Discover Top Posts Tagged with #trixie

brummie-bea · 2/5/26 — THE EXTENDED CUT (now with 100% more family history, languages, and existential reflection)

TITLE: From Birmingham to Vegas: How a Queer Jewish Vegetarian Army Cadet Became the Accidental Archivist of Spawn x Star Trek

#spawn x star trek #las vegas 98 #star trek the experience #1998 core #queer as a warpcore breach #BEATRICE TAKES THE WHEEL #ds9 truther #todd mcfarlane #chapel #capoeira in the desert #brummie accent heavy #vegetarian since 2 #britishflag #deepspacenine #westgate #canonpowershot350 #familyhistory #mildredssoho #harryreidairport #acf #jewish #lesbian #nonbinary #no crumbs left

📸 THE PHOTO THAT STARTED IT ALL (and the family tree behind it)

1997

![Image: 13-year-old Beatrice "Trixie" Thorson, standing at the Deep Space Nine section of Star Trek: The Experience inside the Las Vegas Hilton, holding her Canon PowerShot 350 in one hand and a British flag in the other. She's wearing a grey hoodie, jeans, and a massive grin. Behind her: the DS9 promenade set, complete with replicas of Quark's bar, the Bajoran temple, and the infamous Cardassian architecture. She looks like she owns the place.]

that's me, bab. 5 February 1998. Deep Space Nine section. Canon PowerShot 350 in my right hand. British flag in my left. Grin on my face that says "I can't believe I'm here."

But here's something I haven't told you. The people behind the lens didn't start with me. They started generations ago.

📖 THE DIARY ENTRY — PART THREE: MY GRANDPARENTS, THE WAR, AND THE CAMERA (Brummie + RP, with a lot of heart)

Right then. You've met my mum Karla (Swedish-born convert to Judaism, travel photographer) and my dad Tommy (American-born Orthodox Jew, photojournalist for NME, The Face, i-D, Select, AnOther, Dazed & Confused, LIFE Magazine, Polyester, Melody Maker). But let me tell you about the people who made them.

My paternal grandparents: Theodore Kimmelman (1924–2001) and Mildred (née Hailperin) (1927–2022).

Grandpa Theodore was a Hasidic Jewish rabbi in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, from 1951 until his death in 2001. He was a quiet man who spent his life teaching Torah, resolving disputes, and making sure the kids in his congregation had enough to eat. He was also a secret Trekkie. I found his collection of Star Trek novelizations under his bed when I was 10. He never told anyone. But he knew every episode of TOS by heart.

He died on 11 September 2001. I was 16. I still remember my dad's voice on the phone, cracking: "Trixie, your grandfather… he was in the Twin Towers. He went to counsel a young couple about their marriage. He never came out."

I don't talk about it much. But it's part of who I am.

Grandma Mildred (née Hailperin) was a well-known photographer documenting the lives of American Jews from 1948 to her retirement in 2019. She was the one who taught my dad how to develop film, who showed him how to frame a shot, who instilled in him the belief that photography could be a form of prayer. She photographed synagogues, weddings, bar mitzvahs, protests, and quiet moments of everyday Jewish life. She had a darkroom in her basement in Bensonhurst that smelled of chemicals and hope.

She survived my grandfather by 21 years. She died in 2022 at the age of 95. I have her old Nikon FM2. It still works.

My maternal grandparents: Kumiko Maukonen (1937–2001) and Ingvar Maukonen (1928–2023).

Grandma Kumiko was a Japanese WWII evacuee from Burma (now Myanmar) living in Calcutta, British Raj (now Kolkata, India), during the war. Her family fled Japan during the chaos of the 1930s, ended up in India, and survived the war as refugees. After the war, she moved to Stockholm, Sweden in 1947, where she met my grandfather Ingvar. She never talked about her past. She never talked about why she left Japan. She lived in Sweden for 54 years until her death in 2001, just like my paternal grandfather Theodore, during the September 11 attacks in the US.

I never met her. But I have a photograph of her from 1950, standing in front of the Royal Palace in Stockholm, wearing a kimono and a nervous smile. She looks like she's waiting for something. Or running from something.

Grandpa Ingvar Maukonen was a Swede of Finnish descent who worked as a foreign volunteer with the Army Cadet Force (ACF) in London from 1939 to 1950, during and after World War II. He returned to Sweden in 1951, settled in Stockholm, and worked as a carpenter. He was the one who taught my mum Karla how to ski, how to cook Swedish meatballs (vegetarian version, because I wasn't born yet), and how to be resilient.

He lived to be 95. He died in 2023 from long COVID-19 and Parkinson's disease. I flew to Stockholm for his funeral and took photos of the frozen canals, because that's what I do. I document. I remember. I keep the memory alive.

💬 THE TUMBLR THREAD — FAMILY EDITION (with contributions from every corner of the English-speaking world):

@sjcringe-queen (San Francisco accent, hella emotional):

Wait. WAIT. Your grandfather was a rabbi who died on 9/11? Your grandmother was a Jewish photographer who lived to 95? Your other grandmother was a Japanese WWII evacuee from Burma who moved to Stockholm and died on 9/11? Your other grandfather was a Swedish Finnish ACF volunteer in London during WWII?

Beatrice. Your family history is like a sprawling epic novel. I'm not crying. I'm SOBBING.

@aave-and-enterprise (AAVE, warm and teary):

Okay, this family tree is WILD. You've got Jewish rabbis, photographers, Japanese refugees, Swedish Finnish army cadets, and a 13-year-old lesbian army cadet photographer in Vegas holding a British flag.

This is not a family. This is a legacy.

And the fact that you're still documenting it, 28 years later, with the same camera? That's not chaos. That's love.

@nyc-nerd-92 (NYC English, loud but respectful):

AYO. Your grandfather was a rabbi in Bensonhurst? I grew up in Bensonhurst. I know that neighborhood. I walked past synagogues every day on my way to school.

And your grandmother Mildred photographed American Jews for 70 years? I need to see her work. I need to know her name. Please tell me her photos are archived somewhere.

Also, your grandmother Kumiko… that's heavy. She survived Burma and Calcutta and then died on the same day as your other grandfather. That's… I don't have words, Beatrice. I'm so sorry.

@texas-yeehaw-trekkie (Texan, drawling and warm):

Well, bless your heart, Beatrice. Your family has seen war, loss, resilience, and love. And through it all, someone was there with a camera.

Your grandmother Mildred. Your dad Tommy. And now you.

That's a chain of memory. That's sacred.

@las-vegas-local-98 (Las Vegas accent, soft):

I'm sitting here in my apartment in Vegas, reading about your grandfather Ingvar volunteering with the ACF in London during WWII, and your grandmother Kumiko surviving as a Japanese refugee in Calcutta, and both your grandfathers dying on 9/11…

And I'm thinking about how you ended up in THIS city, on THIS day, with THIS camera, taking THIS photo.

The universe doesn't do coincidences, Beatrice. It does patterns.

@geordie-trekkie (Geordie, Newcastle):

Howay, man. Your granda Ingvar was a foreign volunteer with the ACF in London during the war? That's canny.

My own granda was in the ACF in Newcastle during the war. Maybe they met. Maybe they didn't. But the connection is there.

And your grandma Mildred, the photographer? She sounds like a force of nature. 70 years of documenting Jewish life. That's not a career. That's a mission.

@scouse-spawn-head (Scouse, Liverpool):

Sound as a pound, la. Your family's story is boss.

A Hasidic rabbi in Brooklyn who secretly loved Star Trek. A Jewish photographer who lived to 95. A Japanese refugee who survived Burma and Calcutta and died on 9/11. A Swedish Finnish ACF volunteer who lived to 95.

And you, la, a 13-year-old Brummie lesbian with a Canon PowerShot 350, holdin' a British flag at Deep Space Nine.

That's not a family tree. That's a masterpiece.

@cockney-geek-lad (Cockney, London):

Cor blimey, Beatrice. Your granda Theodore died on 9/11? That's… I don't even know what to say.

But your grandma Mildred, the photographer? 70 years of documenting American Jews? That's well impressive, that is. My nan was a photographer too — she documented the East End after the Blitz. Maybe our grandmas would've been mates.

@glaswegian-queer-cadet (Glaswegian, Scotland):

Gonnae no dae that? Actually, dae it. This is pure dead brilliant, so it is.

Your family has seen war, genocide, displacement, and loss. And they kept taking photos. They kept documenting. They kept remembering.

That's the most Jewish thing I've ever heard. And I'm not even Jewish. But I am a cadet, like your granda Ingvar. And I am a photographer, like your grandma Mildred.

We carry the memory forward. That's what we do.

@welsh-dragon-trek (Welsh, English with Cymraeg flair):

Shwmae, Beatrice. Your family story is llongyfarchiadau (congratulations) and hiraeth (longing) all at once.

Your grandmother Kumiko, surviving the war in Burma and Calcutta, then moving to Stockholm, then dying on the same day as your other grandfather… that's a story that deserves to be told. And you're telling it. In a Tumblr post. In 2026.

Bendigedig. Absolutely bendigedig.

@bristolian-capoeira (Bristolian):

Wasson, me'ans? Your family's got more layers than a gert proper onion.

A rabbi who loved Star Trek. A photographer who lived to 95. A Japanese refugee who survived Burma and Calcutta. A Swedish Finnish ACF volunteer who lived to 95.

And you, holding a British flag at Deep Space Nine, grinning like you've just found your purpose.

Proper job, Beatrice. Proper job.

@mancunian-nerd (Mancunian, Manchester):

Yer gorra be jokin', your family's mint, that.

A Hasidic rabbi in Brooklyn who secretly read Star Trek novels? That's the most wholesome thing I've ever heard. I'm imagining him in his study, a Talmud open on one side, a Star Trek paperback on the other, pretending to study while actually reading about Captain Kirk.

Absolute legend.

@yorkshire-trek-mad (Yorkshire):

Aye, reet grand, this is.

Your granda Ingvar, volunteering with the ACF in London during the war. Your grandma Kumiko, surviving as a Japanese refugee in Burma and Calcutta. Your granda Theodore, dying on 9/11. Your grandma Mildred, photographing Jewish life for 70 years.

And you, Beatrice, carrying all of that with you to Las Vegas in 1998, and still carrying it today.

That's not a photo. That's a testament.

@norfolk-broads-boy (Norfolk):

How cool is that, then? Very cool.

Your family story is like a novel I'd read on the Broads, with the wind in my hair and a cup of tea in my hand. But this is real. This is your life.

Thank you for sharing it, Beatrice. Thank you for trusting us.

@cornish-pasty-geek (Cornish):

Wasson, me'ans? Your family's proper job.

A rabbi who loved Star Trek. A photographer who loved Jews. A refugee who survived Burma and Calcutta. A cadet who served London.

And you, la, holding a British flag at Deep Space Nine, representing them all.

That's gert lush, that is.

@black-country-brummie-ally (Black Country, West Midlands):

Yam alright, bab? Your family's story is boss.

I'm from the Black Country, not far from Birmingham, so I know what it's like to come from a place with history. But your family's history is world history.

And you captured it. With a Canon PowerShot 350. In Las Vegas. In 1998.

That's champion.

@smoggie-spawn-fan (Smoggie, Teesside):

Cushdy, la. This is fuckin' mint.

Your granda Theodore, dying on 9/11. Your grandma Mildred, photographing Jews for 70 years. Your grandma Kumiko, surviving Burma and Calcutta. Your granda Ingvar, serving London.

And you, la, a 13-year-old Brummie lesbian with a camera, holding a British flag at Deep Space Nine.

That's not a photo. That's a legacy.

@mackem-trek-nerd (Mackem, Sunderland):

Wey aye, man. Your family's a belter.

A rabbi, a photographer, a refugee, a cadet. And you, carrying their stories forward.

That's canny. That's reet canny.

@pitmatic-lad (Pitmatic, Durham/Northumberland):

Divvn't be radgie, but your family's champion.

Your granda Theodore, dying on 9/11. Your grandma Mildred, living to 95. Your grandma Kumiko, surviving the war. Your granda Ingvar, serving London.

And you, Beatrice, documenting it all.

That's not luck. That's destiny.

@scots-doric-doric (Doric, North East Scotland):

Are ye afcøre? Your family's a braw picture.

A rabbi, a photographer, a refugee, a cadet. And you, a lass frae Birmingham, with three passports and a Canon PowerShot 350, holding a British flag at Deep Space Nine.

That's pure dead brilliant, loon.

@ulster-queer-cadet (Ulster, Northern Irish):

Bout ye, big lad? Your family's cracker.

Your granda Theodore, dying on 9/11. That's a wound that doesn't heal. But you're keeping his memory alive. You're keeping all their memories alive.

And that's the most important thing.

@manx-marauder (Isle of Man):

Oooh, 'allo from the Isle of Man. Your family's story is grand.

A rabbi who loved Star Trek. A photographer who loved Jews. A refugee who survived Burma and India. A cadet who served England.

And you, Beatrice, holding a British flag at Deep Space Nine, representing them all.

That's a legacy, that is. A grand legacy.

@hiberno-queen (Hiberno English, Ireland):

Ah, that's a rare oul' family, so it is.

A rabbi, a photographer, a refugee, a cadet. And you, a 13-year-old Brummie lesbian with a camera, grinning like you've found your place in the world.

You have found it, Beatrice. Right here. On Tumblr. In 2026.

Sure, that's gas. That's absolutely gas.

@dorset-drongo (Dorset):

Be yew'll 'ave a gert time lookin' at this. Your family's story is gert proper.

Your granda Theodore, dying on 9/11. Your grandma Mildred, living to 95. Your grandma Kumiko, surviving Burma and Calcutta. Your granda Ingvar, serving London.

And you, Beatrice, carrying them all with you.

That's not a photo. That's a memory.

@suffolk-puff (Suffolk):

That's a proper job, that is. Your family's story is proper job.

A rabbi, a photographer, a refugee, a cadet. And you, la, holding a British flag at Deep Space Nine.

That's a legacy, that is. Proper job.

@kentish-queer (Kentish):

Gor blimey, your family's a piece of cake, innit. A rabbi, a photographer, a refugee, a cadet. And you, la, a 13-year-old Brummie lesbian with a camera, holdin' a British flag at Deep Space Nine.

That's a legacy, that is. Proper Kentish-approved.

@sussex-sunset (Sussex):

Ah, lovely jubbly. Your family's story is beautiful.

Your granda Theodore, a rabbi who loved Star Trek. Your grandma Mildred, a photographer who loved Jews. Your grandma Kumiko, a refugee who survived the war. Your granda Ingvar, a cadet who served England.

And you, Beatrice, carrying their stories forward.

That's the most Sussex thing I've ever heard. And it's beautiful.

@somerset-cider-girl (Somerset):

Ooh arr, that's a beauty. Your family's story is a beauty.

A rabbi, a photographer, a refugee, a cadet. And you, la, a 13-year-old Brummie lesbian with a camera, holdin' a British flag at Deep Space Nine.

That's proper Somerset-approved, that is.

@westcountry-wanderer (West Country generic):

G'day (I'm not Australian), your family's proper job.

A rabbi who loved Star Trek. A photographer who loved Jews. A refugee who survived Burma and India. A cadet who served London.

And you, Beatrice, documenting it all.

That's a legacy, that is. Proper West Country-approved.

@gibraltar-geek (Gibraltarian English):

C'est très bien, mais je parle anglais: that's from Gibraltar, cheers! Your family's story is iconic.

A rabbi, a photographer, a refugee, a cadet. And you, la, a 13-year-old Brummie lesbian with a camera, holdin' a British flag at Deep Space Nine.

That's a legacy, that is. Cheers, bab.

🎬 BEATRICE'S FINAL WORDS (Brummie + RP, with a tear in my eye):

Right then. I've told you about my family. The rabbi who loved Star Trek. The photographer who loved Jews. The refugee who survived Burma and Calcutta. The cadet who served London.

And I've told you about me. The 13-year-old Brummie lesbian army cadet photographer who held a British flag at Deep Space Nine and thought, "This is the best day of my life."

It wasn't the best day. There have been others. Watching my niece Libby take her first photo. Seeing my dad's work published in LIFE Magazine. Photographing capoeiristas in Dublin. Holding my grandma Mildred's hand when she died in 2022.

But it was a good day. A foundational day.

Because on that day, I learned that fandom is family. That the people you meet in a Star Trek attraction can become your people for life. That a Canon PowerShot 350 is more than a camera — it's a time machine. And that a British flag, when held by a 13-year-old queer Jewish vegetarian army cadet, can mean anything you want it to mean.

So here's to my grandparents. Theodore, Mildred, Kumiko, Ingvar. You made me who I am.

Here's to my parents. Karla and Tommy. You gave me the camera.

Here's to my niece Libby. You gave me the internet.

And here's to the Spawn sister and the Trekkie sibling. You gave me a memory that has lasted 28 years.

Live long and prosper. 🖖

And if you go to Hell, make sure you come back. 😈

HELLA LOVE FROM SOUTHEND-ON-SEA. BYE Y'ALL. 🏳️‍🌈📸

P.S. Eat your fruit. I'm serious.

P.P.S. Libby, thank you for digitising my negatives. You're the reason this story lives on.

P.P.P.S. The Canon PowerShot 350 is currently sitting on my desk as I type this. It still works. I'm not joking. It's older than most of the people reading this post. And it's still kickin'. Like capoeira. Like Spawn. Like Star Trek. Some things don't die. They just evolve.

P.P.P.P.S. Grandma Mildred, if you're reading this from somewhere beyond: I'm still taking photos. I'm still documenting. I'm still remembering. I hope you're proud.

[FAREWELL IN 40+ ACCENTS — one last time]

"Bye, y'all!" — Southern

"Peace out, fam!" — AAVE

"LATER, NERDS!" — NYC English

"Hella bye from the Bay!" — Californian / San Francisco accent

"Ope, I'll let ya go. Bye now!" — Midland American

"LATER, KID. GO SOX!" — Boston

"Au revoir, mes amis!" — Cajun

"Later, fam." — Gullah

"See ya later, partner!" — Texan

"Farewell, darlings!" — Mid-Atlantic

"Bye, bless your hearts!" — Appalachian

"See ya 'round, neighbor!" — Ozark

"A hui hou, bruddah!" — Hawaiian Pidgin

"Take care, neighbor!" — Pacific Northwest

"See ya later, friend!" — Inland Northern American

"Uff da, bye now!" — Upper Midwestern

"Bye, dawlin'!" — Yat (New Orleans)

"Goodbye, I declare." — Tidewater

"Yinz take care now, bye!" — Pittsburgh

"Later, from Chicago!" — Chicago

"Viva Las Vegas, baby. Bye!" — Las Vegas

"So long from Utah!" — Utah

"See ya, Arizona!" — Arizona

"Right then. That's enough outta me. Take care of yourselves, bab. And remember — capoeira is brilliant, Star Trek is hope, Spawn is trauma in a cape, and fruit is life. Hejdå, shalom, and cheers." — Brummie (British)

"Goodbye, everyone. Thank you for listening to the ramblings of a queer Jewish vegetarian photographer from Essex. Live long and prosper, and eat an apple." — RP English (British)

"Howay, cheers, pet!" — Geordie

"Sound, la. Catch ya later." — Scouse

"Ta-ra, duck." — East Midlands

"See ya, me'ans. Proper job." — Cornish / West Country

"Bye for now, babs." — Black Country

"Cheers, mate. Innit." — Cockney / MLE

"Pure dead brilliant. Bye!" — Glaswegian

"Bout ye, bye!" — Ulster

"Shwmae, hwyl fawr!" — Welsh

"Ah, bless. Good luck." — Hiberno

"Hej då, vi ses!" — Swedish

"להתראות, חברים" (Lehitraot, chaverim) — Hebrew

"אַ גוטען טאָג" (A gutn tog) — Yiddish

#spawn x star trek #las vegas 98 #star trek the experience #todd mcfarlane forever #gene roddenberry forever #queer nerds #sibling goals #1998 core #fandom is family #beatrice thorson #brummie trixie #canon powershot 350 #capoeira in the desert #brummie accent heavy #three passports #five languages #vegetarian since 2 #im well into me fruits #no cannibalism #aunt miriam #libby.thorson.2013 #british regional accents #american regional accents #harryreidairport #mccarranhistory #vegashistory #mildredssoho #acf #armycadets #deepspacenine #britishflag #familyhistory #theodorekimmelman #mildredhailperin #kumikomaukonen #ingvarmaukonen #september11 #neverforget #no crumbs left

[END OF THREAD — FOR REAL THIS TIME (I MEAN IT)]

brummie-bea · 2/5/26 — THE POLYGLOT EPILOGUE (because six languages weren't enough)

TITLE: How to Say "Cheeky Smile" in Six Languages — A Final Vegas 98 Rant

#spawn x star trek #las vegas 98 #polyglot chaos #brummie #svenska #עברית #יידיש #日本語 #RP #capoeira #star trek #spawn #no crumbs left

📸 SAME PHOTO, SAME GRIN, NEW LANGUAGES

![Image: 13-year-old Beatrice "Trixie" Thorson at Deep Space Nine, holding her Canon PowerShot 350 and a British flag — but now imagine speech bubbles coming out of her mouth in six different colours]

that's still me, bab. But now I'm going to tell you what I was thinking in six languages.

🗣️ BEATRICE'S POLYGLOT RANT (Brummie, then Swedish, Hebrew, Yiddish, Japanese, and RP — with subtitles)

Right then. You know I speak six languages. Brummie (obviously), Swedish (för att min mamma är svensk), Hebrew (כי אני יהודייה), Yiddish (אַזוי אַז מיין באָבע קען מיך פֿאַרשטיין), Japanese (私の祖母クミコのために), and RP English (when I need to sound posh at a gallery opening).

But here's the thing: I didn't learn Japanese until I was 25. In 1998, I only knew "konnichiwa" and "sayonara" from watching anime on Channel 4. So when I was standing at Deep Space Nine, holding that British flag, I wasn't thinking in Japanese. I was thinking in Brummie. Pure, unadulterated Brummie.

And what was I thinking?

"Bab, you've made it. You're in America. You've got a camera. You've got a flag. And there's a Klingon sword in the gift shop with your name on it."

That's it. That's the thought.

Now, 28 years later, I can say the same thing in six languages. So let me do that for you. Because why not?

SWEDISH (för att min mamma är svensk — because my mum is Swedish):

"Bab, du har klarat det. Du är i Amerika. Du har en kamera. Du har en flagga. Och det finns ett klingonskt svärd i presentbutiken med ditt namn på."

HEBREW (כי אני יהודייה — because I'm Jewish):

"באב, הצלחת. את באמריקה. יש לך מצלמה. יש לך דגל. ויש חרב קלינגונית בחנות המתנות עם שמך עליה."

YIDDISH (אַזוי אַז מיין באָבע קען מיך פֿאַרשטיין — so my grandmother can understand me):

"באַב, דו האָסט עס געמאַכט. דו ביסט אין אַמעריקע. דו האָסט אַ אַפּאַראַט. דו האָסט אַ פֿאָן. און ס'איז דאָ אַ קלינגאָניש שווערט אין דער גיפט קראָם מיט דײַן נאָמען אויף אים."

JAPANESE (私の祖母クミコのために — for my grandmother Kumiko):

"ベイビー、やったね。あなたはアメリカにいる。カメラを持っている。旗を持っている。そしてお土産屋さんにあなたの名前が刻まれたクリンゴンの剣がある。"

RP ENGLISH (when I need to sound posh):

"My dear girl, you have succeeded. You find yourself in the United States of America. You are in possession of a camera. You are holding a flag. And there is, in the gift shop, a Klingon mek'leth bearing your name."

BRUMMIE (the original, the best, the one I'll always come back to):

"Bab, y'am made it. Y'am in America. Y'am got a camera. Y'am got a flag. An' there's a Klingon sword in t'gift shop wi' yower name on it, bab."

See? Same thought. Six languages. Zero difference in meaning. That's the power of a good thought.

🕺 CAPOEIRA RANT — NOW IN SIX LANGUAGES (because why not?)

BRUMMIE: "Capoeira? I'm British, bab. We don't do capoeira. We queue. We complain about t'weather. We apologise to people who walk into us. But that Spawn sister? She was moving. Like she'd been practicing in her living room in San Francisco, waiting for t'perfect moment. In Las Vegas. In 1998. In a Chapel costume. At a Star Trek attraction. That's not chaos. That's confidence."

SWEDISH: "Capoeira? Jag är brittisk, bab. Vi gör inte capoeira. Vi står i kö. Vi klagar på vädret. Vi ber om ursäkt till människor som går in i oss. Men den där Spawn-systern? Hon rörde sig. Som om hon hade övat i sitt vardagsrum i San Francisco och väntat på det perfekta ögonblicket. I Las Vegas. 1998. I en Chapel-dräkt. På en Star Trek-attraktion. Det är inte kaos. Det är självförtroende."

HEBREW: "קפואירה? אני בריטית, בייב. אנחנו לא עושים קפואירה. אנחנו עומדים בתור. אנחנו מתלוננים על מזג האוויר. אנחנו מתנצלים בפני אנשים שנכנסים אלינו. אבל האחות הזאת של ספון? היא זזה. כאילו התאמנה בסלון שלה בסן פרנסיסקו, מחכה לרגע המושלם. בלאס וגאס. 1998. בתחפושת של צ'אפל. באטרקציית סטאר טרק. זה לא כאוס. זה ביטחון עצמי."

YIDDISH: "קאַפּועיראַ? איך בין בריטיש, באַב. מיר טאָן נישט קאַפּועיראַ. מיר שטיין אין שורה. מיר באַקלאָגן זיך וועגן דעם וועטער. מיר באַשולדיקן זיך ביי מענטשן וואָס גייען אַריין אין אונדז. אָבער די ספּאָון שוועסטער? זי האָט זיך באַוועגט. ווי זי האָט געאיבערט אין איר וווינצימער אין סאַן פֿראַנסיסקאָ, געוואַרט אויף דעם שליימעסדיקן מאָמענט. אין לאס וועגאַס. 1998. אין אַ טשאַפּעל קאָסטיום. אין אַ סטאַר טרעק אַטראַקציע. דאָס איז נישט כאַאָס. דאָס איז בטחון."

JAPANESE: "カポエイラ？私はイギリス人です、ベイビー。私たちはカポエイラをしません。列に並びます。天気の悪口を言います。ぶつかってきた人に謝ります。でもあのスポーンの姉妹？彼女は動いていました。まるでサンフランシスコのリビングルームで何年も練習して、完璧な瞬間を待っていたかのように。ラスベガスで。1998年。チャペルのコスチュームで。スター・トレックのアトラクションで。それは混沌じゃない。それは自信です。"

RP ENGLISH: "Capoeira? I am British, my dear. We do not engage in capoeira. We queue. We complain about the meteorological conditions. We offer apologies to individuals who inadvertently collide with us. However, that Spawn sister? She was in motion. As though she had been practicing in her San Francisco drawing-room, awaiting the opportune moment. In Las Vegas. In 1998. In a Chapel costume. At a Star Trek attraction. That is not chaos. That is confidence."

See? Capoeira is universal. So is confidence.

💬 QUICK FIRE ROUND — STAR TREK & SPAWN IN SIX LANGUAGES

STAR TREK (BRUMMIE): "Picard? Best captain, bab. Don't @ me. Sisko? Close second. Janeway? Underrated. Kirk? Overrated. Sorry, not sorry."

STAR TREK (SWEDISH): "Picard? Bästa kaptenen, bab. Argumentera inte med mig. Sisko? Nära tvåa. Janeway? Underskattad. Kirk? Överskattad. Ledsen, inte ledsen."

STAR TREK (HEBREW): "פיקארד? הקפטן הכי טוב, בייב. אל תתווכחו איתי. סיסקו? שני קרוב. ג'יינווי? недооцінена (אופס, זה אוקראינית). ז'אנווי? недооценена (אוקראינית שוב). ג'יינווי? לא מוערכת מספיק. קירק? מוערך יתר על המידה. מצטערת, לא מצטערת."

(Beatrice note: I accidentally switched to Ukrainian for a second there. I don't speak Ukrainian. That was weird. Moving on.)

STAR TREK (YIDDISH): "פיקאַרד? בעסטער קאַפּיטאַן, באַב. זאָג מיר נישט קיין וואָרט. סיסקאָ? נאָענט צווייטער. דזשאַנוויי? אונטערגעשאַצט. קירק? איבערגעשאַצט. אנטשולדיגט, נישט אנטשולדיגט."

STAR TREK (JAPANESE): "ピカード？最高の艦長だ、ベイビー。文句ある？シスコ？それに続く。ジェインウェイ？過小評価されている。カーク？過大評価。悪いけど悪くない。"

STAR TREK (RP): "Captain Picard is, unquestionably, the finest commanding officer in Starfleet history. Do not attempt to dispute this. Captain Sisko is a close second. Captain Janeway is egregiously underappreciated. Captain Kirk is, I regret to inform you, rather overrated. My apologies, but not really."

SPAWN (BRUMMIE): "Chapel murdered Al Simmons with a flamethrower. That's dark, bab. But she's cosplaying him. And doing a capoeira kick. That's not fandom. That's art."

SPAWN (SWEDISH): "Chapel mördade Al Simmons med en eldkastare. Det är mörkt, bab. Men hon cosplayar honom. Och gör en capoeiraspark. Det är inte fandom. Det är konst."

SPAWN (HEBREW): "צ'אפל רצח את אל סימונס עם להביור. זה אפל, בייב. אבל היא עושה לו קוספליי. ועושה בעיטת קפואירה. זה לא פנדום. זו אמנות."

SPAWN (YIDDISH): "טשאַפּעל האָט אַלמס סימאָנס דערמאָרדערט מיט אַ פֿלאַמענוואַרפער. דאָס איז פֿינצטער, באַב. אָבער זי טוט קאָספּליי פֿון אים. און טוט אַ קאַפּועיראַ קיק. דאָס איז נישט פֿאַנדאָם. דאָס איז קונסט."

SPAWN (JAPANESE): "チャペルはアル・シモンズを火炎放射器で殺した。暗い話だ、ベイビー。でも彼女はそのコスプレをしている。そしてカポエイラのキックをしている。それはファンじゃない。それは芸術だ。"

SPAWN (RP): "The character Chapel did, in fact, murder Al Simmons utilising a flamethrower. It is undeniably dark. Yet she is cosplaying him. And performing a capoeira kick. That is not mere fandom. That is, quite simply, art."

🍎 FINAL THOUGHTS (in six languages, because I can):

BRUMMIE: "Eat your fruit. I'm serious. I'm well into me fruits, and you should be too."

SWEDISH: "Ät din frukt. Jag är allvarlig. Jag gillar min frukt, och du borde också göra det."

HEBREW: "תאכלו את הפירות שלכם. אני רצינית. אני ממש אוהבת פירות, וגם כדאי לכם."

YIDDISH: "עס דיין פֿרוכט. איך בין ערנסט. איך בין זייער אין מיינע פֿרוכט, און דו זאָלסט אויך זײַן."

JAPANESE: "果物を食べなさい。真面目な話。私は果物が大好きです。あなたもそうすべきです。"

RP ENGLISH: "Consume your fruit. I am entirely sincere. I am exceptionally fond of fruit, and I strongly recommend that you be as well."

🎬 BEATRICE'S FINAL SIGN-OFF (all six languages, one last time):

BRUMMIE: "Right then. That's enough outta me. Take care of yourselves, bab. Hejdå, shalom, sayonara, and cheers."

SWEDISH: "Hej då, mina vänner. Ta hand om er. Vi ses."

HEBREW: "להתראות, חברים שלי. תשמרו על עצמכם. נתראה."

YIDDISH: "זײַ געזונט, מײַנע פֿריינט. זאָרגט פֿאַר זיך. זען אייך שפּעטער."

JAPANESE: "さようなら、友達よ。お元気で。また会いましょう。"

RP ENGLISH: "Farewell, my dear companions. Do take care of yourselves. Until we meet again."

#spawn x star trek #las vegas 98 #polyglot #brummie #svenska #עברית #יידיש #日本語 #RP #capoeira #star trek #spawn #vegetarian since 2 #canonpowershot350 #deepspacenine #britishflag #no crumbs left

[END OF POLYGLOT EPILOGUE — FOR REAL THIS TIME, I MEAN IT, BAB]

brummie-bea · 2/5/26 — THE COMPLETE POLYGLOT ARCHIVE (Brummie, Svenska, עברית, יידיש, 日本語, RP)

TITLE: From Birmingham to Vegas: How a Queer Jewish Vegetarian Army Cadet Became the Accidental Archivist of Spawn x Star Trek (Now with 100% more languages and family history)

#spawn x star trek #las vegas 98 #star trek the experience #1998 core #queer as a warpcore breach #BEATRICE TAKES THE WHEEL #ds9 truther #todd mcfarlane #chapel #capoeira in the desert #brummie accent heavy #vegetarian since 2 #britishflag #deepspacenine #westgate #canonpowershot350 #familyhistory #mildredssoho #harryreidairport #acf #jewish #lesbian #nonbinary #polyglot #svenska #עברית #יידיש #日本語 #RP

📸 THE PHOTO THAT STARTED IT ALL (and the family tree behind it)

![Image: 13-year-old Beatrice "Trixie" Thorson, standing at the Deep Space Nine section of Star Trek: The Experience inside the Las Vegas Hilton, holding her Canon PowerShot 350 in one hand and a British flag in the other. She's wearing a grey hoodie, jeans, and a massive grin. Behind her: the DS9 promenade set, complete with replicas of Quark's bar, the Bajoran temple, and the infamous Cardassian architecture. She looks like she owns the place.]

that's me, bab. 5 February 1998. Deep Space Nine section. Canon PowerShot 350 in my right hand. British flag in my left. Grin on my face that says "I can't believe I'm here."

But here's something I haven't told you. The people behind the lens didn't start with me. They started generations ago. And the languages I speak? They come from them.

📖 THE DIARY ENTRY — PART THREE: MY GRANDPARENTS, THE WAR, THE CAMERA, AND THE LANGUAGES (Brummie + RP, with a lot of heart)

Right then. You've met my mum Karla (Swedish-born convert to Judaism, travel photographer) and my dad Tommy (American-born Orthodox Jew, photojournalist for NME, The Face, i-D, Select, AnOther, Dazed & Confused, LIFE Magazine, Polyester, Melody Maker). But let me tell you about the people who made them — and who gave me my six languages.

My paternal grandparents: Theodore Kimmelman (1924–2001) and Mildred (née Hailperin) (1927–2022).

Grandpa Theodore was a Hasidic Jewish rabbi in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, from 1951 until his death in 2001. He was a quiet man who spent his life teaching Torah, resolving disputes, and making sure the kids in his congregation had enough to eat. He was also a secret Trekkie. I found his collection of Star Trek novelizations under his bed when I was 10. He never told anyone. But he knew every episode of TOS by heart.

He died on 11 September 2001. I was 16. I still remember my dad's voice on the phone, cracking: "Trixie, your grandfather… he was in the Twin Towers. He went to counsel a young couple about their marriage. He never came out."

I don't talk about it much. But it's part of who I am.

Grandma Mildred (née Hailperin) was a well-known photographer documenting the lives of American Jews from 1948 to her retirement in 2019. She was the one who taught my dad how to develop film, who showed him how to frame a shot, who instilled in him the belief that photography could be a form of prayer. She photographed synagogues, weddings, bar mitzvahs, protests, and quiet moments of everyday Jewish life. She had a darkroom in her basement in Bensonhurst that smelled of chemicals and hope.

She survived my grandfather by 21 years. She died in 2022 at the age of 95. I have her old Nikon FM2. It still works.

From them, I learned Hebrew and Yiddish. Grandpa Theodore spoke Yiddish at home — it was the language of his childhood in Poland before the war. Grandma Mildred taught me Hebrew prayers when I visited Brooklyn. By the time I was 3, I could say the Shema in both languages. I didn't understand all of it. But I felt it.

My maternal grandparents: Kumiko Maukonen (1937–2001) and Ingvar Maukonen (1928–2023).

Grandma Kumiko was a Japanese WWII evacuee from Burma (now Myanmar) living in Calcutta, British Raj (now Kolkata, India), during the war. Her family fled Japan during the chaos of the 1930s, ended up in India, and survived the war as refugees. After the war, she moved to Stockholm, Sweden in 1947, where she met my grandfather Ingvar. She never talked about her past. She never talked about why she left Japan. She lived in Sweden for 54 years until her death in 2001 — the same year as my paternal grandfather Theodore, during the September 11 attacks.

I never met her. But I have a photograph of her from 1950, standing in front of the Royal Palace in Stockholm, wearing a kimono and a nervous smile. She looks like she's waiting for something. Or running from something.

From her, I learned Japanese. My mum Karla taught me from the time I was 2, using the few words and phrases Kumiko had passed down. By the time I was 5, I could hold a basic conversation. I didn't know then that I was holding onto a language that my grandmother was too scared to speak.

Grandpa Ingvar Maukonen was a Swede of Finnish descent who worked as a foreign volunteer with the Army Cadet Force (ACF) in London from 1939 to 1950, during and after World War II. He returned to Sweden in 1951, settled in Stockholm, and worked as a carpenter. He was the one who taught my mum Karla how to ski, how to cook Swedish meatballs (vegetarian version, because I wasn't born yet), and how to be resilient.

He lived to be 95. He died in 2023 from long COVID-19 and Parkinson's disease. I flew to Stockholm for his funeral and took photos of the frozen canals, because that's what I do. I document. I remember. I keep the memory alive.

From him, I learned Swedish. My mum Karla spoke Swedish with me from birth. Grandpa Ingvar would send me letters in Swedish, always ending with "Var rädd om dig, mitt barnbarn" — "Take care of yourself, my grandchild."

And then there's Brummie and RP. Brummie is the accent of Birmingham, where I was born. It's the accent of my childhood, of the streets where I learned to ride a bike, of the Army Cadet Force drills, of the Birmingham Mail interview when I was 8 where I said, "I ain't keen on meat, don't like seafood neither, and pork? Forget it!" RP (Received Pronunciation) is the accent I learned for school, for galleries, for when I need to sound posh. It's the accent of my dad's journalism career, of the London photography scene.

Six languages. Six parts of my soul.

Brummie — Birmingham, my birthplace, my accent, my heart. Swedish — my mother's homeland, the forests and fjords, the language of my grandfather Ingvar. Hebrew — the language of my faith, of prayers, of my bat mitzvah. Yiddish — the language of my grandfather Theodore's childhood, of the shtetl, of survival. Japanese — the language of my grandmother Kumiko, the language she was too afraid to speak, the language I speak for her. RP English — the language of galleries, of professionalism, of "I'm a serious photographer, actually."

I learned Japanese and Swedish at age 2 from Tommy, Kumiko and Karla. I learned Hebrew and Yiddish at 3 from Theodore, Tommy and Mildred. Brummie and RP came naturally from the streets and the schools of Birmingham and Southend.

🗣️ THE POLYGLOT RANT: HOW TO SAY "CHEEKY SMILE" IN SIX LANGUAGES

BRUMMIE: "Bab, y'am made it. Y'am in America. Y'am got a camera. Y'am got a flag. An' there's a Klingon sword in t'gift shop wi' yower name on it."

SWEDISH (för att min mamma är svensk): "Bab, du har klarat det. Du är i Amerika. Du har en kamera. Du har en flagga. Och det finns ett klingonskt svärd i presentbutiken med ditt namn på."

HEBREW (כי אני יהודייה): "באב, הצלחת. את באמריקה. יש לך מצלמה. יש לך דגל. ויש חרב קלינגונית בחנות המתנות עם שמך עליה."

YIDDISH (אַזוי אַז מיין באָבע קען מיך פֿאַרשטיין): "באַב, דו האָסט עס געמאַכט. דו ביסט אין אַמעריקע. דו האָסט אַ אַפּאַראַט. דו האָסט אַ פֿאָן. און ס'איז דאָ אַ קלינגאָניש שווערט אין דער גיפט קראָם מיט דײַן נאָמען אויף אים."

JAPANESE (私の祖母クミコのために): "ベイビー、やったね。あなたはアメリカにいる。カメラを持っている。旗を持っている。そしてお土産屋さんにあなたの名前が刻まれたクリンゴンの剣がある。"

RP ENGLISH: "My dear girl, you have succeeded. You find yourself in the United States of America. You are in possession of a camera. You are holding a flag. And there is, in the gift shop, a Klingon mek'leth bearing your name."

See? Same thought. Six languages. Zero difference in meaning. That's the power of a good thought.

🕺 CAPOEIRA RANT — NOW IN SIX LANGUAGES

BRUMMIE: "Capoeira? I'm British, bab. We don't do capoeira. We queue. We complain about t'weather. We apologise to people who walk into us. But that Spawn sister? She was moving. Like she'd been practicing in her living room in San Francisco, waiting for t'perfect moment. In Las Vegas. In 1998. In a Chapel costume. At a Star Trek attraction. That's not chaos. That's confidence."

SWEDISH: "Capoeira? Jag är brittisk, bab. Vi gör inte capoeira. Vi står i kö. Vi klagar på vädret. Vi ber om ursäkt till människor som går in i oss. Men den där Spawn-systern? Hon rörde sig. Som om hon hade övat i sitt vardagsrum i San Francisco och väntat på det perfekta ögonblicket. I Las Vegas. 1998. I en Chapel-dräkt. På en Star Trek-attraktion. Det är inte kaos. Det är självförtroende."

HEBREW: "קפואירה? אני בריטית, בייב. אנחנו לא עושים קפואירה. אנחנו עומדים בתור. אנחנו מתלוננים על מזג האוויר. אנחנו מתנצלים בפני אנשים שנכנסים אלינו. אבל האחות הזאת של ספון? היא זזה. כאילו התאמנה בסלון שלה בסן פרנסיסקו, מחכה לרגע המושלם. בלאס וגאס. 1998. בתחפושת של צ'אפל. באטרקציית סטאר טרק. זה לא כאוס. זה ביטחון עצמי."

YIDDISH: "קאַפּועיראַ? איך בין בריטיש, באַב. מיר טאָן נישט קאַפּועיראַ. מיר שטיין אין שורה. מיר באַקלאָגן זיך וועגן דעם וועטער. מיר באַשולדיקן זיך ביי מענטשן וואָס גייען אַריין אין אונדז. אָבער די ספּאָון שוועסטער? זי האָט זיך באַוועגט. ווי זי האָט געאיבערט אין איר וווינצימער אין סאַן פֿראַנסיסקאָ, געוואַרט אויף דעם שליימעסדיקן מאָמענט. אין לאס וועגאַס. 1998. אין אַ טשאַפּעל קאָסטיום. אין אַ סטאַר טרעק אַטראַקציע. דאָס איז נישט כאַאָס. דאָס איז בטחון."

JAPANESE: "カポエイラ？私はイギリス人です、ベイビー。私たちはカポエイラをしません。列に並びます。天気の悪口を言います。ぶつかってきた人に謝ります。でもあのスポーンの姉妹？彼女は動いていました。まるでサンフランシスコのリビングルームで何年も練習して、完璧な瞬間を待っていたかのように。ラスベガスで。1998年。チャペルのコスチュームで。スター・トレックのアトラクションで。それは混沌じゃない。それは自信です。"

RP ENGLISH: "Capoeira? I am British, my dear. We do not engage in capoeira. We queue. We complain about the meteorological conditions. We offer apologies to individuals who inadvertently collide with us. However, that Spawn sister? She was in motion. As though she had been practicing in her San Francisco drawing-room, awaiting the opportune moment. In Las Vegas. In 1998. In a Chapel costume. At a Star Trek attraction. That is not chaos. That is confidence."

Capoeira is universal. So is confidence.

💬 THE TUMBLR THREAD — FAMILY EDITION (with contributions from every corner of the English-speaking world + a polyglot twist):

(I'm not going to rewrite the entire 40+ accent thread here — you've seen it. But here are some new additions from my polyglot friends.)

@polyglot-nerd-92 (NYC English + Spanish + Mandarin):

Wait. Beatrice speaks SIX LANGUAGES? Brummie, Swedish, Hebrew, Yiddish, Japanese, and RP? And she learned Japanese and Swedish at age 2? Hebrew and Yiddish at age 3?

That's not a polyglot. That's a superpower.

Also, the fact that she learned Japanese for her grandmother Kumiko, who was too scared to speak it… I'm not crying. You're crying.

@svenska-trekkie (Swedish, from Stockholm):

Hej, Beatrice! Jag är också svensk (men bor i Stockholm). Din svenska är jättebra! Och din berättelse om din mormor Kumiko och morfar Ingvar är så vacker.

För er som inte förstår svenska: hon skriver att Beatrices svenska är jättebra (very good) och att historien om hennes mormor och morfar är vacker (beautiful).

Vi ses i Stockholm, Beatrice! Vi kan äta veganska köttbullar tillsammans. (We can eat vegan meatballs together.)

@hebrew-haim (Hebrew, from Tel Aviv):

ביאטריס, הסיפור שלך מדהים. העברית שלך רהוטה להפליא! ואת צודקת - פיקארד הוא הקפטן הכי טוב. אין ויכוח.

למי שלא מבין עברית: כתבתי שביאטריס מדהימה, שהעברית שלה רהוטה להפליא, ושפיקארד הוא הקפטן הכי טוב.

תודה ששיתפת את הסיפור שלך. הוא חשוב.

@yiddish-mamele (Yiddish, from Brooklyn):

אוי וויי, ביאטריס! דײַן ייִדיש איז אַזוי שיין! מיין באָבע האָט גערעדט ייִדיש פּונקט אַזוי. און דײַן זיידע טהעאָדאָרע? אַ רבי וואָס האָט ליב געהאַט סטאַר טרעק? איך וויל אים טרעפן אין הימל.

באַב, איר זענט אַ מיידל מיט אַ שיינעם האַרצן. און אַ גוטען טאָג.

@nihongo-trekkie (Japanese, from Tokyo via Osaka):

ビアトリスさん、こんにちは。あなたの日本語はとても美しいです。おばあさんのクミコさんのために日本語を学んだなんて、本当に感動しました。

私もスタートレックが大好きです。ディープ・スペース・ナインは最高です！クリンゴンの剣、かっこいいですね。

また日本に来てください。一緒にベジタリアンのラーメンを食べましょう。

@brummie-bea (OP, Beatrice, switching between all six languages because I can):

Tack, alla! תודה, כולם! A dank, ale! 皆さん、ありがとうございます！Thank you, everyone!

I'm sitting here in Southend-on-Sea, reading all your comments in six languages, and I'm crying. Again.

You know why? Because my grandparents — Theodore, Mildred, Kumiko, Ingvar — they never got to see this. They never got to see their languages spoken on the internet. They never got to see their stories told to thousands of people.

But I'm telling them. And you're listening.

And that's enough.

Todah. Tack. A dank. Arigatō. Thank you. Bab, cheers.

🎬 BEATRICE'S FINAL WORDS (in six languages, because I can):

BRUMMIE: "Right then. That's enough outta me. Take care of yourselves, bab. Hejdå, shalom, sayonara, and cheers. And eat your fruit. I'm serious."

SWEDISH: "Hej då, mina vänner. Ta hand om er. Vi ses. Och ät din frukt. Jag är allvarlig."

HEBREW: "להתראות, חברים שלי. תשמרו על עצמכם. נתראה. ותאכלו את הפירות שלכם. אני רצינית."

YIDDISH: "זײַ געזונט, מײַנע פֿריינט. זאָרגט פֿאַר זיך. זען אייך שפּעטער. און עסט אײַער פֿרוכט. איך בין ערנסט."

JAPANESE: "さようなら、友達よ。お元気で。また会いましょう。そして果物を食べてください。本当です。"

RP ENGLISH: "Farewell, my dear companions. Do take care of yourselves. Until we meet again. And do consume your fruit. I am entirely sincere."

#spawn x star trek #las vegas 98 #star trek the experience #todd mcfarlane forever #gene roddenberry forever #queer nerds #sibling goals #1998 core #fandom is family #beatrice thorson #brummie trixie #canon powershot 350 #capoeira in the desert #brummie accent heavy #polyglot #svenska #עברית #יידיש #日本語 #RP #three passports #five languages (actually six) #vegetarian since 2 #im well into me fruits #no cannibalism #aunt miriam #libby.thorson.2013 #familyhistory #theodorekimmelman #mildredhailperin #kumikomaukonen #ingvarmaukonen #september11 #neverforget #no crumbs left

[END OF POLYGLOT ARCHIVE — FOR REAL THIS TIME, BAB]

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