The End of the Line

Hey, look--text in a blog--what a novel idea! THis blog has really become picture-heavy during my time in the line. I thought I'd take some time to ponder for a bit as the line draws toa close.

I've quoted him on this too many times already, but Jerome compares the end of the line to high school graduation (although I'd have to go with college; I was so ready to leave high school when it was over that there was little regret). There's the same excitement--finally seeing the movie is graduation--yet also the same sadness--leaving friends that we've lived with daily. We've endured moonings, eggings, teenagers threatening to beat us up (or telling us that Star Trek rocks--tell us something we don't alreay know), and fireworks taped to a tent. Together, we've made fast food runs at every restaurant in the surrounding twenty miles, and we've given tips on which Burger Kings were giving out the toys and which ones became bitter as soon as they saw a customer in a Star Wars shirt. We've smiled for the media until our cheeks became rubberized, and we've hung a stuffed Jar-Jar from the main tent. This is the end of the line.

We were offered sneak preview tickets to ROTS last night--first for $40, then for free. But these people don't understand the spirit of the line, the whole point that we're here. Or the fact that, having waited three weeks, I certainly won't pay $40 when I can wait one more day.

But the real point is the community. I want to see it with my friends, with the hardcore fans that will truly appreciate the movie and fully understand it. I want to be a part of the same community that when we watched AOTC together at midnight three years ago, everyone laughed at Palpatine's clasic line, "I love democracy." I went again to AOTC the next morning to a packed-out theater and after that line, you could hear crickets chirping; the atmosphere was gone. That is why I am here. To see this movie that we've waited three weeks, three years, twenty-eight years, our lives, for, and to see it with these people who have also been waiting this long.

One guy, Brian, commented in an email that he's trying to use me to inspire his girlfriend that there *are* female geeks out there. And I never thought that was unusual! We have a large group of ladies in our fan club, which is great. I grew up loving Star Wars--I didn't have any of the toys--man, was I jealous of girls with brothers--but in high school, my two (female) best friends were both into Star Wars as much as I was. It wasn't until college that I found out that that was kind of unusual! You just can't beat the mix of adventure, imagination, romance, and humor in the SW saga, particularly in the original Trilogy.

That's all the thoughts from Pink Seven this morning...