Many people who are close to me know that I adore nerdy things, such as comic book television shows, movies, etc and various sci-fi creations. Two of the biggest nerdy obsessions I have involve Star Wars and Marvel/DC. I know what you’re probably thinking: “is this guy really about to tell us how much he loves these nerdy things? Who cares?” To answer that metaphorical question: yes, I am about to discuss how these “nerdy things” positively impact some people’s lives.

The reason I chose Star Wars and the Marvel/DC Universe is because of how much effort my parents put into making my childhood as fun as possible. My parents and I have seen all the old Star Wars movies (the old trilogy and new trilogy), and since the new ones have come out, I have purchased the DVD’s and watched the movies with them whenever I visit them. Every Christmas, we watch one of the Star Wars movies and it never gets old. I have a Rebel Alliance tattoo on my right arm because of how much I adore the franchise. In regards to Marvel/DC, the Flash (DC) and Thor (Marvel) have always been my favorite heroes from the respective universes. My dad and I have binge-watched the entire Flash series together, and it makes me happy to know that my parents take a genuine interest in whatever I do and like, despite how nerdy or silly it may be.

Another reason why Star Wars and Mavel/DC have a special place for me is because of my niece and nephew. Whenever I visit them in California, my nephew always touches my tattoo and says “Star Wars Uncle Robbie Star Wars!” He loves seeing the lightsaber battles and imitates the noises, and it cracks me up every time. My niece loves Wonder Woman, and even at her young age, she loves to embody Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. My sister asks her why she loves Wonder Woman so much, and my niece’s response blew us all away. She said “Wonder Woman does what she wants. She’s a princess, and I’m a princess, I wanna be like her.” My niece is only three years old, yet understands the theme behind that movie. As an uncle, it makes me happy and proud to see my niece and nephew fall in love with the same things I did as a child.