These kids now-a-days!

Back when I was a young-n I couldn't walk into my local Wally World and choose a light saber from a rack of dozens. Just like the Jedi of Long Ago and Far Away, I had to make my own. My friends Jay was the genius who came up with this engineering breakthrough. We started with the flashlights that had the safety cones attached (like the ones they used to park airplanes) and added the plastic tubes from the inside of a golf bag. These tubes are the ones the clubs would slide into. They were white and semi-opaque. They would slide into the cones atop the flashlights and fit snugly. When they were lit, and it was just dark enough, they would look just as good as the ones for which they're shelling out $20 bucks.

I paid $75 for my first VHS copy of "Star Wars". That was back when it was JUST "Star Wars".

I made parts for my Vader costume from leftover aluminum siding, cardboard, plexiglass, Radio Shack wiring, hand carved wood and a toilet paper dispenser. Now, you can go on Ebay and find any number of full costumes tailor made. OK, so I bought a Don Post mask and my sister did the cape and jump suit but it was a labor of love.

I was actually excited when "The Star Wars Christmas Special" aired because it was the only exposure to something new before the next movie came out. There were no fan films and Flash animations.

So then next time you hear some snotty nosed kid whining about not having the latest Star Wars toy remind him of a time people made Wookiee costumes out of cheap fur rug material!