Star Trek TNG: A Sign of Hope During the Covid-19 Pandemic
With so much extra free time during the coronavirus pandemic, what better way to spend it than by doing what I did long before this madness started? It’s hard to enjoy my other favorite hobby right now: eating and drinking things I didn’t have to lift a finger for.
In between getting lost in the insanity of “Tiger King” and the darkness of “Castlevania,” I’ve found immense comfort in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
Growing up, I was never a Trekkie. I went to see some of the movies with my mom and had caught occasional episodes on TV. My boyfriend in high school, on the other hand, was a huge fan and constantly tried to get me into it. I bought him a DVD collection of all the Borg episodes as a gift and got my first formal introduction into the show. But this was long before Netflix, and I wasn’t interested enough to go hunting for all the DVDs at Blockbuster (really showing my age here).
StarTrek.com
Then on a trip to see my family this past February, my brother-in-law showed me quite possibly the best song ever: The Picard Song. Seriously, try to argue otherwise. This spiraled into a conversation between my BIL and wife about their favorite episodes. My wife’s favorites feature Deanna Troi’s sex-crazed mother, Lwaxana. So when we got back home, she showed me every episode about her mother, and I was hooked.
My binge began.
I love space, talks of parallel universes, and the sight of Deanna Troi in a unisuit. But after watching dozens of episodes, I truly loved the idea of hope it gave me during a time of uncertainty. The reaction to this pandemic wouldn’t play out this way in the fictional 24th century, and not just because the technology is far superior. The show makes it a point to portray the humans from Earth as more morally and mentally intelligent. That’s not to say we’ll become a perfect society, but that we’ll move passed our obsessive drive for power and wealth.
The changes we’ve made over the last few hundred years is succinctly summed up in the season 1 finale, “The Neutral Zone.” The crew discovers a space capsule with people from 20th century Earth cryogenically frozen—three are still “alive.” Naturally, they’re all having a hard time adjusting, but former financier Ralph Offenhouse is baffled that no one knows who he is or how important he was 300 years ago. Offenhouse’s arrogance would vex anyone from any century, but an overinflated ego feels all too commonplace in 2020.
Riker and Data try to get all three settled, showing them the most important advancement of all: the replicator. One of them, Sonny, immediately makes a martini (who wouldn’t?) and asks where the TV is. When Riker explains that form of entertainment went out of fashion around 2040, Sonny can’t imagine how people would then spend their time. Insane, right?
So what gives me a glimmer of hope? Offenhouse demands Picard lets him contact Earth, specifically to contact his lawyer—he’s convinced that law firm was so important it would still be around. When Picard realizes this is all about money, we get a glimpse into how far our species has evolved:
A lot has changed in the past 300 years. People are no longer obsessed with the accumulation of things. We’ve eliminated hunger, want, the need for possessions. We’ve grown out of our infancy.
Offenhouse is unconvinced and believes humans still desire power in whatever form it takes now.
Later, after witnessing a tense moment between the Enterprise and their enemies, the Romulans (space version of our feud with the Russians??), Offenhouse feels somewhat validated knowing despite all our supposed betterment as a species, we still have plenty of battles to fight.
As the episode wraps up, Offenhouse finally comes to grips with his new reality. He asks Picard what he’s supposed to do on Earth with no money or job. When Picard again reminds him “material needs no longer exist,” Offenhouse asks, “Then what’s the challenge?”
The challenge, Mr. Offenhouse, is to improve yourself. To enrich yourself. Enjoy it.
I clearly won’t be around to witness the idealized Aquarius dream where we’ve come together as a species and stopped acting like literal babies, as Picard puts it—albeit, more eloquently. But I can live with the notion that we’ll get there one day. And for those of us who are lucky to have our health and a support system during this pandemic, maybe we can work on getting one step closer to Picard-level enlightenment.
Evanescence Brings New Life to Old Favorites on Synthesis
I'm not a music reviewer by trade, but I'd be remiss not to share my thoughts on my favorite band's new album. After a six-year hiatus, Evanescence comes back into the spotlight with a haunting new album, Synthesis. Although the band may have been on break, Amy Lee has kept herself busy these past few years, focusing on movie soundtrack scores (Aftermath and Voice from the Stone), a selection of cover songs (U2's "With or Without You" is darkly captivating), and even a children's album (Dream Too Much).
Image Courtesy of Wikipedia
If you thought the next Evanescence album was going to be a rehash of Fallen, you haven't been paying attention to Lee's solo work, which has delved more into electronic and ambient sounds intertwined with orchestral scores. (This was the original direction of their third album until the record label refused to go forward with it.) Surprise! Synthesis peels away the layers of crunching guitars and booming drums and brings forward the orchestra that was always lingering in the background of their previous work. Synthesis features 11 remakes of prior songs, two new full-length tracks, and three short orchestra arrangements.
But the beautiful string sections were always my favorite element of their music and what makes them stand out among other hard rock acts—that, and, of course, Lee's soaring vocals. And that's exactly what we get to enjoy on Synthesis: gorgeous piano solos, dramatic symphony arrangements, and Amy Lee's powerful and poetic voice.
The standout remakes include "End of the Dream," "Lacrymosa" and "Bring Me to Life." While many of the songs still feel rooted in their original forms, "End of the Dream" diverges the most—it begins with just an eerie reverb and Lee's vocals. The opening lyrics describing a graveyard bring the ghostly factor to 11. The remake is completely stripped bare yet ominous. Strings are slowly added as you wait for the dramatic re-emergence of the orchestra—they don't disappoint and pulse through the chorus and subsequent verses. As chilling as the music is on this track (and yes, the bridge booms with full force), Lee's vocals are the star instrument, and I've fallen in love with this band all over again.
Fret not, die-hard fans. The two new tracks on the album are as evocative and dark as their previous work, albeit, they are still electronic and symphony heavy. The single "Imperfection" veers the most from what fans are used to, both in terms of Lee's quickly spoken verses and main electronic beats, but the chorus still brings home forceful, sweeping string arrangements, and that "epic" feel we've come to love about the band. As for the lyrics, Lee calls out to someone thinking of suicide, "Don't you dare surrender / Don't leave me here without you / 'Cause I could never / Replace your perfect imperfection." If you're an Evanescence fan, you'll feel right at home in the darkness.
"Hi-Lo" doesn't quite have the catchiness of "Imperfection," instead, reminding me of "Swimming Home" from their self-titled—seductively slow verses building into the steady chorus and finally a violin solo bridge until bursting into Lee's comfortable, powerful conclusion.
What falls flat are the few songs that sound oddly too similar to their originals: "Secret Door" was already scaled down; "Lithium" resembled the acoustic version the band had previously performed; and "My Immortal" was essentially the original version on Fallen–the version without the band. However, hearing "My Immortal" sung in Lee's now-more-mature voice does make this song feel all the more powerful and gorgeously sad.
Image Courtesy of Evanescence.com
But the true beauty of this album was hearing it in its entirety live (but out of order). With a full orchestra on stage and Will "Science" Hunt providing live electronics, the album feels complete and all-the-more emotional. I've seen Evanescence live about a dozen times over their 14+ year career, and this was easily one of my favorite concerts. I'm not sure if it was because I caught them at their last gig of this leg of the tour or the live orchestra brought them to life (no pun intended), but Amy Lee's voice was stronger than ever. I'm sure it helped that she spent more time standing still than she's used to, but her voice was front and center, hitting every note with passion and raw emotion. If you were ever crazy enough to doubt her vocal ability, there's no arguing about it now. Would it be cheesy to say the entire show left me with goosebumps? Probably, but I'm allowed to have a fangirl moment.
Music and stagnancy are a recipe for disaster, and I've always loved that Amy Lee refuses to reproduce Fallen—I'm sure it's what prompted Ben Moody to leave in the first place. If you didn't like the trajectory of The Open Door and Evanescence, you probably won't like what the future holds for this band. But for those of you who enjoy a band who are not afraid to let their music mature, you'll understand what Lee is trying to accomplish with Synthesis.
Content Marketing Tips: How to Improve Your Writing
Behind every great novelist is a skilled editor. But for content marketers, we're often left to fend for ourselves. Even if editing isn't your strength, there are plenty of easy solutions to create stronger content. By carefully selecting your words and striving for brevity, your writing will keep readers engaged and inspire them to take action.
There are many ways you can strengthen a piece of branded content. Take a look at these few helpful tips.
Can Versus Will
Can is an auxiliary verb meaning "to be physically or mentally able to do something," and while will also denotes capability, the key difference is that it expresses futurity. Take a look at the following examples:
The company can provide a free consultation to clients.
The company will provide a free consultation to clients.
In the first example, you are expressing the company has the ability to provide consultations, so if you ask for one, you will most likely receive the free consultation. In the second example, however, the idea of the free consultation is absolute. The difference may seem subtle, but you are eliminating any sense of doubt. What is said will be done.
Use Assertive Language
Along the same principle of using will instead of can, the use of assertive language will resonate more with readers. Common phrases I often eliminate from posts include be sure to and make sure to. Not only are these verbs completely unnecessary to the meaning of the sentence, they lack confidence. The language creates a weak call to action. Take a look at these examples:
Be sure to visit our website, and make sure to call us at (123) 456-7890.
Visit our website, and call us at (123) 456-7890.
Imagine if Nike's slogan was Make sure to just do it. It doesn't have quite the same forceful tone as Just do it.
Skip other weak verbs, i.e. to be, and choose action verbs. And forget about generic adjectives like great and good. There's no shame in utilizing Thesaurus.com! The most inspiring writing is specific.
Be Clear and Concise
Many writers wrongly associate verbose writing with intelligence, creativity, and skill. While you should never craft a piece of copy entirely of simple sentences, overly complex sentences will distract readers and often muddle the meaning of the sentence. Strong writing expertly blends simple and complex sentences, varying sentence structure and length. Content marketing is not on the same playing field as a Hemingway novel. You're defining a brand and selling a product or service, so get to the point.
Fiction writers are taught that every sentence must push the story forward, and the same can be said for content marketing. Rid your copy of filler and fluff—anything that doesn't provide value to the reader. Each word should be meaningful to the sentence, and each sentence should be meaningful to the paragraph.
Eliminate Useless Words
What else can you do to create concise sentences? Eliminate useless words. It's not so much about saving the reader time as it is showcasing your skills as a writer and saying exactly what you mean. Here are a few words that don't serve much purpose:
- Very and Really are qualifiers used to show emphasis. But instead of emphasizing the adjective, it weakens the sentence. Whip out your thesaurus and find the real word you're looking for. Instead of very sad, use melancholy. Instead of really hungry, use famished.
- Stuff and Things are two generic words that don't provide the reader with clear details. Often, these words are chosen out of laziness. What are you trying to explain to the reader? Change 5 Things to Ask a Lawyer to 5 Questions.
- In Order To is not only clunky, it literally serves no purpose in a sentence. Take a look at this example: I need to pick up food in order to feed my family. I challenge any writer to think of an example when it's necessary.
- That is used for clarity and has its moments of usefulness. But most of the time you can rearrange a sentence: A quick way to check is to read the sentence without the word. Does it still make sense?
Show—Don't Tell
Telling is easy, but it doesn't inspire. Consider the most powerful ads you've seen. What moves you? The best storytellers relate to their audience with real-life experiences. How can you connect to a business or a brand if you don't feel that inspirational pull?
Any business can say they "provide top-notch customer service and quality products." But if you read a story about how a baker personally hand-delivered a cake to a family who couldn't make it to the shop, or how a contractor repairs homes in poor neighborhoods for free on the weekends, would you be more inclined to choose them?
According to surveys by the UPS Store, "Ninety percent of all respondents agree that small businesses are important to the U.S. economy." Between 2013 and 2014, there was a 41% increase in the number of people who chose a small business' products or services over a large business. People cited an overall better experience and higher quality products at a local business.
There's no need to explain the power of social media and content marketing. Use it to your advantage to show your story via blog posts, testimonials, pictures, and videos.
Just as much time should be put into editing as writing. Keeping it simple and clear will resonate more with readers and strengthen your writing.
How to Protect Your Online Privacy
Updated content August 1, 2023
We’ve all been inundated with countless phishing emails, spam calls, and messages from scammers impersonating your friends and family. While websites do their best to prevent data theft and scams, it’s up to each of us to be wary about our interactions online.
Years ago, I remember receiving a suspicious Skype message from one of my coworkers. The message simply contained a link, something along the lines of: http://goo.gle/kristenmollica. Other than the fact that this coworker never messages me, I knew the link was obviously spam. A different coworker wasn't so cautious; the link went to a fishy weight loss site, and who knows what awful malware probably infected her computer. The incident immediately led to a discussion about how all my coworkers use the same password for every website.
Fast forward to 2023, and I’m still having similar conversations with people who either reuse passwords or keep them all written down in a notebook.
Cyber crime is only increasing. Take a look at some recent stats:
There were 493.33 million ransomware attacks reported worldwide in 2022
Phishing scams account for about 90% of data breaches
47% of adults have had their personal information exposed online
Data breaches cost companies an average of 4.35 million dollars in 2022
In the past decade, there have been major security breaches of big-name companies, including Target, Home Depot, Anthem, and PSN—with millions of customers' information compromised.
While the average person can't do much to stop hackers from targeting large companies, there is plenty you can do to secure your information. Check out a few manageable tips.
Use a Password Manager
My coworkers and friends are probably tired of me going on and on about investing in password manager software. But seriously, using the same password for every website is internet insanity. All it takes is a hacker with a password dictionary and some software to crack your password. And chances are you use your email address as your login for dozens of sites.
LastPass was previously praised by many tech blogs. However, recent security breaches have made many users question its reliability. Personally, I prefer 1Password, which is easy to use and keep organized. Currently, it costs $2.99 per month for individual users. Your passwords are stored locally on your computer. If you need it to sync across devices, it will store an encrypted file via Dropbox or iCloud—meaning no one can read the file even if it is compromised. With a beautiful interface and bevvy of features, 1Password has simplified my Internet addiction.
Image from 1password.com
Set Up Two-Factor Authentication
I won't lie; I often find two-factor authentication to be a pain, but it works. Just about every major website offers it: Google, Facebook, Dropbox, Twitter, WordPress... It adds an extra step to the login process, usually inputting a code sent to your cellphone. There's also the option of downloading the Google Authenticator or Authy app to your phone (to name a few), which generates unique codes for each website.
The downside? I hope you never lose your cellphone. And depending on how many websites you log into each day, it can quickly become a nuisance. I would recommend setting up two-factor for websites that have a lot of stored personal data, like email and banking.
Add Privacy Extensions
Adding privacy extensions to your web browser is the easiest of all my recommendations to do. Simply add the extension to your browser and finito! Many probably know about AdBlock Plus. While most are using it simply because they find website ads annoying, the real bonus is that it blocks third-party scripts that send your data bouncing around the Internet.
Previously, I recommended using the extension HTTPS Everywhere, which sent you to a more secure, encrypted version of a website (instead of http://www.example.com). However, browsers now automatically use this format and will warn you if a website doesn’t have HTTPS. If you need to enter sensitive data into a website, only do so if it uses HTTPS.
Disconnect also comes highly recommended, from Tech Crunch to The New York Times. As you surf the web, the add-on blocks invisible trackers and malware, and it's completely free. For added security, get the paid version, which includes a VPN.
Why Should I Care?
So, why should you care about password managers and secure browser extensions? Because identity theft is never going away. Because companies are tracking your every move on the internet and selling your information to third-parties. Because who wants to find out that all their money was stolen or someone has opened up several credit cards in your name? Taking security precautions is not about paranoia. There are countless articles touting the same warnings.
More than 6 million data records were exposed just in the first quarter of 2023. As much as I love the internet, it's not a safe place. While there is no such thing as 100% security, there are numerous steps you can take. Be smart. Browse safely.
Dabbling in Graphic Design & Typography
Design has never been a skill I have excelled at (although I like to think I have an eye for spotting good design), but it obviously goes hand in hand with writing—especially for the web. Words mixed with images can have a powerful impact on readers. Whether you're writing a blog post about content marketing strategies or sharing a coupon on Facebook, visual content receives more views and clicks than posts without. According to HubSpot, tweets with images receive 150% more retweets. And a study by Socialbakers reveals that the posts on Facebook with the most interactions include photos. While I don't plan on making a career move to graphic design, understanding the basics of design, typography, and color theory is far from a waste of time. I recently learned about the website Canva, a website geared toward small businesses and marketers who aren't incredibly design savvy. With pre-made templates for a host of materials, including Twitter headers, social media posts, business cards, and more, it's easy for anyone to design something beautiful. Basic designs and graphics are free, with premium images costing as little as a dollar. Combing the templates with free images from the amazing website Pixabay, I dabbled in a variety of designs.
Check out the gallery below I've created—I warn you that there are many nerdy references. (Click an image to open up the gallery.)
