pretty much a Star Wars weekend

i am thinking i need this DIY Star Projector

Are you okay with the fact that I am obsessed with podcasts? If by you, I mean me, then yes, I'm totally fine with it. And speaking of obsessed, Star Wars is something that people get obsessed about, right? Not only is it obsession-inducing and fan-collecting, but it is extremely marketable. Case in point, when Ken and I were teaching Sunday school this past Sunday, and mind you these kids were 5 and 6 years old, there was at least 5 different references to Star Wars, i.e. 'I got a light saber for Christmas and it was like Darth Maul's!' etc, plus one boy wearing a Star Wars shirt with the Death Star on it. The funny thing about this though, which is what I'm writing about here, is that I totally knew and understood the reference - which I've never been able to before. How was it that I knew what Death Star and ewoks were, you ask? Well, it is because my handsome and enthusiastic husband was shocked that I had the puniest of knowledge of the cultural icon that is Star Wars, and decided that I should be educated. Which meant that once they released all six movies together, we got down to business, and I am proud (embarassed?) to report that we watched all six movies this past weekend, in their extended versions. Yes, that happened.

Let me clarify that this endeavor wasn't forced down my throat or anything. I like science fiction stories having to do with space well enough (Dune, Ender's game, anyone?), and I will engage in anything that has a good story, in general. It's just that the Star Wars bandwagon always seemed so full and so aggressive that it doesn't make any semi-interested person want to join in. Instead of growing up on the Star Wars movies, I basically grew up on Star Wars references, and when that happens, you just feel like it's too late to go back. I think I had watched half of a movie a long time ago, and that along with thousands of references (half of which were 'I am your Father' quotes), paints a confusing picture of the whole thing. So when husband suggested a more comprehensive experience, I was interested, I just didn't know we would watch it all in one go. But then again, never mind, I should have known.

As a person who watched this six-part movie series in a three-day period in the year 2011 (two movies a day), of which the first movie was released in 1977, I'd say it wasn't a bad way to do it. I got the whole story in one gulp, and it was nice to watch it with someone of would answer all my questions. I really liked how we started with the original movie, Episode IV, A New Hope (1977), which picks up in the middle of the story line, to the end, and then went back in story-line time (but forward in movie-production time) to Episode I, The Phantom Menace (2005). I liked this because for the most part, I enjoy knowing the ending to a story, and then having the details and the 'why' filled in for me. I enjoy the unfolding and the explanations. And this story line in particular, is a good one to do that with.

I'm still thinking about it, and I don't have anything new to add to the discussion of Star Wars so I'm not going to elaborate, critique or applaud it for its implications (blah blah) – I think that's been done and done. For this experience, I think it is enough to say that I really enjoyed it. Simply, I liked the adventures, how they went to different worlds, how they portrayed the different species, the personification of R2D2 and C3PO, the pod racing, the visual scenes, the construct of the Force and ways of the Jedi, the constant displays of courage, strong female characters, and the construct of good and evil. And like in any good versus evil story, Anakin's struggle within the grey area was compelling and that is what stood out to me the most. I think I thought about this as I was going to sleep last night, how interesting it was that George Lucas chose to use fear and anger as the catalyst that turns a Jedi from good to evil. Beyond that, I am choosing not to over-think or analyze the movies, and just take it for what it is, a good story within a fantasy world that is beloved by many. Also, it is extremely quotable, and now I know what the heck everyone is talking about. Glad I got my Star Wars education on, thanks husband.

This post got longer than I had meant it to be, but originally, I was also going to write something about how this weekend also contained some exciting thrifting activities. I went along with Caroline and Chris to a few estate sales on Saturday and browsed through lots of treasures (and junk). I'll do this in another post though, with pictures, maybe.

Happy (?) Monday, everyone!