The film also spreads the screen time around the cast so that they each get a good amount of story. Instead of focusing on the traditional 3 of Kirk, Spock and McCoy.

A new female character

The addition of Carol Marcus to the Enterprise was a clever and necessary move. Each of the Star Trek series had an unbalanced male-female ratio  in the crew. Even Star Voyager, with a female Captain had this problem. Although Dr Marcus was only seen in one movie, Star Trek The Wrath Of Khan, she left a lasting impression with the audience and showed herself to be an equal of anyone around her. The characters return is welcome as interacts well with the crew and adds another female presence alongside Uhura.

New and Excting Action scenes.

For a space faring show Star Trek hasn’t always embraced it’s environment and has often had a repetitive style of space battle. Star Trek Into Darkness Has an exciting scene where the ships gravity has been messed up so that the characters are tumbling around the cat walk and walk ways.

It was also good to see another spacesuit seen, which always makes the action feel more close and dangerous. The movie makes good use of it's unique setting for action whilst always giving a good reason for the action to take place.

A complex and moral story

The story was well thought out and has the characters considering important issues of morality. I appreciated that the story wasn't about revenge even though that was how it appeared to be at first. The moral questions of how to handle Khan and what was happening to Star Fleet as an organisation were well handled. The movie succeeded where Star Trek Insurrection failed in exploring the ethics of Star Fleet.

Help For Mums And Dads After The Newborn Arrives

 A tounge in cheek look at the affect of newborns on their parents

There are some unexplainable things that happen to parents after the newborn arrives. It is important to tackle these head on.

Mothers

Greying hair

This does of course come naturally through age, but it is much accelerated by the presence of kids. It is a bit harder for women to wear hats unless they’re at a wedding or going for a break dancing look. Hair dye is also expensive so it is important to not let your kids run you ragged and to slow down the onset of greys.

Diminishing Dance Skills

Break dancing may not be high on your list of priorities when you have little ones to look after. But it is crucial to keep practicing some form of dance even if it is only in the home. As with the Dads, Mums suddenly take on a plethora of silly moves after having kids. If you can  hold this back you will look amazingly talented when dancing with your husband.

Dull dress sense

So there’s a lot of things to buy the kids and your clothes may get damaged by dirty hands and running around. However you can still occasionally treat yourself. Being a mother doesn’t  automatically age you 20 years.

Increased paranoia

Being a mother makes everything look dangerous. This contributes to the greying effect mentioned above. It is not the end of the world for a kid to get a scrape and a bit of dirt isn’t always a bad thing. Not all tasty food is poisonous or strange music corrupting. The only thing to be paranoid about are those who really are out to get you.
However there is a lot of emphasis on the mother in recovering after child birth but what of the fathers? The arrival of children can have a drastic effect on men either subtle or insane.

 

 

Fathers

 

Loss of Dance Skills

Men who were once able to rip up the dance floor suddenly, start to dance  about as well as a drunken Kangaroo. Take some dance classes and try to go out clubbing at least once a month. Keep in touch with the music you like but listen to the new stuff as well.

Hair Loss

Although this is normally a hereditary trait, children often advance the process. Still you can always wear hats, it is a great accomplishment to seamlessly make the transition between caps and an old persons hat.

Poor Dress Sense

A child takes up a lot of a dads attention but it doesn't mean you can not take time over your appearance. Statistically a dads wardrobe ages by 15 years after the new arrival. Having mirrors around the house and a good group of honest friends will help with this.

Self Delusion

Remember, even if you have a kid to teach you still have to learn yourself. The idea that children make dads good at DIY has not yet been proven. It doesn't turn you into a sports star or a professor on any world topic.

Poor Jokes

Thinking you are funny when you are not. Making jokes which cause everyone to cringe. Humor that causes sadness not joy. A chorus of groans instead of laughter. This is a mysterious symptom which creeps up on men, taking over without them realising it. Going to see some good live comedy or watching comedy shows is the best remedy. NOT getting a joke book!

 

 

 

Copyright © Nathan Groves http://wondersandparodies.blogspot.com/
This Work Is Not To Be Reproduced With Out Permission.

The Bible: Reading The Book of Romans

The book of Romans provides an interesting and fairly simple overview of what Christianity is. The writer Paul originally wrote it for the church in Rome to help them understand the gospel message they had received. Authorship is interesting to consider as it’s Gods word giving to Paul, who was once a persecutor of Christian but is now a follower of Christ. This gives a great authority combined with a human example to the writing.
This book shows the situation of the early church and it is interesting to see the similar challenges faced today. Paul also informs the reader on how to live Christ like lives and how to treat each other. This is challenging to the reader and has certainly helped me explore my faith and the struggles I can face.
As it takes place after the gospels it refers to Jesus Christ and his teachings. Paul also makes frequent references to the Old Testament and how that shows the history of God at work and what it prophesied as the coming of Jesus. Paul also makes references to passages which would be familiar to the readership, to show how Christ’s death and resurrection is the next step of Gods plan.
I find Paul’s writing to be wonderfully honest and frank. Paul states what he knows is right, yet not in a condemning way. It may challenge the reader, but it also shows them hope and brings them a good message, which I certainly find very positive. Paul starts by introducing himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ and says how his proclaiming the good news is fulfilling the promise God made long ago. He then goes into Gods anger and judgement of sin which is consistent with the Old Testament showing it to be the same God.  However as is also consistent with the Old Testament he shows Gods faithfulness and grace which is now available to all Gentiles as well. Romans explains God’s relationship to his people as well as showing his hatred of sin. It explains how people don’t have to be slaves to sin and are free to have a relationship with him, if they choose to.
Through Christ there is no condemnation for any sins, as repentance shows a true turning away from them. I found this encouraging but also recognised my personal difficulties, as I can often condemn myself for doing wrong instead of dealing with it and moving on. It also reminds readers that they aren’t perfect and will do wrong, but that it doesn’t mean we should give up to sinful desires. As God knows us we can still be made clean again, so those sins no longer matter. Paul relates personally and freely talks about his own relation to sin, showing that he doesn’t elevate himself because he’s an apostle. He relies on God rather than his own weak self to continue doing right. This makes it clear to the reader that it’s possible to overcome sin through faith in Jesus. Paul also talks about God’s love and how those who believe in him can’t be separated from it. That’s why it’s good to regularly read the Bible to encourage and remind ourselves so that we can continually live in this.
Romans is also encouraging in  that God made all things to work together for good, for those who love him. It shows to the readers of the time and those today that the importance is of relationship with God who wants relationship with us rather than have us be bound by laws, rituals or religiousness. Paul refers to dying to the laws power as it only binds the living. By rising again in Christ’s forgiveness we are no longer bound by the law which we can not help breaking. This is relevant to me as it shows faith relies on knowing and receiving the goodness of God. This is instead of fearing laws which can make me resent them and tempt me to sin by breaking them, as it’s a hopeless task on my own.



Paul also writes about how salvation is for everyone who believes in God and the one he sent. This is important as many at the time thought it was solely for the Jews, causing many problems and is part of the reason why Jesus wasn’t accepted by all. He uses an example of God speaking to Moses, showing that it was always God’s plan to bring nations back to him. This also is an example of the relationship between the Old and New Testament and why Jesus was the important hinge point. It also makes sense to me how God who created us would want a relationship with us , rather than letting man made ritual, or fear of our sins get in the way.
The biggest challenge of this book for me and I imagine many readers is near the end about how to live. It starts by talking about being a living sacrifice, living holy lives for God. It shows how important God sees us and Paul says it’s the least we can do after what God has done for us. We are part of the body of the church which has Christ as the head. This makes me think about how I relate to others and the book also talks about loving others including our enemies. Paul quotes Proverbs about feeding our enemy which isn't an easy thing to do. It also places importance on the relationship between Christians and not to worry over small things which can cause arguments, Paul’s example is about eating habits. This consideration of others doesn’t mean compromising what God wants but by loving each other and God it will increase people’s faith and be an example to non believers.
The book shows Paul’s love of others as an example of how Christians should treat each other. But most importantly it shows Gods loves for us, from creation to now. Romans shows this and how we can draw close to him. This is important for all readers to remember through the ages to remember.

 

Copyright © Nathan Groves http://wondersandparodies.blogspot.com/
This Work Is Not To Be Reproduced With Out Permission.

Wedding Poem

Poem I performed at a friends wedding. Tounge in cheek

Wonderful
Wonderful
Wonderful
A wonderful day to sing
Everyone with a part to bring
Swaying and giving in sync
Marvelous
Marvelous
Marvelous
The birds tweet in the air
As a new couple with flair
Embark on a great life to share
Laughter rolls down as  pealing thunder
Laugther rises like a doves feather
Smiling floats like a boat
A cruise of wonder.
Yet also to be real
Not to get swamped in daffodils
Smash
Smash
Smash
Crash
Oh dash
In a rush things may get broken
Important words not timely spoken
Whilst chasing after tokens
Then have peace, then have peace
With the threads of life get layered knitted
How good it is they start well equipped, fitted
As to two separate beats
Flow as one jive
Living, taking in fullness of life
Through each and every stage of the dive
Staying alive, getting to thrive
Learning to rely, not trying to strive
Dancing the dance
Taking the chance
Yet on solid ground two rely

Copyright © Nathan Groves http://wondersandparodies.blogspot.com/
This Work Is Not To Be Reproduced With Out Permission.

The Difference Between A Star Trek Fan And A Trekkie

Star Trek has been popular for over 40 years now, with a varied and widespread following. Yet anyone who watches Star Trek is labelled a Trekkie. Is this a fond or offensive term? As a Star Trek Fan, here are some of my objections to the term Trekkie.

 

Trekkies

 

Often used by non Trek fans to make fun of those who like the show.

Fan

 

Everyone is a fan of something. It is seen as a good thing to enjoy a series.

Trekkies

 

Believe Star Trek is the only science fiction show worthy of their attention.

Fans

 

Enjoy a variety of different science fiction shows.

 

Trekkies

 

Believe Kirk is a real person and would like to see him win a Nobel Peace Prize and various other awards.

 

Fans

 

Realise Kirk is played by an actor who needs help with his… timing… indelivering..a....dramaticspeech.

Trekkies

 

Get withdrawal symptoms when Star Trek isn’t on.

Fans

 

Can miss an episode without crying and go out and socialise with friends. Some of which hate Star Trek!

Trekkies

 

Can get disturbingly cult like and idolise the show.

Fans

 

Have other interests, even outdoor ones. Seeing Star Trek as just an extra bit of fun.

Trekkies

 

Treasure every minute of Star Trek.


Trekkies

Hated the cancellation of Enterprise.

Fans

 

We're grateful for the cancellation of Enterprise and wish the same had happened to Voyager.

Fans

 

Realize there are several bad episodes and many cringe worthy moments. Accepting that no shows is perfect and a lot of bad decisions were made.

Trekkies

 

Believe Star Trek pyjamas are sexy.

Fans

 

Actually have wives/husbands.


I hope this clears up any confusion over the two groups.

Copyright © Nathan Groves http://wondersandparodies.blogspot.com/
This Work Is Not To Be Reproduced With Out Permission.