Hello, Fellow STFer's,

I have had the honor of spending a few hours interviewing Jay Luistro, who is coming on on his first STF Birthday of the club for this month's Kate's Coffee Corner. Jay joined the club on July 14, 2019, where he was placed on the USS Endeavour as a fresh-faced Science Cadet. This was the first step where he took the site by storm.    His writing is a wonderful mix of engaging banter and vivid descriptions of the character's surroundings. Jay's creativity shines through on all his side sims as he artfully blends the telling of his story and spotlighting anyone lucky or smart enough to join them. The bottom line is this...if you aren't RPing with Jay you are missing out on something amazing. If you don't believe me check out the information below.     Jay's Current Characters  

Lieutenant JG	Kai Oliver Kingstone	Chief Science Officer	USS Atlantis
Lieutenant JG	Ari Kux Salemberger	Chief Science Officer	USS Odin
Lieutenant	Guy Freeman	Chief Counseling Officer	USS Ark Angel

Want to learn more? Well here are some really fun facts about his characters that Jay has shared with me:

Lieutenant Junior Grade Kai Oliver Kingstone Chief Science Officer of the USS Atlantis

Kai Oliver Kingstone was my first and the most intrepid of all my characters. Posting first on the USS Endeavour as Cadet, then he was transferred on the USS Atlantis where he is currently top dog in the science department. To be honest, when I first made Kai I did mot expected him to reach a grade and a position that high in the first year of STF. But as odds and expectations were that low, when he got graduated and received a promotion to CSO, I had a huge smile on my face, although at the same time I had other characters with DH positions.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Ari Kux Salemberger Chief Science Officer of the USS Odin

Ari Kux Salemberger was my second character, born for the need of CSO onboard the Odin. Although he does not have a complicated history as he was created from nothing. Soon he will get to change his history and civilian status as he will marry his kind and happy soul mate! I have to thank Steven Sigle who gave me a great opportunity to lay the ground for Ari with this character role!

Lieutenant Chief Guy Freeman Counseling Officer of the USS Ark Angel

Guy Freeman isn’t someone to expect to get a friendly greeting. At least not when I first created him! Indeed, 4th creation, Guy was to be meant as an incapable and sad Counselor, which suited the story I am writing for him. Besides the rough start, being on the Ark Angel is starting to change him pretty much quickly and I am excited to see where Lieutenant Freeman will arrive.

 

Sir, Sean Knights currently unrostered

Unluckily for Sean, he was not used that much. He was meant to be a mentor on the retiring ship Endeavour. I’m still searching a ship for him to board and I want to get back to sim with other players so that Sean can actually enjoy his role as Science Officer.

 

Since it is summer I say we switch out the steaming cup of coffee and go with something more to the season as we start the interview: Gelato! Well, coffee-flavored gelato. I mean come on guys it's me. Now sit back, get some coffee, and get ready to learn about one of our amazing writers!

 

 

20 QUESTIONS WITH KATE O'NEILL

1. As children growing up we all remember making pictures with the classic crayon colors of Aqua Andorian Seas, Sea Foam Orion, Vulcan Desert Sand, and Ragin' Ba'tleth Red. Last week the crayon giant Federation Colors announced it's adding a new crayon to the box. What color would you add and why?

So if I was able to add to the Crayon Federation Colors, I would love to see something yellowish... I mean, how could you draw a star system without the fancy yellow of your average star of the main sequence? So If I wanted to add a color? I would probably say Yellow Engineering. Bright, Classy but also fun to use in every way. Also, I think yellows lack in Star Trek so they should use it more!

 

2. What is your favorite character you have ever written?

I usually don’t have a favorite of anything. I.e. What’s your favorite dish of pasta? Well, it might surprise you but I don’t even know what is my favorite dish of pasta! Ahaha... fun? No ok. So If I needed to give a preference, I would say that Guy in these last months gave me so much fun. The other characters are also good! Kai, my first character, is for example is involved in creating new scenarios for the crew to enjoy. Deadly planets which will eat you alive? Why not. Explosive goo that might get your ship stuck? Sure. Just remember that any of Kai’s disaster is sponsored by the Captain (I’m just joking Kate, I know I need to clean all my mess... eheheh).

Other than Kai I have also Ari. He’s interesting in its own way, but as the Sim style is slow, I get to see tiny frames of his living aboard the Odin. But since he’s one of my new creations, in the meanwhile I can add tons of things to make his character interesting, like he’s going to marry an NPC! Why? Because... I also need some love.

Returning to the question, who’s my favorite character I wrote with... well it is so hard to me to choose, but I guess Kai would be my choice because it kinda shows what I would have done if I was in the Star Trek universe myself and also because I had so much fun writing with Kate and the crew. It is like my ideal mirror life.

 

3. If you were a candy bar what would it be and why?

I haven’t eaten lots of candy bars in my life but if I had to build a Sweetie Transchanger device, in the end, I would love to be a classic and generic fruit and cereal bar. Why? It is more of something personal, to be honest. I used, indeed, to carry tons of generic fruit and cereal bars for the break. My mother always bought tons of it and because I was the only kid that ate solid fruit (sorry sis) in the family, she just threw at me the whole container of fruit bars. I did enjoy them? Yes. Particularly those with two kinds of cereal and raisins. Weird kiddo I was!

4. STF is a zoo. Literally, have you seen how many animals wearing pips we have here? If you could compare yourself with any animal in the world, which would it be and why?

Hmm... good question. To be honest, I was never asked about comparing myself to an animal. They would at least ask me: “what’s your favorite animal?” And I would say “The Hawk! The Hawk!” But never “Hey, what animal would you compare yourself.” So here the fresh reply: I would certainly compare myself to a fox. Fox, what!? No, I am not that smart, also not the generic Fox but an Arctic Fox. Indeed I do love a lot the freezing weather and I can easily adapt to almost all climates (even though you might hear me swearing for the immense warmth that sometimes boils my blood hahah) and also the snow is my thing. Foxes are a loner most of the time, but when the instinct kicks in, he loves to regroup and stay with others of his species. I do kinda do this in real life because I find it hard to socialize with people. So as last resort I periodically get away from them and then get in touch sometimes later. Last but not least, foxes are my third favorite animals. As a kid, I always imagined the Fox as a strong and interesting animal and as such. Don’t bully the fox, he wants just to survive!

 

5. So since you have dual citizenship lets play a game called Italy vs the Philippines. Who does it better? Answer the series of quick questions below with the name of the country and any information you want to share about your choice.

Best Volcano: Mount Vesuvius or Mountain Pinatubo For the first point, I should give it to the Vesuvius. Not only because I love the classic Italian most recognized volcano, but also I do prefer it to the Pinatubo. First, because I didn’t visit Pinatubo but I did instead get to get a closer look at Vesuvius. Pinatubo is also the tiniest volcano that is present in the Philippines. Second, because Vesuvius is a historical event that always... amazed me. The Pompeii fate after the eruption. Indeed, not far from Naples (a city that I love for its pizza), Pompeii lays there with all its dust statue in the relative calm of the Campania region. Just the image of those people, running for their lives, always amazed my younger me. I don’t know why, but the figures that you could sometimes see gets me some feelings that you cannot seek anywhere else. Also as we study that event in depth, it made the fact even more interesting as it is often portrayed as a dramatic poetic event.

Best Scuba diving and snorkeling For the second point I need to give it to the Philippines. Although I just did once snorkeling there, I think the potential fun you would have there is greater than here in Italy. Indeed, most of the beaches between the 100/200 meters from the shores are relatively shallows and full of lives. When we went to enjoy a day or two into the Philippines sea beaches, I do remember we were far just a couple of hundred meters out, and you could just put your face with a mask in the water and see lots of colorful corals and thousand different fishes.

Most picturesque landscape For the most pictured landscape instead, I do think that Rome, Florence, and Venice are the most picturesque. Fun fact moment, Italy has 60/70% of the World's Cultural Heritage. Most of them are indeed located in Venice, Florence (with all its amazing paintings from the most known authors like Michelangelo and Leonardo) and Rome (architecture and art, like the colosseum or the famous Roman aqueducts). It is to remember, by the way, that those are not the only place to seek new cultural places and indeed I invited you to go for every region and discover what cultural heritage place they have! Here in Turin, for example, we still have the olds roman city gates and part of the old Augusta Taurinorum city center! 

Best beach Also the Philippines shores are way funnier than Italian’s one. There’s no need for some sort of booking stuff of whatever. If you hit the right spot you can enjoy an amazing view of the Philippine islands and the local population is usually friendly to foreigners and you may also get a taste of their everyday life.

Yummiest Dessert Passing to the yummiest dessert, the score goes to... drums roll the Italians! Again. Indeed for some reason or another, I do prefer Italian cuisine for the dessert side although the Philippines ones are no joke either. While you want to enjoy something more delicate, you can always try some cannolo siciliano or some classic gelato. If you instead want something more Asiatic and tropical, get a try of kasaba cake or some rice cupcake called puto.

Friendlier people Last but not least point, I’ll give it to the Filipinos. I did have the chance to go three times in my life and in comparison to most Italian's, I assure you the Filipinos, my gents, are far more interesting, funny and friendly than any Italian here in the Italian peninsula. It is something in our blood that cannot make us feel... harmful in some way. We live in relative peace with each other and indeed we refer to brother or sister, even though you may have never seen that guy or dudette! Which is amazing. So if you wanted some friends, go to the Philippines, buy some cheap but tasty food and enjoy your new circle of fun friends who are always charming and ready to show bits of their lives and loves.

 

6. Okay, so we all know school is peppered with those wacky teachers that give sitcoms endless inspiration. What is the craziest thing one of your teachers has done or asked you to do? (FYI you get bonus points if I have never heard of it ;)

Well, to be honest, I do not remember any weird things that have ever happened in my class time that may deserve your attention. Indeed here teachers are like a dead person who just teaches you stuff in boring ways, the old 1800 ways. But if You can enjoy it, I have a fact that happened between elementary and middle school. If I remember correctly it was like the 3rd or 4th year of elementary (we have 5), and for some reason or another, I was being a bad kiddo and received like a written report so my mother could read and react. It was like: your sons draws stuff while the lesson is going on, something like that. At that time, my mother was like Satan and I had a lot of fear. So what I did to avoid that report being read was just to cut the page and carelessly make it a paper plane. Unfortunately, my teacher caught me and she decided that another letter was to be written. This time she took the paper plane and attached to the page. So what I did was “Well, Haha I am smart enough to copy my mother’s sign.” And so I badly faked the sign. It is pointless to say that the next day I did not have two letters but three. The extra one was for the fake sign. And so the situation was like; oh right we have three report letters... what do I do. I prayed for a week or so and another report letter came because it passed lots of times and my mother did not even see the first letters. For chance or whatever... my fate was then sealed. I just heard “Jay! Come here.” And I already knew it was my end. Luckily enough I am here talking about it! Ahah but it was something I did crazy.

 

7. What inspires you?

What inspires me? Well through the time plenty of things had inspired me. From the research and innovation to the relentless exploration feeling I had as a youngster. Nowadays, instead, space exploration is inspiring me. It is something that I always admired since my youth and that I always tried to follow even when in trouble or in some uneasy moments. So what truly inspires me is the effort of humanity to become better and to join their strength for a common goal! We are making huge steps toward a future similar to Star Trek and this is also another reason for inspiration. It is something that keeps me alive and freaking excited for future missions. Who knows what adventure we will enterprise!

 

8. What Star Trek title best describes your life? Undiscovered Country, Voyage Home, First Contact, Final Frontier, Insurrection, or Into Darkness.

As far as I can tell, my life is still at the start of a long journey, full of trials, errors, and things I wished I’ve never done and others that I’ve wished I did. So if I needed to describe it into a Star Trek film, that would be First Contact. It is not because I think it is an amazing film or whatever, but it brings that sense of progression. What I mean is that while the Enterprise is trying to avoid any time change, they witness what humanity had done in the past but how they managed to be what they are in that Trekkie future we all know. As such, I do believe it partially represents what is my life... still an unknown future full of trial and errors that need to take the flight and seek for that First Contact to then live my life. Then when I’ll be finally adult, I’ll be watching back and see my progression. Who knows what is my First Contact... that fact that will change my life forever but I hope it will be something full of hope and prosperity.

 

9. We all know that you are a dog lover like many of us. Can I just say you have exquisite tastes in pets? So what we all would love to know is what movie star dog would you want by your side? La Pimpa, Lassie, Beethoven, Bolt, Scooby-Doo, Toto, Old Yeller, Snoopy, or Marley.

Bolt. Bolt would be my movie star dog that I would want on my side. He’s such a lovely dog and also he was the second dog I ever watched in a movie! I still remember the movie and I should probably re-watch it someday! All dogs are heroes!

 

10. What is immediately behind as you write your answer to this question? Describe it in detail.

Let me check... hmm a normal size pillow with a beige colored cover, no patterns but full color, with a depth of 8/9cm. Probable weight is between 500 and 800g. It lacks coldness sometimes in the night so I would rate it 4/5 stars because it is comfy and cozy. Also, it gives you the feeling of hugging a huge soft bear!

 

11. We all have skills and talents that make us fabulous. What are you most likely to become famous for?

Usually, I don’t even get to know my particular skills but I do get praise about my abilities on paper and on computer technical design. Indeed, for some reason, I am always asked when there’s technical drawing about tips on the execution of some sort of apartment planning or drawing of objects. Also, people appreciate the way I do back massages which I believe are nothing special BUT they are sometimes requested. Are my hands made of some sort of silk touch? Who know!

 

12. Daydreaming is an activity we all do from time to time. If you could close your eyes and wake up in your favorite daydream what would you see or what would you be doing?

I would probably be living as the Captain of the USS White Rose and exploring the universe with my fantastic wife. Maybe having also some kids and preparing amazing dishes with foreigner condiments and seasonings. But if I needed to daydream more realistically I would probably say to participate to the SpaceX program and be a true astronaut, find a home on Mars and be one of the pioneers of our space-age... it would be awesome.

 

13. Oh, noes! The Captain just came to you and said you have to cover the diplomatic dinner. You are required to plan the dinner and the Captain wants you to serve your famous dish that the crew loves. When you are handed the PaDD with the race of the diplomats you groan. These are the last people you would want to spend an evening dining with. What species would you hate having dinner with and what would you serve them?

Those pesky Romulans... I don’t know why I have some kind of hate for them but it is a species that I freaking discourage encountering. Guy had some problems with them indeed eheheh. So If they gave me the important role to prepare a diplomatic dinner, I would serve them some typical Romulan dish... but with a touch of spice. Ok, maybe a ton of spice. I would literally go anywhere in the galaxy to have the spiciest pepper on the market, buy it, and put it on their dishes. And as the last touch, put a glass of milk in a closed closet with transparent walls. I know I am evil, mwahaha.

 

14. Transporters, Replicators, and Tricorders are Prime Directive No No's when encountering non-warp capable species because they can be seen as magic and alter the course of a civilization; however, who needs warp engines. We have some darn fantastical things right now. What products amaze and astound you the most?

Indeed, Kate, who needs Warp Engines, Transporters, and Phasers when we do have literally the fascinating and still new tech of 3D printing? With it, we can literally do anything and I am amazed that they are evolving into something that is similar to replicators. The tech involved in it is revolutionizing the world and indeed as a matter of fact its growing use can be witnessed in the SpaceX suits. Their helmet is crafted using advanced 3D printers. Give those some more time and we’ll see some more magic coming from those amazing pieces of tech, almost like a real replicator. If I had one, I would have fun on designing and printing tiny USS Enterprise

 

15. Your science officer on the Atlantis was slumbering peacefully until a loud maw bellows out in the room startling you awake. You see a note attached to the animal as it is eating your sock. "You’ve been given a goat. You can’t give it away or sell it." We all want to know what are you going to do with the goat?"

I know’s everyone dream is to have a goat, especially some ops officer one’s... *whistles* but hmm, interesting question. Firstly I would give him or her a name. If it is a he, then I would call him Frankie. But if it is a she then I would call her Sunshine. After christening the goat, I would first let the goat come in my lab, get some science done, and probably enjoy some drinks at the ship mess hall. Then go on the holodeck, go hiking, maybe some roller coaster and take some sweets at the sweeties stand. As the last thing, I would probably ask the Captain for a room for the goat and promote it to Ensign, give it the uniform, and also the role of ship mascot. Simple right? It would be awesome to have a goat, a second friend... well I’m going on a mission searching for an alien goat, I’ll be back for dinner.

 

16. Everyone has that one thing in their life that makes them say why? If you could have the answer to one question you always wanted to ask what would it be?

If God granted me an answer to a question I would probably ask for the reply of why do we have life. Why know other things when you can know the answer beforehand as the reason of your existence? It came naturally to think about it since I was 11, at that time I was still a kid who liked documentaries. And so for the first time I imagined life without life, point blank and I got stuck walking home, thinking: “The universe would be empty space? Or the Universe would just not exist?” Still, nowadays I sometimes get stuck trying to answer this question and I do think that many of us want to know what there’s beyond life and death. Perhaps to comfort ourselves of why we do exist.

 

17. It is karaoke time in Ten Forward but the computer broke. What songs have you completely memorized?

Oh, this is embarrassing but I have completely fallen in love with two songs, in particular, Can’t help Falling in Love by Elvis and Fly Me to the Moon by Sinatra. Both are great songs but as I am keener on Sinatra’s song I’ll be singing “Fly Me to the moon and let me play, among the stars...”

 

18. In what period of Star Trek would you have loved to live in?

I would say that if I had a chance to enter the Star Trek universe, my choice would be between TOS and the post-TOS films period, the ones with those red fancy uniforms! The reason is simple, I do love the old enterprises and the feeling of discoveries it gave to me and the bumps I felt while watching those films. TNG is a fantastic show but I would rather be a pioneer than a simple explorer and scientist, part of the old guard to tell my son about my journeys and then hear from them their adventures. Also, the fact that things were more complicated makes everything more interesting and exciting.

 

19. Of your favorite authors and music makers, who would you mention?

So as you know, maybe, I do love classical music. I am absolutely thrilled hearing Chopin and Brahms, but as a classical music lover, You also should listen to some Tchaikovski and Vivaldi. For some more modern authors, the old classic Queens I can hear anywhere and anytime without getting bored. I do also enjoy a lot of U2 and Coldplay. The merit of these last choices was particularly transmitted by my father who loves those bands. Last but not least, as I said earlier in previous questions, Elvis, Sinatra, Bon Jovi, and Louis Armstrong are amazing choices for relaxing while drinking a cold drink. Get a pick and try them.

 

20. What does STF mean to you?

In the earlier stages when I initially joined STF, I didn’t really think of anything fantastic about the STF community. You see, I was seeking some fun to tap the holes of boredom in my life. I would have never thought that roleplaying into this magnificent community would have led me to appreciate their company. So even if it just passed roughly almost a year, I believe STF became a second family for me where I can search for a safe shelter and have some fun, and I hope they at least learned to have me in the proximity as their family member. If it is not the case, well... It’s okay! I still love all of you.

 

 

And there you have it. Another amazing interview by one of our great writers in STF. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. FYI...we are so getting a goat and it will be Frankie or Sunshine.

~Kate O'Neill