[MidnightLich]

Welcome to today's First Edition Friday Question, where you get a chance to answer questions that will help shape the future of First Edition. If you'd like to catch up on previous entries, here's a list of all of my previous Friday Questions:

24 APR 2020: How often do your dilemmas get scouted?
17 APR 2020: What do you want to know about how we work?
10 APR 2020: Should we make animated series cards?
3 APR 2020: Should we make more Tribbles/Troubles?
27 MAR 2020: Should we develop new cards?
20 MAR 2020: What regions should we focus on in the future?
13 MAR 2020: How would you feel about 1E adding extra "bits"?
6 MAR 2020: What are your favorite "almost good" S/P dilemmas?
28 FEB 2020: What are your favorite decks to play?
21 FEB 2020: Which Decipher expansion most deserves a sequel?
14 FEB 2020: Which "broken link" should be fixed first?
7 FEB 2020: What's your favorite episode of Star Trek?
31 JAN 2020: Which TOS main character needs a new card?
24 JAN 2020: What should qualify a card for the "watch list"?
17 JAN 2020: What card would you unban without changes?
10 JAN 2020: What single card would you ban to improve your game?
3 JAN 2020: What are you looking forward to in The Neutral Zone?
27 DEC 2019: How can we help you recruit new players?
20 DEC 2019: Where do you want the game to be in five years?
13 DEC 2019: Which concepts should 1E "import" from other games?
6 DEC 2019: Which couples should get a dual personnel card?
29 NOV 2019: Which old, unused 1E cards deserve some love?
22 NOV 2019: Which upcoming milestones need celebration?
15 NOV 2019: What's your favorite card image?
11 NOV 2019: What was your first 1E experience?
1 NOV 2019 What is your opinion of the "full page" policy?
25 OCT 2019: What do you want to see in a Halloween set?
18 OCT 2019: What is your favorite expansion?
11 OCT 2019: Which TNG main character needs a new card?
4 OCT 2019: Which Star Trek story needs more cards?
27 SEP 2019: How many points should [SPOILER] be worth?
20 SEP 2019: Which rules always confuse you?
13 SEP 2019: What do you think of [SPOILER]?
6 SEP 2019: Which card needs an alternate image (AI)?
30 AUG 2019: Which characteristic needs love?

Happy May everyone! Though it seems like the first third of 2020 has lasted a decade or two, we're onto a new month. If only our global problems went away as easily as turning the page of a calendar. But we'll persevere, and there's plenty of Trek to enjoy. And in much lighter news, my birthday is nearly here! I'll be turning forty-one (41) next week and it's got me thinking about gifts - in particular, Star Trek gifts!

What is the best Star Trek gift you've ever received?

I have two that come to mind, both gifts from kind and wonderful members of this community. A few years into the existence of the CC, I was given a signed series of cards and a shadow box at GenCon by Jared Hoffman, one of the many friends and players I met in Columbus, OH. He'd worked with people around the world to get the cards signed by as many players as he could reach. The shadow box contained a TNG communicator badge, a set of admiral's pips, and a small engraved plaque thanking me for my work. It was touching and I treasure those gifts still today.

Several years later, at one of the larger GenCon events - probably the last time Worlds was held there - I was gifted a plain, white, cardboard deck box. But not just any deck box - one signed by almost every player in attendance. I still have it, and I use it often.

What about you? What are your favorite Star Trek adjacent gifts that you've received? I'd love to hear about them! And I hope that all of you are staying safe and as sane as possible. There's big 1E news coming, so stay tuned. Live long and prosper, my friends.

-crp

[AllenGould]

For me, it'd be a tie between a Tribble that our friend brought us from Las Vegas (it's still in the basement to get occasionally set off), or the uncut sheet of Q-Continuum mounted (which sadly needs some TLC, since the giver wanted it signed by tournament winners, so it spent a *lot* of time getting driven around and moved and... yeah.

But since she's not here to show it off, I'll also mention the best Trek gift we've ever *given*, and that is the glory that is...

(Herman)

(Which also qualifies as the only part of that trip that went to plan... but that's a whole other story.)

[Armus]

For me, it'd be a tie between a Tribble that our friend brought us from Las Vegas (it's still in the basement to get occasionally set off), or the uncut sheet of Q-Continuum mounted (which sadly needs some TLC, since the giver wanted it signed by tournament winners, so it spent a *lot* of time getting driven around and moved and... yeah.

But since she's not here to show it off, I'll also mention the best Trek gift we've ever *given*, and that is the glory that is...

(Herman)

(Which also qualifies as the only part of that trip that went to plan... but that's a whole other story.)

Ok there's gotta be an amazing story behind Herman. Can you share? I see a lot of old school names on that card, but I don't have the context.

[sexecutioner]

My engagement ring from the missus.

She played Faith of the Heart while proposing, and it says I Love You in Klingon.

I might have a keeper here...

Screenshot_20200501-232815_Gallery.jpg (406.5 KiB) Viewed 1972 times

[Clerasil ToB]

#1: When my beloved wife and I were talking about the details of our marriage, she made a decision: you'll have to marry in a starfleet uniform. And all our Trekkie friends should also come to the wedding in uniform or at least with something related to Star Trek. Result below

#2: Almost a Star Trek gift because it was given to me at a Star Trek Convention: my wife decided to visit the "room of merchants" and came back with one of the few Joker photos from The Dark Knight signed by Heath Ledger...

[Armus]

These are all awesome! This is easily my favorite 1EFQ to date!

[AllenGould]

(Herman)

Ok there's gotta be an amazing story behind Herman. Can you share? I see a lot of old school names on that card, but I don't have the context.

The story is a bit rambly, but the teal deer is Kim and I took the card with us to the Trouble With Tribbles playtest and got everyone who was willing to sign it for her. (Patty was very well-regarded in the Trek community back then, and had a penchant for playing weird Fed decks with multiple Exocomps, each with a little sticker giving it a different name.) I'm not 100% sure, but our friend's car was nicknamed Herman, so I suspect that's where this Exocomp's name came from.

The rest of the story involves how we worked the night shift before our flight, which got delayed, which meant we missed our connection, which meant we showed up stupid late Friday night and went from 36 hours awake to five hours sleep and then... yeah. So it's memorable to me as being a bunch of very cool moments that I only half-remember because we were SO tired. But we made Patty's day when she got the card, and that was pretty much the only part of the trip that worked right.

[Klauser]

While it does not compare to a Klingon engagement ring or a Trek-themed wedding, I got a working D'k Tahg from my friends for my 50th birthday, and a replica Bat'leth from my son for a couple years later.

[Smiley]

I have been trying to upload a photo of a gift I was given by a player but for some reason the system refuses to upload it.

[BCSWowbagger]

The Fajo Collection.

Just a couple weeks after my parents told me The Truth About Santa Claus, they came to me and told me that The Fajo Collection was sold out. They couldn't find it anywhere. The amazing, hilarious cards I had set my heart on as my big Christmas present that year probably wasn't coming -- although they promised they would keep trying.

I understood, of course, but I was extremely bummed out about Christmas that year. What a blow to my faith in the world -- and, indeed, in God! I cried a bit and said prayers.

On Christmas morning... there it was under the tree. Goodness, I was ecstatic.

My parents took me aside later and told me that, the day before we drove to Milwaukee to celebrate with family, the Friendly Local Gaming Store they had been haunting called them up and said somebody had returned one of the Fajo Collections they'd recently sold, still sealed in the plastic, absolutely mint. And that became my Fajo Collection.

Best Christmas ever.

I still have the bubble gum, of course. And I can't even tell you how many times I read the Fajo rules supplement. (It was the first time I realized that a Rulebook could be fun, so you could say that this started me down the path toward becoming Rules Manager.)

[princedetenebres]

A box of All Good Things, apparently. Wish I'd never opened it and saved it.

[Iron Prime]

Mine might be the sealed box of AU back in the day when that set was new. Blew my mind when I was use to buy, at most, 5 packs. Pulled the Future Enterprise and put it straight in a case.

[SudenKapala]

He "might have a keeper (t)here..."
Pffft... show-off... ( )

I've received some awesome Trek presents -- mostly specific cards from special people; also a Borg fan collective DVD set -- but nothing of which the telling would compare to these awesome stories and wonderful photos.

Still, I'll mention Reg Barclay (Borg); Miral Paris (both borders), Elim, and the Future Ent -- the latter 2 of which ias gave me for my b-day.

And also, in Vienna, I got some terribly great gifts from several people! I cherish them in my binders. (While y'all have experienced such events multiple times, to me that was a very special occasion.)

I have been trying to upload a photo of a gift I was given by a player but for some reason the system refuses to upload it.

Describe it to me.

Please do! And/or, PM me the photo? Am curious.

[geraldkw]

A Fajo Collection that I wasn't expecting from my wife for a birthday.

Also, I gave a friend of mine an All Good things for Christmas one year, I also bought one for myself. They were going for about $130 on ebay, but I kept getting sniped so I found two with great feedback, bid $200 for each one and won them both for around $130. Oh the days when I had money to burn.

[Armus]

A Fajo Collection that I wasn't expecting from my wife for a birthday.

Also, I gave a friend of mine an All Good things for Christmas one year, I also bought one for myself. They were going for about $130 on ebay, but I kept getting sniped so I found two with great feedback, bid $200 for each one and won them both for around $130. Oh the days when I had money to burn.

Oh the days when you could get AGT for $130!

I've spent that cobbling together the partial set I do have!