One of the best and most fun experiences of my life took place in Orlando, Florida back in August of 2010 and that experience was Star Wars Celebration V. Between the panels, meeting the celebrities, the cool stuff I brought back, the trip to Disney and meeting new friends, it is a time I think back on often.
When Star Wars Celebration VI came around in 2012 and I wasn't able to go, I will admit I was a moping mess those whole four days. Sometimes it is easier when you don't know what you are missing.
So when Star Wars Celebration Anaheim was announced to take place in April of 2015, I vowed to somehow make it there. Especially since 2015 is the year we will see Star Wars Episode VII... can you imagine how crazy this Celebration will be? The fact that it is in California does make it more expensive. When I looked at the "official" hotels, the price per night was crazy at almost $200 a night! The economy is still not treating me well and I quickly became discouraged. But I have since found some more reasonably priced hotels that are near the Anaheim Convention Center. Flights are also not too bad right now. So I just need to commit and do it since I know it will be an experience like no other!
So this blog will be the story of how I (hopefully) make it to Celebration Anaheim. If any of you dear readers are going, have tips for finding cheap rooms near the convention center or want to make a cash donation to help me get there (Ha! Just kidding) please leave a comment.
May the Force Be With You!
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
A Thank You To Obi-Wan
There was a bright spot yesterday among the dark clouds that was the cancellation of The Clone Wars; the autographed picture from James Arnold Taylor that I won from RebelForce Radio arrived yesterday. It seemed somewhat fitting to receive an awesome Obi-Wan picture on a day where The Clone Wars was foremost in my thoughts. Obi-Wan has always been my favorite character and I have been a huge fan of the work James has done with the character. So the two combined cheered me up on a day where I was feeling pretty down.
A huge Thank You to James for not only signing the picture, but for all the wonderful work he has done bringing Obi-Wan to life. An equally huge Thank You to Jason and Jimmy Mac at RebelForce Radio for not only picking my review, but for the continued excellence in Star Wars podcasting that they provide week in and week out. RebelForce Radio really is my only source for the Force! You guys really are the best.
May the Force be with you all.
A huge Thank You to James for not only signing the picture, but for all the wonderful work he has done bringing Obi-Wan to life. An equally huge Thank You to Jason and Jimmy Mac at RebelForce Radio for not only picking my review, but for the continued excellence in Star Wars podcasting that they provide week in and week out. RebelForce Radio really is my only source for the Force! You guys really are the best.
May the Force be with you all.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
As I sit and write this, a mix of emotions are still flowing through me; anger, sadness and frustration. Earlier today, Disney announced that they were canceling Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Many of you will say, so what? It's just a cartoon. Let me explain why it matters to me.
Anyone who knows me or has read this blog knows that I am, above all else, a die-hard Star Wars fan. From the moment I first saw it as a 9 year old in 1977, I have been hooked. I enjoyed the prequels, though they never grabbed me as the original trilogy did. So I was a bit skeptical when Lucasfilm announced a new television show set in the time period between Episodes II and III. A TV show? Anakin has a padawan? What kind of weirdness is George up to now? Still, it was new Star Wars and considering the movies had ended, I was willing to give it a shot.
The movie premiered with much fanfare. There was a midnight madness event at Toys r Us, which my son and I went to, that being the only one we ever had the opportunity to attend. We started getting swept up in a wave of excitement that I had not felt in a long time
So when the Clone Wars movie came out, my son and I headed out to the theater. That is when a funny thing happened; it was actually good! The animation was pretty cool, the voice acting was amazing (Side note: To this day, I still say Matt Lanter is a better Anakin Skywalker than Hayden Christensen ever thought of being!) and I actually found myself enjoying it, maybe even more than I enjoyed some of the actual prequels. Suddenly, I was excited for this new TV show and it did not disappoint.
The Clone Wars quickly became appointment television for my son and I. Every Friday night we were eagerly in front of the television, waiting to see what new treat was in store for us. Then after we would talk about what we saw. What we liked, what we didn't, what we thought was going to happen next and what we wanted to see happen. My son was getting older, changing in ways neither of us could have foreseen and the Clone Wars was what we bonded over. We both liked Ahsoka (though we were happy when she stopped calling Anakin "Skyguy") and it was captivating to watch the character evolve, with much of the credit going to the brilliant Ashley Eckstein who had the unenviable task of voicing a character who, in lesser hands, could have been annoying. Instead she made us care about Ahsoka, to the point of worrying about her fate because, as we all know, Anakin had no Padawan in Episode III.
The rest of the cast were equally brilliant. I could write an entire post on the brilliance that is James Arnold Taylor. Over time, his Obi-Wan Kenobi has become the voice I hear when I think of Obi-Wan. Catherine Taber was simply amazing as Padme, bringing a depth to the character that wasn't touched on in the films. You began to understand Padme thanks to her. Tom Kane's Yoda was so good, I wasn't sure if it was Frank Oz or not! And Dee Bradley Baker did a most amazing thing; he made us care about the clones. They were not nameless, faceless soldiers. They each had a personality, they each became an individual and we cared about them. How he could give distinct personalities to beings who all sound alike is beyond me and I am in awe of his talent.
The cast of the Clone Wars became so important to us, that meeting many of them at Star Wars Celebration V was more exciting than meeting the actors that had been in the actual movie trilogies. The cast actually cared about the fans and took time to talk with us. My favorite memory was meeting James Arnold Taylor at the Force.net party and him taking the time to talk to me. My son was having his face painted at the time and was on the other side of the room. James asked me who else I was there with and when I told him my son, he said "Let's go say hi!" and proceeded to head across the room. Until the day I die, I will never forget the look on my son's face when James walked up, stood in front of him and began talking to him as Obi-Wan, then switched to Johnny Test. He then proceeded to bring us over to meet Matt Lanter. On the convention floor, we had the good fortune to run into the man who brought it all together; supervising director Dave Filoni. Dave is truly a fan of Star Wars and his encyclopedic knowledge is well known. He was kind enough to stop and talk to us and even have a picture taken. It is rare to meet such kind people in the world, but the entire cast and crew that we met were just that great.
I know I am prattling on and could go on much longer about all the great experiences I have had because of the Clone Wars. But I tell you all this so you can understand how angry and devastated I felt today when I read that Disney had canceled the show. Many of us were somewhat apprehensive when Disney bought Lucasfilm. But many people said not to worry, that Disney had been hands off with Marvel, that things would be fine. They announced Episode VII, so things were going to be great. Then, as if Order 66 had been given, many of the things we loved began to fall. First the 3-D release of Episodes II and III were postponed. Okay, that made sense, they want to focus on the next trilogy. But then the Clone Wars completed what was, without a doubt, their best season yet. It left you wanting more! But there was already a disturbance in the Force. Despite being called Chicken Little by people who knew no better, Jimmy Mac from RebelForce Radio began to sound the alarm that the show was in danger. He urged us to write letters, to let the suits at Disney know how much the show meant to us. Many of us wrote, tweeted, e-mailed and signed online petitions. But all to no avail. Much like the clones cutting down Jedi, Disney axed the Clone Wars and Star Wars Detours in one press release. And just like that, our hearts sank.
Which leads me to where I am now. I am furious at Disney for taking away the Clone Wars when it was in it's prime. The show had never looked better, the stories never better. They are taking away something that means so much to me and my family. Taken away, not for lack of ratings, but because it didn't fit in with some corporate suits marketing plan. Despite saying we will see more Clone Wars, Disney has proven, in my mind, that they don't care about the fans. They have become the Empire. I am wishing George had never sold out.
I am also sad. Sad that I will not have the Clone Wars to look forward to every Saturday morning. That I won't be able to watch it and discuss it with my daughter. That I won't get to hear the brilliant cast perform any longer. Sad that something was taken away that didn't need to be.
So that is why the Clone Wars is much more than a cartoon to me. I wish I was writing about the amazing season finale and was speculating about where Ahsoka goes next. Now I am just sad that I may never know. I am sorry this posting has gone on for so long, but this show meant something to me and I hope that, in some small way, I paid tribute to it in the way it deserves.
May the Force be with you all.
With James Arnold Taylor and Matt Lanter
The cast of The Clone Wars at the Force.net party
With Catherine Taber
With Dave Filoni
Anyone who knows me or has read this blog knows that I am, above all else, a die-hard Star Wars fan. From the moment I first saw it as a 9 year old in 1977, I have been hooked. I enjoyed the prequels, though they never grabbed me as the original trilogy did. So I was a bit skeptical when Lucasfilm announced a new television show set in the time period between Episodes II and III. A TV show? Anakin has a padawan? What kind of weirdness is George up to now? Still, it was new Star Wars and considering the movies had ended, I was willing to give it a shot.
The movie premiered with much fanfare. There was a midnight madness event at Toys r Us, which my son and I went to, that being the only one we ever had the opportunity to attend. We started getting swept up in a wave of excitement that I had not felt in a long time
So when the Clone Wars movie came out, my son and I headed out to the theater. That is when a funny thing happened; it was actually good! The animation was pretty cool, the voice acting was amazing (Side note: To this day, I still say Matt Lanter is a better Anakin Skywalker than Hayden Christensen ever thought of being!) and I actually found myself enjoying it, maybe even more than I enjoyed some of the actual prequels. Suddenly, I was excited for this new TV show and it did not disappoint.
The Clone Wars quickly became appointment television for my son and I. Every Friday night we were eagerly in front of the television, waiting to see what new treat was in store for us. Then after we would talk about what we saw. What we liked, what we didn't, what we thought was going to happen next and what we wanted to see happen. My son was getting older, changing in ways neither of us could have foreseen and the Clone Wars was what we bonded over. We both liked Ahsoka (though we were happy when she stopped calling Anakin "Skyguy") and it was captivating to watch the character evolve, with much of the credit going to the brilliant Ashley Eckstein who had the unenviable task of voicing a character who, in lesser hands, could have been annoying. Instead she made us care about Ahsoka, to the point of worrying about her fate because, as we all know, Anakin had no Padawan in Episode III.
The rest of the cast were equally brilliant. I could write an entire post on the brilliance that is James Arnold Taylor. Over time, his Obi-Wan Kenobi has become the voice I hear when I think of Obi-Wan. Catherine Taber was simply amazing as Padme, bringing a depth to the character that wasn't touched on in the films. You began to understand Padme thanks to her. Tom Kane's Yoda was so good, I wasn't sure if it was Frank Oz or not! And Dee Bradley Baker did a most amazing thing; he made us care about the clones. They were not nameless, faceless soldiers. They each had a personality, they each became an individual and we cared about them. How he could give distinct personalities to beings who all sound alike is beyond me and I am in awe of his talent.
The cast of the Clone Wars became so important to us, that meeting many of them at Star Wars Celebration V was more exciting than meeting the actors that had been in the actual movie trilogies. The cast actually cared about the fans and took time to talk with us. My favorite memory was meeting James Arnold Taylor at the Force.net party and him taking the time to talk to me. My son was having his face painted at the time and was on the other side of the room. James asked me who else I was there with and when I told him my son, he said "Let's go say hi!" and proceeded to head across the room. Until the day I die, I will never forget the look on my son's face when James walked up, stood in front of him and began talking to him as Obi-Wan, then switched to Johnny Test. He then proceeded to bring us over to meet Matt Lanter. On the convention floor, we had the good fortune to run into the man who brought it all together; supervising director Dave Filoni. Dave is truly a fan of Star Wars and his encyclopedic knowledge is well known. He was kind enough to stop and talk to us and even have a picture taken. It is rare to meet such kind people in the world, but the entire cast and crew that we met were just that great.
I know I am prattling on and could go on much longer about all the great experiences I have had because of the Clone Wars. But I tell you all this so you can understand how angry and devastated I felt today when I read that Disney had canceled the show. Many of us were somewhat apprehensive when Disney bought Lucasfilm. But many people said not to worry, that Disney had been hands off with Marvel, that things would be fine. They announced Episode VII, so things were going to be great. Then, as if Order 66 had been given, many of the things we loved began to fall. First the 3-D release of Episodes II and III were postponed. Okay, that made sense, they want to focus on the next trilogy. But then the Clone Wars completed what was, without a doubt, their best season yet. It left you wanting more! But there was already a disturbance in the Force. Despite being called Chicken Little by people who knew no better, Jimmy Mac from RebelForce Radio began to sound the alarm that the show was in danger. He urged us to write letters, to let the suits at Disney know how much the show meant to us. Many of us wrote, tweeted, e-mailed and signed online petitions. But all to no avail. Much like the clones cutting down Jedi, Disney axed the Clone Wars and Star Wars Detours in one press release. And just like that, our hearts sank.
Which leads me to where I am now. I am furious at Disney for taking away the Clone Wars when it was in it's prime. The show had never looked better, the stories never better. They are taking away something that means so much to me and my family. Taken away, not for lack of ratings, but because it didn't fit in with some corporate suits marketing plan. Despite saying we will see more Clone Wars, Disney has proven, in my mind, that they don't care about the fans. They have become the Empire. I am wishing George had never sold out.
I am also sad. Sad that I will not have the Clone Wars to look forward to every Saturday morning. That I won't be able to watch it and discuss it with my daughter. That I won't get to hear the brilliant cast perform any longer. Sad that something was taken away that didn't need to be.
So that is why the Clone Wars is much more than a cartoon to me. I wish I was writing about the amazing season finale and was speculating about where Ahsoka goes next. Now I am just sad that I may never know. I am sorry this posting has gone on for so long, but this show meant something to me and I hope that, in some small way, I paid tribute to it in the way it deserves.
May the Force be with you all.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
You Have To Admit...
Considering the news that JJ Abrams, who has directed the two latest Star Trek movies, has been hired to direct Star Wars Episode VII, this button seems a lot more appropriate.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
A RebelForce Radio Weekend
As you may remember, dear readers, a couple of posts ago I told you about the best Star Wars podcast on the web, RebelForce Radio. Much to my delight, that post came to the attention of Jason and Jimmy Mac and they actually posted a link on their Facebook page, which in turn generated more page views than this poor little blog has ever seen before. Considering what a fanboy I am when it comes to those guys, just the fact they bothered to read what I wrote was beyond thrilling. But as the Ginsu knife guy used to say, wait, there's more!
On my way home from seeing "Zero Dark Thirty" yesterday, (by the way, go see it, it is an awesome movie!) I was listening to the just released second episode of RebelForce Radio, and during a section of the podcast where they talked about the start-up of the podcast and thanking people who got the word out, they actually mentioned this very blog, to which Jimmy Mac said, "Alright, that's gotta be my favorite name so far." I almost went off the road. My poor daughter thought I was insane as I started yelling, unable to believe that I got a shout-out. But wait, there's more.
Five minutes later, having just calmed down, the guys announced the winners of an autographed picture from Clone Wars actor, James Arnold Taylor, who does the voice of Obi-Wan and Plo Koon. To enter, one just had to write a review of the podcast on iTunes, which I had happily done. For the second time that day, I couldn't believe what I was hearing as Jimmy Mac read my screen name and review. Again with the yelling, much to my daughter's chagrin since she couldn't figure out why her father had just gone insane. I rarely, if ever, win anything, so I just could not believe the day I was having. As soon as I got home, I sent Jason and Jimmy an e-mail telling them that I was the one called. As I write this, I am waiting for a reply e-mail where they will tell me what I need to do to verify that I wrote the review and I will have won.
As for RebelForce Radio itself, having listened to both regular episodes and both episodes of The Clone Wars Declassified, the quality of the podcast is everything I had come to expect from the Forcecast, but better. Jason and Jimmy had said one of the reasons they set out on their own was to have the freedom to do things the way they wanted to. That sense of freedom shines through and you can feel the joy they bring to doing RebelForce Radio. It truly is the best Star Wars podcast on the web. If you are a Star Wars fan, you need to be listening.
As for me, being a Star Wars fan who has always sort of sat on the sidelines of fandom, actually being noticed by a top level program like RebelForce Radio has been very gratifying. I certainly appreciate all the people who took time to read what I had written. The experience has encouraged me to be a little more active on social media sites like Twitter. Hopefully meeting new people who love the same things I do will lead to more positive experiences. My sincere thanks to Jason and Jimmy Mac for giving me a weekend long remembered.
On my way home from seeing "Zero Dark Thirty" yesterday, (by the way, go see it, it is an awesome movie!) I was listening to the just released second episode of RebelForce Radio, and during a section of the podcast where they talked about the start-up of the podcast and thanking people who got the word out, they actually mentioned this very blog, to which Jimmy Mac said, "Alright, that's gotta be my favorite name so far." I almost went off the road. My poor daughter thought I was insane as I started yelling, unable to believe that I got a shout-out. But wait, there's more.
Five minutes later, having just calmed down, the guys announced the winners of an autographed picture from Clone Wars actor, James Arnold Taylor, who does the voice of Obi-Wan and Plo Koon. To enter, one just had to write a review of the podcast on iTunes, which I had happily done. For the second time that day, I couldn't believe what I was hearing as Jimmy Mac read my screen name and review. Again with the yelling, much to my daughter's chagrin since she couldn't figure out why her father had just gone insane. I rarely, if ever, win anything, so I just could not believe the day I was having. As soon as I got home, I sent Jason and Jimmy an e-mail telling them that I was the one called. As I write this, I am waiting for a reply e-mail where they will tell me what I need to do to verify that I wrote the review and I will have won.
As for RebelForce Radio itself, having listened to both regular episodes and both episodes of The Clone Wars Declassified, the quality of the podcast is everything I had come to expect from the Forcecast, but better. Jason and Jimmy had said one of the reasons they set out on their own was to have the freedom to do things the way they wanted to. That sense of freedom shines through and you can feel the joy they bring to doing RebelForce Radio. It truly is the best Star Wars podcast on the web. If you are a Star Wars fan, you need to be listening.
As for me, being a Star Wars fan who has always sort of sat on the sidelines of fandom, actually being noticed by a top level program like RebelForce Radio has been very gratifying. I certainly appreciate all the people who took time to read what I had written. The experience has encouraged me to be a little more active on social media sites like Twitter. Hopefully meeting new people who love the same things I do will lead to more positive experiences. My sincere thanks to Jason and Jimmy Mac for giving me a weekend long remembered.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Classic Star Wars
If you are a Star Wars fan of a certain age...no comments about my age please...then there are certain things that invoke a strong sense of nostalgia when you see them. Recently, I found a Facebook page that is filled with such things; Classic Star Wars ( http://www.facebook.com/ClassicStarWars )
This for example:
This is a scan of a page from the 1979 Sears Christmas Wishbook. I have no idea where they found a 1979 Christmas catalog, but this sure brought back a lot of memories!
For younger readers, the Christmas catalog was how we picked out toys to ask Santa for for Christmas back in the day. Think of it as the Internet on paper.
I can remember spending hours pouring over the Wishbook when it came each fall. Looking at this one page, I sure wish I had that Cantina diorama now, it would probably pay my heating bill the rest of the winter! (Yeah, as if I could actually sell it...but I digress)
If you remember all the fun and excitement of the original trilogy, or as we called it back then, Star Wars, then you will appreciate all the posts and I am sure you will see something you remember loving as a kid. Thanks, Classic Star Wars for bringing back parts of my childhood.
This for example:
This is a scan of a page from the 1979 Sears Christmas Wishbook. I have no idea where they found a 1979 Christmas catalog, but this sure brought back a lot of memories!
For younger readers, the Christmas catalog was how we picked out toys to ask Santa for for Christmas back in the day. Think of it as the Internet on paper.
I can remember spending hours pouring over the Wishbook when it came each fall. Looking at this one page, I sure wish I had that Cantina diorama now, it would probably pay my heating bill the rest of the winter! (Yeah, as if I could actually sell it...but I digress)
If you remember all the fun and excitement of the original trilogy, or as we called it back then, Star Wars, then you will appreciate all the posts and I am sure you will see something you remember loving as a kid. Thanks, Classic Star Wars for bringing back parts of my childhood.
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