A defense

My little "I'm really not a Star Wars geek ... I promise" disclaimer in the previouss post reminded me of something I was thinking about last week when those Star Wars movies came out. A few of us at work were talking about those people who not only were there for the very first midnight showings, but had camped out in line beforehand - hours, day, maybe even weeks earlier. Do they not have jobs? we wondered. One of my middle aged co-workers said his high-school age daughter was going to see the movie at midnight with some of her friends. He thought that was a great thing to do when "you're a young person" (his words) but that as an adult there starts to be something weird and wrong in your priorities. I almost agree with him.

Midnight movies and cultural events like this are great for teenagers. Everyone should have some of those experiences in high school or college. But, I was rather surprised to find I have a soft spot for the Star Wars dweebs who waited breathlessly, camped out, and saw the movie five times before I ever did.

Sure, there are extremes of obsession and being an obsessive fan of something can be dangerous. It can also be great. I think everyone needs agt least one thing in their life that they love so much that it's a little embarrassing. I have many things I'm passionate about, but the two things that really grip me you all probably know: live music and Harry Potter. I've already been to midnight release parties for the last two Harry Potter books, and you can be sure I'll be there again this July for no. 6. As for concerts, let's see: in 2000 I saw Pearl Jam on consecutive nights in Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. Last year, I went to San Francisco for a Dave Matthews Band concert. This summer I'm taking a trip to visit Tony in Chicago ... as an excuse to see Dave Matthews Band's two-night stint at Alpine Valley in Wisconsin. Dorky? Damn right. Enough so that I don't ever much talk about it except with people who share the same obsession. I can talk to Brianna about Harry Potter. I can taalk to Erin about DMB. But I barely talk about either of those things with anyone else.

I think it's healthy to have an obsession that borders on unhealthy. I think it's one of those things that makes life worth living. Maybe it's self-justification, but I can't imagine a life that doesn't include some things that I'm willing to fly across the country and spend ridiculous amounts of money on. The older I get, the more that changes. Having a wife means I need music somewhat less. Having a full-time job means it's harder to fly cross-country to see a concert, or stay up past midnight to buy a book. Having children, growing older, these things I'm sure will further lessen my obsessions. And sooner or later, the bands in this world that I love enough to travel to another state to see will be gone, the books I count the hours waiting for will be finished. That's life. It's probably also why most of the 45 year-olds who still line up in full dress costume for Star Wars are bachelors.