I usually try to avoid writing self-congratulatory blogs, but today holds special significance for this blog.

Today--May 24, 2009--I've reached 20 years of age. And so perhaps today the title of my blog, "I was a Teenage Jedi," holds more weight than ever before.

Over three years and 81 blogs ago, I started this blog here on StarWars.com. Even then, the release of Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith was becoming a moment of the past, and I admit to wondering if the Star Wars furor was on a possibly permanent decline. I was sixteen at the time, and upon deciding to christen my blog "I was a Teenage Jedi," I wondered if I would ever write a blog on StarWars.com wherein I would no longer be a teenager. Today, I'm pleased to proclaim with more confidence than ever before, "Star Wars is Forever."

I'm also pleased that my birthday falls in the month of May, which as I'm sure most of you know, is a big month for Star Wars. A few highlights:

--May 1 saw the publication in three successive years of the Thrawn Trilogy books, Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command, as well as the release of Dark Empire in Trade Paperback form; truly a monumental day for the Expanded Universe.

--May 4 is unofficially known as "Star Wars Day" (due to the phrase, "May the Fourth be with you").

--May 12 can, in some ways, be considered the birth of Star Wars, as it saw the publication of the original Star Wars (later rechristened A New Hope) novelization.

--May 14 is the the birthday of The Maker himself, Mr. George W. Lucas, Jr.

--May 16 saw the release of Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones in theaters.

--May 19 marks the release of both Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith in theaters.

--May 21 saw the cinematic release of Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

--May 25 is perhaps the biggest Star Wars day of all, seeing the release of the film that started it all, Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope, as well as Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

...Clearly, May is a big month for Star Wars. Though it doesn't include Life Day (I guess that would fall on November 17, the same day that the Star Wars Holiday Special aired), I think it probably includes nearly every other major Star Wars event. And I'm pleased that my birthday is nestled right in the midst of it.