Nerd in Another City

Nerd runs deep in my family. My father has it, my brother has it, my mother has it, my uncle has it, my cousin has it and of course… I have it.

Nerdy things were not cool at school. But they sure were cool at home!
My parents are huge Trekkies, saw Star Wars in the theaters and are always watching whatever superhero, fairytale, castaway TV show comes on. The nerd runs even deeper than my immediate family. My aunt and uncle, my cousin and her husband…we’re all a bunch of nerds.

So I come by my nerd pretty naturally. You could say I was destined for nerdom! And in the wake of a new Star Wars movie, I wondered what my family members felt about Star Wars. What it’s meant to them. And here’s what they said…

Linton (Uncle):

“I can remember thinking ‘STAR WARS?’ How could anything be better than STAR TREK? Not possible!! But then I went to see it, it was just AMAZING! From the scroll in the beginning to the very end. Star Trek, take a back seat!”

Barbara (Mom):

“It’s hard to believe that I have such a vivid picture of watching the first Star Wars movie in 1977 since I don’t have a great memory about other events in my past. I remember not really knowing much about what I was going to be seeing. I went with some friends from college. I always liked Sci-Fi, Star Trek was a favorite, but I didn’t really know much about Star Wars.

That day in the theater when it came on the big screen was like nothing I’d ever seen before. Bigger than life, exciting, fantastic, amazing! Coming out of the theater we couldn’t talk about anything else, but what we had just experienced. And when we learned that there was going to be another movie made, we were ecstatic.

Each subsequent movie has been the same, bigger than life and amazing. I know the upcoming one will be awesome and I can’t wait!”

Sterling (Cousin):

“Well it was you and Jeremy who introduced me to Star Wars (along with Power Rangers, the Rosie O’Donnell Show and Gone with the Wind, those were the only things ever on TV at your house.) And my first memory was actually not watching Star Wars together, but dressing up for Halloween as Star Wars characters together. My Ewok costume wasn’t staying together so I remember my father stapling me into it.”

Jeremy (Brother): 

“Star Wars. I must say it has been quite a ride for me. I cannot pinpoint when I first watched it or when I first became a superfan, mainly because it’s been with me for as long as I can remember. My sister likes to think that she introduced me to it, I tend to think the other way around. Whatever the case, it has been a huge part of my life. There was a time post-prequels when my enthusiasm waned. Why? Who knows. It could have been my post-college adulthood trying to push out all of the things I liked as a kid. Whatever the reason, Star Wars was put on the back burner for several years.

What brought it back (and in a big way?) I think it must have been watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series. It gave me new stories and characters to love as well as reminding me of all of the other aspects of Star Wars I loved.

Now, I’m back to being that superfan I was as a kid (so much so, I have a Star Wars room and even contemplated naming my soon-to-be baby girl Leia…or Rey.) And how, if you are a living breathing human (or non-human) can you not be excited about The Force Awakens? I mean…Episode VII!!! Who ever thought that this day would come! (*contented sigh)

I LOVE STAR WARS!”

Eric (Dad): 

“I saw Episode IV then I was a counselor at Salvation Army summer camp.. The rest of the time at camp we college age counselors (at least the cool ones) discussed the various aspects of the movie. Little did I know that that was just the beginning of my involvement with a whole new universe – or at least a galaxy!”

 
What does Star Wars mean to you? Comment below or send me an email at liztailor481@gmail.com