May the 4th Be With You!

And with that I welcome Star Wars Day 2012! I'm not exactly sure when my love affair with Star Wars began. What I do remember is being 12-years-old and watching A New Hope on television one weekend (we didn't own the VHS tape). My mother noticed my rapt attention and said, "You have always loved that movie, even when you were little. You know there's two more movies that go with it?" At that moment my world shifted and within the half hour we had been to Blockbuster and returned with Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Life after that was never the same.

Unfortunately, I wasn't born early enough to appreciate the original releases in theaters when they were cutting edge and cool. Therefore, I felt alone in my geek love for the Republic and, at first, Luke Skywalker (naturally as I got older Han Solo became the only man worth admiring in a galaxy far, far away). None of my friends seemed interested in these films if they had heard of them at all. I know very few of my crowd were as eager to see the re-releases as I during my high school years. And it seemed like no one I knew felt or understood the crushing disappointment of The Phantom Menace.

Now, I have found my niche! It seems as if all the nerds and geeks who spent years immersed in Star Wars lore are the popular guys. Some of my favorite actors/comedians proudly voice their admiration for the original trilogy (and their dismay at the newer episodes). It's like an alternate world of cool has sprung from all the folks who love Obi Wan and Yoda and Chewy and Leia, etc. It doesn't bother me that the few people left on the planet who refuse to acknowledge the greatness of Star Wars still tease me because I KNOW I am not alone.

I am determined that my own children will proudly fly their Star Wars colors. My 3-year-old already owns toy light sabres and can declare himself Master Yoda. And if I don't talk to my kid about Star Wars, what will he learn on the street?



Since tomorrow is the official Star Wars day; my husband, son, and I have shirts ready to go. But like many Star Wars fans I know, I never take my fanaticism too seriously. So, I will end with a video that makes me laugh every time, and I will never forget: "There's only one return my friend, and it's not of the king, it's of the Jedi." Randall Clerks II