Card of the Week: Page of Blades

The poet Henry David Thoreau once asked, “Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed?  If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.”

The Page of Blades is a creature of impulse, acting quickly with great energy and enthusiasm, but can be prone to thoughtlessness or carelessness.  Many circumstances call for a fast response, whether crisis management, changing computer tech, or just gaming.  It may sometimes be acceptable to shoot from the hip and “wing it,” as long as you know when to step back and track the larger picture. 

Inverted, a warning that acting in undue haste can ultimately be counterproductive.  Even the best and fastest carpenters still follow the rule of thumb to “measure twice, cut once.”

In “Shore Leave” the Enterprise investigates an uninhabited planet in the Omicron Delta region.  A landing party finds it lush with natural water and foliage and absent insects and animals, a seemingly ideal location for rest and recreation.  Then they begin to encounter random inexplicable things: McCoy sees a large rabbit in waistcoat and gloves being chased by a blonde girl; Sulu finds a centuries-old gun; Kirk runs into a mischievous Finnegan, someone he had not seen since his school days.  After more landing party members encounter more and increasingly dangerous things, a planetary Caretaker appears.  He explains that the planet reads their thoughts and manufactures things it thinks the visitors want, like an amusement park.  If the Enterprise crew could use the proper caution, they would be welcome to enjoy their visit.