I was eight years old when my parents took me to see Jurassic Park in the theatre. I immediately fell in love and it became my favorite franchise, even to this day. I had held an interest in dinosaurs before the movie released (I wasn’t *fully* aware that it was a book at this point) and I made frequent trips to the school library to research dinosaurs. So the release of the movie was somewhat of a perfect storm for my interests at that age.

Now, the FIRST thing I wanted to be when I grew up was a veterinarian. The second thing was a paleontologist (thank’s to Alan Grant!). The third thing was a veterinarian for dinosaurs. As I said, I didn’t realize that there was a book yet and that the park veterinarian, Dr. Harding, was much more important in the book–not just “we know they’re poisonous, but they don’t eat them.” (Still makes me face palm to this day).

After leaving the movie theatre, my family went to Burger King. I proceeded to set up the scene where Generro gets munched, using chicken nuggets and french fries. I was the T-Rex and roared each time I bent my neck down to crunch down on a chicken nugget and then swing my head back and forth. There was little doubt in the other patrons as to what we did before going to the restaurant.

I remember my friend Todd sleeping over one night and we made sure to turn in early so that we could be fresh for a new dinosaur documentary on television.

Most kids had lemonade stands as kids. I made a Jurassic Park in our backyard. And charged admission.

Instead of choosing a traditional subject for my big research project in high school biology, I chose to build out a diagram explaining how a real-life “dragon” might breathe fire. Okay… we’re getting far afield here. The point is, some magic in the movie (and then the book) went deep into my blood and changed something fundamental to my being.

While I was still young, Sam Neill was cast in the made for TV movie, Merlin. It was the same actor! Of course, I was enthralled with his performance and the story.

I woke up late one night, unable to sleep, turned on the TV and there he was again–Dead Calm. Hardly a great movie to be playing on network television… but it was the 90s… and very late at night… so, what else is there to say?

I’m jumping around all over. But that’s how I’m feeling right now. In the Mouth of Madness. “Did I ever tell you that my favorite color was blue?” “AHHHHHHH!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” I think about that scene everytime someone says ‘blue.’

My old boss went on vacation to New Zealand for a wine symposium so many years ago. While she was gone, I happened to be telling my coworkers about Sam Neill being my favorite actor. When she returned, I was still going on about it. She asked me matter of factly about him being my favorite actor, to which I quoted something obscure. She then said, “I met him. He’s big into wine. I didn’t really know who he was, but someone said he was an actor. I could’ve gotten his autograph for you. Too bad.” I was contented at least to hear that he seemed like such a kind person.

There’s nothing worse than discovering a celebrity you admire is/was a terrible jerk. I am so fortunate that I was drawn to him as a child and that I kept returning to his adventures throughout my lifetime. Since I heard the news of his passing, I have felt heartbroken. Perhaps that it means, in a way, that some precious memories from my childhood have also passed… Of course, they haven’t.

I’m going to choose something different. I’m going to watch all these resurfacing interviews with him and take every word to heart. I want to wake up to a new world that has ceased it’s pointless bickering. I want to live with hope and expectation.