As some of you may know I was recently asked to be a guest on the new Star Wars Talk Show, Black Series Rebels. When I first opened my email with the invitation I was honestly shocked and suddenly felt a surge of excitement rush over me. I knew I wanted to do it but the scheduling arrangements didn't quite work on my end. I let the hosts, who are now good friends of mine, Alex and Steve know about the situation and they were happy to work things out so I could make it on their show. From the beginning they were extremely friendly, accommodating and continued to go the the extra mile in everything that they did for me leading up to the day of recording.
My friend Savanna and I happened to be scheduled on the same day so we carpooled together and didn't stop talking the entire drive there. It's still mind blowing to me that we met online and have been able to hang out in real life and work on our project Style Wars together! Anyhow, when we arrived we were warmly greeted and were provided with drinks (they even took our Starbucks orders!) and snacks prior to filming. We chatted for a bit as if we were old friends catching up. This is why I love the Star Wars community - everyone is like one big family! Alex, Steve, and their Director Cisco then went over a summary of what to expect during the interview and made sure that we had everything we needed and that we felt comfortable enough to begin. Their level of professionalism didn't go unnoticed and was a quality that both Savanna and I truly appreciated. It was in that moment that I revealed to them that I have anxiety and how much their efforts in making me feel like an honored guest was really reassuring. I told them flat out that had they asked me a year ago I might have declined their request out of fear.
Throughout the entire process up to being asked to sit in the chair in their remarkable DIY studio I felt mostly feelings of anticipation. There were definitely some moments of nervousness prior to arriving. I worried about not being able to answer questions thoroughly or becoming so anxious that you'd clearly be able to see it on my face or hear it in my voice. But these worries were all very minuscule compared to the excitement I had to be part of the show. I was with one of my best friends, hanging out with new friends in the Force, and was there to talk about one of my greatest passions - Star Wars! How could I not be thrilled?
The recording started and I felt wonderful and confident all the way through. I was content with my answers and had such a fun time sharing and also learning more about Alex and Steve's Star Wars preferences. It was a fantastic experience and one I am proud that I said "yes" to. I hope that the more I choose to try new things the easier my fears of the unknown and lack of confidence in myself may diminish. 2017 has been the year for me where I've really stepped out of my comfort zone and trusted in someone bigger than myself to try new things. I've kicked anxiety in the behind lately and it feels good! If you're interested, I wrote about some of the new experiences I've had this year and what the process was like on my other blog.
We left the studio on a high and with some special goodies they gifted us with from their Shop. It's no wonder that they take pride in their work because let me tell you, their merchandise is unique and made of the highest quality! All of the proceeds from their Star Wars merchandise go towards helping them make their show a reality including paying for their studio each month. They are widely known for their collectible Action Pins that are inspired by the original Star Wars Kenner action figures. They release two character pins each month and they sell out faster than I have seen any other fan-made pins sell!
So here's the thing, I highly recommend that you follow them on YouTube and watch their show every Sunday. Not only are they fun to watch but they are also very honest Star Wars Fans who share their opinions openly no matter what anyone else may think (please note that the episodes contain some adult language and may not be appropriate for younger audiences). They discuss the latest news, review toys, interview incredible guests and host lots of giveaways. And for everything in between including details about their latest merch, you should follow them on Instagram and Twitter too!
Below you'll find the episode that I got to be a part of. My segment starts at 46:00.
Alex, Steve, and Cisco, thank you again for this incredible opportunity! MTFBWY!
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