"Geek" By Assocation

Blogger's note: I know I promised to write about my personal connection with The Flavor Isle, the subject of yesterday's post. But today is a special day in si-fi pop culture and I just had to write about that. 

Today is unofficially "Star Wars" day. There are all kinds of celebrations going on in a lot of places. Walt Disney World is one of them and so is the Lego store. Even major league and minor league baseball teams are having special Star Wars events this weekend.  

My favorite new TV sit com from this past season, "The Goldbergs" is scheduled to have a Star Wars themed episode this coming Tuesday. 

"The Big Bang Theory" episode this past Thursday revolved around Star Wars and was the best one of the season so far. 

In that episode Penny made statements about the Star Wars movies after which she exclaimed, "Why do I know that!" That's the way I feel about Star Wars. I'm not a Star Wars geek but I know things about the franchise that only a "geek" would know. 

I have seen the movies and am familiar with the characters. I saw the film now known as "Episode 4: A New Hope" because my dad took me to see it. The rest of the original trilogy (episodes 5 and 6) I went to the theater to see because my friends were interested in them. 

The next three films (1,2 and 3) I went to see because my wife and sons wanted to see them. I went along just to be with them. The reason I know as much as I do about the Star Wars universe is because of my family. 

In the summer of 2012 when Disney bought Lucasfilm Star Wars became part of the wonderful world of Disney and my "forced" involvement with Star Wars became part of my Disney fandom. 

Over the last year or so I've been listening to the Assembly of Geeks podcast. The main artery of this podcast is a constant flow of Star Wars news and discussions. The 3 hosts are mega Star Wars geeks. 

I am also a "forced geek" about few other popular movie franchises. I guess you could call it a type of pop culture osmosis. Hang around with people who are extreme fans of some of these and you can't help but absorb some basic knowledge. 

First and foremost is "Harry Potter". These movies are constantly on the ABC family cable channel and thus, somehow end up on our TV screen. 

I've seen these films more times than I'd like to admit. I even have an on-going "game" with my wife in that I try to come up with "puns" about Harry Potter things. 

A couple of my favorites are: referring to Buck Beak the hypogriff a "hypocrite."  and substituting the incantation "Expeto Petronum" with "expecting  petroleum."  

In 2010 as part of my 50th birthday trip I took my wife to Universal Studio's brand new "Wizarding World of Harry Potter". I have to admit I really enjoyed it. It's one of the best themed parks I've ever been to. 

Another franchise I was "forced" to experience to be part of the family was "Lord of the Rings." To me all these movies are about is a short guy with big feet going on a long walk to drop a ring in a volcano. The key word in that synopsis is "walking". In LOR everyone and everything walks; even the trees. 

But on the other hand, I am a fan of the new "Hobbit" trilogy. I really enjoyed the first two and look forward to the 3rd. 

Until "The Avengers" came out a couple of summers ago I felt "forced" into the Marvel universe. But I deed see all the Marvel movies leading up to the 2012 mega hit. I had an interest in them but was not quite a fan. 

Then I sat in the theater and saw the most "epic" super hero movie ever!!! Now I am a Marvel "geek". I love anything that has to do with Marvel. I have even been a faithful watcher of the under performing "Agents of Shield" show on ABC TV. 

I don't mind having knowledge about and experienced Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord Of The Ring. They are all such a major part of pop culture these days that some basic knowledge is the key to holding your own in a discussion of any of them. 

Also Lego has a very large and impressive line of Star Wars sets. I find some of them to be very cool. I even own some of them. If I didn't have some understanding of Star Wars I wouldn't have any context in which to enjoy these models beyond building them. 

So on this "May the 4th" I must say that although I am not a card carrying Star Wars geek I could probably pass for one if I had to. 

As I have admitted in the past I am a geek about a lot of things but when it comes to those franchises I just mentioned I'm only "geek by association".  

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to lounge back in my recliner and get ready to watch the special Lego episode of the Simpsons I've heard so much about.