RELAUNCH OF A GRAND MARAIS SCIENCE FICTION SERIES

– – Timothy Young (aka Flash Meridian)

Ten years ago in Grand Marais, I started writing a sci-fi story utilizing the local lighthouse (and Photoshop) as a rocketship. The rocky shore on the west side of the harbor became the surface of Mars.

Like Flash Meridian, I now find myself regaining consciousness after what feels like a ten year slumber. I haven’t been asleep but I’m coming to, nonetheless. I am divorced now, and rediscovering things that have long been dormant. The adventures have been waiting patiently on cd roms, like they were in a time capsule, and with them a part of me was cryogenically frozen, waiting for the technology of social networking and blogging to catch up with me. It’s not that the Adventures of Flash Meridian are so revolutionary. It all started as an idea and was formed without a budget and without a definite plan. But it was fun, and it unfolded organically, taking me to unexpected places within myself and elsewhere. Within each of us lives a vast and limitless world of possibility. Have you ever sat at a desk and allowed your mind to wander off to a tropical beach… A place far from the responsibilities of your work, taking a mini vacation just by closing your eyes for a few moments? That’s what I did, but I happened to think about flying my car into space. Somehow, and I’m grateful for this, I had friends that were willing to share in and expand my experience by dressing up and coming along, or by offering their musical talent to enhance the reverie.

The Chronicles of Narnia began when C.S. Lewis had a picture in his mind of a girl and a faun walking beneath a lamppost in the snow. His classic books grew from that, and he has long been one of my favorite writers. Admittedly I’m much more like Cook County’s Ed Wood. Everyone I meet has a story. I believe we all have untold stories within us that no one else can tell, and for me, that is what makes the universe infinite. The power of our thoughts and imagination give us an endless source of things to say. Things that are uniquely ours to tell. Sure, we are all influenced and inspired by things we have seen, heard and read. But what you have inside you is different than what I have inside me, and we need to hear it just as much as you need to tell it.

When I was in art school, one of the first classes I ever took was Art History. In it, I learned that everything we know about ancient peoples, we know from their artists. The ancient Minoans, the ancient Etruscans, the ancient Egyptians… Their artists were the voices of their generations. Each of those artists was uniquely able to leave something not only beautiful, but something educational and beneficial just because of who they were. That is still true of us today. Being you is all the credential you need to make your voice heard, and leave your fingerprints on this world. It’s not about having a big ego or doing things better than someone else. And you will be criticized along the way. Not everyone likes what I do. Not everyone will like what you do. Not everyone will get what we’re trying to say. So does that mean we shouldn’t say or do it? No!

What boggles my mind is that each and every person I see every day has a unique story. The story of their life on earth. Each of your friends. The people you don’t like. Young and old, popular and annoying people. Your parents and grandparents, the clerk at the store, the person driving by in a car.

So yeah, I come to you in my silver space suit because I wrote a story, but this is not about me. It’s not about telling you that I’m great or that I wrote the best story ever. It’s about you. I want to inspire and encourage you to understand how unique and wonderful you are.

There has never been a person like you. Not ever since the beginning of the universe. And there won’t be another person just like you again. You are so incredibly special whether you realize it or not.

What is it in life that interests you? What do you love? What are you passionate about? What are you good at, and what things do you dislike about yourself? These are good places to start.

Don’t compare yourself to others. There will always be someone who can do something better than you. There will be a better athlete, a better saxophone player, someone with prettier hair or more money. Someone taller or whatever. I guarantee they still have insecurity and fears. We all do.

If I could give you one thing, it would be confidence in yourself. The confidence to live your dream, and to love yourself. Love your uniqueness and all your wonderful qualities, and fully accept even the things you see as your weak areas or negative things about you. There are some things we can change, and some things we can’t. There are certain things we need to accept, and we may find that these are things we eventually come to appreciate.

Several people told me I should bring Flash Meridian back. I had some hesitation about this. First of all, those original episodes are ten years old. When I wrote them, I was married, and I had hair. Now I’m not married anymore, and I don’t have hair. These are examples of things I can’t change. But I can accept and embrace them. I know I look ten years older, too. I find a life lesson in this. Which I plan to work into the story.

My daughter Madeline as K-D at age 4 in 2000 and again at 14 this year.

My plan now is to continue on with The NEW Adventures of Flash Meridian, enlisting my daughter and her friends, with some cameo appearances from some of the original members. I have been a mentor to kids in Cook County since 1992.

From 2000-2002, the Adventures of Flash Meridian appeared in Grand Marais newspapers, on the then brand new WTIP 90.7 FM, in the Duluth News Tribune, and with Jason Davis on ABC TV out of Minneapolis. Through the website, the story generated emails from around the world.

The story now includes video and the original musical score and can be seen at http://flashmeridian.blogspot.com. Flash Meridian also has a Facebook page. Like him. He likes you.