Three decades of "Star Wars"

GEEK ALERT!
GEEK ALERT!

Has it really been 30 years since we all first met Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca and, of course, the most amazing villain of all-time ... Darth Vader??? Indeed, May 25 marks the 30th anniversary of "Star Wars," the movie that changed our lives and the way we watch movies!

I can't tell you how much money I've sunk into George Lucas' pockets since I was a little kid — starting with the old-school action figures back in the day and the Millenium Falcon I bought a couple of years ago, to the DVD release, the $100 lightsaber I bought and the officially licensed, certified-autographed picture of Carrie Fisher in the "Return of the Jedi" outfit she wore in Jabba's lair ... you know the one! ;)

When my mom was all caught up in the Luke & Laura drama, I was all about Luke & Leia!

(And yeah, as you can see, while I am a BIG "Star Wars" geek, I'm not to the point where I call each of the movies by just one word, like "Empire" or "Jedi." I hate that.)
In between, I've ridden the "Star Tours" ride here at the Disney-MGM Studios at Disney World and even met Darth Vader and an undescript Stormtrooper. (They were actually signing autographs outside "Star Tours" this past December. I mean, I can see getting Darth Vader's autograph ... but what does the stormtrooper sign his name as?! He's one of like a million stormtroopers!)

I just like some of the names in the movies: places like Tatooine and Dagobah, and characters like Boba Fett and Lando Calrissian. They're just fun to say!)

In an earlier blog entry on April 26, I wrote about the new "Star Wars" postage stamps coming out and the R2-D2 mailbox at the Poughkeepsie Galleria.

Adding to the 30th anniversary hoopla, Seth Green and the folks at "Robot Chicken" will unveil a "Star Wars" episode on the Cartoon Network on June 17. Mark Hamill — yes, Luke Sywalker himself! — will be one of the voices on the show.

Until then, may The Force be with you!