On the Road: Northampton, December 2025

Regular visitors have probably caught on that I've fallen in love with Northampton, Massachusetts over the past few years.  With big changes coming for our child in the near future, I'm starting to feel wistful about the place in anticipation.  Each visit feels precious.  I'm excited for new adventures ahead, too.  But Northampton is a special place.  Assuming the next step will move our family geography in new directions, I'm already starting to miss Noho.

It was just me going down this time - for a variety of reasons, not such an easy time for my wife to get away.  No worries.  I enjoy time alone with the kid.

You may have heard that it's been unseasonably cold in New England this month.  As such, sitting and chatting at a bar or café held a lot more appeal than wandering around town.  You also may have heard that the young generation doesn't drink as much alcohol as mine did.  It's certainly true in our family.  As I sampled IPAs, the kid - despite being of age AND despite the fact Dad was buying - was happy with root beer.

Chatting was wonderful.  The kid is at an exciting life stage.  College has aroused passions and helped form a vision.  Growing up, making decisions - about anything - was like pulling teeth.  No more.  They know what they want.  Finding it might be a trick.  But a vision is a great start.

With the combination of the cold weather and the engaging conversation, taking photos wasn't a high priority.  But I did get a shot of the charming Whatley Diner on the way home.  

Star Trek: The Ship

Episode: "The Ship"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 2

Original Air Date: October 6, 1996

via Memory Alpha

During a planetary survey, the away team (including Sisko, Dax, O'Brien and Worf) observe a Jem'Hadar ship crash-landing on the surface.  They move quickly to investigate, eager to learn about its technology.  Not surprisingly, a Vorta arrives soon after with her own Jem'Hadar detail.  Tensions mount quickly.  The Jem'Hadar clearly have the upper hand yet they are unwilling to simply destroy the ship and its current Starfleet occupants, the obvious tactical move.  Clearly, there is something aboard of great value.  But what?

Hot damn, is this one good!  

As ever, both writing and acting are outstanding.  The tension that builds between the principals is 100% believable.  The plot twist, while not Keyser Soze-level, is dazzlingly executed.  There are wonderful Trekkie treats.  Kilana (the Vorta) is one of many narrative descendants of Joanne Linville's Romulan Commander character in TOS's "The Enterprise Incident."  My favorite part is the character Crewman Muniz, introduced as a buddy to O'Brien only to be killed off.  He's a "red shirt" with a name.  In the denouement, Sisko mourns all of the crew members lost on the mission - by name.  Some of the writers felt they could have - should have - made more of the Muniz tale.  Maybe they're right.  But even as it is, it's a big deal and it signals an important shift, leading Star Trek boldly into new territory.

"The Ship" is one of many stories in DS9's run that sit with the realities of war in a way Trek never had before.  The pattern had always been to fix an "alien" world's problems, then run away to next week's episode.  Because DS9 "stays in one place," our heroes have to sit in the stew.  The writers make them.  Pain, death, hopelessness: they're all real.  The episodes embracing this theme are some of the most important and memorable of the series.

Watching DS9 and Voyager simultaneously is revealing.  I usually write of the comparisons from Voyager's perspective but this is an important place to view from DS9's.  The Voyager episode I had watched most recently before this one was "Flashback," considered by many to be one of that series's strongest.  It's a mess.  Sure, there are fun moments, especially the original series cameos.  But important plot details are clumsily discarded by the end.

Meanwhile, everything in "The Ship" matters - every relationship, every line of dialogue, every camera shot, every detail.  What's funny is that neither my child nor I even properly remembered it from our first family binge during COVID lockdown.  There are no important long-term reveals.  It's just rock solid storytelling.  By Season 5, we've come to expect nothing less.

Acting Notes

via Memory Alpha

Kaitlin Hopkins (Kilana) was born February 1, 1964 in New York City.  "The Ship" is her first of two Trek appearances.  Both of her parents were very successful in show business.  Mother Shirley Knight was a Tony- and Emmy-winning actress.  Father Gene Persson co-produced and co-created You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and its 1999 revival, winning two Tonys himself.  

Hopkins attended Carnegie Mellon University.  Beyond Trek, she had a regular role on Another World and guest appearances on Beverly Hills, 90210, Murder, She Wrote and The Practice among others.  Presently, she is the Head of Musical Theatre at Texas State University.

Squid Flicks: Sly Lives!

Title: Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)

Director: Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson

Original Release: January 23, 2025

My Overall Rating: 5 stars out of 5

via Wikipedia

When people talk about the "best bands" of the rock era, it's usually a Beatles vs. Rolling Stones vs. Led Zeppelin debate.  If you prioritize the songwriting, it's the Beatles.  If you're a rock purist, it's the Stones.  If you favor the virtuosos, it's Zeppelin.  But that last one, in particular, comes with an asterisk.  Here's the truth: objectively, the funk bands are the "best bands."  Come on, folks.  Zeppelin didn't even have a horn section!

Is funk truly rock?  I suppose that's a worthy question.  But if the JBs, Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament, Earth Wind & Fire or any of the others had been white bands rather than black (or multi-racial in the Family Stone's case), they would probably be called rock bands.  Chicago was.

Sly Stone's band is, of course, the subject of Questlove's documentary.  The film premiered at Sundance in January before its general release in February.  The material is built around interviews of band members and several prominent musicians of later generations who were influenced by Sly and company: D'Angelo, Chaka Khan, Q-Tip, Nile Rodgers and George Clinton for starters.

For Sly, it was a meteoric rise in the late 1960s.  Having both women and white musicians in a predominantly black band certainly caught people's attention and the music was out of this world.  Songs like "Dance to the Music," "Hot Fun in the Summertime," "Everyday People" and "Thank You (Falletinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" are classics of the era.  By the time Woodstock rolled around in 1969, Sly and the Family Stone were one of the biggest bands in the world and their performance is considered by many critics to be the high point of the entire event.  

The focus of the documentary is more on cultural and industry impact than artistic process but there are a few treats for us nerds.  Hearing "Everyday People" grow from a few piano chords to final product - in a completely different key - is magical.

The rise was followed by a disastrous fall.  In the early '70s, the band fell apart.  Sly had lost the hit-maker magic and was constantly late for gigs, eventually not showing at all.  The culprit?  Drug addiction.  It's easy to get judgy about drug use, especially regarding those with wealth and fame.  But recreational drug use is not the same as self-medicating.  Addiction is a disease and for Sly, it robbed him of everything.  

While watching the documentary, I had completely forgotten that Sly Stone passed away in June at age 82.  The fact that I forgot, in itself, says a lot.  50+ years after his heyday, Sly should still rank in stature with folks like Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan.  At his peak, he was that good and comparably influential.  But because of the years of addiction, it wasn't like that by the end.

The documentary is loving but even-handed.  The darker side of the story is handled honestly.  If you love music of the late '60s and early '70s, this one's a must-watch.

Star Trek: False Profits

Episode: "False Profits"

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Season 3, Episode 5

Original Air Date: October 2, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Our friends stumble upon a pair of Ferengi who have taken over the economy of a primitive planet.  We've met these guys before.  In NextGen's "The Price," Arridor and Kol were lost in an unstable wormhole to the Delta Quadrant.  Apparently, they found a nice spot to make the best of things.  And here again is the same wormhole.  Could it be a quick route home for Voyager?

The idea for "False Profits" is fantastic.  It provides an interesting test of the Prime Directive, too.  How does non-interference jive with the colonialist enterprises of other warp-capable civilizations?  We want our heroes to be the good guys here but are they bending their own rules to do so?  Probably.  So be it.

The entire Ferengi narrative concept had come a long way since "The Price," seven years and 266 episodes ago.  When first introduced in TNG, the plan was for the Ferengi to become Starfleet's primary antagonist, a pretty clear message from the producers: free enterprise (pun intended) is the real enemy.  Hell, I can get on board with that.  The older I get, the more convinced I become that capitalism is total bullshit.

But it didn't work out.  They came across as silly.  No subtlety at all - just greed.  The Klingons and Romulans had always been portrayed as respectable enemies.  There was nothing admirable about the Ferengi.

But then we got to know a few of them in Deep Space Nine.  Quark is a swindler, to be sure, but a swindler with dimension and vulnerability.  Nog is obnoxious but we get to watch him grow into decency and perspective.  Then there's Rom, the Ferengi with a heart of gold.

Unfortunately, "False Profits" feels like a slide back.  No more charm.  They're just greedy little gremlins again.  

The best part of the story comes at the very end when the wormhole shortcut is snatched away from the Voyager crew.  In just a few seconds, we watch a wordless drama play out on Captain Janeway's face: devastation, then recovering only partway to resignation but enough to gain her composure and lead on.  Beautifully done.

Acting Notes

via TRON Wiki

Dan Shor reprised his role as Arridor from "The Price" whereas Kol was recast - J.R. Quinonez originally, Leslie Jordan in "False Profits."  Shor was born in Brooklyn, November 16, 1956.  He studied at the City College of New York and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.  His films include Wise Blood, Strange Behavior and Tron.  He will always be best remembered by my generation as Billy the Kid in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

via Be Excellent to Each Other

On the Road: Thanksgiving 2025

We spent Thanksgiving in Worcester, Massachusetts at the home of the English Prof, as is our usual tradition.  New this year, my nephew and niece joined us.  Both are suddenly living in the Northeast after growing up in California.  For you, a few photo highlights:

Dinner

The bird

My fully-loaded plate

Next day's leftovers lunch

Inspired by English Prof's copy of Uneasy Elixirs: 50 Curious Cocktails Inspired by the Works of Edward Gorey by Virginia Miller, a couple new cocktails...

Hamish's Pride

I made a few adaptions to one of Miller's recipes: The Deadly Blotter.  It's essentially a Manhattan with bubbles so I adjusted to match my own Manhattan recipe.  So I will call this The Squid's Blotter.

The 20-somethings learn to play backgammon:

A couple sights from the city:

Rogers - Kennedy Memorial

American Antiquarian Society

Star Trek: Apocalypse Rising

Episode: "Apocalypse Rising"

Series: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Season 5, Episode 1

September 30, 1996

via Memory Alpha

Season 4 ended with a cliffhanger: Odo believes Gowron, Chancellor of the Klingon Empire, is a Changeling.  As Season 5 begins, Sisko leads O'Brien, Odo and Worf on an undercover mission - all disguised as Klingons - to expose Gowron in hopes of preventing war.  

"Apocalypse Rising" is fun for many reasons.  The basic political intrigue story is excellent with plenty of insight into Klingon warrior culture provided.  Michael Dorn was delighted to watch his colleagues suffer through the Klingon makeup process (though Rene Auberjonois claimed he preferred it to the Odo makeup).  Perhaps most importantly for the long term, the story introduces Martok, yet another stellar recurring character who will bring plenty of value to the operation over the next three seasons.

Evidently, the Paramount people didn't like the Klingon War storyline and encouraged the DS9 creatives to get back to the Dominion War they preferred.  "Apocalypse Rising" provides the transition from one to the other.

There's a wonderful exchange between Kira and Bashir in which she blames him for her surrogate pregnancy with the O'Brien's baby.  It's an in-joke, you see.  Nana Visitor was, in fact, pregnant with Alexander Seddig's child.

Acting Notes

via Wikipedia

John German (J.G.) Hertzler (Martok) was born in Savannah, Georgia, March 18, 1950.  He was an Air Force brat and therefore moved a lot as a child: Missouri, Texas, Morocco and mostly the Washington, DC area.  He went to Bucknell as an undergrad where he played football and discovered theater.  Later he got a Master's at the University of Maryland in set design.  He worked for the Nixon Administration for a time in the National Environmental Policy Act.

Hertzler has extensive stage credentials in DC, San Francisco and New York.  Early films include The Redeemer: Son of Satan and And Justice for All.  Television guest appearances include Quantum Leap, Six Feet Under and Roswell.  He was a regular on the early '90s Zorro series.  

Hertzler will likely always be best remembered as Martok, who, in one guise or another, accounts for 26 of his Trek appearances.  In total, he made appearances as twelve different characters over four different series.  He has also written two Star Trek novels: The Left Hand of Destiny, Books One and Two.  

The environmental cause has proven to be a lifelong passion.  Largely on the strength of a pro-environment platform, Hertzler won election to the town council in Ulysses, New York.  In 2016, he endorsed Bernie Sanders for President.  In 2018, Hertzler ran for Congress but ultimately withdrew before the election.

Squid Eats: The Pinwheel

via The Pinwheel

The Pinwheel in Essex describes itself as "a family-owned breakfast and lunch cafe serving unique and creative fare for all."  I would describe it as an upscale diner and that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.  The Machanic's former restaurant, The Swingin' Pinwheel, operated for six years in Burlington before shutting down in 2020 - a COVID casualty, I suspect.  They reopened at the new location just last year.  This was our first time visiting.

The western ranch vibe is strong: southwest desert scenery and antlers adorn the walls.  I suspect the Machanics are fishing people rather than skiers (yes, I realize they could be both).  There's a lot of fish on the menu and pictures of trout and other game fish on the walls.

Right, the food.  First my disappointment: I was so excited to see Pig in a Pancake on the menu, then absolutely shattered to learn they were out of sausage.  Fortunately, I had a backup plan: Cinnamon French Toast with a side of ham.  French toast is my go to breakfast order - far less likely to disappoint me than waffles or pancakes.  Pinwheel's was lovely.  

Our waitress reminded me of a friend from Japan days - taller but otherwise looked just like her.  She was a good waitress, too.

It's nice to have a good breakfast place in the area.  Jericho Cafe and Tavern (formerly The Village Cup) is our usual go-to as it's close to our house.  But they're not open until 9 on the weekends whereas Pinwheel's open at 8 and JCAT is a little too fussy for what I actually want from a restaurant breakfast.  To me Pinwheel is worth a slightly further drive.

Besides, we have to go back for the Pig in a Pancake.