reminiscing...

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Monica
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reminiscing...

Post by Monica »

As a child of the 70s and 80s, I'm sitting here thinking of all the people who shaped my childhood that have died this year. There have been some very big names this year.

David Bowie was the one I thought would stand out for me. Not for his music catalog, but because Labyrinth is one of my all-time favorite movies, and Jareth was so... wonderful yet bad. I was that girl with the imagination, who saw the fantastical in the everyday, and memorized the movie after watching it so many times. A large piece of my childhood seemed to be gone with his passing.

And then I checked Instagram this morning during a break at work....

Now, I admit to loving Aurora as 'my' Disney princess when I was young, but Leia... she was the princess I wanted to be. The one who kicked ass, stood up for herself, and told the boys what to do and how to fight their war. Vader couldn't break her. She was a sassypants to Grand Moff Tarkin. Made it painfully clear that she thought Han was a half-witted scruffy-looking nerf herder, and called Chewie a walking carpet. Full of fire, yet she could be the elegant princess as well. She led the rebels, not from behind the scenes, but out where the action was. In the thick of things. A role model that didn't need more than to be who she was to make a difference. She was hope, for all those she led, those who looked to be free from tyranny, those who aspired to live to their true potential.

And no one ever made a big deal about the gender thing that I recall. Having a strong female character was just part of the franchise. Not something to make a big deal about, like they seem to nowadays. They were relate-able characters, even though they lived far, far away. It didn't take much imagination to see myself in her shoes. Or my cousin as Han or Luke. Today's world seems overly obsessed with appearances, equal rights, bending over backwards so as not to offend anyone, but she was who she was and never apologized for it. Even when her brother felt he couldn't go on, she moved forward. Saved the day. Because she was strong, inside.

My dad took me to see so many scifi movies in the theater, but the Star Wars ones will always stand out. We had the soundtrack record for the first one, and played it over and over again. My cousin Eddie collected the figures, fighters, structures... if they made it he got it somehow. We played for hours and hours. So many memories tied up with that franchise. My family is still completely Star Wars mad, and I'm even infecting my hubby and his family a bit. :lol:

And Carrie herself... she had so many personal issues, but like Leia she managed to persevere, rise up out of the ashes, and continue on. I have great respect for her and what she accomplished in her time with us. And now I mourn the largest loss of my childhood. My princess and the actress who portrayed her.
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pat-czap
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Re: reminiscing...

Post by pat-czap »

:angel: Nicely said Monica.

On NCIS tonight, there were a few Star Wars references...weird...or just right in light of the days events.

Star Wars was my first date with Greg, and we took my youngest sister!

2016 needs a do over for sure, so many things have happened this year...
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Re: reminiscing...

Post by pbp908 »

Carrie Fisher, Robert Vaughn, Leonard Cohen, Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder, Prince, Nancy Reagan, Frank Kelly, Glenn Frey, Greg Lake, Zsa Zsa, Shimon Peres, Muhammed Ali - so many this year. People who helped define the face of entertainment, politics, the world stage, who made us laugh and cry and sing along with them. 2016 has been a cruel year.
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Re: reminiscing...

Post by jfugina »

I was just having this same conversation with a co-worker yesterday. She came back from lunch and had heard on the radio about Carrie Fisher. She also went through the list of all of the greats that have passed this year. We were both noting how the "In Memoriam" segment at the Oscars this year was going to be a long one.
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Monica
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Re: reminiscing...

Post by Monica »

Most days I don't feel 'older', or truly pay attention to how many decades I've been around on this planet, but this year I feel it all.

Pat, what a fun movie for a first date! Amazing how Star Wars is mentioned in almost everything nowadays, isn't it?

Pam, I agree. A cruel year indeed.

Good point, Julie. I'll have to make a point of actually watching the Oscars again. Haven't bothered for a few years.
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Re: reminiscing...

Post by azemigh »

I couldn't believe it. We actually went to see Rogue One and when we got out of the theater the first thing was the news of Carrie Fisher's heart attack. Then to lose her just a couple of days later and now her mother too! I'm wailing inside, I'm so ready for this year to be over!
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