Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Obi-Wan never gave spoilers.

In addition to reading Winter The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I've also just started playing the Lego Star Wars computer game with her. Life goal #36: complete.

And my, she loves it. When we sit down to play, she never wants to stop. The first thing she says to me each morning is, "Daddy, we play Lego Star Wars?" And if that's not proof enough of her devotion, the other night at bedtime she prayed, "And thank you Jesus for Lego Star Wars." Oh my.

Almost had a disaster this morning, though. I'd just woken up and Winter had come in to ask questions about Lego Star Wars.
Winter: Did you unlock any new characters last night, Dad?"
Me: Yep, Jango Fett.
Winter: Who's Jango Fett?
Me: Boba Fett's dad.
Winter: [pause] I didn't know people in Star Wars had dads!
Now, in hindsight, this should maybe have set off some kind of an alarm, but, for whatever reason, it didn't.
Me: Yeah, of course.
Winter: Who else has a dad?
Ok, this definitely should have triggered an alarm, but Winter's favourite character is Queen Amidala, who I'd earlier identified as Princess Leia's mum, so the groundwork for Princess Leia having a dad had already been laid and I carried right on…
Me: Well, Princess Leia has a dad. He's married to Princess Leia's mum.
Winter: Really? Who's Princess Leia's dad?
Ok, let's keep in mind that I had just woken up and my brain was not yet functioning properly, because that's the only way I can think of to explain:
Me: Darth Vader.
AWOOGA AWOOGA. At LAST an alarm went off and I abandoned ship!
Winter: Really?
Me: [pause] Um, well, sort of... but you don't know who that is, do you? Darth Vader?
Winter: The black one. With the helmet.
Me: Oh. [pause] [looooong pause] So anyway. Breakfast?
Look, it could have been worse. She doesn't know the connection between Princess Leia and … some other character who also has a father. And she won't find out that connection until after the… other connection is revealed, so we're all good. As long as I can keep my mouth shut until she's old enough to watch the movies.

UPDATE
Well, Christmas is coming, and I've been looking everywhere to try and find Winter a present that could encourage her interest in Star Waaaaaait a second, what the heck is this?


Princess Vader, you say? Perfect! Ticks all the boxes I can think of. Hmm, only thing is it's a custom job, so if I want something similar I better get to work.

Wednesday, November 09, 2011

The Child, the Book and the Checklist.

Just finished reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to Winter. Life goal #22: complete.

Next up: Prince Caspian, because the books should be read in published order not chronological order. In my extraordinarily humble opinion.

UPDATE
Haha. Glamma informs me that the reading order for the Narnia series is actually a highly contentious issue that has been debated on the Internet at great length. I shouldn't be surprised—I've been on the Internet long enough to know that almost every issue has been debated at great length thereon—but still, I am. I mean, I can't see how anyone could argue in favour of reading them chronologically—at least, no one who'd actually read the books. To start with the Magican's Nephew is to totally undermine, ruin even, the whole story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and to diffuse it of its magic. Maybe you could argue for some other non-publishing order, but never chronological.