This month has been such an awful year, my sense of time is … “weird” is the best I can come up with … in a way it hasn’t been since the lockdown days, when every day felt like Friday, and it never felt like the weekend.
Anyway. When I woke up this morning and plucked the rectangle of doom from its charger, I fumbled it (like you do) and bumped the screen with my thumb as it slipped from my hand and tumbled to the floor, alarm screeching. I groaned, dragged myself out of bed, and then I carefully and mindfully bent over to pick it up because my body is just being such an asshole about the whole I’m fifty-two-almost-fifty-three situation. I silenced the alarm as I cursed the guy who set it for me yesterday.
At some point in the fall to the floor, the rectangle must have switched modes from endless delivery of doom to have some joyful memories because if you look like someone who is going to throw me into a volcano if I don't, because when I slid my thumb across the face to shut it up, it revealed a collage it had made me, from one year ago, when Anne and I were on Star Trek: The Cruise. Oh, little phone I didn’t know I’d have to name FuckTrump all over again when these pictures were taken, I can’t stay mad at you.
And I gotta tell you, the joyful memories were abundant, retrieved by all my senses and delivered to me in 7.1 4K Mega Digital Super Surround-o-Rama.
I remembered the kindness shown to me by literally every single passenger I encountered. How everyone gently respected my boundaries, how delightful it was to notice something in the decor that was an easter egg for nerds like me.
I remembered the hours I had the privilege to spend backstage with my extended Star Trek family, with my Space Mom and Space Little Brother I Never Knew About, before going on stage to perform with them for an audience that wanted to love us.
I remembered how great it felt to walk off every stage I was on, feeling like we met their expectations. (I didn’t remember, but was reminded by my blog, that I risked a raw, emotional, vulnerable performance, and was rewarded with a standing ovation.)
I walked off that ship feeling energized, inspired, grateful to be part of something so special, and I didn’t realize until this moment how much I needed to feel the memory of that, right now.
The 2025 cruise is happening as I write this, and I’m envious of my friends and family who are part of it … but I’m also really happy for them and my fellow nerds, because I remember.
“We have Wesley at home.”
Wesley at home:
Thanks for reading, friends. I hope this finds you well. Before you go, if you haven’t subscribed to updates, I’d love for you to do that. I have an incredible announcement coming, and I don’t want you to miss it. (That’s why these horrible reminders are all over the place). A huge thank you and terrorist fist jab to the 13,000 of you who got this in email! I appreciate you.
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i agree with your godson, about a year ago when i first got into star trek, i too thought that photo of wesley crusher was ai because it looks too enhanced 💔💔💔
I always enjoy reading your posts. This one reminds me that for some reason I never went on a Star Trek Cruise. But I did get to meet you and Anne a few times on the JoCo Cruise and both of you are just delightful!
OMG, I want that WW life-size action figure! uh…i didnt mean that to sound creepy. it does, doesnt it? shit.
That vulnerable, emotional, risky performance you did… Brother, you touched a lot of people that day. Down deep where it matters. Thanks, Wil. May you have peace, and a long life.
Thank you for sharing these memories with us all. May the rest of your week be as full of happiness as possible.
Yay! I really needed a little happiness today. Thanks.
A wonderfully rich and potent jaunt down memory lane. I hope your electronic box will more commonly be referred to as box of delight.
This was so timely, I absolutely laughed out loud at the picture of you IN the action figure plastic – Keep it comin’
This is the best paragraph I have ever read. This describes my morning every morning, except I’m the person who set the alarm! “Anyway. When I woke up this morning and plucked the rectangle of doom from its charger, I fumbled it (like you do) and bumped the screen with my thumb as it slipped from my hand and tumbled to the floor, alarm screeching. I groaned, dragged myself out of bed, and then I carefully and mindfully bent over to pick it up because my body is just being such an asshole about the whole I’m fifty-two-almost-fifty-three situation. I silenced the alarm as I cursed the guy who set it for me yesterday.”
Ohmigosh “Wesley at home”. I laughed so hard at that. Thanks, I needed that! 😂
Wil, it sounds like it was amazing; wish I could have been there! Thanks for sharing, I truly needed the smile 🙂
First, I 100% FEEL you on the experience waking up. That’s me EVERY day. Except I have to be mindful just getting out of the bed at 52 going on 53.
Second, I’ve never been on a cruise but I really want to go on the Star Trek Cruise at some point. It sounds amazing. I hadn’t been to a con in maybe 35 years before last year and I had so much fun. (Previous con: met James Doohan; this time, among others, I got to meet you!) And this was just a “minor” con in Austin, not one of the big ones, or the Cruise. Trying to talk my (decidedly NOT trekker) wife into it, not winning so far 🙂
I love this! This month has definitely been an awful year, worse than the year of January just before it. Finding some light is such a good thing. And a photo of Wil Wheaton wearing a LeVar Burton shirt in front of a picture of Wesley Crusher is some meta coolness. 🙂
Thank you for making me smile for the first time since probably November 5, Wil. Appreciated more than you know. And this six days until it hits 70 understands the gentky rising bit! Hugs from Australia.
You’re such an awesome, authentic person. I’m glad you got a happy reverie, and chose to share it with us!
this was a wonderful way to end my day. Thank you for sharing your happy times! 🙂
Wil, I am happy to see that the little glass slab gave you a nice memory. Peace and harmony to you and your family. And I agree that the orange turd in chief can go fornicate himself and the horse he rode in on.
My wife and I have been getting similar reminders from the cruise last year. It was our first STTC and hopefully not our last (and that song still lives rent free in our heads…it’s a blessing and a curse). We have many great memories from that trip, including Kel’s vicious beheading of several evil frog people and the non-stop hilarity at the Crusher family therapy session.
We were also at one of your readings and from the bottom of my heart I want to say thank you. While I’ve been able to move on from most of my more difficult moments in life I still can’t imagine sharing them in such a public way as you have. I personally know several people who have been inspired by your openness with your struggles to seek the help they need in dealing with theirs. You have truly had a wonderfully, measurably positive impact on this world so thank you. Thank you for your openness and honesty, thank you for having the strength to share and speak up, thank you for being such a light at a time when this world truly needs it.
With my everlasting admiration – LLAP 🖖
Thank you for sharing this. It brought a much needed smile to my face. This month has definitely been a year. Much love to you and yours.
I’m so glad you had this great cruise from last year to give you some kind of joy today. It’s hard, I know, to hear/read these crappy headlines and floods of talking heads telling us what we already know: we are in the fight of our lives to stay sane and hopeful that we will survive the First Felon and his fellow traitors! Hang in there, somehow we are going to make it!
I’m glad to hear you’re still doing the Cruises, my wife used to go every year back in the 90s. She said you were a good kid, and she always had a great time. And I didn’t even get jealous when I saw the picture of her sitting on Jimmy Doohan’s lap. Hang in there, life has it’s ups and downs, you just have to keep moving.
I’m a long-time reader & subscriber. I enjoy the bite-sized chunks of Wil in my email inbox. I am reading what I just typed, but even tho I’m Feral Autistic, I will not bite you & this is not improving on what I typed previously. Hope everyone in Castle Wheaton is well & stays safe.
Thanks, Wil, for reminding us about subscribing. I always wanted to get notified about your new blog posts and how come I didn’t think about subscribing to the mailing list in plain 2025?! Won’t miss anything now.
Also, lovely memories from the Star Trek Cruise. Thanks for sharing. 🖖🏻✨
As I’m reading your words from my hospital bed, getting chemo and preparing for my bone marrow transplant next week, dealing with how draining everything in our world already is, your words always ground me and make things a little more normal. Thanks for always being such an awesome person. Sending love.
Wil, this is all utterly wonderful and I’m sure the spacemonkey armada all appreciate it. I do, myself!
Thank you for happy thoughts. I needed to be reminded they are out there.
And I appreciate you!
Thanks for sharing and for welcoming us into your world. You are a stellar human being.
Thank you for sharing these wonderful memories. The action figure photo op made us both laugh here, a very much needed thing.
I love your posts – I follow you on Tumblr too, It’s a spark of light in a rather dark world. I wrote a story on my Patreon called Charlie because I knew a lot of kids on various sets – you might like it or hate it. Anyway – thank you for the lovely story and lovely pictures
its good to have some great memories to bring you hope, and no matter what the borg tell you, resistance is not futile
Such a wonderful read. Stil can’t figure out which photo is my favourite, because it’s all of them, from Nimoy being so patient to “Wesley at home” 😆
Thanks, I really needed this ray of light in the darkness.
You wouldn’t believe how hard these pictures made me smile – thanks for that.
Glad you are enjoying life. Like I have previously said you restore my faith in the USA from a fan from the UK who is on the wrong side of 60 years!
Hey Wil, I was in that room for Crusher Family Therapy Hour, and it was pure joy. I’m very envious of your talent in this area of performance.
I’m actually on the cruise (STTC:VIII) right now, and everyone aboard is agreeing that this was a highly needed break from the whole… everything. I actually just had a brief convo about this when we ran across Nana in the cafe on the promenade (as you do). We talked a bit about how it’s now time to close ranks and support each other instead of isolating in dread. This whole bunch is in every sense an extended family, of which I’m honored to be a small part.
I’m so happy to hear you had a good time last year, and I hope you can join us next year. Take care, friend.
I am so envious (in the best way)!
So glad you found something that brought you joy. As a very old trekkie it delights my heart to see stuff like this, but much more importantly, you look so joyful in the pictures. Sending lots of love and positive thoughts across the pond to you and all those in the US who are struggling with the current state of things. 🙂
Those come across as quite warm Wil. Here’s to warmer days depite the desolate chill.
You deserve every good thing. Keep up being a light for humanity. We need it during these times.
You are missed this year! I hope you sail with us again soon!!
Me too!
I also deeply love – and am now missing – the Star Trek cruise. Loved seeing you there several years ago, thank you for being present with all the crazy fans. What a joyful, crazy, awesome experience, making forever memories!
Thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone, I too had serious issues with my rectangles and idiot boxes. But happy thoughts and memories are priceless now more than ever.
Re: Action figure
How posable is “Fully Posable” at 50+? I’m like a dino rider at 45!
Thanks for this, it made me smile today when it has been a ROUGH week and it is only Wed!
Thank you! This post brightened my day!
Made me happy too! I loved the comment about your godson! When our niece was 5 I was telling her how I would race home from school to watch the last 10 minutes to watch Dark Shadows, and she asked, “why didn’t you have your mom record it”. Ha!
It’s always a massive pleasure to read you, Wil! You are a breath of fresh air, especially amidst all the current craziness!
Wishing you all the best, and looking forward to that big announcement!
This was fun, thanks!!! :–)
This is so great! Thank you for sharing your joy. I have been a subscriber for a while now, and I hope more people subscribe.
😀
Do the RSS subscribers get a shout-out? I’ve had your site in my feed reader since Google Reader was cool, new idea, maybe 2004ish? I swear, RSS never gets any respect. 🙂
Oh hell yes! RIP Google Reader.
😎👍excellent