Why I Sci-Fi: Flashback!
Planets move in and out of view in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" opening credits. Image Source "Space: the final frontier." My door isn't shut all of the way, and I sneak to the door frame. The coast is as clear as the voice summoning me from the TV. With a fuzzy stuffed-animal gripped tightly in hand, I continue. "These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations..." Tip-toeing to the bend in the hallway, I peer around the corner. My parents are both on the couch, the TV glowing from in front of them. If I stand, I can see the whole screen. "To boldly go where no one has gone before." As the ship soars into view among sparkling stars and gleaming planets, my heart races. The title flashes onto the screen: Star Trek: The Next Generation. It's world of space travel and adventure. I long to live in the world in this show-- ea...