Expanded Universe

What are your thoughts on the EU? I know a lot of people don't like it and see it as infringing on The Trilogy. I don't see that at all. I love it to death and it's the main reason that I am still a Star Wars junkie. I started in 7th Grade with the Thrawn Trilogy and since then have read every SW novel written. I can't get enough. Am I weird or are there other out there like me?? Anyway, I am just about to finish the new NJO book Force Heretic 1: Remnant and it's amazing. I love the NJO series because it seems like all of the characters are finally getting to flesh out. But my faves still have to be the Thrawn Trilogy (read it 3 times!) What about you guys and gals? Any favorite books out there?

 

Oh, I totally love it. Like you said, it's the one thing that really keeps me going. I don't think I'd be half the fan I am without the books. I think the biggest reason I love Star Wars so much is because there is so much to it. It very seriously is like its own universe. There's so much to know.

I've always really enjoyed reading about the Jedi and how they train, so naturally I loved the Jedi Academy trilogy. Even better than that was I, Jedi which revisited the events in the Jedi Academy books. I loved it. Now that I think about it, though, there were only two Star Wars books I haven't loved. They both happen to be written by Barbara Hambly. Hmmm...

I even have to admit that I have recently been enjoying the Jedi Apprentice series. Although it is geared more toward little kids and it is very easy reading, I love reading the history behind young Obi-Wan and his relationship with Qui-Gon. I find it fascinating.

I've been keeping on top of the NJO as well. Despite what people say I have really enjoyed what they have done with the characters. I admit, I wasn't happy with where they started going with Jaina, my favourite character, but I'm glad to see her finally coming around.
I'm just starting into Remnant, so I'm still waiting for it to get going. I hope it's good. I waited a long time for it- well, at least it sure seemed like a long time!

 

Wow- that was really long. I guess I got pretty excited there. Sorry 'bout that!

 

Lol, it's cool. Long posts are good. I loved I, Jedi so much. I even included it in my senior term paper in HS I have always been fascinated with the Jedi. Some people laugh when I get into the subject of religion, so I won't go there. I am also a martial artist, so anything about Jedi fighting technique I eat up. That's one reason I got into rotoscoping a few years ago. I got the Force FX Anakin Saber for Christmas and it's so great. Maybe if a FF chapter starts up I'll finally have some people interested in helping with my fan film.

And I have always loved the Solo twins. What they did with Jacen was great, and other than Jaina being promoted all the way to Colonel, I love her direction. I like that she is starting to get some romance going. Another character I am starting to enjoy is Tahiri. I really wish her and Anakin could have had something, and Remnant really brings out a dark side she fights with, but I won't spoil it

 

No way!!! That's so cool! We totally have to get together. It's so nice to hear that someone else out there is as into all things Jedi like I am.
I have a parksaber (it's my baby) and although I don't know much about true fighting style, I love to get together and make up lightsaber battles with some of my old friends back home. I was looking into starting some sort of saber fighting club around here. Perhaps that's a fanforce thing we could start up...
As far as religion goes, I will definitely not be one to laugh. I am a devout Christian, but I do also like to consider myself a follower of the Jedi way (I know it may sound silly). Truly, it's a way of life and I think more people would benefit from it. I've been to many different sites talking about such things and am currently taking some Jedi classes. It's all really interesting and applicable to everyday life.
Perhaps I take things to a ridiculous degree (it is technically fiction, I suppose) but I really do live and breathe Star Wars. It's so much more than a few movies and books to me. Wow. I guess I'm a true blue dweeb. It's beautiful.
The Solo twins have always held a special place in my heart. I almost feel as though I have grown up with them. The Young Jedi Knights series was the first series I ever read and I was right along their age then. From there, I just started reading all of the books and couldn't stop. Several years and hundreds of dollars in reading material later, I still can't get enough.

 

Whoa! You sound like the coolest person I have ever met! Well, haven't met yet, but ya know. Which Parksaber do you have? I just got a Dremel for Christmas so I hope to build my own handle, and hopefully Parksabers will be making an appearence at Megacon. If you ever want to do anything, I am an experienced swordsman and I have been looking for someone other than myself to rotoscope. And so far you sound like the only person I know that would be interested in seriously doing some saber fighting.

And there is no such thing as too serious! I grew up a devout Christian as well (if you know anything about Royal Rangers, I was the highest ranked in Florida until I was about 16) but then I also got my Black Belt and really got into eastern religion, and that's when I found out that the Jedi are based on a lot of eastern religion, so I really got into it. It's a good way to live and a if it was an accepted religion I think I would go for it. I have a buddy here that thinks the same way and we would talk for hours about it.

I say we just hook up and take the campus by storm I got a buddy with some Stormtrooper armor we could hire to be the intimidation

 

You have a dremel!?!? Are those hard to use? I've always wanted to make a practice saber hilt- one that I could just shove a wooden dowel into and go to town. I would be all for some swordplay.

We definitely have to get together!

By the way, is your friend's name Jack?

 

Yup, Jack Jack the stormtrooper man Dremels are great, and not that hard to use once you get the hang of holding it. It can be tough if you are using the cutting disk because it tends to snag and get away from you. What I did for my two practice/prop sabers is went out and got two of those toy retractible sabers from target, but the blade out, and screwed in a PVC pipe, then painted one neon green and the other neon orange (easier to see when rotoscoping) and they seem to work really well.

 

Mmm- I don't know. I don't know how much I could get into it without that cool, reassuring weight that a metal hilt provides you with. Maybe I'm just picky, but plastic just doesn't do it for me.

 

Well fine then Do a google search for 'big yellow box'. It's a great site for doing custom sabers for around $20. I like one of the designs a lot, but don't have the time right now (hence the plastic sabers)

 

If only I had the time to sink into something like that...

Perhaps over the summer or something.

 

Yeah, that's my problem. I have so many projects, just not enough hours in the day to do them. Where do you stay during the summers? I'm staying in Daytona. I figure that would be the best time to get any group events going.

 

And I also just finished Remnant while sitting in the Barber Shop and it was so good! I am really starting to like GA Palleon and I really can't wait for the next book. Luckily Tatooine Ghost comes out in March and then Force Heretic 2: Refugee in May

 

I generally go home for the summer. I'm almost positive that's what I'll be doing this year- at least for summer A. Hopefully I'll be in Europe for summer B.

 

Oooo, what are you going to Europe for? I have always wanted to visit Germany. And I really want to tour the castles of Scotland and England. If our finals were at any different time I would be flying over to Scotland for the USKK International Karate Tournament.

 

Hopefully I will be studying abroad in England and France this summer. I say hopefully because I don't think my parents want me going if we are at war.

Praying for peaceful times...

An International Karate Tournament? Wow- that seems pretty serious. You must be crazy good. That's awesome. Do you do a lot of competeing?

 

Though I pray for peace as well, I'm afriad unless something is done we will only be going in circles until someone uses a nuke, then it will be too late.

Anyway, I have been doing karate since I was about 6. Unfortunatly my style doesn't do many competitions, my first was actually about two weeks ago down in Cocoa Beach, but due to a knee injury I was only able to ref some of the sparring matches. If I can get the money I want to fly up to Illinois in July for the Nationals. I've thought about starting up a karate club, but like everything else, I just don't have the time.

 

Oh, I know and understand that we will go to war if necessary, but I'm just being selfish. I REALLY want to go to Europe!

What style of karate do you do/use/know whatever?

I started learning Isshinryu (sp?) in middle school but I had to give it up for high school band. It was fun while it lasted.

 

As much as I love all things military (the Chiss are so cool!) I don't want to see anyone going to war. eh, just nuke 'em till they glow then shoot 'em in the dark Just kidding.

I study Okinawan Shurin-Ryu. I earned my first degree black belt when I was 15 and started teaching when I was 13, and before I came to college was the manager of my dojo (school), and I earned my second degree when I was 16.

So you were in band? What instrument did/do you play? I've played the sax since 6th grade and I met my roomate in Marching Band my Sophomore year of HS. It was so great that we both happened to love aviation/aerospace and ended up comeing to Riddle.

 

I played the trumpet for a few years and then I joined the drumline playing second bass drum for a while and then snare.

 

Very cool. My roomate does percussion. Maybe we could get our own little cantina band going

 

Heck yeah! I also know a tuba player and another trumpet player- both Star Wars fans. We could do it!

 

Woohoo! *rushes to dust off sax*