It's All About Star Wars!

The time is finally here! We're all holding our collective breaths until we hear the first notes of that familiar theme and see the new installment unveiled.

So...Star Wars. It's back. Will it be bigger and better than ever...or will it be a bust?

We're all praying for the first and fearing for the last, but...well, we'll just have to wait and see. Won't be long now. I do hope I'm jumping up and down and squeeing in about four days though, don't you? (Yes, for me it's four days instead of five, because I have advance tickets. Woohoo!)

So it's been nearly 40 years since this cinematic monster was unleashed on an unsuspecting world back in 1977. I remember it well. Star Wars was a summer sleeper that no one expected to be the huge gangbuster breakout blockbuster it turned out to be. Hardly anyone knew who George Lucas was back in the day. But when they first started airing those slick trailers of epic space battles, mysterious white-armor clad soldiers, rogue pilots and a wizard-like hermit who could scare off a pack of Jawas with a sound (although we didn't even know yet they were called Jawas), a whole generation got stars in their eyes. They ran out to buy tickets in droves to see this crazy new SciFi movie. And then they did it all over again, and again, and again...and AGAIN.

I remember the topic of conversation at parties was often, "So how many times have you seen Star Wars?" Ah, my answer to that was seven times. In the theatre. It's been 27 times now, overall.

I also remember the long wait of agony until Star Wars II--which later became Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back released. And driving 50 miles to a theater that was showing it on opening weekend. And the thunderous applause and whistles when the audience heard those first strains of the familiar, epic score.

Will I hear that again on Thursday, I wonder? After all, we'd only waited a couple of years for that film to come out, and some of us have waited decades for this one. We should make some noise--loud, long, rousing noise!

Like many Stars Wars fans--a YouTuber dubbed us WarFans, and I kind of like that tag--the movie franchise has had a lasting impression over these many long years.

I have a huge Star Wars poster hanging in my office that I'll be talking about a little more in an upcoming peer's blog.

I also have a miniature figure of Luke Skywalker with lightsabre in hand standing guard on my desk.

A lifesize cut-out of R2D2 and C3PO will eventually occupy a corner of my office, though right now they're still encased in carbonite...er, in the shipping box.

I have a 2015 filly this year whose sire we selected in part because he carries a very special bloodline. He's descended from a horse named Relaunch and Relaunch sired the famous racehorse Skywalker, who won one of the first Breeder's Cup Classics. I couldn't pass up on the chance to capture that bloodline in our breeding program.

And then there's my car, who I've dubbed Stormtrooper. The nick totally fits. I wanted to share some photos on this blog, but I wasn't able to take them due to a flu bug. (Maybe I can save that for a future post.)

One of my newest acquisitions is a Darth Vader jumpsuit which I just acquired in the last month. It's actually very warm and cuddly, unlike the real Sith Lord. It'll be the perfect thing for sitting down at my computer to write on chilly winter mornings.

So, yes, Star Wars has been a long time influence in my life. How about you? What Star Wars memorabilia have you acquired? Do you keep it on display or is it packed away in a box somewhere?Anybody do a Star Wars tree this year? What are you plans for the seeing The Force Awakens?

Have a great week and HAPPY RETURN OF STAR WARS!