A couple nights ago, I returned to my fandom roots -- I watched Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Long before I knew anything substantial about Star Wars and before the Disney collecting days that were prompted by the release of The Lion King, I was introduced to Indiana Jones.

It happened quite to my mother's disliking, I'm sure. She was always one to try and protect me from the dark ways of the world, from violence and scary things. Certain movies were never watched in my household. It wasn't such a bad thing. I was, after all, a child. Early grade school years. I never questioned the decision because I knew I didn't like scary things anyway, so it never bothered me.

I guess it also never bothered me because I saw movies that I wouldn't get to see at home when I'd go over to my cousins' homes. I guess Mom didn't really mind because she knew about these occasions (sometimes after the fact that they had happened). It was more of a matter that Dad didn't like certain types of movies (especially anything science fiction or fantasy or too-far-gone fiction). He liked real movies...well, as real as movies can get. So there were just some things we never saw in our house.

One of my earliest recollections is of the movie Short Circuit. I was at my Aunt Tina's house, crowded around the television in the basement with my two cousins, eating popcorn and sitting with Aunt Tina and her husband, watching this movie as a family. I'd never seen anything like this before! I loved it!

Other movies of the same nature followed at Aunt Tina's. I was introduced to a lot, and Mom never really complained, so I figured it was okay. I was never really scared or worried because we were all there, as a family, watching the movies. So it was great.

But the true moment of my fannish nature arose when I was eight years old. My uncle was babysitting me, and he happened to have both of his children (my cousins) with him that day. We were all hanging out, not much to do, so he suggested we watch a movie. He pulled out this movie I'd never heard of: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

So we all settled down to watch it -- my uncle, my two cousins (one my age, the other older), and me.

I was amazed. Looking back now, I don't know what attracted me to the story so much (to this day, Doom is actually my least favorite of the trilogy). But I do remember being shocked, being awed and being absolutely glued to the screen during every moment. My older cousin informed us younger ones that we should cover our eyes at one point. We were dutiful and did so, but the curiosity was just too much.

Curiosity led me to see a guy's heart getting ripped out. And while, yes, it was frightening, it didn't scare me away from Indiana Jones. Not at all.

I'm not sure what attracted me to the character and the movie because, after all, I was eight. This was a little while ago, and I can't remember my thought processes during this particular instance. But whatever I thought, whatever the reason, I was hooked. I'm sure that somewhere along the way there, my uncle introduced me to the other Indy movies. All of that is a blur, however.

I'm sure my mother was slightly appalled that I had seen such movies, but I never remember her saying anything to me about it. I even begged her to let me dress up at Indiana Jones for Trick Or Treat, and she simply responded by digging out my father's old leather jacket from the closet downstairs, lending me his old fedora and purchasing a small toy whip from the gift shop of Cracker Barrel for me to use with my costume.

I used that costume for three years and suffered incredible torment from little old men passing out candy who had no idea who I was.

"I'm Indiana Jones!" I would protest. I'd point to my belt. "See? I have a whip!" Geez, wasn't it obvious? Haven't you seen the movies? Gah!

Indy was my first obsession, my first "fandom" if you will. I think it's there that my geekiness was born (and it truly was because if you saw the pictures of me in that first Indy costume, you'd die of laughter - my huge glasses enough are enough to make me fall into fits of hysteria). Maybe one day I'll post that picture...if I can find it.

So now with the new Indy movie upon us, I felt I had to revisit my roots. I had to get back to the basics. I started with Raiders, and I remember why I fell in love.

Now I've gotta get to work on that femme Indy costume. And this time I've got contacts instead of god-awful ugly glasses. Some things never change, though. I'll still look like the geek I really am.

But that's all right with me.