A Three Hour Tour? No Thanks!

Docking Bay Ninety-Four

Ever see Major League?
"Call the stewardess, I'm gonna need one of those bags."
"I don't think there are any stewardesses."
"I wonder of there any pilots!"

That's right, there was a nice, shiny plane there but no crew! They teased us by opening the jetway door, but that turned into a three-hour wait. I prefer that to a three-hour tour.

Track them! They may come around for another pass!

Such a nice smooth flight, I could see clouds below and stars above, I saw the Big Dipper. As the plane descended through the clouds I saw something odd. "Is that fog?" I asked. "Nope, it's blowing snow!"

The plane accelerated, decelerated, accelerated, decelerated, it rocked from side to side until I thought the wings would crash into the runway. Except... we weren't as close to the runway as I thought, apparently, because the plane suddenly accelerated and went into a steep climb.

"I guess we're not landing!" I said.

We are brave, your highness.

Eventually, the pilot got on the PA and said that he was going to try again, and if he couldn't make it we'd have to go to Boise.

Boise? Nooooooo! We choose the danger. Use the Force!

First time I've ever been on a flight where the passengers clapped and cheered for the landing!

Good job, Captain Solo!

Spokane Amtrak Station. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

Well, you might, and Luke certainly did in his travels, but Obi-Wan's observation would be fitting here, too.

It's 2:30 AM, waitn' for a train, and feelin' near as faded as my... oops, sorry. This isn't a song parody.

The train that was supposed to leave at 1:15 am finally boarded at 9 am, and took two hours to cross into Idaho. Finally, we were moving and arrived over nine hours late.

The Hoth System is supposed to be devoid of human life!

At least I saw scenery that I usually pass in the dark on this trip.

Of course everything was covered with ice and snow, but lovely just the same.

The destination was worth journey. But I could have easily taken the journey without the adventure!

BFD Better Late than Never

Last night on Mustafar, the Ethereal Spirit spoke to me. "Call me Ben," he said.

No, I cannot do that, Master Kenobi. You are a wise Jedi Master, worthy of being my teacher and guide.

And so I went forth on a mission for my beloved Obi-Wan, finding shards of a broken crystal in and around the bubbling lava of Mustafar. Repairing them, carrying them to an underground bunker, where they were fused together into a shimmering beacon of power.

A dark Jedi appeared, and told me to leave it along, or else my ashen shadow would be the last mark I left upon that planet.

Master Obi-Wan told me, "I'm afraid you have no choice, you must use the crystal." And use it I did. And I fought the dark Jedi, a man supposedly twenty levels above me, but the crystal seemed to give me unlimited power! I fought him on and on, it must have lasted five minutes, and when he was dead I was exhilarated.

"Destroy the crystal!" Obi-Wan told me. And as I clicked on it, the choice came up before me: 1) Destroy the crystal or 2) Keep the crystal for yourself.

For a moment, I was Luke Skywalker on board the second Death Star! Do I do the right thing, or do I take the power. I wanted that power. I hesitated, and the ghost of Obi-Wan said, "You must destroy the crystal! Don't let the dark side cloud your mind!" (or something like that)

Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew, that because of the way the game works, I wouldn't get the crystal even if I chose option 2, because I'd be able to kill everyone in the game, and it just doesn't work that way. But I wanted it!

My 10 year-old grandson said, "I wouldn't want to go against Obi-Wan, but I'd want to keep it!"

But it was Obi-Wan, so I destroyed it. I am nothing if not loyal.

And there in my head was Luke, standing over Vader, his saber at his neck, ready to make a killing blow. And he stopped and looked at his mechanical hand, a reminder of everything he'd learned and everything he was afraid of.

"I don't want to lose you the way I lost Vader," must have echoed through his mind.

"Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice!"

Was Luke as tempted as I was? He could have ruled an entire galaxy! I just wanted to wreak havoc on a role playing game!

So the Force was balanced that day. Obi-Wan's ghost was happy, and he gave me a reward, a shard of the crystal that I can use when I need it, for a short time, and not too often. Keeps me on the Jedi Path, I suppose.

Yes, "An Empire Divided" is only a game. And Star Wars is only a movie. And if you follow that, I've got some swampland on Tatooine I could sell you! Happy BFD, everyone!

Well, It's a BFD to Me!

DISCLAIMER (5/29/2012): This was NOT my first BFD. It was just my first as Gidrea.


A long time ago, (last year), in a galaxy far, far away, (my house) I was singing the blues. The Force was definitely on the dark side. But while lying around in the depths of despair (is that dramatic enough for you?) I discovered something wonderful on my laptop, and that something was BFD!

Songs, jokes, stories of friendship and love. Reminders of the friends I'd met at C-IV. I read, I laughed, I cried, and I said nothing. Why? I didn't think I had anything worthwhile to contribute. But that was then and there.

So, here and now is my First Balanced Force Day!

I'll be online for BFD!
You can trust in me.
I'll bring the Force
And Jedi of course!
To blog around the tree!

BFD will find us
Where the Rebels play!
I'll be online for B-F-D
With nothing much to say!

Ok, it wasn't so great. I told you it was silly!

I wonder if Luke came back from the second Death Star and told Leia, "Happy Balanced Force Day!"

The reason Obi-Wan, Anakin and Yoda only showed up briefly at the Ewok party was because they were already "tired" from the party at Qui-Gon's place!

TOMORROW: A BFD tree! Maybe!

The Galaxy According to Gidrea - The Saga Begins

A long, long time ago
In a galaxy far, far away
BFD was drawing near.

I thought I'd take Obi-Wan
And lock the doors and get it on
And maybe make ourselves some cheer.

But the Ghost of Qui-Gon saw us kissing
He said, "Now I know what I've been missing!"

"We should be with our friends
To make sure BFD never ends."

And so we searched the internet
And found some blogs, both noob and vet.
He said "I think a blog you ought to get!'

And so, now here's my blog!

My, my, Miss Gidrea Lightsky!
From Dantooine to Tatooine
Your starship will fly!
With Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon
And Leia, Luke and Han!
You can kiss the Empire goodbye!
You can kiss the Empire goodbye!!!!

The Galaxy Far, Far Away

Welcome to my desert hideaway! I'm Gidrea Lightsky, Jedi Knight.



Say what? Am I out of my mind? Possibly, as Obi-Wan Kenobi would say. But here I am anyway. And I'd like to give you all a little tour of my house on Tatooine!

This is my entry way. The armor was a gift from a grateful old Clone for killing his old Imperial boss! lol



This my front room. Impressive painting, no? I had to travel to Lok and spend 850,000 credits for that. It's only play money. That's a Bantha Skin rug. They call it a "Faux Bantha Skin Rug" but I don't know why, I earned it by collecting pieces of pristine leather obtained by killing critters, so why the PC reference I don't know! Give me the real thing any day.



Here's my panoramic view of Tatooine, and my X-Wing hologram given to me as a reward by Princess Leia Organa.



This is my main living room. Comfy loooking, no? The hanging mobiles were gifts from the Wookiee Chief in Kerritamba.



This is my Hero of Tatooine award, along with my steaming and glowing rocks, which seem to have no purpose other than keeping the hut comfortable and attractive! LOL



Ah, my Webweaver Blanket, a gift from a healer in the Mydrill Caverns of Kashyyyk. And a close up of the other mobile the Chief of Kerritamba presented me with. Nice hunk of lava rock from Mustafar, too.



Here's the entertainment corner. A cozy place to play Dejarik.




This is my less formal sitting room. It's still being decorated. My Mustafarian collectibles are here. And check out the 30th Anniversary Bash painting!





I hope you all enjoyed the tour of my house!