Y is for Yoda

In the days of the Old Republic, Jedi Master Yoda was the most wise and powerful of all Jedi. Diminutive and unassuming, Yoda had no equals in his keen insight into the Force, or in his agile skill with a lightsaber.

Yoda made his first film appearance in "The Empire Strikes Back (1980)". Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) arrives on Dagobah to seek his guidance, having been instructed to do so by the Force ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness).

Yoda wasn't what Luke expected of a Jedi Master when he first saw him but as the wise one puts it "Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is."

This Star Wars Electronic Ask Yoda toy (released in 2004) is basically the old Magic 8-Ball of yesterday updated with a new Star Wars theme. Yoda comes with 24 Phrases and you start by squeezing his left land to which he says "The Force and its wisdom are all around us. Ask you will a Yes or No question. Sense the force in my left hand, press it and answer you I will."  Simply Ask Yoda a question, and give his little left hand a gentle squeeze, and listen to the sage-like wisdom of the ancient Jedi Master.

Yoda Stands Approximately 8" tall and is from the Star Wars Trilogy Collection! Yoda comes with a Jedi cloak and detailed belt. His blue eyes appear very life-like (appears to be made from glass or at least has some glass elements), and comes complete with little tufts of white hair around his soft skinned (made from rubber) pointed ears.

The answers Yoda gives are rather interesting, from the simple Yes and No types like "Yes, I sense this is", "The answer you seek is Yes", "Simple question you ask, Yes I answer" and vice versa to "You must feel the Force around you, the answer then clear will become", "Disturbing this question is. Meditate on this, I will.", "Difficult to see, always in motion the Force.", "Strong I am with the Force, but not that strong to see the answer.", "Don't think... feel... be as one with the Force. The answer you seek will be found there."

The funnier answers or replies from Yoda are "Hrmm... Squeezed too hard you have." and "Laugh... tickled me you have." When Yoda is left on his own for a while (2 minutes), he'll suddenly starts talking on his own, "Clearing your mind are you, or another question wish you to ask?" before logging off.

Imagine if you had this Yoda in the office and when you walk away from your desk, your colleague press Yoda's hand and leaves. You return to your desk and go back to your work when SUDDENLY Yoda speaks. This situation gets especially bad when you are working late and the office gets rather quiet haha

And the picture above is the Star Wars Electronic Ask Yoda in its packaging. I got mine in Japan :) Finally, let's not forget one of Yoda's famous lines “No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Unfortunately, this line is not one of the 12 phrases. But I do think that's where Nike got their line "Just do it!" (don't try)

So I say to you all, as my friend Colin Shaw of Super Duper Toy Box puts it: "Have FUN with your life!" Do it, don't try ;p