My Entertainment Weekend Update (Obi-Wan Edition)

Hello my friends, and happy weekend!

So of course the Obi-Wan Kenobi series premiered this past Friday, and it’s so big and exciting that I decided to dedicate this whole post to the first two episodes that dropped. So beware: SPOILERS AHEAD if you haven’t seen them yet.

So this was pretty much me the whole week:

I prepared simply by rewatching Revenge of the Sith. And was surprised that at the beginning of Part 1, we got a quick recap of the prequel trilogy, mostly as it applied to the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan, which makes sense. This whole series is mostly about Obi-Wan dealing with feelings of guilt and regret about Anakin, and how he presumably will come to terms with it.

Ten years after the events of ROTS, Obi-Wan is about halfway between Obi-Wan the heroic Jedi Knight and Ben Kenobi, the Zen desert dweller that Luke comes across. Here, he’s a broken man: defeated, depressed, traumatized, clearly suffering from PTSD, with nightmares about Anakin. He’s not living in the home he’s in from A New Hope; here, he’s just living in a cave with very little else. Perhaps he feels he doesn’t deserve much else. He works at a job cutting meat, which I find interesting: he’s a butcher, and I wonder if he feels that way about himself concerning Anakin, with the limb-severing and all. I love that he cuts a little piece for his Eopie, and I kept waiting for him to get in trouble for that, but he never did.

He watches over Luke from afar, as Owen clearly wants him to stay away. I love the little bits with Owen, too, since we don’t see much of him in the prequels, and only as a grumpy old guy in ANH; we see that he just wants to protect Luke because, well, he loves the kid. Obi-Wan represents to him everything that destroyed Anakin, and he wants nary to do with it. I get it. But it hurts to see Obi-Wan so disrespected and rejected.

I found the Inquisitors to be kind of cartoonish, lol, but after all, they’re based on animated characters. I’m not sure how I feel about Reva yet. I’m theorizing that she was one of the younglings being trained during the Order 66 scene at the beginning; why else show yet another reiteration of Order 66, which has been burned into our brains many times over already? I’ll be interested to find out her backstory.

So then we get the other side of the coin: we see Leia as a little girl on Alderaan, being raised by Bail and Breha Organa, and I just love this little girl. She’s not only cute as a button, but precocious and sassy as only Leia can be. And we see how the Force manifests in her: she can see into people’s psyches quite easily and ferret out their innermost thoughts, as seen with that horrible cousin of hers.

So Leia gets kidnapped, and we’re not sure by who yet or why (by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, of all people, lol. But it works!). So Bail and Breha ask Obi-Wan to find her. And he says: no. We see just how far Obi-Wan has fallen, as he has absolutely no confidence in himself to help anyone. “I’m not the man you once knew,” he tells them, and it’s at least superficially true. We know the old Obi-Wan is in there somewhere, and it takes a personal visit by Bail to change his mind. Bail cuts to the chase: we failed, we made mistakes, but get over it and move on. He couldn’t save Anakin, but he can save his daughter, etc. So off he goes to Daiyu.

In Part 2, he finds himself on Daiyu with no leads. He sees an old clone down and out on the street, begging for money (he’s from the 501st, no less), and Obi-Wan is startled and appalled, and maybe a bit afraid (clones did massacre the Jedi, after all.) And it shows just how callous and cruel the Empire is, casting aside the clones they used for their own purposes. Anyway, a boy can tell he needs help and offers to lead him to a Jedi for a price. The “Jedi” turns out to be a fake, who uses the guise for credits, but to be fair, he does help people (he’s played by Kumail Nanjiani, seemingly fresh from his Kingo role in Eternals). From him, Obi-Wan is pointed to a spice refinery, and after a skirmish with some baddies (not using the Force, just fist-fighting and feeling every punch and hit), he finds Leia. And meets a tiny force to be reckoned with, lol.

I love that Obi-Wan gets to meet little Leia. It actually helps to make A New Hope make more sense, and why Leia would turn to him for help in her most desperate hour. Sure, Bail could have just told her, “If you ever need help in a big way, look for my Jedi friend Obi-Wan on Tatooine.” But this is better. I love that Obi-Wan gets to meet both of Anakin’s children. And as Bail told him, she’s just as important as the boy.

So anyway, off they go through the city with Obi-Wan trying to corral this little miss sassafras. It turns out that Reva had hired the bounty hunters to kidnap Leia to draw Obi-Wan out (doing a little research in the archives and finding that Obi-Wan and Bail were–friends? during the Clone Wars–seems like a reach to me, but whatever). Leia finds out that he’s the reason she was kidnapped, and suddenly doesn’t trust him and runs away. Obi-Wan chases after Leia as the bounty hunters and Reva chase after them. When Leia tries to jump across a chasm that’s too far for her, she plummets–and Obi-Wan has to reach for the Force to save her. And we suddenly realize Obi-Wan hasn’t touched the Force for a long, long time, as he struggles to find it and save her. And it seems to me that that’s why he’s never been able to reach his master Qui Gon Jinn–he’s cut himself off from the Force (remind you of someone? Luke from The Last Jedi instantly comes to mind). How does he expect to reach Qui Gon if he won’t touch the Force? I imagine he will by the end of the series, having come to terms with his demons and touching the Force again.

Anyway, Leia finally believes he’s a real Jedi (but doesn’t think Ben is a good name for a Jedi, further making me think of the sequels as she names her own son Ben–food for thought, eh?) They encounter the fake Jedi again, and he wants to help–he sends them to a cargo port with coordinates to a place where others will help them. There’s a poignant moment when the decisive Leia reminds him of Padme, but then Reva catches up to them and he sends her off to the ship ahead of him.

And this is where Reva drops her bomb–she tells him that Lord Vader will be pleased when she brings Obi-Wan to him. She intuits that Obi-Wan did not know this–that Anakin had survived. He nearly has a panic attack with the information–what an awful revelation. Anakin dead was bad enough–but Anakin surviving as the twisted Sith Lord Vader? Poor Obi-Wan. Reva nearly gets to him, but is interrupted by the Grand Inquisitor, who wants to bring Kenobi in himself. Reva stabs him in the gut, and I’m just assuming that he somehow survives to cause trouble for Kanan and Ezra in Rebels. But for now, it’s a chance for Obi-Wan to get away and take off with Leia.

On the ship, he’s still a wreck from the information and whispers Anakin’s name. We then cut to Vader in his bacta tank, opening his eyes as if he’s heard his old master. Daammnnn…..

So I’m just loving this series so far, as I predicted I would. One weird thing I noticed is that I’m hearing Ewan McGregor’s character of Halston in his Obi-Wan accent. I keep expecting him to light up a cigarette and hold it up between two fingers, lol. I think he’s trying to get closer to the Alec Guinness accent, but he definitely doesn’t sound like the Obi-Wan from the prequels. But his performance is still wonderful here, and I can’t wait for Part 3!

What did you think of Obi-Wan Kenobi? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment (Post)Weekend Update

Hello friends, and hope you had a happy weekend!

I think this was the first time I totally forgot to write an update post for the weekend, lol. Which is okay, since it gave me time to finally go see Dr. Strange, which I’ll get to momentarily.

First, books. I’ve been reading Brotherhood by Mike Chen, about Obi-Wan and Anakin just after the start of the Clone Wars. It’s really quite good, with alternating chapters from Obi-Wan’s and Anakin’s points of view, as well as a couple of other characters. Obi-Wan is investigating a bombing on Cato Neimoidia, while Anakin is on a supply mission with some younglings. Obi-Wan meets Asajj Ventress for the first time, as she is sent to investigate the bombing on the Separatist’s behalf, and I have a feeling things aren’t going to go well. Anakin must help a youngling (called Initiates in this book, a term I’ve never heard before) deal with her reluctance to connect with the Force, as it brings up feelings of dread and pain caused by the war. And we’ll finally find out what that “business” on Cato Neimoidia actually was!

It’s hard to believe, but the Obi-Wan Kenobi series will be airing in a few short (or maybe long?) days! I feel like I’ve been waiting for this show forever, lol.

In the hype leading up to it, I’ve been enjoying the photos and the article in the latest Vanity Fair magazine (online, I haven’t bought it yet, but I hope to soon). The article was full of juicy tidbits about the various projects in the works. I’m hoping for some more Andor hype in the coming months, since it’s supposedly coming out in August, I believe, and we haven’t seen much at all. Mando S3 is slated for late 2022/early 2023, while Ahsoka will drop sometime in 2023. Good things coming in the Star Wars world!

And in Marvel, I’ve finally seen Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, and it was as wild and crazy as I thought it would be. But also super fun. I love how it brings together some other Marvel franchises, like X-Men and The Fantastic Four, and probably some other ones I’m unaware of. That’s the beauty of the Multiverse–you can do anything, lol. SPOILER ALERT, but Wanda turns out to be the villain here as the Scarlet Witch (not sure why I was surprised at this), and while she went WAY overboard, I did still feel kind of sorry for her. As a mom, I understand the desperation and the lengths you’d go to in order to be with your kids, but damn. Also, the Dark Hold had, well, a dark hold over her. America Chavez seems to be an important addition to the Multiverse going forward, and it will be interesting to see what role she’ll play. Dr. Strange himself remains my favorite character in Marvel (besides Loki), and he didn’t disappoint here. Strengths were tested, lessons were learned. And eyeballs were added to, lol. Anyway, I still prefer the origin story over this one, but a solid enjoyable movie.

I think that’s it. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello friends, and happy weekend!

You probably didn’t notice, but I did not publish a post last week. I’ve been sick all this week with a nasty cold virus (I did a Covid test a couple of times, and they were both negative, thank goodness). Needless to say, I didn’t get much done besides sleeping, lol.

So there are several things I’d like to mention this weekend. On the reading front, I’ve taken a break from Dark Force Rising, as it just wasn’t capturing my attention. I don’t want to say I’ve give up on it or the trilogy, but a little break seemed warranted. I’ve been waiting for Mike Chen’s Brotherhood; it was released yesterday and I’m waiting for it to be delivered. I’m looking forward to this Obi-Wan and Anakin adventure.

In the meantime, I downloaded Skywalker: A Family at War, by Kristen Baver, onto my Kindle since it was only $1.99. There’s really no new ground broken here, just a retelling of the entire Skywalker story, including some events from books and comics. I don’t think I’d buy this one at full price, but for two bucks it’s worth dipping into now and then, until Brotherhood comes in.

I loved the second trailer of Obi-Wan Kenobi that was released last week; it teases just enough, and I honestly don’t want to see much more of it until the show comes out. Definitely getting some Obi-Wan fever!

I was happy to see that one of my favorite artists, Uzuri Art, recently did this great Obi-Wan piece:

She also did this great Moon Knight piece:

Of course I watched the finale of Moon Knight last week, and it was…fine. I guess I was so blown away by the fifth episode (“Asylum”) that I expected more of the same. But the fifth episode was one that dived deep into the character and background of Marc and Steven. The finale naturally had to be about the showdown between Ammet and Konshu, as well as their avatars Moon Knight and Arthur Harrow. It was an action spectacle, and that’s fine and fun. I was glad to see Jake in the mid-credit scene, and now I’m hoping for a Season Two. It seems Marc/Steven/Jake’s story is far from over. And I want to see it, lol. Oh, and seeing Layla as Scarlet Scarab was pretty awesome.

One more book announcement–we have a cover for The Princess and the Scoundrel:

It’s quite pretty, and I like it. I’m hoping the story can add something we don’t already know about Han and Leia’s relationship. Beth Revis gave us the wonderful Rebel Rising, so I have hope. This one comes out in August.

I watched The Book of Boba Fett Gallery on Disney Plus; these making-of specials are always fun and interesting to watch. It may not have been my favorite Star Wars show, but I still appreciate it and all that went into the making of it. I especially enjoyed the behind-the-scenes concerning bringing Luke to life, and seeing Mark Hamill involved. And really, Temuera Morrison is just a great, sweet guy, isn’t he?

The one thing I haven’t done yet is go see Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. I was planning on seeing it a few days after it released, but illness ruined that plan. It will be out for awhile, and I’m planning on getting my popcorn very soon to see it. Can’t wait!

I think that’s it. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello my friends, and happy weekend!

Well, still slogging through Dark Force Rising. I hate to put it that way, but it’s kind of true. I really liked the first book, Heir to the Empire, but this one just isn’t grabbing me. Also, I’m not thrilled about how Mon Mothma is being portrayed, as if she’s possibly a selfish, power-hungry politician; and there’s something about Han that’s not ringing true for me. I don’t know. I’m determined to finish it, though. Just slowly, lol.

In the meantime, I’m eagerly awaiting Brotherhood, by Mike Chen. It’s about Obi-Wan and Anakin on an adventure during the Clone Wars. There are plenty of these in Legends, but I think I’m more of a canon-person. This one comes out May 10th. May is shaping up to be a big Obi-Wan month–this book, the new Obi-Wan comic, and of course, the new show. It’s an Obi-Wan Kenobi fan’s dream!

Marc with “Dr. Harrow.” This show is continuing to impress me on every level.

In Marvel, I watched Episode 5 of Moon Knight (“Asylum”) and…wow. Just wow! I’ve been loving each new episode even more than the last. It started out weird and confusing, but intriguing. Then it got entertaining and downright swashbuckling. This latest episode just knocked my socks off with Oscar Isaac’s performance (and Ethan Hawkes is pretty fantastic too in his role), and the delving into Marc’s past. Turns out Marc is the original personality and he created Steven to help deal with his heartbreaking childhood. I’m wondering, though–I read somewhere that there is a third personality (Jake, I think?), at least in the comics, and if that personality will also show up here. I’m remembering the third sarcophagus that was shaking, as if someone was in it, from Episode 4, but Marc ignores it. Was this just an Easter egg of that third personality, just a wink wink to those in the know? Or will he actually show up? I can’t wait to find out–and how all this will wrap up–in the final episode next Wednesday.

I’m also excited for Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness opening next Friday, May 6th! I probably won’t see it right then, but hopefully within the first week of it being out.

That’s it this week. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello friends, and happy weekend!

Still reading through Dark Force Rising in small increments. I’m finding it a bit dull, but maybe it’s because I’m reading it in fits and starts. Now that Luke has finally met the crazy clone Jedi Joruus C’Baoth, it’s a bit more interesting. I’m about halfway through the book, so maybe it will start to ramp up a little bit.

I’ve finished Queen’s Hope, and I really enjoyed it. It’s not just about Padme; it’s also about Sabe and Sache, two of her handmaidens from previous novels. It also mentions other women of Star Wars, like Shmi and Beru (who are working with Sabe on Tatooine to help free slaves with a group called the White Suns), and (briefly) Breha Organa. The plot is pretty thin, but it’s not the whole point, really. These books have always been an extended character study of Padme, and that suits me just fine.

Until Brotherhood comes out on May 10th, I’ve been dipping into the short stories from From A Certain Point of View. I bought this book a while ago, but had only read a couple of stories, being sidetracked by other books. Now was a good time to get back into it. I’m not reading it from beginning to end (the stories take place chronologically along with the events of A New Hope). Just skipping around, seeing what interests me. I’ve read some wonderful stories about Obi-Wan (Master and Apprentice by Claudia Gray, Time of Death by Cavan Scott) and one about Yoda on Dagobah (There Is Another by Gary D. Schmidt). Oh, and one about Bail and Breha Organa’s last moments on Alderaan before it’s destroyed (Eclipse by Madeline Roux). 😦 I’m now reading one about R5D4, who purposely malfunctioned so that R2D2 would end up sold to the Lars family, after a heartfelt plea from R2 (The Red One by Rae Carson). These are great stories, taking place in the cracks of the movie, and adding to the richness of the story and the characters. And there’s an Empire Strikes Back version, too! I’m going to follow the logic and assume there’s a ROTJ version coming soon, too.

I did finally finish my rewatch of Rebels. Now I can’t wait for the Ahsoka show; she and Sabine need to hurry up and find Ezra! But the show isn’t coming out until next year, and I’m guessing they won’t find him right away, at least not until the end of the season, if that. So a long wait for the missing Ezra. 😦

I was browsing around a local used bookshop the other day and found some treasures: The Art of The Force Awakens and The Art of the Last Jedi. Gorgeous hardcover books with the concept art of both movies, at a great deal. They usually retail for about $40 each, but I got them both for $30. I was fascinated to discover that originally Rey was going to be called Kira and Finn was going to be called Sam. I love that they recycled the name Kira into Q’ira for Solo: A Star Wars story. You learn something new everyday in the world of Star Wars!

There were also cover reveals for some Legends reissues:

I haven’t read any of these, and probably won’t in the near future, but I love how they’re handpicking particular Legends books (I’m guessing they’re fan favorites) and giving them new, gorgeous covers. If I ever do get to any of them, I’ll probably get the new covers.

In Marvel, Episode Four of Moon Knight (The Tomb) was probably my favorite one so far. It definitely had the Indiana Jones vibe going on, and then it got into some horror territory, and then it just went full-on trippy, lol. I am so loving this show and its weirdness; it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

Finally, we got a Thor: Love and Thunder teaser trailer:

Besides the new Dr. Strange movie, I can’t wait for this one. It looks fun and funny, and seems to delve into the character of Thor a bit more–basically, where he’s going from here. And there’s my Starlord and the GotG crew, and oh, yeah, Jane as the Mighty Thor. Looks like a real fun trip, and I can’t wait. It releases July 22.

Phew! I think that’s it this week. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it.

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello friends, and happy weekend!

I’m continuing my slow reading of the original Thrawn trilogy, and am currently about a third of the way through Dark Force Rising. I usually read the Kindle at work, during breaks or slow moments, but it’s been pretty busy lately. Seriously cutting into my reading time! Lol.

At home, I’m reading Queen’s Hope, the third in the Padme series by E.K. Johnston. I really liked its predecessors, and have been enjoying this one. I did think it would cover a larger time period and maybe get into Revenge of the Sith territory, but it only covers a sliver of time just after Attack of the Clones. Oh well, still worth the read.

My Rebels rewatch continues with Season 4, and I just recently watched Episode 12, “Jedi Knight.” If you’re a Rebels fan, you know what I’m talking about. 😦 And even though it’s my third rewatch, tears were still shed. This show is some of the best Star Wars ever.

Recently saw this, a cover reveal for the next Phase of The High Republic, a YA novel called Path of Deceit:

I love this cover! No idea who those people are, but it looks great.

There’s also new concept art for a new character, a relation to the Nihil villain Marchion Ro:

I’ll be on the lookout for more cover reveals for Phase Two of the High Republic, which begins coming out later this year.

I also heard a rumor that we’ll be getting more Visions sometime this year. I have no idea if it’s true or not, but I wouldn’t be averse to it at all. I liked almost all of the anime shorts, but I had a few favorites (The Elder, The Ninth Jedi, and The Duel being my top three). I’d love to see some sequels to these stories; but if not, new stories will be just as welcome. We’ll see if the rumors are true.

Moon Knight Episode Three (“The Friendly Type”) was a fun ride on Wednesday. I just love how weird this show is, lol. And I love the Egyptian mythology it’s taking inspiration from. I’m definitely getting “Layla is going to fall for Steven” vibes, and I’m on board for that, lol.

That’s it this week. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello my friends, and happy weekend!

I’m continuing my reading of the Legends book Dark Force Rising, by Timothy Zahn. I’ve been enjoying the series, and find it interesting that Zahn often shows Thrawn through other people’s eyes. Here in Legends, it’s through Captain Pellaon; in canon, at least in the first book (which I only half read) it was through Eli Vanto. I’m not sure if this is true in any of the other canon Thrawn books; anyone know if we ever get a Thrawn point of view? Just curious.

I’ve received my copy of Queen’s Hope, and have started reading it. I’ve always liked these books; some people complain they’re just overly long character studies on Padme and her handmaidens. Maybe, but that’s what I like. Star Wars books are fun, and half the fun are the battles and the action, but sometimes it’s nice just to get into a character’s head and life for awhile. Sometimes I get a little tired of all the techno-babble and military strategy and whatnot. Give me Padme and her girlfriends and relationships and emotions and you know, girl stuff for awhile, lol. It’s even got pink binding! I love it. As for the plot, I just started it so I don’t have much to go on, and honestly…I don’t care, lol. Padme and Anakin are getting married, that’s all I need to know. I’ll give a more thorough summary when I finish it, I promise.

I’m continuing with my Rebels rewatch, and recently began Season 4. But I know what’s coming concerning a particularly favorite Jedi Knight, and I’m dreading it already. 😦 But it’s also a beautiful thing, and S4 is fantastic. The lothwolves are my favorite Star Wars animals, I think.

I watched Episode 2 of Moon Knight, and it answered a few questions, while bringing up even more. There’s a LOT going on in this show already, and it’s a bit confusing, but I am enjoying it. It’s crazy and different and I love Oscar Isaac, so I’m in. I had planned on writing my thoughts for each episode in a separate weekly post, but as always, my plans change, lol.

Steven and Arthur have a civilized conversation. At first.

Basically, I’ll be going back to just my weekly Entertainment Update post on the weekends. I have other projects I want to work on, namely drawing and fanfiction. It figures; just as all the new books and shows and movies will be coming out, with so much to write about in the blog, I veer into a new direction. Oh well. I will be touching on all of them in the weekly post.

I’m particularly excited about the drawing. I used to love drawing years ago, but decided to focus more on writing and let the drawing go. But my interest has been reignited lately. I’ll be honest, I’ve been seeing so much Star Wars fan art and loving it, that in my secret heart I’ve been thinking, I want to do that, too! So I’m going to. I have to go back to the basics first, of course, and practice, practice, practice. But someday I’ll be ready, and I’ll honor my love of Star Wars in images as well as words.

Anyway, that’s what’s been going on this week. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Inner Jedi Notebook Week 9

Week nine of my Inner Jedi Notebook journey. This week is about new experiences.

The prompt:

I like firsts. Good or bad, they’re always memorable.
Ahsoka Tano

What are some new things that you would like to experience? These can be starting a new job or learning a new hobby.

My answer:

“Hmm, new things. Well, I’d like to get back into the fan fiction I had started a few months ago (and naturally set aside). Fan fiction is something new to me, and something I’d never considered before. But as a writer and a Star Wars fan, it makes sense.

Art is another area I’d like to explore. I used to love drawing, and I’d love to get back into it. Art in any form, really. I’m homeschooling my daughter (which is also new) and there’s an art component. I’m going to do all the art projects with her, just for fun. We did some watercolor the other day, and next we’re going to do a mixed media project, which should be fun. Art for art’s sake, and just to have fun and spend time with my daughter.

I’d like to do different things with the blog, but I’m not sure what yet. It’s always evolving and changing. I like to try different things, come up with new and different ways of celebrating Star Wars. It keeps things from getting dull and rote, and sometimes I discover new things, about Star Wars and about myself. And always, the focus is to have fun.

So all three things I’ve noted here–fan fiction, art and blogging–all focus on just enjoying myself. This is relatively new to me, when I think about it. Always before, if I ever wrote or did anything creative, the end game was always to hopefully get published, make money, be “successful.” Those things never really happened, so I just threw up my hands and thought–to hell with it. I’ll do these things because I love them, and that is enough.”

I’ve taken to listening to meditation music while I’m meditating. I have a favorite one that is very soothing and calming. It’s one of those “432 Hz” music pieces that are supposed to be good for your soul or something, lol. My husband has been watching some Youtube videos about Tesla and his discoveries, and one of them was about the 432 Hz frequency. All I know is that I love the music and it helps me focus during meditation.

Ahsoka Meditating by SheaCosplays on DevientArt.

Thanks for reading and MTFBWY.

My Entertainment Weekend Update

Hello my friends, and happy weekend!

So I finally finished Heir to the Empire and began the next in the series, Dark Force Rising. I just started it, so I don’t have too much to say about it yet. But I’m enjoying the series so far.

I’m continuing my Rebels rewatch, and am in the third season. Governor Pryce is introduced, as well as the Bendu. I think I read somewhere that the Bendu was a concept that George Lucas came up with early on, but never used in the films. Not necessarily as the creature we see in Rebels, but an idea of something in between the Light and the Dark side of the Force. If anyone knows more about it, please share!

In some Star Wars news, we’ve learned that the Obi-Wan series has been moved moved up to Friday May 27th, instead of Wednesday May 25th, and that the first two episodes are dropping at once. So even though we have to wait two more days for the show, we get two episodes instead of one for our patience. I’ll take it!

In other Obi-Wan news, Starwars.com has released an excerpt of the Obi-Wan/Anakin novel Brotherhood by Mike Chen that comes out May 10th. In the excerpt, Obi-Wan is on Cato Neimoidia for an investigation of some kind of accident, and meets Asajj Ventress for the first time. I thought it was a little dull, to be honest, lol, but I am looking forward to reading the book.

In other book news, Queen’s Hope is finally coming out next week! It was originally supposed to come out last November, but was pushed up to April 5th of this year. I’ve been looking forward to this book for a long time, and can’t wait to start reading it! If you don’t know, Queen’s Hope is the third in a trilogy about Padme Amidala. I love that Padme has her own book trilogy, since she kind of got short shrift in the movies, in my opinion.

In Marvel, Moon Knight premiered this past Wednesday, and if you care to read my thoughts on it, take a look here. It was as weird and entertaining as I thought it would be!

That’s it this week. What’s been entertaining you? Let me know in the comments and we’ll talk about it!

Inner Jedi Notebook Week 8

Week eight of my Inner Jedi Notebook journey. This week continues the exploration of meditation.

The question:

Having practiced meditating for a few minutes every day this past week, reflect on your experience of it. What are some challenges you faced? Have you experienced any positive outcomes?

My answer:

“After initially struggling with it, I find I look forward to my few minutes of quiet stillness every day. It’s downtime, yes, but also a time when I don’t have to do or be anything–just be. To just be conscious in the world, and of the world. To examine your own mind. Although sometimes I worry I’m just daydreaming, lol. But I do consciously try to let thoughts go and refocus on the present moment. It’s amazing how we’ve trained ourselves to be everywhere except the present moment, and it’s a struggle to unlearn that (“You must unlearn what you have learned,” as Yoda said to Luke). It comes naturally to babies and animals, and it’s fascinating to watch them. They are effortlessly in the now, and are unaware of anything else. It’s delightful.

One thing that surprised me about meditation is that you’re having a relationship with your mind–it’s not a boring, static thing–it’s dynamic. You get to see how your mind works, what it focuses on, how one thing leads to the next–it’s fascinating, in a way. You have to get to know it, in order to calm it.

As far as positives–I’ve always been a calm, collected sort of person, and not necessarily reactive (although sometimes I am). But it’s helpful to fall back onto the memory of quiet time, to be able to retrieve that sense of calm during stressful situations. If it’s busy at work and I’m feeling stressed, with a thousand things going on, I can find my center and power on. I’ll think, these moments will pass, and later it will be just me and the candle and the (meditation) music and the thoughts, and the letting go. There will be peace.

Meditating is the act of practicing peace. So during stressful times, you can automatically reach for that peace.”

Thanks for reading! MTFBWY