Getting a life

While many people are still waiting in line for tickets to see Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, I'll already be watching it, courtesy of the $300 ticket I bought about a week ago for a special advance screening on May 17, two days before the film officially hits theaters. All proceeds from the screening go to charity--a children's hospital, I think--but I'm not kidding myself: I would've laid down the cash even if I knew it was going directly into George Lucas' pockets, which it probably is. OK, so I took some of the fun out of it. I skipped standing in line for a few days or weeks or months debating the merits of the various bounty hunters, taking time off from my job just so I could say I was there when the box office opened, waiting anxiously with hundreds of others. Yeah, that sounds like fun.

The thought of waiting in line had crossed my mind more than a few times, until I realized that I have a life. Sure, I had waited in line when the original Star Wars was re-released in 1997, sat in front of a theater in Austin on a cold morning at 5 a.m. waiting for the ticket window to open six hours later. But at that time,

I didn't have a job or anything else to keep me busy. Most of my days consisted of making sure I was up by 4 p.m. so I could watch Jeopardy, then going down to Whole Foods Market to scam enough free samples to qualify as dinner. Now, I'm at the office more than I'm at home, and spending a month--or even a day--sleeping on a concrete sidewalk just doesn't sound that appealing. It didn't really sound that great two years ago.

Since I'm not waiting in line, I'm free to go to Club Clearview's Star Wars: The Rock Rebellion, Episode I on Wednesday, one week before The Phantom Menace opens. The concert will feature performances by Wookie (also known as Weener), Artoo Gato (El Gato), and Light Speed Hoppers (Jump Rope Girls), and you can bet at least one of the bands will make a pass at the Star Wars theme. As for the party, I'm not really sure what to expect, except that I'm fairly certain at least one person will show up in costume. And no, I'm not talking about myself. Well, at least, I might not be talking about myself.

--Zac Crain

Club Clearview's Star Wars: The Rock Rebellion, Episode I happens on Wednesday, May 12. Doors open at 8 p.m., and admission is $5. Club Clearview is located at 2806 Elm. Call (214) 939-0077.