Phew! I'm back! I'm sure I was missed... (JediPug Who???).

Well, whatever... I realized the other day that I had let myself go black, something I swore I would never do! I guess time got away from me somewhere along the line. It's been a bit of an "eh" kind of year so far, so it shouldn't come as a real surprise that renewing my Hyperspace membership slipped through the cracks of a parched Tatooine sidewalk. Do they even have sidewalks on Tatooine?

Well, I won't torment everyone with the details of my life since I last made an entry here. The main thing is that I lost my job... and that in itself is a sordid story, and some of you already know the details so I won't rehash them. Frankly, I am glad to be done with my job (I hated it!), but it's never easy to be out of work. Especially with things being as tough as they are right now. The job market isn't the best in my area, but I keep looking. Something will turn up. It always does.

I'm collecting unemployment (which is another sordid story since my ex-boss tried to prevent that), so that's something. It's not much (understatement... ), but I like it better than the alternative.

So, by now you're probably thinking, "JediPug, are you sure you should plunk down $14.95 for a Hyperspace membership renewal at this time?" The answer to that is... "Yes."

First off, compared with other things I'd like to buy, this is a bargain! I know some people question the value of having a membership, but for me it's a no-brainer. I do enjoy having a blog here and I like the other little perks you get (like the ever elusive membership kit that always seems to be a year late... ). Most of all, though, I enjoy being able to touch base with fellow Star Wars fans. I love to hear their ideas, their jokes, their ponderings, their woes, their adventures, their collecting tales, their occasional gripes and joys. Over the years that I've been here, I've made good friends... Best friends, even. Many of them I'm in touch with on Facebook, MySpace, through e-mail, other message boards and blogs... even in real life. The point being, I don't need to be here to reach out to them, but this is, in a way, will always be "our place." The place where we first met...

For the memories of first meetings, shared laughs and tears... and blossoming friendships that will last a lifetime... for that, what's a measly $14.95??

Besides... I've really missed that picture of Luke....