Journalist, author and Star Wars fan.
I love The Phantom Menace. This I say without shame or irony in spite of the continued hate and ridicule it attracts some twenty years after its release. I’ll admit that this appreciation, in part, comes down to timing. I was seven years old when TPM was released […]
Bathing a newborn is a harder fought victory than brokering peace between the Naboo and the Gungans. So far, Elisabeth and I have successfully bathed our wailing banshee of a baby three times, with each successive attempt an improvement on the last. With slightly warmer water, Lorelei wasn’t […]
Holding hands carries with it a significance in storytelling and real life. Science shows that joining hands can synchronise breathing and heartrate while, in fiction, an outstretched hand is an offer, a plea or invitation. The last few months brought hand holding and gestures to the forefront of […]
People naturally ascribe human traits to the inanimate and animals, so it stands to reason that babies would be no different. Previously, I’d have called a twitch of a baby’s mouth exactly that – a twitch. Now, though, every little tick and curl of the lips is a […]
Almost all Star Wars fans with children must have at one time or another imagined bestowing their kid with a name taken from the franchise. It was something Elisabeth and I imagined, long before we even had a little one of our own. With three positive pregnancy tests […]
Everything is new through a newborn’s eyes, and so even simple things such as shopping take on a wondrous new life. There’s an innocence about the world again, some unspoiled beauty. This morning, Lorelei enjoyed her first trip to the shops. Though she’d been out once before in […]
By his own admission, the happiest day of Anakin’s life is finding out that Padmé is pregnant with his first child. Imagine his elation had he known she was carrying twins. In a life punctuated by pain, loss and longing, a moment of pure and perfect happiness is […]
Re-watching The Clone Wars as a father has provided new context for character relationships and the omnipresent threat to the galactic status quo. As well as presenting the infamous Clone Wars on screen, the animated series also served as prelude to Anakin’s fall to the dark side. […]
Star Wars is often thought of as the story of fathers and their sons. Despite the addition of the sequel trilogy and its complicated relationship between Han Solo and his troubled son Ben, the saga weaves the tragedy of Darth Vader, a tale told in two parts. First […]
For the first few days of a child’s life, it all feels very much like a collaborative affair. Raising a kid by committee, with the 24-hour midwife assistance, medical staff on hand and regular meals brought to your room. But after both baby Lorelei and mother had been […]
