A Trekkin' Kind of Weekend

This past weekend there was a Star Trek convention in town, to my full and total delight! But the fun didn't stop there...

50 Year Mission Tour | Scotty & Nikki

That's my friend Nikki with "Scotty" (pictured above), a cosplayer I've seen many, many times at Dragon Con. It was great to see him and many other fellow Star Trek fans at the Creation Entertainment's 50 Year Mission Tour, a touring convention celebrating 50 years of Star Trek and a three-day event in Atlanta at the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel.

Scotty was one of the top three finalists in the costume contest on Saturday!

50 Year Mission Tour | Gates McFadden | Atlanta, GA

The headliners at this particular convention were William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk, Star Trek: The Original Series), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher, Star Trek: The Next Generation); Jonathan Frakes (William T. Riker, Star Trek: The Next Generation); and Michael Dorn (Worf, Star Trek: The Next Generatation & Deep Space Nine).

Obviously (photo above) I got an autograph from Gates and also got one from Dominic Keating (Lt. Malcom Reed, Star Trek: Voyager) and the lovely Chase Masterson (Leeta, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). Thanks to Atlanta offering so many celebrity spotting opportunities, my collection of autographs is growing exponentially!

By the way, William Shatner has confirmed that he will be at Dragon Con 2016!

50 Year Mission Tour | Costume Contest | Atlanta, GA

It wouldn't be a Star Trek convention without a costume contest...seriously, it just wouldn't! There were some excellent entries, including Mudd, original series Captain Kirk and "Pink Trekkie". 

As I mentioned, Scotty was one of the three finalists in the contest, as were Mudd & companion and an original series Klingon couple. Thank you to all the entrants and congrats to the winners!

50 Year Mission Tour | Vulcan Salute | Atlanta, GA

Chase Masterson is incredibly sweet and charming! She was the first celebrity I met at this convention...and a delightful surprise! I got an autographed headshot—one of her has Leeta in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—and I also got a copy of her music CD, Jazz Cocktail.

I listened to it while having dinner Friday night...it's wonderful! The following morning, Chase was the first speaker and she treated us to a live performance of a couple of numbers from the CD!

Nikki taking a break between programs...the seat spins!

So, I said "...but the fun didn't stop there" when I started this post. I'm a busy guy...I love experiences more than anything, but sometimes I can take it to an extreme—not that I have anything against that. Here's what I'm talking about:

I took Friday off work so that I could attend the three-day Star Trek convention. On the way home on Thursday night, I stopped for tacos (not saying where). I chipped a tooth on a crunchy taco (I almost always have soft tacos), that wasn't all that crunchy! It was actually bonding that chipped...a childhood sibling argument left my two front teeth chipped, so I've had bonding for many, many years. 

I freaked out for a minute—knowing that I'd have to meet Captain Kirk and Dr. Beverly Crusher with a chipped tooth...and then realized there was nothing I could do until Monday, without sacrificing the Friday of the convention...and that wasn't happening! It was a minor, hardly noticeable chip. 

So...chipped tooth, three days of Star Trek convention, AND I saw a play on Friday night ("The Revolutionists" at 7 Stages...it's AMAZING, and I'll write about it soon), and I attended the Allie Awards (the Oscar's of Atlanta's event making world) on Sunday at Georgia Aquarium, and then went to the dentist on Monday morning arriving at work shortly after 9am.

Are you tired? Because I was, come Monday night!  

One Ninety One Peachtree Tower, as seen from Sun Dial Restaurant

On Saturday, after the main programming of the convention, Nikki and I went to the Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View, specifically the bar (which does a complete revolution in only 35 minutes). The view is magnificent...it's pretty amazing to see the double crown of the One Ninety One Peachtree Tower so closely from the 72nd floor of the Westin!

My friend David, who was the best Superman at Dragon Con 2015, joined us and we all later went to dinner and talked all things Star Trek, cinema and superhero...good times!

Original Series Klingons, they're AWESOME  | Trek Con 50 Anniversary 

These folks were sitting in front of us during the convention (we had reserved seating!). They're characters from Star Trek: The Original Series. If you've never watched Star Trek, the absence of forehead ridges comes up a number of times throughout the franchise...as does the fact that Klingon's don't like to talk about that time in their history!

50 Year Mission Tour | Vulcan Salute | Atlanta, GA

I love how a simple hand gesture has permeated our culture and how it immediately identifies the fact that someone is a Star Trek fan. I had the great honor of meeting Leonard Nimoy in 2002 when I lived in Washington, D.C. He was speaking at the National Press Club, presenting his new photography book, Shekhina. 

Although the book was not about Star Trek, he generously shared with us the origin of the Vulcan Salute and the accompanying greeting "Live long and prosper". 

50 Year Mission Tour | Trivia Contest | Atlanta, GA

I got to be on the convention stage! There was a trivia contest and all attendees were invited to participate. I made it through three questions before I missed a question from the 2009 Star Trek film. It was great fun!

50 Year Mission Tour | Klingon | Atlanta, GA

Kapla! 

That's Klingon for "Success!"

Thanks for reading...this post was merely to share some fun and to remind everyone that you should totally keep an eye on what's happening in Atlanta so that YOU don't miss an event that speaks to your particular brand of fandom. 

Follow your favorite tourist attractions and destinations on social media and/or subscribe to their email lists, whether it's a convention like Dragon Con or whatever...just make sure you get out there and enjoy as much as possible of what Atlanta has to offer, which is a LOT!

SPACE! Why It Matters to Your Kids...

SPACE! is a rock concert, a science class and an out-of-this-world fantastical puppet show! The Center for Puppetry Arts has a fantastic array of kids programming, much of it perfectly enjoyable for grown-ups alike! THIS show is part of the Center's 2015-2016 Family Series...and, there's a lot more!

SPACE! | Photo: Clay Walker

Ot and Eema, the awesome alien creatures pictured above, serve as hosts on a journey through our solar system...and beyond. Their space travel, including a visit to a flowing green meadow on Earth, is hilarious, musical, entertaining and educational...but don't let that last descriptive get in your way of great fun. Personally, I love it when education and fun meet for a great time!

The mere handful of puppeteers in this show perform the characters that range from our stars Ot and Eema to Issac Newton to three rock stars who regale the greatest majority of our tale in music...rock music! And they do it via puppetry (including hand and rod, and shadow puppets, etc.), animation and projection...and more.

Considering some of our solar system's planets are mostly rock, a rock concert celebrating them is quite a clever rendition. But the gas giants are hardly ignored...except for the beautiful blue one, beyond a mention. Poor thing. 

I have to admit that I was rather concerned when I saw a diagram of nine planets on stage depicting our solar system. Understanding fully the scientific classification of Pluto as a dwarf planet, I was delighted to see Pluto's actual role in our solar system so simply explained, and was surprised to learn of other dwarf planets in our solar system--even as enthusiastic as I am about space, I learned something new! Awesomeness!

So, maybe you wonder why I'm writing about a children's puppet show? The published recommended age range is "4 and up". Obviously I fall on the "up" side of that range, but the kid in me found it as delightful as any youngster. 

Allow me, please, to share a call to action...one that is personally important to me.

Please, please, please...if your child has an interest in space, encourage him or her! Stay with me while I share a few reasons of what their rewards may be.

I've been a science and space enthusiast all my life. As a kid, my Saturday morning cartoons always included Star Trek: The Animated Series. My favorite class in college was Astronomy (the trigonometry and physics were a surprise--I thought we were just going to look at awesome celestial phenomenon--but it was a wonderful learning experience). And my professional life landed me in aerospace for nearly nine years. 

I've stood under the belly of the Space Shuttle Endeavour! That was one of those experiences that will forever be embedded on my memory as a uniquely remarkable experience. 

I also saw Atlantis on her launch pad just days before liftoff. I've toured the White Room where components of the International Space Station were being readied for delivery to space approximately 200 miles above the surface of Earth. And I've met Shuttle Pilot Kevin Chilton (Space Shuttle pilot, now General in the Air Force) and many other astronauts, each encouraging and a role model. 

I've also visited the Baikonur Cosmodrome, where the first human in outer space launched from and where I saw this satellite launch...live! One of my greatest outer space memories....meeting Leonard Nimoy--Spock from Star Trek--was a dream come true!

This is all to say that if your child expresses an interest in outer space, science, any of the space sciences and/or aerospace, please encourage their curiosity! You never know where it might take them. I wasn't encouraged, but I wasn't discouraged. I've seen things, met people and been places I only imagined when I was a kid. Imagine your kid becoming an astronaut! 

And, like I said, this is an awesome, entertaining puppet show, too!

SPACE!  is showing at the Center for Puppetry Arts through Thursday, March 10, 2016. And remember to check out the other awesome shows in the Center's 2015-2016 Family Series.

"Thank you!" to BravePR Atlanta for the tickets! As always, opinions expressed in my posts are always my own and not influenced by other entities, ever.

Dragon Con 2015 | Cosplay!

One of the more fun aspects of Dragon Con is the cosplayers. And among this year's 70,000 conventioneers, there were some AWESOME costumes! Here are a few of my favorites from 2015...

Dragon Con Cosplay | Wonder Woman & Superman

The BEST Superman at Dragon Con 2015 was my friend David. His wife Katie has been a great friend of mine for years through the Atlanta museum scene (I recently quoted her in a Museum of Design Atlanta article). They're both awesome! While Katie is a wonderful woman, this isn't her scene. The above Wonder Woman is also a brilliant cosplayer. 

As you can clearly see, these costumes are custom tailored for their respective superheroes. It's especially awesome to see David's final result after many months of preparation AND having seen childhood photos of him wearing a Superman t-shirt...this has been a long time in the making. Wonderful and Super, yes? 

Dragon Con Cosplay | Zombie Star Trek Redshirt

When I saw this guy, I was so jealous! I did cosplay for Dragon Con a number of years back and went as a Starfleet Vulcan (I've been a fan of Leonard Nimoy and Spock for as long as I can remember). 

I'd since thought that if I did cosplay again, especially with the popularity of The Walking Dead, that I'd do a zombie Starfleet officer. The thing holding me back was that I didn't want to tear up my science officer blue tunic...and I haven't planned far enough in advance.

Well, this guy totally nailed it! He was part of Dragon Con's "Zombie Walk" (another awesome event) and he brilliantly decided to be a Redshirt, characters who (almost) always die on away missions in Star Trek: The Original Series, AND he mimicked Dr. McCoy's standard, "He's dead, Jim"...absolutely brilliant!  

Dragon Con Cosplay | Jean & Wolverine

Of X-Men fame, Jean Grey and Wolverine are cosplay favorites, but I'm not sure I've seen this pair ever done quite so well. You agree, of course.

Dragon Con Cosplay | Star Trek, Triskelion

A lifelong fan of Star Trek, these two are favorites as well and Dragon Con staples. They shared with me that they now have so many costumes that for this four-day convention they now have to leave some of them at home. That's saying a LOT for these two, because ALL of their costumes are brilliant!

This set of costumes is from the Star Trek: The Original Series episode The Gamesters of Triskelion. If you've ever seen it, you know this is perfection. They're also staples in the Miss Star Trek Universe Pageant...just wait until you see what they did this year! (in a future post)

Dragon Con Cosplay | The Joker

A number of costumes are done to PERFECTION, like this The Joker! There's nothing else I need say about this one...the brilliancy of this speaks for itself. 

Dragon Con Cosplay | Went With the Wind & Commander Riker

This couple was awesome! If you know me, you know what a Star Trek fan I am, so seeing Commander William T. Riker (of Star Trek: The Next Generation) was cool, but ALSO seeing Miss Starlett of Went With the Wind (entrance at appx 13:00) was a highlight! 

I loved watching the Carol Burnett Show when I was a kid (and the reruns!) and have seen that particular episode approximately a bazillion times! The Gone With the Wind Museum in Marietta has a Went With the Wind doll and a Went With the Wind sock monkey! If you're a fan, you should totally check out that museum.

Dragon Con Cosplay | Duckie from Pretty in Pink

Duckie! One of my favorite 1980s movies was Pretty in Pink. 

This guy (above) pulls off Duckie with brilliant accuracy. It could have been John Cryer himself! I don't think this was, but one of the super cool aspects of Dragon Con is just how frequently the celebrities hang with their fans. I ran into more celebrities in the halls and restaurants this year than ever before..for a celebrity-spotter like me, that's a great year!

By the way, back in the 80s, people said I favored Andrew McCarthy, also of Pretty in Pink fame. Of course that was many years and many pounds ago. Then during my punk rock phase (bleach blonde hair, black clothes, spikes, etc.), they said I looked like David Bowie. I was cosplaying and didn't even know it!

Dragon Con Cosplay

I'm just blown away at the fantastic costumes that Dragon Con cosplayers make 100% from scratch and by hand. There is so much incredible talent at this convention...more than most who never attend would ever think! If you want to be around creative, intelligent, talented, fun-loving people, come to Dragon Con and you too can hang with Buzz Lightyear!

Dragon Con Cosplay | Samuel

Some of the more fun costumes in Dragon Con cosplay are the clever mashups—the combination of two or more characters in a single costume. In honor of Samuel L. Jackson, this costume was a brilliant combination of Jedi Master Mace Windu in Star Wars and John Shaft in Shaft. Absolutely brilliant!

Dragon Con Cosplay

One of the things as a veteran Dragon Con conventioneer accepts is that waiting in lines is part of the experience. The key to that not being a horrible experience is being upbeat, social, respectful and spotting opportunities for great photos! The two above were amazing!

Hop over to the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook page for more Dragon Con 2015 cosplay photos and if you want to be part of one of the country's largest conventions of its kind in 2016, you can get tickets here right now!

I'll be sharing more photos, in the coming days, of the 2015 Dragon Con Parade, Dragon Con Night at Georgia Aquarium and the Miss Star Trek Universe Pageant...and more!

"Thank you!" wanderlust ATLANTA is 5!

I'd like to offer my sincerest gratitude to friends, museums, attractions, fellow bloggers and so many others for your wonderful support of wanderlust ATLANTA over the last FIVE years. 

It was five years ago today that I published my very first blog post. What started as an endeavor to reacquaint myself with Atlanta, after being away for nine years, has turned into a passion, and many dear friendships.

Travis S. Taylor, Founder & Author of wanderlust ATLANTA

In a spirit of gratefulness, may I share something that is quite personal to me, and a bit fun. As I thank my supporters from over the years, I'd also like to "salute" you. The most personal salute I can give is one that is near and dear to my heart, that being the Vulcan Salute. 

For those who do not know, the Vulcan Salute is one offered in greeting and farewells, but don't worry...I'm not quite ready to depart my writing. The customary Spock salute is coupled with, "Live Long and Prosper", which is what I wish for all who I care about, all who have wished me the same in my creating and continuing wanderlust ATLANTA.  

The above photo is one of my favorites in the five years I've been writing wanderlust ATLANTA. It was at an event at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, where I started volunteering when I first moved back to Atlanta—one of the best decisions I made when I moved back.

May I offer a piece of advice: If you've just moved to Atlanta, or just moved to any city for that matter, become a volunteer. It's one of the best ways to acquaint yourself with the city you're now living in and you feel good about contributing! I did exactly that when I first moved to Washington, DC, after living in Atlanta for 15 years, and again when I moved back to Atlanta. 

I highly recommend volunteering, especially if you can get a position working an information desk or serving as a tour guide. You're putting yourself in a position where you must learn about your new home, and it's usually quite fun. From personal experience, it's the best way I know to learn a new town. Or, you could start a blog.

Again, THANK YOU to my friends, fans and all the followers of wanderlust ATLANTA. I've had more fun in the last five years than I ever thought I would have...thanks to YOU.

Cheers!

Cheers! wanderlust ATLANTA is 5!

Dragon Con 2014 | Cosplay!

The cosplay alone would be enough to bring me to Dragon Con year after year. These cosplayers are brilliant! If you've not been to Dragon Con, but you're been to the Dragon Con Parade, then you know a little of what I'm talking about. but know that the Con itself is a whole other, absolutely incredible, experience!

I'll share in this post some of my cosplay photos and tell you a little about my convention experience—which was pretty awesome, even if exhausting. It finished a week ago today and I'm just now beginning to feel rested. Granted I dove right back into work—a LOT of work—but Dragon Con is nearly round-the-clock programming!

This year I went to some favorite events, attended a number of panels and of course went to the Parade. Surprisingly, my favorite panel was the very last one I attended.

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay | Captain America

There's so much programming, it's impossible to see and do everything you want to, but you end up doing so much that you feel completely and totally fulfilled. I wish I'd gotten to see Sir Patrick Stewart, but that'll have to wait for another time.

The last panel I went to, on the last day of the Con, featured the cast from Being Human, a Syfy Channel program that I've really enjoyed. The panel was off the charts! These guys—Sam Witwer, Sam Huntington, Meaghan Rath and Kristen Hager—came in totally exhausted, but in no time were engulfed in an onstage tangled...I don't know what to call it, but it was hilarious. One got their eye poked and another scraped an elbow, I think. They were hilarious.

Next thing you know they're running around the stage creating festive, mischievous havoc. They later very graciously brought the Dragon Con volunteers from behind stage for an applause of gratitude for their contribution to the Con (Again, "Thank you" to all the volunteers...you are appreciated!). And later they sang a song that I think was dedicated to their hair stylist??? An absolute blast, I tell you. 

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay

I'd seen Sam Witwer, who has also worked on various iterations of Star Wars, Star Trek, Battlestar Glactica, Dexter, Smallville, The Walking Dead and so many other shows. The man is wonderfully talented. 

Also on the last day I got Witwer's autograph and was amazed and grateful that even after a very full four days of Dragon Con he was delightful, kind and gracious. I'm an even greater fan after seeing and meeting him than I was before. Thank you, Sam!

I'm sure it made sense when they were scheduling, but some of the bigger Star Trek celebrities were on concurrent panels. I was fortunate to get to see and hear Gates McFadden, Dr. Beverly Crusher from Star Trek: The Next Generation. 

Talk about talent...Gates is wonderful! And so modest about it, too. She's even more beautiful in person than she was on the show and so personable, as well. I loved her relating her having a child of her own while she was playing the mother of Wesley Crusher. You could tell that she loves being a mother, that she wouldn't trade that for anything.

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay | Spock Monkey & Red Shirt

The very first panel I went to this year was 10:00 a.m. on Friday, opening day (although I hear Thursday night was quite a happening night). That panel was hosted by Stephen Collins, who played Captain Willard Decker on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the first movie in the Star Trek franchise. 

As some of you know, I've been a fan of Star Trek since I was a little kid, and for some damned odd reason I also like sock monkeys...they make me smile. So, you can imagine my delight when I saw the life-size "Spock Monkey"!

Collins is also known for 7th Heaven, Falling Skies, and Revolution, to name just a few of the shows on which he's acted.

I'd quite by serendipity met Collins last fall at An Afternoon in the Country, a local, quite large culinary event hosted by Les Dames d'Escoffier/Atlanta Chapter at Serenbe. We were at the after party and talking with friends of a friend. 

After almost realizing who I was speaking with, I asked, "Are you THE Stephen Collins?" Of course he was and he regaled us with a funny story about someone who attempted to hijack his identity. A gentleman he was, and I found him to be the same at Dragon Con.

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay

I'd saved more than 25 events on my Dragon Con app (Their app is brilliant! "Thank you, Dragon Con!"), knowing that I'd want to pick and choose depending on time and mood. It worked out well. If I missed someone on their first day, it was likely that there was another opportunity to catch them.

Such was the case with Walter Koenig, who played Chekov on Star Trek: The Original Series and Bester on Babylon 5. For someone who is 77 years old, he is remarkable and funny! Shoot, he's remarkable and funny for someone a third his age...who am I kidding. 

The panel on which I saw him he was speaking mostly about Babylon 5, but he touched on a number of other shows on which he has worked—and there are a lot of them! You could tell, not only in that he said it, but with the way he said it, that Babylon 5 was one of if not his most cherished acting experience. 

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay | Wolverine

I want to offer a huge "Thank you" to my friends who hosted breakfast and coffee, Perry and Scott for three days and Barry for the final day. It's wonderful to have a "home base" when so much is going on.

I'm seriously considering a hotel room for next year! And I just do the morning, afternoon and early evening events...I'd definitely have to stay at one of the five host hotels if I wanted to do the nighttime events as well.

Several of us went to the Parade together, but I'm going to save that for a separate post. I have more than 900 photos from that event alone to sort through! Wish me luck. For now I'll just say we had a great time, and I'm thrilled to see so many others—families, other conventioneers, and tourists—enjoying that part of Dragon Con.

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay

Also on the final day of the Con, I went to a Joss Whedon panel featuring Adam Baldwin and Ron Glass, who both worked on Firefly, one of the best shows ever to grace the television screen. Sadly—due primarily to an irregular air day of the week—the show was cancelled after only one season, and some of the episodes didn't make it to the air. Thank goodness for DVD sets!

Baldwin and Glass were amazing. They played quite well off each other, even though you tell that, just as in the show, in real life they have very contrasting personalities. But...they are both funny, quick witted, and highly entertaining. 

One conventioneer asked a question something along the lines of, "If the show had continued, how would you have liked to have seen your characters develop?" That left Ron Glass speechless for a moment, who momentarily gave the only obvious answer. (You'll have to watch the show and follow-up movie, Serenity.)

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay | Dr Who

There's a LOT to Dragon Con, more than I could possibly share in a single post. Dragon Con has bee going and growing since 1987, the year I moved back to Atlanta. Although it wasn't until I moved back to Atlanta in 2010 that I first attended. So this year made my fifth year and I can't imagine ever missing another one.

Okay, get this. Of the four days of programming on the Science Track, the one panel I attended was "Science Doesn't Have to Mean Lecture", which was amusingly a lecture. It was insightful, but formatted more for science educators. Fortunately, I've been a science enthusiast since I was a kid, so I did enjoy it.

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay | Star Wars Red Guard

On the Space Track, I couldn't resist the "Benefits of Commercial Space" panel, having worked in aerospace for nearly a decade. A lot of the talk was about satellites, which is the specific industry I worked in—I spoke the language the panelists were speaking! 

That's one of the things that I love about Dragon Con. They're my peeps! Well, kinda sorta. They're actually exponentially smarter, but I'm quite comfortable in their midst. Three or four of the four panelists in this talk were graduates of Georgia Tech, one of them currently a professor at Tech, and another has been to the International Space Station and his father was also an astronaut. Impressive panel!

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay

One thing you begin to notice when you attend Dragon Con year after year is the ebb and flow of costumes trends. Steampunk is one theme that has withstood the test of time. I loved the Steampunk Fairy pictured above...brilliantly creative and executed!

I'm not exactly sure when Steampunk came onto the sceen, but it's been a Con favorite during my tenure. I hope it's around for a long time to come.

Dragon Con 2014 Cosplay | Star Wars Costume Contest

The Star Wars Costume Contest was filled with entertaining talent and costuming mastery...and a great deal of fun. 

I do wish, and it pains me to say this (you know I like to keep a positive attitude), but I do wish the host/master of ceremonies hadn't kept on and on about the night before being a long night. If you're hosting, bring your A-Game, no excuses. These people have been working on their amazing costumes for months, some of them for a year, and they deserve better than some hungover, rude remarking jerk hosting their contest.

I do hope the Dragon Con leaders rectify that for next year. Enough said.

Don't worry, I'm not forgetting the Miss Star Trek Universe Pageant. That's one of my favorite Dragon Con events and one that also deserves its own post, so more about that later.

If you've never been to Dragon Con, and especially if you're on the verge of going, I highly recommend that you do. If you're not too sure, you can always start with a single-day pass and go for the full four-day pass when you discover how incredible and wonderfully amazing it is.

There are more cosplay photos over on the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook page!

I hope to see you at Dragon Con 2015!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Dragon Con Celebrities

The celebrity lineup at Dragon*Con 2013 was fantastic! And I got to meet many of the ones I really wanted to. Here's a little about that experience...

DragonCon 2013, George Takei

At the very top of my list of celebrities to see this year was George Takei, Sulu of Star Trek: The Original Series.

Wow! What an incredible human being! The morning of the day I met him, I went to an hour-long panel session where he was the keynote. The session was moderated by Garrett Wang, another favorite actor of mine known for his role as Ensign Harry Kim of Star Trek: Voyager. Garrett does a brilliant, "Oh Myyyyyyy!" impression, so you can imagine the fun they had with that!

George is funny, passionate about his activist work for gay rights and Japanese-American relations, he's incredibly active, he's so very grateful for the life he's lived and is living, he's compassionate, and he's hopeful for our future. I was in awe...and I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity to meet George.

Dragon*Con 2013, Lindsay Wagner

I knew envy would ensue when Tommy, one of the kindest people I've ever known and a dear friend who lives in Washington, DC, found out that Lindsay Wagner was going to be at Dragon*Con. So, it's needless to say that there was a lot of texting between us when hearing her keynote talk and getting to meet her.

Lindsay is such a wonderfully sweet, kind-hearted, and grateful person. I know they're all actors, but I've learned over the years that at the Cons, you're really seeing the real person. I think they learn very early on that they can't fool fans...especially not fans of the caliber of Dragon*Con.

I had the great opportunity to hear Lindsay speak on a solo panel, although in the Walk of Fame—where celebrities are gathered for autographs and photos—Lee Majors, The Six Million Dollar Man, was right there beside her. Very cool to see him, too.

Dragon*Con 2013, Tahmoh Penikett

They grow them big in Canada! I was beyond star-struck to meet Tahmoh Penikett, who played "Helo" on the reboot of Battlestar Galactica. What a super nice guy, in a manly kind of way, and he happens to be Canadian. 

It amazes me how focused and attentive most of these actors are...they give each visitor their undivided attention and they hear what's being said. I wish I had that kind of focus and I really appreciate that actors like Tahmoh give it so generously.

Battlestar Galactica was a favorite show of mine in the 1970s—I loved that show! Richard Hatch (Apollo) and Herbert Jefferson Jr. (Boomer) were there from the original Battlestar—and both were in the Dragon*Con Parade! From the new Battlestar Galactica—the BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION—were Tahmoh Penikett (Helo), Kandyse McClure (Dee), and Edward James Olmos (Adama). 

Dragon*Con 2013, Travis and Tahmoh Penikett

I look worse than star-struck in this photo...I look outright goofy. But, even for a brief moment, I was pals with Tahmoh, so I don't care how I looked...I do wish I had his arms though.

"Thank you, Tahmoh", for being so great with your fans! Those experiences really make the Con a fantastic and memorable event, at least for me they do.

Dragon*Con 2013, John de Lancie

Meeting John de Lancie, who played the omnipotent "Q" on more than one television series of Star Trek, was a little more of a sterile experience. Perhaps it was a rough day. He comes across as incredibly smart—and he is a brilliant actor—but I didn't get the feeling that he was thrilled to be there. 

When I saw him fist-bump the person in front of me in line, I had a flashback to when I met Brent Spiner, and sure enough, it was a similar experience. That's not to say it was a bad experience...he's certainly a nice enough guy and I do love his "Q" character, so it was great to meet him.

Dragon*Con 2013, Terry Farrell

Have I saved the best for last? Well, let me just say that Terry Farrell, who played Jadzia Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, is even more beautiful in person than she is on television. And she's a beautiful human being on the inside, too!

As a matter of fact, the first words out of my mouth when I met her were, "I'm sure you hear it all the time, but  you're even more beautiful in person!" I really wanted to say something original, but her beauty demanded commenting. 

She told me that she doesn't hear that very often, to which I replied, "Well, you should!" 

What a sweet and charming person she is! I was beyond impressed with her warmth, her charm, and how she makes you feel like you're the only person in the room—when there are actually hundreds and hundreds of other people there. What a great experience it was to meet Terry Farrell.

Also there this year from the Star Trek universe, in addition to George Takei, Garrett Wang, and John de Lancie, were William Shatner (Captain Kirk), Avery Brooks (Captain Sisko), Michael Dorn (Worf), Dominic Keating (Malcolm Reed), Cirroc Lofton (Jake Sisko), Brent Spiner (Data), and Marina Sirtis (Counselor Troi). 

I absolutely adore Marina Sirtis! She was the first celebrity I met at Dragon*Con back in 2010 and she made such a wonderful impression, that today I can't imagine missing the Con or any opportunity to meet celebrities I admire. "Thank you, Marina"...it's always great to see you.

I would be remiss if I didn't note what was for me the biggest surprise of Dragon*Con 2013. In two words...William Shatner!

For whatever reason, I had in my mind that he was miserable and a washed up has-been. That couldn't be farther from the truth. The man is brilliant! Brilliant, I tell you! 

If I hadn't already very quickly changed my mind when listening to him during his solo panel, it would have been when he answered a particular fan question—"What's a role that you wish you could have or still want to play that you haven't yet?"

His answer is that there is no such role. He went on to express sincere and heartfelt gratitude for everything that got him to where he is...he shared his appreciation for his health, his family, his career, and for his fans. It was very moving. 

I left that hour of sharing, with a smile on my face and a warmer heart. "Thank you, Bill," for everything you've given entertainment, television, and cinema...I'll be a fan forever.

Well, those are the highlights of the celebrities I saw and met, but there are many, many more and I'd love to note all of them, but alas...