The Power of the Dork Side...

Well, blogpals, it's finally happened. Hitherto, I would have simply classified myself as a 'nerd', or a 'geek' at the worst, but now I have crossed over completely. I have been seduced by the Dork Side. I went to the opening day festivities of what borders on a crazed fan convention: the traveling Star Wars science exhibit at the Ft. Valuecity Museum of Science and History.

I admit that my initial interest in the exhibition was almost purely intellectual. But when I arrived at the museum and they were blasting the Imperial March through loudspeakers attached to the building's exterior, and stormtroopers, bounty hunters, and...be still my beating heart...Lord Vader himself were all milling about the lobby, the dormant midi-dorkians flowing through my veins sprang into life and filled me with unlimited dorky power.

Yes, the tingling sensation of burgeoning dorkiness washed over me in a wave, and soon I found myself pointing to the full-grown men in costume and explaining the fundamental differences between the attire and equipment of Jango and Boba Fett to my indifferent wife. Next, with a dorkish squeal of glee, I would latch onto the nearest 'celebrity' and demand that a picture be taken at once. For example...

And again...

I became almost manic upon seeing the actual Yoda puppet used in The Empire Strikes Back, and I giggled like a silly schoolboy when I found the glass case containing the actual Vader suit worn by David Prowse in A New Hope. The photos below won't convey the pure dorky ambrosia of seeing these marvelous artifacts in person, but try to imagine yourself there...use your feelings.

These are no lame, tattered Halloween costumes, folks. These are originals! Frank Oz had his sweaty arm inside that Yoda! Peter Mayhew struggled to resist the temptation to scratch his cheek inside that Chewie fur! Anthony Daniels tottered around in a black leotard inside that C-3PO! Great scott, people! Do you understand what I'm saying here?! IT WAS LIKE THE POP CULTURE HOLY GRAIL!

Whew...sorry. I let my dorkemotions get the better of me there. I became so infatuated with each and every magical display that I occasionally lost track of my lovely wife. She wandered outside and was attacked by an Acrocanthrosaurus.

Luckily, a burgundy SUV drove by and startled the beast back into the trees. Finally, it was time to pack up the light saber and head home. When we arrived, we found that even little Nelson had joined the Dork Side.

Now he refuses to answer to anything other than "Darth Kittious," and he's been using the force to choke birds in the backyard all evening.

Needless to say, if this traveling exhibit comes to your corner of the galaxy anytime soon, you must fulfill your destiny and go see it immediately. But beware the power of the Dork Side, and remember the words of wise Master Yoda: "Nerds lead to Geeks, Geeks lead to Dorks, Dorks lead to pain and suffering."