Jen’s Tribute

When we’re little, we’re all taught a few basic truths. In my house, those truths were as follows: The Mets are the best baseball team on the planet, UCONN is the only basketball team worth rooting for, and the Vulcan salute is how you greet people.

The original draft of my tribute went on for about a page and a half about how I grew up watching Star Trek, how I made friends through Star Trek, how the show was one of the few things my dad and I shared while I was a kid–but I think that sentence sums it up in all its meta-elegance.

I don’t really want to talk about me. It feels wrong and selfish, when a man’s amazing and inspiring life has come to an end, to focus on my own that’s barely begun. Leonard Nimoy has always surprised me. His performance as Spock was consistently challenging and fascinating to watch, but more than that, every time I learned something new about the Man, I found myself grinning. He never stopped working, and learning, and trying new things. He never shied away from the role that bought him international fame and his status as a pop culture icon. He never appeared as anything less than dignified and wise.

A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP

— Leonard Nimoy (@TheRealNimoy) February 23, 2015

Even as I read through his obituaries today, I was finding out things about Leonard Nimoy I never knew–but somehow none of them surprised me. It would seem that here, at the end of his life, he truly took his Vulcan signature to heart. Here’s what the rest of our team had to say about Leonard Nimoy’s life and death.

Sam’s Tribute:

“He taught me that being weird was normal, that science and logic were magical. He taught me that in a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. He taught me that ‘Live long and prosper’ could mean so much more than a television catch phrase. Not being able to meet him is one of the biggest regrets I’ll always carry. Live Long and Prosper Sir, you’ve taught us all so much. I wish you well on that final frontier.”–Samuel Lee Smith

Colby’s Tribute:

“I was never exposed to the original Star Trek, so Leonard Nimoy came in to my life way past the acceptable date for most geeks. Even then, he was only vaguely associated with Spock, more of a nerd Demigod like Bruce Campbell than the blue-sweatered half Vulcan. Instead, Mr. Nimoy’s most well-known work for me is the Bilbo Baggins song. If you haven’t seen the video, be prepared for a lot of cringe-worthy 60s nonsense and overacting, but in such an energetic and offbeat way, that you can’t help but laugh. And be forewarned, this song will plant its hooks in your brain and you’ll find yourself singing it weeks later.”

Leia’s Tribute:

“I grew up all Star Wars, and it wasn’t until I was an adult that I found a place in my heart for Star Trek. Leonard Nimoy called out to the melancholy teenager still inside of me with his gorgeous photography, and touching poetry, so when he was slated to appear in Dallas, I made it a goal to sit in on his Q&A. It was miraculous. His voice and presence oozed wisdom, and I felt at peace listening to him speak. I made it a point to check his Twitter every day, just to see the little life tidbits he would throw up, ending in a loving LLAP. I bid you farewell, sir. It was life changing being in your presence, and all of space and time will never be the same”–Leia Calderon

Tushar’s Tribute:

“Leonard Nimoy was one of the true geek OG’s and one of the stars of a series that was well ahead of its time. Though he did a lot of things in his life he was always Spock to me – the hyperlogical intellectual that was an archetype I was drawn to since I was a kid. And he accepted that status as geek idol – maybe reluctantly at first – but eventually – purely and whole-heartedly, he *was* Spock in the end. I remember reading an article a while ago about how when he found out Nichelle Nichols was getting paid less than other cast members, that he made it a point to correct that with the front office because it wasn’t right. Geek culture and entertainment at large took a big hit today.” –Tushar Nene

“Loss of life should be mourned, but only if the life is wasted.” –Spock