star wars
R.I.P. R2-D2
Kenny Baker • 1934-2016 • Rest In Peace
While the character of R2-D2 will be around for a long, long time, I wanted to pay respect to the actor who played him in the first six Star Wars films. Special effects aside, Kenny Baker was the one who brought everyone’s favorite droid to life.
In October 1977 I was eight years old, and my dad took me and my younger brother to see Star Wars. There were so many moments in that first viewing that have stayed with me ever since. Certainly the adventure and fantasy are incredible, but the characters are what make the films more than just a thrill ride. Luke was the everyman I related to most; Chewbacca, the furry bodyguard I wished I had; and R2-D2 was the loyal friend — filling the screen with mischief and humor, all without a face or uttering a word.
Not long after seeing the movie (maybe the same day?), we got our first Star Wars t-shirts. My brother got the one with Sand People; I chose R2-D2, and I never really stopped…
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SuperLunchNotes: Now I Eat My ABC’s
As the old year rebooted to a new one, I kicked it off with SuperLunchNotes A-to-Z in my son’s lunch box. I was bored at the idea of just doing a character that starts with each letter, so I decided to include a word describing or associated with the subject. A word he could figure out on his own — either in context or using his ever-increasing reading skills. If he wasn’t always going to eat well, at least he could learn something.
I initially thought I’d also choose words that could apply to Jon, either in reality or aspirationally. But you’ll see I quickly hit a snag with “E” and broke that rule.
In any case, grab your lunch salad and a water (or goldfish crackers and a juicebox — I won’t judge), sit back and enjoy an alphabetized study in scrumptious superheroics!
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1.4 Aquaman | 1.5 Brave’s Merida | 1.6 Catwoman
Designer Daddy’s Top 15 Blog Posts of 2015
2015 was quite a year for me, for my family, and for several communities to which I belong. A flurry of sticky-note success; a milestone in equality; venturing into kindergarten; the return to a galaxy far, far away; the tragic loss of a friend — all of these contributed to one of the most eventful 12 months in my recent history. And it’s been exciting, fun, cathartic, intimidating, and inspiring for me to chronicle it all here (and a couple of other places) in word and doodle.
So if you’re a new reader curious to know what this site is all about, or a familiar friend sharing some moments of reflection, welcome. These are my 15 favorite blog posts of 2015.
‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ SuperLunchNotes… Now for Sale!
STAR WARS WEEK IS FINALLY HERE!
Star Wars: The Force Awakens will finally debut this Friday in the U.S., and our family is as giddy as a Gungan! And I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to eat lunch! And of course BUY SOME OF MY NEW STAR WARS SUPERLUNCHNOTES….
I polled the awesomest poeple in the galaxy (my readers!) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, then created brand new notes based on the top requests. All characters appear in The Force Awakens, except Yoda. He’s was my son’s special request and that trumps everything. In addition to the Jedi Master, you also voted to see new characters BB-8, Kylo Ren, Captain Phasma and Rey, as well as everyone’s favorite sidekick, Chewbacca.
So kick it into hyperdrive and head over to my Etsy shop, where you can buy the whole batch of six, or purchase individual pages of each.
‘Tis the Season for a Star Wars Holiday Giveaway!
Nope, I’m not done posting about Star Wars just yet… But I’m also not here to regale you with sappy stories or silly doodles (more of those to come later) — just a bunch of AWESOME FREE STUFF!
Whether you’re gearing up for the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 18th, or need gifts and stocking stuffers for the kids, Designer Daddy is here to help make sure your holidays are exceptionally stellar…
Hasbro Star Wars Family Game Night: Which Character Are You?
Designer Daddy participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Hasbro. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — one of best parts of being a dad is sharing the things I loved as a kid with my son. And with the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens looming on the horizon, we’ve had a blast experiencing anything and everything Star Wars-related.
And as if the awesome toys Hasbro sent us recently weren’t enough, they’ve hooked us up again — this time with a box of booty to have our very own Star Wars Family Game Night!
I loved playing board games with my family growing up. We had pretty much every word/trivia/brain-teaser game there was; and I’m sure this contributed significantly to my love of writing. Not to mention my competitive streak.
Game night was always fraught with fun and emotion, and everyone had their role to play. Mom, The Peacekeeper: making sure older brothers were more lenient with the younger; Dad, The Jokester: somehow managing to work a really bad pun into every answer he gave; Littlest Brother, The Ticking Time Bomb: always trying to keep up, rarely able to keep his cool. And then there was me, The Mastermind — masquerading as the mild-mannered big brother, but constantly plotting how to crush my younger siblings when they least expected it. (Cue maniacal laughter)
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As Jon is just 6, we’re still finding our roles when it comes to game night. But we did have a great time playing LOOPIN’ CHEWIE (his favorite of the bunch) with him and a friend. I’ll just post this photo as a review — you can’t fabricate a smile like this:
Stellar New ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Character Posters Revealed
I know, I know — another freakin’ Star Wars thing. I was beginning to tire of the never-ending hype machine, too. But with these new character posters for The Force Awakens released today, I got all giddy again. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a kick-ass poster series.
While the “official” Star Wars posters are some of the most iconic in cinematic history, they tend to get a bit busy. Even the new one — overflowing with detail and daring dissection/interpretation — is a mite a lot overcrowded.
Click to enlarge/download this nifty collage for use as a Facebook cover photo. You’re welcome!
That’s why I love these new posters so much. Star Wars is about the big picture, for sure. But at its heart are the individual people/creatures/droids we’ve come to know and love, root for and hate. It’s what sets the Star Wars universe apart from so many other sci-fi stories — character.
And while these may not be as hip as this series from The Matrix Reloaded, or as action-packed as this set from the final Harry Potter film, they are singularly striking and powerful. Weapons drawn, staring us down… simultaneously allowing us a glimpse into their souls (or lack thereof).
Okay, I’m rambling. Enjoy the posters.
The Force Is Strong with These Gay Dads in Campbell’s Soup Commercial
In the last couple of years — leading up to SCOTUS legalizing same-sex marriage — the appearance of gay dads and lesbian moms in national TV commercials and online ad campaigns has become more and more common. I’ve featured many of them on this site. And while I’ve always been excited to see families like mine celebrated this way (or exploited, depending on your level of cynicism), I’ll admit they no longer have the same impact on me as they once did. Until last night.
Take a look at this new Campbell’s Soup commercial I spotted (during Modern Family, natch), which stars real-life gay dads having a “Vader-Off” in an attempt to get their son to eat.
Actors David Monohan and Larry Sullivan — a married couple in real life — star alongside their young apprentice, Cooper, as part of Campbell’s Real, Real Life campaign, and to promote their line of Star Wars soups. The family also appears briefly at the end of a second ad in the series.
Officially the Parent of a Kindergartner
Okay, yeah. I went ahead and did one of these annoyingly cheesy, Pinterest-y “First Day of School” photos. But with that face, how could I not? Don’t worry, I took plenty of sweet (i.e., non-goofy) ones to send Grandma and Nonna. But my kid is a Grade A Ham, and I intend to exploit share that with the world.
So how’d it go? Jon mentioned during his bath last night that he was a little nervous. When pressed further, he was concerned about having so much fun.
This morning he was eager, but not maniacally so. After we took our photos in the backyard, I told him we had to go inside so I could put the camera away. He said he wanted to meet us out front, so I watched as he struggled a bit to remount his backpack, grab his lunchbox, and walk ’round the house where he sat patiently on the steps until Papa and I made our way out.
Can’t Wait for Episode VII? LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales is Here!
Back in February, you may remember I attended a conference in San Francisco. One of the many highlights of the Dad 2.0 Summit was a private tour of Lucasfilm! Sponsored by LEGO, it included a screening of top secret footage from an upcoming LEGO Star Wars project. Well, that project is now set to premiere, and I’m as giddy as a Gungan!
LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales is a five episode series that acts as a helpful (and hilarious) way to catch up prior to December’s premiere of Star Wars, Episode VII: The Force Awakens!
