Into the Garbage Chute, Flyboy!

The quote above is one that will conjure up a certain image among Star Wars fans. The image from Episode IV: A New Hope where Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca end up in a trash compactor.

 When I was thinking about blogging I knew I wanted a Doctor Who motif, but when I started imagining my TARDIS it resembled that of a trash compactor on the Death Star complete with a Dianoga.

 On Doctor Who the entrance and control panel in The Doctor's TARDIS is clean with no hint of the adventures that its occupants have experienced on the outside.

The Doctor's TARDIS Control Panel 

 Since The Doctor's TARDIS is “bigger on the inside than it is on the outside”, there are other rooms that viewers see that are cluttered from the adventures The Doctor and his Companions have experienced.

This looks more like my office!

My TARDIS is a trash compactor. One look into my office and you will see this geek girl surrounded by books, action figures, more books, props, magazines, swords and...even more books. Adorning one of the walls is an old Smurf poster with the saying “Geniuses are rarely tidy”. “I think you live that creed.” My husband once commented, but he was soon silenced when I pointed to his man cave that houses his comics, games, books, miniatures, graphic novels, game system layouts...and gaming books.

So why am I talking trash? I am surrounded by it. Some of it I don't think I can part with EVER!!! Some of it I don't have the heart to get rid of because someone gave it to me as a gift and I am sentimental. Some of it I am actually getting rid of and I rejoice at that feeling of cleaning, detaching and letting go. But more keeps finding its way into my office...my TARDIS...my sanctuary.

That reminds me of another TARDIS. As I mentioned in one of my first articles, I imagine the Church is a kind of TARDIS. This TARDIS is clean and pristine and gives much more of a sense of what The Doctor's TARDIS would be. Therefore, I am always surprised when I discover trash in the TARDIS. It actually feels like an assault on all my senses. I travel a lot and in my travels I encounter inside Churches the good, the bad and the downright ugly. We are talking Dianoga creature ugly.

Who me?

One time I was at such a Church (let's call it St. Dianoga's to protect the innocent) and I felt disgust for the way the pews faced away from the tabernacle that houses Jesus and the lack of reverence as people were filing out of the pews to receive Our Lord and Savior. I know I am a prude. I do not usually watch people on their way up to receive Jesus unless they are drawing attention to themselves.  Instead of approaching Jesus with reverence and respect, the people of St. Dianoga's were slapping each other on the backs, talking about their golf game and treating the Reception line more like a buffet line. I prayed “Lord, do I go up? Can I receive you?” I was surprised to get a response. “Come to the Cross.” I went up, I focused on the crucifix that was mounted on the wall behind the priest and I received Him. I went back to my pew and prayed. “Lord, why today? Why? Why of all places do you talk to me amongst the trash?” The response once again was “Come to the Cross.”

I was surprised to find Him among the trash and the putrescence of St. Dianoga's. To this day I still ponder “Why of all places, Lord, did you answer me from among the trash?” I certainly was not expecting Him to be in the trash compactor, but there He was. Yet as I think of that moment, I am reminded that though Our Lord dined with the wealthy and the well off He was more often found with the undesirables, the misfits...dare I say it...the trash. These broken people were so broken that they heard Him and they listened to His message of mercy. As I sit among my trash compactor TARDIS I can't help but wonder...Is He calling out to me from amongst this trash too? I can't really hear Him like I did that day at St. Dianoga's. But if He is calling out to me from amongst this trash, maybe I better start clearing out the clutter, maybe I better start looking for Him so that I can find Him and hear Him better.

Waiting For Those Three Words

I'm curious what readers might be thinking when they read the title to this post. Mudanes (those who do not entertain geeky thoughts 100% of the time) probably look at the title and think the three words that I am referring to are “I am sorry” or “I love you.”

Geek girls will instantly shiver with excitement if they are a fan of a certain British Television series that has been around since the 1960's. The three words that I am referring to are...”I'm the Doctor.”

 I was introduced to this series called Doctor Who when I was in college. I worked at the public library while I was attending college and my friend and fellow co-worker suggested that I watch it. It was on late on Sunday evenings which was perfect since I did not have any shows to perform at that time slot, no rehearsals, no work and I just wanted to relax. The first episode I saw was The Black Orchid starring Peter Davison as the Doctor.

It was a little bit mystery, a little bit sci-fi and the main character was cute. I was sold on the show.

I loved the first show so much that I attended a local Doctor Who Convention in St. Louis and met...

 

 John Levine (Sgt. Benton)

 

 Sophie Aldred (Ace)

and

 

 John Lesson (The Voice of K-9)

 

Like an addict, I wanted to attend more conventions because the actors were fun to meet in person and the fan following was small, diverse and very intelligent. I was beside myself when it was announced for the 30^th Anniversary of Doctor Who that Peter Davison and Colin Baker would be at a Doctor Who Convention in Chicago, IL. My friend and I headed up to Chicago, IL Thanksgiving weekend where I met my favorite Doctor (number 5).

Me with Peter Davison (Doctor 5)

I followed Doctor Who during its dark time (when American Television tried their hand at it) and its now resurgence where the show has actually had premieres on the big screen even in the United States. Like many geek girls, I fell for David Tennant (number 10) and he actually surpasses Peter Davison. Though I was very happy when the two of them were in Time Crash together. It was the Doctor Who version of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade with two male leads that were both hunky to look at. Of course, I enjoy the fact that Tennant is Davison's son-in-law and a little freaked out too, because I remember Davison talking about his daughter Georgia at that Chicago convention that I first attended.

Okay.  Besides showing off my celebrity photo gallery, I actually do have a point to this post. Many of us geek girls imagine what we would do if The Doctor arrived in his TARDIS looking like David Tennant or Peter Davison opening the door and saying “I'm the Doctor” because we know that the next thing he would do is offer his hand out as an invitation to climb aboard into the TARDIS and be whisked away on an adventure. The invitation would be accepted before the words had left The Doctor's mouth. Many of us geek girls, like myself, might even run into the TARDIS before The Doctor stepped out because we would be so ready to accept the invitation to journey with him. Expecting one incarnation...

 

Who I would want (David Tennant number 10)

We might be surprised to encounter another

Who I might get (William Hartnell number 1)

I have to ask myself would I be so accepting of the same invitation? The Doctor is the same “person” (okay alien) I would have just encountered him in a different part of his time line. 

Here's the thing I have had a chance to encounter The Doctor and this time I don't mean the actors, who played him.  I can tell you that if you accept this Doctor's invitation you will be whisked away. I have been whisked away to watch a child while his twin brothers are being born.  I have been whisked away to perform shows that bring joy and laughter to those that hunger for a distraction.  I have been whisked away to hear the stories from an elderly woman, whose family has abandoned her to the nursing home that she now lives in.  These encounters and adventures with this Doctor do have an effect on you.  That was true of the companions of The Doctor on the show Doctor Who.  The companions would return home changed and they never could live their life the way they had been after spending time with The Doctor.  I, too, have been changed by my interaction with this Doctor.  He constantly urges to me to come out of my comfort zone, to follow Him and to help others as we travel together.  Life with this Doctor is thrilling, emotional, and sometimes dangerous.

So how did I find this Doctor, who has whisked me away and gave me experiences that have shaped me into who I am right now?  One day, I heard His call.  It was invitation and from what I understand He had been waiting for me.  Once I heard Him, I had to answer Him.  "Yes!  I want to go! Yes! I want to be with You!", so I opened the door to the TARDIS and walked in.  He was already waiting for me, expecting me, with His hand extended out to me and saying in my heart “I'm the Doctor.”