Well, I had this whole blog planned out where I would talk about the changes that have occurred in me since I started blogging. I thanked you all for how you've opened up my eyes to all sorts of things in the Saga and given me a deeper appreciation for many of its aspects. It was all very nice - a feel-good blog. But it was also very typical of a 50th blog, and quite boring.

So I deleted it.

But that still left me without some big amazing 50th blog bash. And I didn't want to just do a regular blog.

I could have tried to redo the blog I deleted. I could have talked about some of the blogs I've written over the past year. I could have attempted to write something profound that would bring tears to your eyes. But nothing seemed right.

"So," I thought, "perhaps I will post a blog that I had planned on posting separately." And I'll use an excuse too! Ready? Okay, here it is: my 50th blog will be an attempt to bring us all closer together! It'll still be a feel-good blog! Aren't I good? Aren't you proud of me? No? Well fine then. See if I care. Wow, break up the impending spirit of camaraderie, why don't ya.

Okay, without further ado, my 50th blog!

Am I the only one who....

1. Critiques the accuracy of the Star Tours ride at Disneyland and Disney World?

2. Wouldn't mind being 12 again to go do the Jedi Academy thing at Disney World? (As long as other fans were with me, of course! I'd be scared to do it by myself! )

3. FREAKS if one of my SW books gets damaged? (It's happened 3 times accidently. I took ROTJ to the pool and someone threw my wet swimsuit in on top of it and soaked it. I dropped True Colors and it's noticeably damaged. And I took Medstar: Battle Surgeons to the pool, and a bird must have flown over, and well . . . yeah. Am I weird for wanting to replace them now?)

4. Wishes I could use the Force? (One can always practice on automatic doors, right?! )

5. Would fly halfway across the galaxy to meet you all at CV?

6. Would love to meet a bunch of the characters in the GFFA?

7. Sometimes wants to cry at the end of a SW book either because of the outcome or just because it's over and I miss the characters already?

8. Would love to be even just an extra in a SW movie? Heck, it'd even be an honor just to bring George some donuts . . . or Wookiee cookies . . . .

9. Put "Dear God, please make it so that they put every young readers Star Wars book back in print," on my prayer list? (Seriously! Hey, God even cares about the silly things! )

10. Hears sermons or Biblical truths and starts thinking about related SW quotes and scenes?

11. Would love to have a SW birthday party even though I'm "too old"?

12. Pictures the clones in the Republic Commando series slightly differently than Jango? That is, they sort of look and sound like him, but they all look and sound differently than him and than each other.

13. Identifies so strongly with a character that my reactions to what he/she goes through pretty much mirror his/hers the majority of the time?

14. Sometimes wishes I could jump into the movies or books and slap some sense into some of the characters (or hug them, pat them on the back, etc.)?

15. Will stand up for the characters (yeah, okay, mainly Anakin . . . ) despite their flaws when someone else (usually a non-fan) critiques or bashes them? (IMO, only we fans have the right to critique or bash the characters because we know their full stories, study their motives, and so on and so forth . . . . We don't just start throwing out opinions without checking the facts and thinking them through.)

16. Sometimes ends up feeling just a tiny bit bad for bad characters? (Yeah, Karen got me with Ko Sai . . . . I think I just felt bad for her for a little bit because I identify with Etain so much.)

17. Wishes there could be movies about most of the books? (The RC books TOTALLY deserve a movie!! . . . Can I be Etain?? )

18. Wishes lightsabers were real?

19. Wishes I had Chewie as my best friend?

20. Would love to learn Aurebesh and Mando'a but doesn't have time?

21. Has ever danced around the room after hearing some kind of good Star Wars news?

22. Danced around the room when my first Star Wars t-shirt (in my case, "Star Wars: The Solution to Everything") came in the mail? (Or, if you didn't get your shirt in the mail, did you dance around when you bought it somewhere?)

23. Would enjoy sampling some Star Wars cuisine? (This could get scary . . . . )

24. Sometimes wishes I could be related to some of the characters? (Grandpa Kal! Uncle Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan! Aunt Luminara! Husband . . . heh heh heh . . . . )

25. Has ever identified with a character I didn't expect?

26. Is elated to find a Star Wars item in a store, whether or not I really want to buy it?

27. Drops by Borders or Barnes & Noble just to look at all the pretty SW books, even if I can't buy one that day?

28. Wonders about the most obscure, weird Star Wars things? (For example, what did they do with Qui-Gon's ashes? Who started the padawan braid tradition? Do all the other Yoda-creatures speak like him? And those were just off the top of my head . . . wow! )

29. Laments not really having a worthy opponent in Star Wars: Trivial Pursuit (that is, one who lives near me)?

30. Hopes to someday have all the opening crawls memorized? (Just thought about this the other day!)

31. Jumps up and down when I hear or see a Star Wars reference on TV or in a movie? (Anyone else notice "Proby-Wan Kenobi" in NCIS!? )

32. Was a little disappointed by Luke's "Noooooooooo"? Somehow I got it into my head that it was more heroic, like Obi-Wan's in TPM. I don't know why. Maybe because I didn't see ESB again until awhile after I bought TPM (I had only seen it a couple times before TPM came out in theaters). Luke just seems so . . . whiny. I have a hard time feeling sorry for him. With Obi-Wan, your heart breaks along with his. Just a thought. (Sorry LILWL!)

33. (Whose) first Star Wars encounter was with ROTJ?

34. Made lightsabers out of wrapping paper tubes as a kid?

35. Spent hours deciding on a screen name, avatar, and blog name?

36. Thinks they should redo the Star Tours ride so that there are PT elements as well? Or even better, have different scenarios in the ride!

37. Plans on getting a Star Wars ringtone ASAP? (My friend has the Imperial March ringtone for when I call! She knows me well! )

38. Would LOVE to have twin lightsabers?

39. Wishes I could be a Twi'lek?

40. Wants to fly the Millenium Falcon?

41. Thinks the ROTS novel is the most amazing book IN THE WORLD?!

42. Wishes I could have been on the recent Star Wars episode of Deal or No Deal?

43. Wants to dance with Ewoks and Jawas?

44. Would love to sit down with Palpatine and hear about the full extent of his craftiness?

45. Thinks it would be cool to visit all the Star Wars filming locations?

46. Would love to take a Star Wars character (or multiple ones!) to school/work? Yoda, Chewie, R2, Han . . . . (Can't you just hear Yoda reciting his multiplication tables? Man, that would be SO confusing! And Han would just shoot his book: "Boring subject anyway." I wouldn't need a backpack if I had R2 - he has everything! And Chewie? Well, he could REALLY come in handy . . . . )

47. Enjoys pretending to sing the opera part of Duel of the Fates, complete with hilarious motions and expressions?

48. Thinks it would be both hilarious and a ton of fun to talk like Yoda for 24 hours straight? (Imagine writing a whole blog like that! Owww, my head hurts already!)

49. Is currently trying to indoctrinate a padawan? (In my case, it's a four-year-old girl at my church who is the little sister I never had!)

And finally, #50: Am I the only one who wishes I could have been there to see that never-ending Star Destroyer float across the screen and into all of our hearts?



Oh good! I'm glad I'm not the only one. (Aren't ya feelin' the love now? Don't ya just feel so connected to your fellow bloggers? ) Thanks for making this a wonderful year. Although you may regret that now, since you're going to be stuck with me for another one!

MTFBWY all,
Jade

Oh, and feel free to add your own questions! (Actually, "confessions" might be a more accurate term in some cases . . . .)

One last thing! The pic? It'll always be my favorite celebration picture.