© Rastan | Dreamstime.com – Deep Space Gems Photo

I think you’d have to be living under a rock to not have heard about the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, which opens in theaters on December 18, 2015. Many die-hard fans have already purchased their tickets for midnight and opening day screenings. It seems like everywhere you look there is a plethora of Star Wars licensed products to purchase and bring home – flavored Coffee-Mate creamer in a C-3PO or R2-D2 bottle anyone?

To the casual observer, I may appear to be a Star Wars fan – I wear Star Wars t-shirts on occasion, I’ve seen the movies and know the basic storylines and characters, I like listening to The Imperial March by John Williams, and I know that Episodes 5, 6 and 7 came out before 1, 2 and 3. But I have a confession – I am a Star Wars fan only by association and by default. Yes, it’s true – if it weren’t for my husband’s love of all things space and science fiction I probably wouldn’t be a Star Wars fan at all.

When the second Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back, came out in 1980, I remember being at the mall with my mom and seeing the people lined up to see the new movie. I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. My parents weren’t frequent movie-goers and definitely were not interested in watching science fiction. At school I would hear the kids talking about the new Star Wars movie, but I couldn’t comprehend the fascination.

Fast forward a few years when I was a brand-new elementary school teacher in the early 1990s. Return of the Jedi had been out since 1983 and many of my students were Star Wars fans. During high school, I watched the first three Star Wars movies (on VHS tapes) at friends’ houses. I learned enough about the basic storyline and main characters to make small talk and to connect with my friends and students. That was the extent of my connection to Star Wars.

After my husband and I started dating in 2005, I finally watched Episodes I – III of the Star Wars movies that had come out and we watched the original ones (now known as Episodes IV – VI) again. Even with my husband’s expert commentary and him patiently answering all of my questions, I would maintain that I am still a fan only by association or default. My husband is the avid Star Wars fan – I am simply an apprentice in this universe.

So here is my list of Star Wars confessions:

• When asked, I typically mix-up and misidentify which emblem belongs to the Empire or the Rebels. This is still true even today.
• I often feel like Penny from The Big Bang Theory when having a conversation about Star Wars = “Oh, I get it. Like C-3PO. … What happened to me?” – Penny, TBBT, Season 7, Episode 22, ‘The Proton Transmogrification’.
• R2-D2 is my favorite character. A few years ago, my cell phone was the special Star Wars Android R2-D2 edition.
• I like adding Star Wars related pins (especially for food/party ideas) to my Pinterest boards.
• Every time we ride Star Tours at Disneyland, I hope that my husband (or myself) will be selected as “The Rebel Spy”.

While everyone waits for opening day on December 18^th, the excitement builds. TV commercials for The Force Awakens are now airing. Disneyland debuts Star Wars: Season of the Force on November 16^th in Tomorrowland, which includes the Star Wars Launch Bay interactive area and a Star Wars overlay for Space Mountain (a.k.a. Hyperspace Mountain). Walt Disney World will debut its Star Wars Launch Bay on December 1^st at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

I must admit, I enjoy being a Star Wars fan – even if it’s only by association. We have many cherished memories that are based on the Star Wars franchise. We attended a concert at the Hollywood Bowl of Star Wars music by John Williams played by the L.A. Philharmonic in 2011. We ran in the inaugural Star Wars 5K RunDisney race in 2015. Our home has many elements of Star Wars as part of the décor. Some years, we have a bonus Christmas tree fully decked out with Star Wars ornaments. I have fun posting “May the 4^th” photos of our dog dressed up as Darth Vader on social media. I cherish watching my husband and grandson having light saber battles on Halloween.

Seeing Stormtroopers at Petco on May 4, 2015 | #TrinitytheChihuahua dressed in her Darth Vader hoodie | Krista Disneybounding as R2-D2 | Photo Credits: Lloyd

So here’s my biggest confession – I enjoy being part of a pop-culture phenomenon that has endured generations and has taken on a life of its own. Thank you for accepting me as one of this tribe of fans. May the force be with you!

UPDATE May 25, 2017: HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY to STAR WARS!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”