2007 - a year like any other?
No.

Star Wars turned 30. I turned 40. And somehow our planets aligned to create an incredible year that started on a high note, and finished on a spectacular note.

If you have a few minutes, and don't mind joining me on my swoop bike for a quick blast down memory lane, I'd love to go over the highlights.

January: The year started well - my databank story for the little rolo-droid was accepted. Unless you have had your efforts approved like this, you can't imagine (or maybe you can - we're an imaginative lot) what a thrill this is. To be, in some small way, a contributor to the lore of Star Wars.
Also in January, Luke Week continued my themed weeks. I miss them, but I no longer have the time to dedicate to them...

February: Hot Alien Lady Week debuted, and I celebrated 100 blogs. I celebrated by painting a picture (and gave a copy to Amy Allen a few months later). The month finished with Leia Week.

March: I was busy at the Cinequest film festival here in San Jose, but still had time for Anakin Week - which I really enjoyed. Then, towards the end of March, my little buddies, the blogalots first started appearing...

April kicked off with Chewbacca Week, and a little while later I found Artoo! Mid-way through the month I began my fan-fic, The Suns of Solamonn. By the way, I will be continuing this tale now that I have finished reading True Colors and Allegiance and seen that I'm not copying the masters J
Obi Wan Week took me up to my birthday which was a lot of fun thanks to Kuldip. Yay! 40! Now life begins!

May: I announced my new endeavor, A Place in the Galaxy, a documentary about fans and fandom. Then I discover The Force Among Us - and head back to the drawing board. This project is not dead though - I have a new angle and have begun developing the concept - so I am aiming for release during CVI! Speaking of Celebrations - Celebration IV happened. And it was good. Very, very good. Thank you to all my new friends who met me there, and have thus enriched my life tenfold J

June: The month began with the aftereffects of the convention, and then introduced my newest (and hopefully most successful) project - Turning to the Dork Side. Threepio Week sucked up a little more time, and then we segued seamlessly into...

July: Along with the usual Dork Sides and Suns of Solamonn(s), I was able to report back from dear old England, where we attended Celebration Europe, had a wonderful time, and met loads of new friends that we would have to leave behind in that green and pleasant land. Also in July, I introduced a new project, Tales from the Diner - and it refuses to die! Hurrah!

August: Things barreled along quite contentedly. New dorks arrived, new chapters were written, and I discovered I loved Las Vegas. Not really Star Wars related, but a defining moment anyway!

September: My character weeks have officially ended - sad but now I've got more time - LOL. Dork Side was being well received, and I continued to write my fan-fic for the one reader still following the story
I made a cuddly Yoda, and this got me thinking about other characters to attempt - I'm a crap seamstress (seam-master?), but I love making these things!!

October: Business as usual, punctuated by a healthy dose of Blue Harvest. I look at the links between Hammer Horror and Star Wars for Halloween.

November: Things are winding down... however; we still squeeze in a wonderful time at the Science of Star Wars with many of our new friends!

December: I unveil my first set of unofficial sketch cards, new Dork Sides terrorize the net and I review the new Blade Runner. I also begin work on Operation Crumb! In the meantime, JMW asks me for help with her magnificent baby blanket, and the blogalots are brought out of retirement - along with some chunky ships I drew for it.

Which brings us to the end of the year - and what a year.

"But wait!" I hear you cry, "You promised us a spectacular ending!"

And indeed I did - but I had a little while to share it with you.

In the words of the Mother of the Rebellion, "Something wonderful has happened!"

Yep - we have a youngling in the pod - I'm going to be a dad!!

Here he or she is. Baby Baker.

And depending on sex, it will be either Harrison James Baker, or Olivia Buttercup Baker.

So, I'm happy - happy to meet my fellow bloggers, happy to be a part of the GHG and the PLB, and happy to know that I will be corrupting a tiny mind in about six months J