May the Fourth

Happy Star Wars Day!  I hope you are all enjoying a Star Wars filled Sunday be it marathoning a trilogy or reading a favorite book or just wearing a tshirt as you go about your day (If you need one, Her Universe is having a fantastic sale).  It's a day the geek community bands together in celebration of one of our greatest stories.

One of my favorite parts of Star Wars is the wealth of stories that has grown around the films.  The Expanded Universe has developed to the point that it can feel very overwhelming when you come upon it for the first time.  And now with the new films Disney has come out and declared that moving forward everything will be tied together -- which is great except that all the stories preceding that announcement were already tied together.  All of the authors involved in creating the EU, now to be known as Star Wars Legends, have worked together for decades to keep their novels from contradicting one another and to fit together in a larger landscape.  Even though I understand why this decision was made it still felt like a slap in the face to all of the work put in and all of the time we as fans have spent pouring over these books and sharing them with one another.

I came upon the Star Wars EU the summer before my first year of high school.  By that time I had read almost everything in the young adult section of the library as well as any classic novel I could get my hands on.  I was going to the mystery section of our tiny library and happened to notice a Star Wars title in the midst of the science fiction novels as I passed.  It was the novelization of the original trilogy.  I picked it up, started reading, and discovered that there was so much beyond the films I had memorized.  I was hooked.  That Christmas my grandfather gave me a five dollar bill to buy a present for myself and I took it with me to the bookstore.  I decided to pick a Star Wars book, any book, and see if I like it (I had read Zahn and thought he was awesome but was still hesitant about anyone ruining my favorite movies).  That day I bought The Paradise Snare, the first in A. C. Crispin's Han Solo Trilogy, and read it in under 24 hours.  The rest, as they say, is history.

I will be the first to say that I have not read anywhere close to all the books.  At the time I started on the EU the New Jedi Order was in full swing and there have been several large collaborative works since.  I also discovered what I liked and didn't like in my Star Wars and developed certain rules for myself.  My one pervailing rule to keep myself from upset is that I don't read anything past a point where the original characters have aged beyond a reasonable life span (is that non-spoilery enough for you?).  I don't want to read about how they die or what the world is like once they are gone.  For me the characters are why I fell in love with the universe and I'm too selfish to let them leave me.

If you are interested in the EU then please, give it a try.  Anything by Timothy Zahn is golden and everyone always thought his trilogy would be the basis for Episodes VII-IX.  The X-Wing series is great and does a wonderful job fleshing out some minor characters.  And of course I have a personal bias towards  A. C. Crispin.  She recently passed away and the community has yet to heal around the hole she left in our lives.  I had the privilege of meeting her at Dragon*Con where she graciously signed my tattered copy of Paradise Lost and treated each person in line like she valued us individually.

So enjoy Star Wars Day.  Go check out a book, a comic, or even just watch the movie again.  There is always new content to be had while we wait for December 2015.  And May the Fourth be with you.

Geektastic Thursday: Scoundrels

There is this part of my life that every once in a while looms into the foreground and demands to be noticed.  It becomes a bit overwhelming and imposing for those who are not immersed and generally everyone comes to the conclusion that it is just much too much.  I am referring, of course, to my obsession with Star Wars.  I started this obsession at a very young age, when some friends and I would play Lucasfilm in the back yard (we alternated with Indiana Jones and ocassionally Willow when we were feeling quite daring).  When I was 13 another friend and I wrote a script for Episode VII based on Heir to the Empire one summer swim season.  I saved my baby sitting money for the VHS set and over Christmas break in ninth grade I bought my first Expanded Universe novel -- The Paradise Snare by A.C. Crispin.  After that there was no going back.  I spent all of high school completely obsessed, reading everything I could get my hands on, fantasizing of a life spent in an X-Wing squadron or as an intergalactic bounty hunter (Boba Fett totally survived, you know).

My Star Wars Shelf -- two books deep

After I left for college I lost touch with my EU fanaticism.  Yes, I would reread the Han Solo trilogy about once a year and I toted my collection around with me, never giving up one battered paperback.  But after trying and disliking The New Jedi Order series (not that it isn't good, I just have a problem with going so far into the future that certain things inevitably happen) I decided that I had read probably all I was going to like, at least for a while.  With the exception of Death Star, I did not see much expansion without regressing or progressing so much that I lost touch with my favorites, Han, Lando, and Boba Fett.  But this year Timothy Zahn changed all of that.

I am not going to do an in-depth review.  If you want details or have read and feel like flailing with me, please let me know -- I've sadly discovered that I am not the only one who lost touch with the EU when faced with the demands of life outside high school.  But I fully believe that without Timothy Zahn, there would be no EU.  His Heir to the Empire trilogy maintained the integrity of story telling while introducing characters such as Mara Jade and Winter.  He laid the ground work for authentic yet respectful new perspectives on a universe over which so many of us feel a particular ownership and protectiveness.  And his latest novel takes us right back into it.

Star Wars: Scoundrels is a Han and Chewie adventure following the events of Episode IV.  It looks at the fringe part of the universe that I have always loved.  The scoundrels -- the smugglers, con men, ghost burglers.  Those who are not fully invested in the Empire or the Rebellion.  In this story Han and Chewie find themselves accepting a job in the hopes of succeeding in their persistent goal, paying off Jabba.    The story follows a high stakes heist, and brings in characters you may not have guessed.  What I found so great was the fact that he fully respected all of the EU material that came before this novel.  He accounts for Ylesia, for the direction of certain characters, and even makes a few jokes concerning fan controversies.  But even if you have no knowledge of anything outside the films, it is still an engaging stand-alone novel (you should also check out Winner Lose All, the ebook short story written as a prequel).

I took a lot longer to read it than I normally would because I wanted to savor the experience of a Timothy Zahn Han Solo novel.  In my mind, it cannot get much better and is one of those story concepts that we will probably not get again.  There are only so many stories they can tell about the time period of the original films.  And it was everything I had hoped it would be.  I was transported back to the enthusiasm and wonder of reading a Star Wars story for the first time.  Everything I had loved about the really good books was reborn in this one (and trust me when I say I have read some real duds).  I have now decided I must go back and reread all my favorites, starting with Crispin's trilogy and then moving into other character-driven stories.

But do not let me overhype it for you.  I actually did not know how enthusiastic I would be about the story until I reached a point that for me personally was a paradigm shifting revelation.  It might not be for everyone, I think it has a lot to do with your personal journey through the EU.  Zahn does comes with a certain level of expectation attached, and I think he deserves the acclaim.  I have avoided reading reviews because I am so out of touch with the current direction of the EU, but even if I am the only one to think so, this story was worth it.  If you are new to the EU or a younger reader, I highly recommend this novel.  It could serve as a wonderful introduction to a world you will never want to leave, in a galaxy far far away.

Geektastic Thursday: Bag Lady

I'm not a purse girl.  When I was in high school I did not carry one, and in college I tried to confine myself to the smallest bag possible.  But then I finished school, started knitting with a vengeance, and found myself without an excuse to carry a backpack.  Yet I never really moved past the purses of my school days.  Small zipper bags and over-stuffed satchels have been my go-to.  I have one larger bag, but it is really nice and a fear I have been a little too rough on it.  So I went back to my little bags and juggled water bottles, books, lunch, and knitting to work.  I kept a lookout for a new purse, but I never justified the expense until Chris' grandfather sent us some Christmas money the same week that I saw this.

Last week Think Geek had a sale on Star Wars branded items.  As soon as I saw this bag from Rock Rebel I had to have it.  It is everything I had been looking for.  Simple, but graphic.  Big enough to hold what I lug around, but small enough not to take up the entire floor next to my desk.  The black and white print contrasted with the pink glitter is just girly enough to be a fashion statement, as well as a point of geek pride.

And lest you be worried I gush, too much, This is everything I carried with me to work yesterday.

I think the photos speak for themselves.  Try fitting that much in your average handbag.  I have.  It is not pretty.

Think Geek's sale has ended, but I did find that Hot Topic has a similar assortment from the same brand.  It might be a bit too much to carry more than one Star Wars handbag (says the girl with the Star Wars planner, reading a Star Wars book, wearing her Star Wars hoodie), but if they ever get the rights to another property, you can bet I will be there with my credit card in tow.

The Return

Sorry for long silence. The week before Thanksgiving my computer decided to make my life a living hell and short out the fan. Right in the middle of the most stressful part of the semester. Guess that's what I get for naming my computer after a Dollhouse character.

Here's a few photos of what life's been like and all the craziness you should be glad you've missed out on:

Grading, grading, and more grading. Boy am I glad that's done for the semester.

Malabrigo stress breaks,

Amid late nights spent buried under piles of research (yes, that's Princess Diaries. I was looking at using it for an example in my paper but unfortunately it didn't suit the subject matter)

Thanks to comps, I wasn't able to go home for Thanksgiving. But my family came here instead. One of the advantages of living here in a sprawling metropolis? We got to cut an hour off the travel time for Black Friday, a day in which we go buy one or two things and then marvel at the crazy hordes of people. My sister really wanted that giant makeup kit for $15.

No pictures of Thanksgiving food, we ate too fast, but this is my favorite way to use up the leftovers.

Friday was a day of support for young girls everywhere who might feel outcast because of their geek love. This was done in honor of Katie, a now famous first-grader, who was made fun of by the boys because she loves Star Wars. The outpouring of support has been quite impressive to people who are not part of the female geek community. Unfortunately far too many women and girls feel the need to hide their love of Star Wars, BSG, comics, etc. I hope that this story helps continue to change the way people view women and the geek community.

Me? I just can't hide my geek pride, any day of the year. This is actually the tank from the new Boba Fett sleep set over at Her Universe. I turned it into a party outfit because I truly do have a "Boba Fett-ish"

It's the start of the Christmas season! Wednesday I indulged in one of my favorite traditions -- peppermint chocolate ice cream. This isn't the peppermint flavored ice cream you get at the store. Instead I buy the individually wrapped peppermints and crush them over vanilla ice cream. Add some fudge (or chocolate sauce if you have it handy) and it's Christmas in a bowl!

This little terror looks so innocent. . . . Until he drug out my yarn and tangled it all up and down the staircase. . . .

Meeting Ahsoka (or Faith is a Star Wars Spazz)

If you've ever been to Dragon*Con, you know the wonders of the dealers' room. It's stuffed to the roof with geeky vendors and people and anything you could possibly want to buy (with the notable exception this year of a flask, which is all I really intended to purchase). So of course, we spent a considerable amount of time wandering, not really buying, and seeing what we could find. On Saturday night we were getting ready to leave when I saw a booth of Star Wars clothing. And who was in the booth, but Ashley Eckstein, the voice of Ahsoka Tano herself (Anakin's padawan in Star Wars: The Clone Wars), promoting her clothing line Her Universe I cannot rave enough about how nice she was. Not only did she take an interest in talking to me, but she also signed one of her cards for me. And that is before I bought anything.

The next day I went back and bought one of the more expensive items-- the Star Wars zip-up hoodie. Have you seen this thing? Let me tell you about it.

First off, check out that Darth Vader on the front. So cool! All of the artwork on the surface is really nice and well done (the back says "May the Force be with You" along the bottom). I love the fact that the front only has one small image. So many girls' tops have giant pictures on the front that really throw off the balance of the look. It's also super soft. I mean seriously. I rave about cashmere, but, lets just say I've been thinking about turning up the air conditioning so that I can wear it more. And the right front pocket? Yeah, it has a hidden ipod pocket with headphones opening. Brilliant. The hoodie is priced at $50, but if you buy it at an event you don't pay tax and you get a lovely [new knitting] bag. I'm adding different shirts to my wishlist for birthdays and Christmas because I love the idea of having Star Wars shirts that did not come from the boy's section in Wal-Mart (i.e. they actually fit properly!)

Even if you're not a Star Wars fanatic like me or have no desire to spend $30 on a tshirt (I understand. But trust me, from what I've seen these are really well made), you should still go check out Ashley's blog. Star Wars is something that connects every generation and appeals to every age level. It's something that young girls can latch on to, as I did, and find comfort in the stories of strong female characters. However, as much as I love Carrie Fisher, there has not ever been anyone I would consider to be a good female role model for these girls. Until now. I really think Ashley is changing this and I hope that even after her character's story ends (I hope she dies in some tragic way that has me bawling over a cartoon) she continues to be a strong force in the geek verse to help change the perception of girls who would rather play Star Wars in the backyard then dress barbies. Being a geek is a desirable characteristic.

The Adventure is Never Really Over

Today is a very special day in the geek world. And if you're not in the geek world you might still be awed by this. Today is the thirtieth anniversary of one of my all-time favorite movies: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (dun dun DUN!)

It's a very public fact that I am a Star Wars geek. I don't claim to be the biggest one in the whole world or anything, but it is the first fandom in which I became actively involved and still the one that I have identified with for the majority of my life. Anyone who has been to my apartment has met Luke, the life-size cutout of Luke Skywalker that my friends gave me for Christmas almost six years ago (I still credit him as the reason I was able to save the majority of my things in that flash flood last year). Then there is my Star Wars EU collection. Not huge, but decent sized when you consider that I bought all of these while in high school in addition to reading everything the library had. And, of course, you can't forget my Rebel Alliance tattoo. It brands me forever as a Star Wars geek (and Wedge Antilles fan).

I can still remember the first time I saw Empire (actually, I remember the first time I saw each of the films). It was the last of the three films that my parents showed me and my sister. They did that thing that people who aren't giant fans sometimes do (and the same thing they did with Indiana Jones now that I think about it), they showed us Return of the Jedi first. I know! So when I finally saw Empire, I already knew that Vader was Luke's father, Leia was the "other" hope, and Han survives that terrifying carbonite. But it was still my favorite of all three movies. This might be connected a bit to the fact that my mom didn't like the film, but only a little. Mostly my love of Empire comes from two major areas.

First, Boba Fett.

Who doesn't love the bounty-hunter in the Mandalorian armor? I'm one of those people who got really upset when they watched Attack of the Clones and they made Boba a clone of Jango. It just felt like a cop out (and still does). But it makes sense. It was a way for them to bring back the most bad-ass character to be created in the Star Wars universe. You might say "But he died because he fell into the Sarlaac." And you would be so wrong. Well, as long as you subscribe to the EU as credible accounts beyond the films, which I do. In the Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy (which I own of course), Boba escapes and goes on to have more epic adventures. He also turns up pre-Episode IV in the Han Solo Trilogy (my all time favorite Star Wars storyline, also on my book shelf) in a pretty awesome way, but I'll leave that for another time. Now I haven't read the new books that are causing all of the current EU controversy, but they are on my list. If only because it is all about Mandalor and that is totally my cup of tea.

The other reason I fell in love with Empire is a little more abstract. If you're like me, you spent hours every day pretending you lived in the Star Wars universe and were off on adventures. Me, I wanted to be a smuggler. I used to imagine Han Solo landing in the back yard and taking me off on adventures. I'd get an edgy hair cut, tattoos, and be an expert with a blaster (short skirt with a tie-down strap for my holster? You'd bet I'd be pretty amazing). This all ties back to Empire how? Because at the end of the film it is not a happy ending. At the end of Empire there are still things to do, still people to rescue, and a pretty big battle yet to be fought. Succinctly, I love Empire because at the end it's still not over. There are still adventures yet to be experienced. At the end of Episodes IV and VI, you could reasonably expect the story to be over. That always made me sad because it meant there was no room for me to swoop in and help save the day. With Empire that is still a possibility.

So how am I celebrating the 30th anniversary of one of the greatest films ever? I'm wearing my Boba Fett tshirt of course!