I've been waiting so long to write this entry (any entry, really) as the challenges of being a professional moose in my real life weigh upon my antlers.

But I've got a couple of extra ticks on the chronometer, so I can finally say this:

Hey Look at ME! Look at ME! Wooohoo!! Me me me!!


--->>> }:0)-|-< <<<---- (me)

WHHOOooOOOHHOooOOoo...me!

*ahem*

Translation:

I was given two incredible honors this last month - being published for the first time in Insider (issue #87 on shelves in April), and contributing to another "What's the Story" entry, this time Round 5.

Insider #87 - Best of Star Wars Blogs-
The Insider #87 issue is a particular head enlarger for me (yes, its possible) because it's been a long time since I saw my own writing in print (well...at least with a byline of sorts, and wasn't part of a sales brochure). They featured one of my entries you've seen here - a goofy little diddy called:

I Will Make it Legal :0)

The section covered the "Best of Star Wars Blogs", in which my own, Ryan Kaufman with Daniel Blankenship, and ssgorlik were featured as well. Oddly enough, in the issue that details Order 66, I made page 66. Coincidence?

I think not. I think not often, as a matter of fact.

There was also some other stuff somewhere in the magazine..some pictures and like..articles and stuff. But let's get back to me. Me me me.

Ohh...alright fine - if you haven't picked it up, the pages detailing Order 66 is done with unique and captivating graphics. Not to mention this is the issue where our own Karen Traviss has given us the groundbreaking Odds short story, featuring Null Arc Prudii, Omega Squad member Atin, Kal Skirata and others.

And me. me me me!. Page 66. :0) No pictures, sorry - not that kind of magazine.

What's the Story Round 5: The DC0052 Intergalactic Speeder-
As if the Insider mention wasn't enough, I was given the honor of contributing to another "What's the Story" entry - the DC0052 Intergalactic Speeder.

The name of the speeder was already determined, released as part of the official information in the movie. What wasn't known were details like who made the craft, what powers the craft, how did it get its branding, what's special about it - all the little details that you can't help but want to flesh out.

If you're having trouble placing it in the movies, this is the speeder that Anakin takes from the Jedi Temple to Palpatine's office in Episode III, arriving just in time to stop Mace from killing Palpatine. A pivotal scene, to be sure, and having any part of its contributing details is an incredible prize. Once he leaves that speeder to confront Mace, we all know what happens next...

As with the UT-AT entry and co-contributor The2ndQuest, I share the honor with another contributor, Nathan (Chronoradio). And as with The2ndQuest, I get to bask in the limelight of some of Nathan's innovation. I can only assume it was Nathan that came up with the last paragraph, which is pretty cool if you can envision it:

Its unique feature is a "drop-deployment" panel, which would allow a Jedi in need of immediate debarkation in an emergency to set the craft on autopilot to land while a hatch below the cockpit would drop away. The Jedi would then drop directly into the heat of the emergency, ready for action.

Can you imagine you're a Coruscanti crime lord of some sort, and a DC0052 drops a fully-ignited Jedi on your melon without warning? Made this little craft a lot more wicked than the little cross-town commuter I made it out to be. :0)

Just like last time I've posted to my own Geocities site to show my original entry, to give you an idea of where all the ideas came from. Also, here's some self-proclaimed coolness that arose from these moosely contributions (look closely on the windscreen of the speeder and you might just see the Good Moosekeeping Seal of Approval. or not.):

1) In addition to providing the backstory for much of the speeder, I've apparently invented a new aerospace company in the Star Wars univese - Daystar Craft. They put the DC in DC0052. For this reason I've abandoned my original cheesey nickname for this speeder ("coinbox"? dunno. Never said all my ideas were gold). Nope, this here jalopy is now dubbed in Good ol' Texan shadetree mechanic tradition: the "Deuce". Or, for further moosehead enlargement value, The "Moose Deuce." Anyway, "Deece" was taken.

2) On top of inventing a new company, I've made a new class of propulsion among their offerings - Sono-class thrusters. What's so special about them? I have no idea. But they're fast and light and give the Deuce that little extra pep in the passing skylane.

3) This is the real stuff here. This makes my head swell to rather gargantuan proportions, so if you're having trouble seeing your screen, it's my melon. Sorry about the antlers. The DC0052 will be the last craft that "the best star-pilot in the galaxy" (by Old Ben Kenobi's reckoning) Anakin Skywalker ever flew. Shortly thereafter, he completed his long and tragic fall, and became Darth Vader. Surely Vader flew again, but never again as Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, not even when he had been redeemed to the light.

You might think I'm reaching a bit, but to be part of that story, or any part of the story that comprises Star Wars, is pretty weighty stuff to me. So to whoever chose my entry, heartfelt thanks to you.

Likewise, to have shared the credits of these entries with such prominent SW citizens as The2ndQuest and Nathan (Chronoradio) is just as much a head-sweller. That's two people who have given much time, effort, and creative devotion to Star Wars fandom. Me, I'm just a moose.

What's the Holdup?-
Now, this is where I turn my incredibly swolen, bulbous, near-bursting Cabeza de Mooso Ego Del Grande to you, dear reader, and ask the question that doubles as the title of this entry...

If you haven't gone to check out this feature and provided an entry, you're missing out. Here's my theory - I'm good (checks perfect hair and winning smile in mirror), but I'm not that good. I think people are not contributing as much and as often as they should be to this thing. I think there are few that definitely try, and they should keep on trying, because they are getting selected to take part in this one-of-a-kind chance to contribute to the mythos of Star Wars. This is fan-franchise interaction at its best. But for you folks that have either given up, or have never tried, you may be letting us walk away with this thing.

So Try - write something - even if you think it's stupid. You aren't the judge, they are, and you may have ideas they've never thought of.

So DON'T let folks like me take all the glory, kids. And no, my contributions weren't chosen because I'm a moderator. Trust me - like I keep saying - I've been trying for YEARS to get one stoopid caption on the Communications Disruptions page. YEARS. No dice. I think the reason my WTS contributions were chosen were the same reasons others were chosen, the same reason yours could be chosen - it was tight writing, it made sense (occasionally) and I kept trying. And perhaps also because not as many people are putting in entries as there could be.

Helleeeuuu? Is this sinking in? How can you miss the giant moosehead burbling the obvious to you?

Now don't think for a second I'm going to hang up the antlers and not try for another one, but you folks out there, you need to get into this again - especially those who know a lot more than me about Star Wars and it's vast variety of creatures, vehicles, technologies, characters, organizations, and more.

I know there are writers out there, and I know you want to get in on this. Just do it. Don't let a moose get the glory.

So What's your Holdup? Go check out What's the Story and put your stamp all up in the Star Wars grill. The link's right there. Click it. Go. Go write. It's not that hard, and if you get in on an entry, you're head could be as massive as mine right now.

So there ya go ;0) Hey look - there goes another poster right in front of you. Shouldn't you be clicking?

"Deuce" Moose out