Archives for October 2018

Ensign Personal Log

October 25, 2018 by The Lady Nerd Leave a Comment

Personal Log, Ensign Lamb, Stardate 10251.8.

I’ve been asked to describe my experiences in the Alpha and Delta Quadrants, but I’m finding myself at a loss for words. This may be partially due to the acute anemia fatiguing my brain, no doubt from a lack of adequate nutrition from Neelix’s culinary Mess Hall experiments…

Computer, note to talk to the Doctor for better nutritional guidance. I hear the Low FODMAP diet seems to be doing well among the humans on the ship.

Now where was I…

There was an interesting away mission recently that put the crew in contact with a species of humanoids not unsimilar to 21st century earth. Their technology is quite primitive, but there’s something refreshing about it. My boyfriend (a fellow Ensign from Astrometrics. While we’ve been dating for a while, the Captain is still waffling about whether dating all the way out in the Delta Quadrant is okay per Starfleet protocol. It seems we’re going to be in this quadrant a while, so…well, the heart wants what the heart wants), has taken a particular interest in the observatories scattered across the planet. It’s amazing to see the primitive dots of light they see of planets and stars. On the one hand, it’s disappointing to see so little. But on the other hand, it’s exciting to spend the time to align the sensors of the telescopes and finally get the subject in focus.

It’s romantic. So much of this universe holds such wonder and beauty. It’s nice to have someone to share that with.

On that note, I must retire for the evening as I have work early tomorrow. That ship isn’t going to fly itself!

End log.

Photography: Kyle Matthew Williams
Dress: H&M Balmain collection

The Day I Learned I Work For Tom Paris

October 23, 2018 by The Lady Nerd 2 Comments

So fun story from Dragoncon this year.

As a lifelong Babylon 5 fan, I was making my rounds in the Walk of Fame to say hi to the B5 actors there. I stopped by the table of Walter Keonig, best known as Chekov in the original Star Trek series (but who will always be Bester of the dreaded Psi Corps to me). We ended up doing the small talk thing one does when sequestered in a convention autograph line. When I mentioned I was in the industry, he perked up (the poor man looked exhausted) and he asked what my job was. I told him that I work as a stand-in and photo double on The Gifted. “Y’know, I think there’s someone here in the Walk of Fame from that show…”

His handler perked up as well, “Oh, he’s sitting right next to you.”

The aforementioned person and I made eye contact as he heard the conversation and looked over.

“Oh hi Briana!”
“Oh hi boss!”

After the laughter subsided, I had the gall to ask this man what in the world he was doing at Dragoncon. Turns out one of our executive producers on The Gifted was also an actor; a one Lieutenant Tom Eugene Paris of Star Trek: Voyager and I had no idea.

Needless to say I still have not lived that one down at work…

Leaving on a Jet Plane

October 20, 2018 by The Lady Nerd Leave a Comment

To say I was excited for this trip would the understatement of the century.

I could barely sleep, barely eat, went over my packing list feverishly more times than I’d care to admit, and was practically bursting at the seams with hope I had not felt in months. Thankfully I had the foresight the finish packing everything the night before, so I was off like a shot to the airport.

Since I had one of the earliest flights departing from Atlanta airport, the lines were fairly short. Although I have a hearty disdain for the Atlanta TSA after they manhandled my camera bag and proceeded to both X-ray my Instax film after I followed procedure to put it in a separate bin to be checked by hand AND open the back of my fully-loaded Instax camera. Between the two, they single-handedly ruined $100 worth of film. NOT a good way to start my trip.

Rather than succumbing to the panic attack pulling at the corners of my mind, I instead focused on my objective to navigate the long maze that is Hartsfield Jackson Airport. I arrived at the gate and positioned myself right at the window to look at the planes. Hands down, my favourite way to travel quickly is by plane. (Trivia: I was actually training to be a pilot back in the day. Almost had my pilot’s license before my driver’s license.) I love the building excitement as the engines roar to life and the plane taxis into position to take off, the adrenaline rush upon takeoff, and the views out the window…Oh, there’s nothing like it.

My destination was Chicago, as I was going to meet up with these family friends there to begin our cross country trek together. (They were coming from farther North) Since they were not set to arrive til the afternoon, I met up with an old Chicago-based friend, Toby of Sith Camaro Props and Costumes. After harried dash out of O’Hare Airport into the ridiculousness of Chicago traffic, Toby drove me over to the west loop of Restaurant Row and straight to the heart attack-inducing-but-oh-so-delicious, Do-Rite Donuts (of which I had to partake of a candied maple bacon donut because is a wonderful, I mean, bad influence).

After I had sufficiently given myself a sugar rush, we departed to do some exploring. We did some sightseeing nearby as that area was great for walking (walking off the sugar, I told myself. Right? Right.). Along the way, we stopped at a cafe called Sawada Coffee to catch our breath and partake of some rather tasty matcha lattes.

After exiting Restaurant Row (I’m kicking myself for not actually trying deep dish pizza IN Chicago…Next time), Toby gave me a sightseeing tour of downtown Chicago. It was not at all what I expected! Movies and TV shows tend to depict modern Chicago as a dark urban area (to be fair, I have since been told the ‘bad parts of town are really bad’. So still a note to be careful when visiting), so I was not prepared for this beautiful, bright, city full of classy storefronts, gleaming marble museums, and pristine walkways. The lakes took my breath away! I wish I could’ve gotten more pictures, but alas, one can only do so much from fast moving passenger seat.

Next up, all aboard the train to Seattle!

The Lady Nerd Travels

October 20, 2018 by The Lady Nerd Leave a Comment

wan·der·lust

/ˈwändərˌləst/

noun. a strong desire to travel, a longing for another land, to roam, to explore.

Spring 2017.

The stage was ripe with wanderlust mixed with entirely too much soul-crushing depression. I had been unemployed for months, my health had gotten worse, and to be transparently honest, I was on the verge of mental breakdown. But help was right around the corner; and in a way I would never have guessed in my wildest dreams.

There’s a group of old family friends that travel ALL. THE. TIME. I like to live vicariously through them on Facebook. Often, I would dreamed of joining them if I ever got my neck above the poverty line. But in a surprise gesture of extreme generosity between them and my parents, I got the opportunity to go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Itinerary:
✈ Fly from Atlanta to Chicago
Take a train from Chicago to Seattle
🚢 Take a cruise from Seattle to Alaska and Canada
✈ Aaaand then reverse the order for coming home

I couldn’t believe it! This was my first real major vacation in 8 years! I hadn’t really done traveling of any kind since I left my home in New Zealand in 2009. I hadn’t really even been able to travel much locally due to work, finances, and health. But to come at a time like it did… I shudder to think what state I might have been in had this blessing not come alone. So the next few blog posts will be detailing this amazing adventure. I hope you come along with me for the ride! Tally ho!