Saturday, August 9, 2008

Star Trek Con: Guess what Uhura told me!

[N.B., if you're looking for more tiny tales from the con, I am writing some in the comments, so check there.]

Yesterday was my big entrance into fan-girl-dom.
Far, far gone into it...
I got my photo taken with Nichelle Nichols (Uhura!!!).
[photo of the photo, below]


Standing in the line (photo, right), I got talking with Rob and April, old hands at photo ops, even though they're young. (Rob's mom used to take him to cons as a kid.)
They were coaching me, because I was all aflutter.
For all the world, it felt like waiting to get my school photo taken, in first grade, which had also thrown me into a tizzy.

So, they kinda calmed me down, told me Nichelle is super nice, and I could see from the people going ahead of me that it was all pretty relaxed. Mostly folks moved through fast, but one woman held Nichelle's hand and talked earnestly for quite a while, and no one moved her along, so it seems if you need to make a heartfelt speech, there's room for that.

I'm thinking I'm going to be all calm and dignified, like Sandra Smith playing Capt. Kirk, you know, but when my time came and I walked toward Nichelle, perched on a director's chair--(a classy lady, in a cream crumpled silk jacket and linen pants)--well, as I walked the dozen feet to her, I broke into a little Snoopy dance of joy, waving my hands in the air, and in a daze of adoration told her,
"I feel just like a kid! You are so great!"

These stars have been dealing with fans for forty years and are unflappable, so Nichelle took it totally in stride, said something nice.
And then as I got settled into a photographable state, she said,
"YOU HAVE BEAUTIFUL HAIR."

(She did not scream it in bold, it just assumes that level of importance in my mind.)

I wrote recently that I could give a hoot about fashion, but I'm sorry, when *Uhura* tells you she likes your hair, well, my interest soars to intergalactic magnitude.

Here's the extra thing--I had actually wondered about dyeing my hair for this con.
I am quite gray for my age (47), and here's a secret, if you didn't know--a ton of women my age dye their hair. It is so normal, one woman told me I was "brave" for NOT dyeing my hair.

In truth, I don't want to dye my hair. It's expensive and futzy and involves evil chemicals in close proximity to your brain. Plus you have to keep on doing it or you get a striped part that makes you look like you've escaped from a mental institution.

Now I have Starfleet's Seal of Approval, I will never doubt my beautiful hair again.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Uhura liked your hair! OMG! Was it the color or the cut or both that she liked? Or didn't she say...in which case that means both.
Too cool! Was she pretty glamorous?

Do you have the picture in your hot little hand or was it one of those things you get later (sent?/on line?)?

Fresca said...

Hi, Bink:
Yes! Nichelle Nichols was truly glamorous. She walked and sat at with grace and poise-- and a straight back (she's 70-something). She's dignified but not at all scary.

And she is a looker! She dresses beuatifully, and up close, her makeup is a work of art--it seemed to be many carefully applied layers and highlights of precious minerals, like powdered copper. But understated, you know, not glaring at all. I've never seen anything like it.

(Poodletail would know what all's involved. I imagine someone else does it for her?)

After our photo, I asked, "can I kiss you?" (yes, I know, far gone), and she turned her cheek, but I just kissed the air because I didn't want to harm the art!

I also thought again how weird it must be for actors to kiss each other, in all that makeup and hair and stuff.

I can pick up the actual photo later today It'll be second-hand, but I'll photograph it and post that.

My photo with Leonard Nimoy is Sunday afternoon, and I leave that evening, so they will send that one to me.

Anonymous said...

How can you bear to leave the con without the Nimoy photo in hand?

You and Nichelle look great together; very classy!

And a Gorn buck! What loot!

Too wonderful!

Anonymous said...

You and Nichelle look like you're from the same planet of beautiful creatures.

Anonymous said...

Iloveyoufcheska----omg, I've been dying all afternoon and evening since Lucinda told me about 'uhura's' compliment about your hair----how FAB FAB FAB!!! I must declare a touch of envy, what with me growing my hair out right now and all. And poodletail is right, you both look gorgeous. Couldn't you just die from the compliment?!!! And she is such a hotty---and clearly a class act all the way. I wonder where she lives; now THERE'S a pilgrimage to make!!! Can't wait for your return and every last detail of everything!

deanna said...

Two classy ladies - very cool. I've never wanted to color my hair, either, and it's fun to get encouragement for remaining naturale. :o)

Fresca said...

You all are too kind.
Looking at this photo again, I thought what great luck that I was wearing black (a black linen duster over a Bob's Java Hut T-shirt!), and she was wearing near-white--so we do make a nice B&W pair, I must say.

Anonymous said...

Ah, the contouring maquillages of the '80's!
I've always wanted to make up Binky like that and make her look like Grace Jones.

Anonymous said...

I'm glad that Uhura's compliment has convinced you that dyeing would've been a mistake. Your hair is gorgeous - a vibrant part of your body, and so expressive just as it is. She's a smart cookie for pointing it out to you!

Anonymous said...

Your hair looks STUNNEEN! Just like the mirror says, oh yes. And it's a GREAT picture of the two of you. Can't wait to see the print up close.