Princess Leia Turning 50 With a Smirk

I fell in love with Carrie Fisher at age 4 when "Star Wars" hit the scene. At the time, I just thought she was the coolest heroine in the universe, but over the years, I've grown to love her even more.

"When Harry Met Sally" and "Hannah and Her Sisters" showcased her evolving skills as an actor. Then gradually she began to focus on her writing more by releasing "Postcards from the Edge" and working behind the scenes of the Oscars, and that caught my attention as well. Little known are her essays and infrequent articles, but I treasure each one I find.

Today I had some good chuckles reading her piece, "Fifty -- Bring It On" in September's Harper's Bazaar (page 316). Grabbing me from the beginning as always, she uses her knack for witty sarcasm to reel me in further. "You are not aging like wine; [she says] whoever said that didn't know his or her liquor." Quotes like that are priceless.

Princess Leia turns 50 on October 21st. I heard her joke somewhere once about how a different crew member got to rip the tape off her breasts each day after shooting the first "Star Wars" film. (The tape was there to keep them in place under the white dress for fear some little kid might see jiggling.) Now I'm sure she would be the first to remark about how the tape might come in handy at 50. Aging gracefully with spunk, I highly recommend savoring her work.