Ensign Crusher, set phasers to “All In”!

(Alternate title: OMG, Wil Wheaton blogs and plays poker online!)

Wil Wheaton, who most people know as either Gordie in Stand By Me (IMDb) or Wesley Crusher on Star Trek, has long since left those roles behind. These days, he’s got his own blog (which, after experiencing technical difficulties, has been moved here, to TypePad). He’s also written two books (Just a Geek and Dancing Barefoot), and actively plays online poker at PokerStars.com. He’s even started a podcast recently called Radio Free Burrito Episode Zero (MP3 [27.3MB]) where he answers some questions asked by his blog readers.

Why am I blogging about him? Mostly out of awe and admiration, I guess. I mean, he’s a father like me, he finds the inspiration to write, he finds the time for his geeky interests and to play poker online. On top of it all, he seems like a really nice person, someone I wish I could be friends with in meatspace. (If you knew me, you’d know why that’s a compliment, considering I’m patently misanthropic in nature.) Alas, he lives out on the West Coast and I’m all the way on the East Coast.

Anyway, I say he’s cool and if you’re curious as to what he’s been up to since he disappeared from the Hollywood limelight, you should go check him out. He’s been busy and it all looks like good stuff.