The Star Wars Convention Keeps Pulling Me Back In!

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I have been a galactic Star Wars fan since my dad dragged me to see the original film in Ventura a (somewhat) long long time ago. I remember going into that theatre being very scared and coming out being changed forever. I worked at Lucasfilm for seven years and was even a visual effects artist for a bit. Most of my friends think I’m crazy to still be such a die-hard fan but going to the Star Wars Convention continues to awaken the Force within me. Get teary-eyed I do when I hear the Star Wars theme song. I couldn’t wait to be among my people; it’s the only place I feel safe talking about my Star Wars bed sheets as a grown woman with no kids. So let’s grab some Wookie cookies and do this! Continue reading

The Year In Woods – 2012


Happy New Year everyone! I selfishly had so much fun writing last year’s Woodsy recap that I thought I’d sit down, have a tasty beverage,  and reflect on all the events that took place, or I took place in, “wink wink” this last year. I also welcome the challenge of only being able to pick a few select nuggets out of all that excitement! And away we go….

Instragram

So in January, I rediscovered Instagram. I signed up for it when it first launched a couple of years ago and just didn’t get it. Facebook, Hipstamatic, Tumblr, Flickr – it’s all too much!! But I decided to give IG another chance and was instantly hooked! I felt like an amateur photographer – I looked at everything around me differently, imagining different filters, angles, and wondered “Is this IG worthy?” I spent this year capturing moments, places, people, thoughts. I followed friends and others who’s lives I admired, dogs I adored, cars I coveted. My friends became annoyed with me constantly on my iphone like a teenager. Instagram is like a window into your world that you’re willing to share with others. I think it can be amazing. Facebook for me became a thing of the past until they bought Instagram – that was a bummer #bigtime. Continue reading

MTV Geek – Star Wars Celebration V Coverage!

Last August, the Force traveled with me, first class (THANK YOU DELTA AIRLINES) to Orlando, Florida to cover Star Wars Celebration V for MTV.com.  The locals renamed the city “Lando” in honor of the Star Wars Celebration.  Here is a link to the MTV Geek footage:  http://www.mtv.com/geek/event_coverage/star_wars_celebration_v/main.jhtml.

The weather in Orlando “has the same atmosphere as the Dagobah System” as Jon Stewart said, as sweat poured out from body parts I didn’t even know existed.  I had a grand time mingling with like-minded Jedis, doing floor interviews as well as some celebrity interviews including Warwick Davis (so nice!), Matt Lanter (so cute!) and Dave Filoni (so charismatic!).  I decided to give up my spot at the Star Wars speed dating event, for fear of being gang-raped.
I had mixed emotions about attending the conference, having worked at Lucasfilm for seven years, being entrenched in the Force.  I wondered if I’d be one of those disgruntled ex-employees constantly pondering what George does with all that money.  Instead, I had that first day of school feeling, as I entered the Orange County Convention Center with my mom, sister, MTV mic in hand and thousands of fans, waiting in line to be engulfed by the Star Wars Universe!

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Guess Who’s Going to Star Wars Celebration?

 

Chewbacca aka The Wookie and Peter Mayhew

Woodsy and the Wookie!

Hey look it’s me and Chewbacca at last year’s NYC Comicon!  And check out my Revenge of the Jedi t-shirt!  I so nailed that…

So yeah, I recently sent my mom an email with a link to this year’s Star Wars Celebration, http://www.starwarscelebration.com/, saying that we should go together, AS A JOKE, I swear!  But then she got all excited about it, so how could I then say NO?  I know you all understand…

Anyway, so yeah, I’m going to the Star Wars Celebration Convention in August with Diane in Orlando, Florida.  We’re all booked, and ready to go.  It’s truly a mystery as to why I’m still single…

I don’t think I’ll be dressing up, mostly because of the fact that if I happen to run into any of my old LucasFilm co-workers, I might die.  I mean it’s one thing to dress up Star Wars at the ILM Halloween party but this is taking it to the next level.  I mean, I may wear a golden bikini top or something just as a special call out to Princess Leia.  I was Slave Leia last Halloween but I had to quit boozing for an entire month.  Maybe I’ll go as Slave Yoda, because really, who else will?  And all that green make-up will bring out my green eyes.  I am hoping though to interview some of my dear old LFL co-workers that will be there for my blog – keep fingers crossed.

Oh and speaking of, guess who’ll be there signing autographs?  That’s right people, the one and only CARRIE FISHER, http://www.starwars.com/fans/events/celebration_v_carrie_fisher/index.html.  Of course I’ll have to lay low because of my over-exposure during her NYC Wishful Drinking tour.  She definitely recognizes me now, if only she’d call me Laurel and not Anne, please God, please.

At least I’ll always have the Wookie…

Wookie and Princess Leia

Jimmy McCain, www.thunder-lips.com, is the guy behind the gifs.