I'm Staying Lost

My son is a Lost fan and he has not seen the show!

2006-08-10T15:19:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures my son drew this morning:

Sawyer fishing at Lost Pond

Jack in his suit (from the pilot)

Charlie following Sayid (Bobby heard Charlie describe this to Eko)

This is how Bobby wrote "Lost"

The whole group (from a desktop background I found)

Walt and Jack

He has not really seen a full episode - just network promos, some short clips and interviews, but nothing that's not family friendly, since he is just 4! He has also heard me discussing the show too. They are sponges, aren't they? Kids, I mean.

Just call me Ramblin' Eve!

2006-08-03T09:49:00.000-04:00

I'll pick up right where I left off!

White Rabbit

Things really do happen for a reason!

Arguing against the "crash was just an accident" theory, there may be some evidence here that certain survivors were supposed to be on the plane and survive the crash, but not necessarily to benefit Dharma or the Others. Someone (maybe Kate) mentions the girl (forgot the name) who drowns was supposed to take an earlier flight but she got sick (?) and took flight 815 instead - something that did not seem to be planned.

Has it really been thirty days in the hole?

The title, an obvious reference to "Alice in Wonderland" might foreshadow the hatch being compared to going down the rabbit hole. The hatch has not been found yet, but Jack's white rabbit (his Dad) leads to an important discovery of the caves and fresh water. Maybe Jack is coming to terms with the fact his Dad may have been wrong about him, but he seems to waver in S2. It's interesting that Kate thinks Jack seeing his Dad may be due to lack of sleep. When she starts seeing (and hearing) things, she is discounted too.

You're going to do what?

Sun wonders who will tell them what to do, and when Jin answers that he will tell her, she looks very sad. I think he meant he would stand by her and take care of her in a loving way, but she took it to mean he's going to take over her life and behave like he has in the past. I think this is the start of Sun trying to rediscover her own identity within her relationship with Jin instead of without him. As of the end of S2, to see how far they have come is remarkable!

Walk like a man . .

When Jack gets a closer look at his Dad, Christian turns his back and walks away. He's corporeal because the leaves move as he walks by. The writers clearly want us to notice that, because with special effect, the could easily have made Christian look and move more like a ghost. Depending on whether or not you count the polar bear (and I don't since it was shot and killed), this is the first of what I call the "solid visions."

The old man is on the road!

Locke goes to search for water and he says he knows where to look. How? Is he just posturing or does he really know his way around? In light of what happens to him in S2, many think he did not know as much at this point as some thought he did, but I'm still on the fence. Later, in one of the first encounters between Jack and Locke, Locke saves Jack, something Jack may have trouble dealing with later since he's supposed to "save" others. This might serve as one source of tension between them later.

This town ain't big enough for the two of us!

Sawyer makes a sarcastic (is there any other kind with him?) comment about Kate being the new sheriff in town and throws her the Marshall's badge. This is clearly a foreshadowing of S2's "The Long Con" where Sawyer proclaims he is the new sheriff! The power struggle if these two get together (or even if they don't!) in S3 will be amazing.

We got trouble right here on Craphold Island!

Jack makes the comment that is he's not hallucinating (about his Dad) then they're "all in a lot of trouble." Well, you're all in a lot of trouble anyway, even without the alleged hallucinations, Jack. (Taking to the TV where you're not in front of it is a sign of withdrawl sickness!) This foreshadows other alleged hallucinations (the black horse, Dave) where the viewers sanity is called into question. But is Jack theorizing Christian is still alive? Why would he think that if he saw his body at the morgue (or hospital)? The theory that Christian is still alive gains steam here, but I'm on the fence about that one too. It used to be that someone was dead if you saw the body. Now I'm not sure.

Who died and made you boss?

At some point (I'm not sure if it's in this episode or not) Locke has an encounter with Ole' Smokey. After that, he starts to act like he knows what's going on and suddenly bestows his wisdom upon others. He seems to think that "things happen for a reason." He "looked into the eye of the island (the monster?) and what [he] saw was beautiful." And, of course, "a leader can't lead until he knows where he's going." Is Locke implying he knows where he is going and Jack doesn't? Or that Jack should figure out his next move before he tries to lead anyone else? I think Jack believes the former and it starts to gnaw at him more and more, on into S2. It will be interesting what Jack's attitude is when he gets back to the other suvivors (if he gets back . . bwahahahaa!) and he possibly knows things about the Others Locke does not!

Crying over you

Here begins a theme that carries over into S2 - Jack crying in the jungle. So far, Jack has struck me as the kind of person, like Ana Lucia in a way, that does not like to cry or display emotions in front of others. As a doctor, he has had to be objective and keep his emotions in check when dealing with others. Both by himself and in front of others, gradually he lets his guard down.

Speeches-r-us!

Jack utters the infamous "If we can't live together, we're going to die alone" speech. Is this his attempt to lead or is he trying to convince himself at the same time? It seems that whenever someone dies from here on out, they are not alone - they are with at least part of the group. Boone is with Jack, Ethan is killed by Charlie but Jack is there too. Later in S2, Ana and Libby are with (and killed by) Michael and Henry is there before Michael lets him go. The threats are not only from within, but as Jack later discovers, the outside threats affect what is going on within the group, which in turn affects what happens on the outside. What Jack originally applied to their group turns out to be true for dealing with the Others too. Yet Jack is the one who eventually wants to start an army since he figures they can't "live together" with the Others and it becomes an "us or them" situation to him.

I'm starting to feel like I'm near the Equator!

2006-07-31T20:41:00.000-04:00

It's so (expletive here) hot that (exaggeration here)! So, what better way to pass the time than to review some of the episodes from S1 and S2. I still have questions about some and have noticed new (to me) connections or details in others. In light of what has happened on the island to date, most of the past episodes, especially from S1, look quite different.

Pilot

The weather, it is a-changin!

Charile asks if it's normal for day to turn into night and the weather to change so quickly and actually uses the phrase "end of the world type stuff," or something like that. I know some viewers made comments during S2 that day turned into night almost too quickly and blamed it on continuity errors, but if the "specialness" of the island has something to do with the weather, maybe it was on purpose. Whatever the reason, Charlie's comments here let us know right away that there's something unique about this island and hints at somethins potentially apocalyptic, which was echoed in the way S2 ended. I love when things come back around like that! Incidentally, I remember when I was on vacation in the Philippines several years ago, the sunrises and sunset seemed quick to me too, so maybe it's natural in that part of the world.

It Keeps You Runnin'

Jacks makes a comment to Kate when she's sewing him up that she's not running now. This ties into the theme of tabula rasa - a fresh start - that is continued throughout S1 and S2, especially with Kate. She's not running because not only is there nowhere to run to, but there is no longer a reason. Her past, even when it's partially disclosed, is not really an issue for anyone. Sawyer is treated much worse for simply depriving a bratty girl of her medicine, a substitute for which is eventually found anyway. And, as far as I remember, the only one who knows Kate actually killed someone is Sawyer, and he's been pretty good at keeping secrets so far. I guess it's still who you know.

We're invisible, and the weather's still freaky!

The pilot (hey, Greg!) said that six hours into the flight the radio went out and no one could see them. This is echoed in S2 when Henry makes the comment that not even God knows where they are. This, at least to me, hints that there's some reason objects in the vicinity of the island, as well the island itself, can't be seen. The pilot also remarks that when they attempted to turn around, that's when they got caught in the storm. This is almost exactly what Desmond encountered when he got to the island by boat, as revealed in the S2 finale. This is perhaps why Henry gives Michael precise coordinates to get away from the island. There may be a manufactured security system in place around the island to keep unwanted visitors out. That said, does this point to the crash of 815 being an accident, caused by a failure to press the button, or was 815 "let in?" Anyway, we get more hints that there's something up with this island.

Chain of fools

At some point in all of this, Walt finds the marshall's handcuffs and gives them to Michael who decides to tell no one and assumes (when you assume . . you know the rest!) they were used on Sawyer. Misunderstandings (and hijinx) ensue when Sawyer gets into it with Sayid because Sawyer thinks Sayid is a terrorist. Later, Sayid doesn't have much of a problem torturing Sawyer because he's a trouble-maker anyway who deprives hot girls of their asthma medicine! This comes around to bite everyone when Sawyer comes up with a scheme to get the guns. So, all of this is Walt's fault? Or was it his plan from the beginning? ;) Maybe I have been at this way too long!

Tabula Rasa

Hope does not always spring eternal!

The group's (Sayid, Kate, Charlie, Sawyer, Shannon and Boone, if I remember correctly) decision to lie and not tell the other survivors what they heard on Danielle's transmission because Sayid says he does not want to take away their hope. This comes back in S.O.S. when Bernard expresses the hope that if they build a signal on the beach, someone will see it and come to rescue them, but no one else seems to share it. (Even he abandons it once his reason to go back is taken away!) However, Sayid's point here that hope is a dangerous this to lose is a good one. I think he's proven right later, but this marks the first time someone decides to withhold potentially critical info about something on the island. (I'm not counting the handcuffs here because the way they were found there was no way to know who they were for.)

Let's play "Follow the Leader!"

When the group returns, Sayid (not Jack or Locke) emerges as the "leader." He proposes setting up groups to accomplish gathering water, rationing food, and gathering electronic equipment to send a signal. At this point, he is the one doing the most to help the group and is content to do what he can and not cause Kate to go get a ruler! This continues to be a motivation for him, even after he thinks he's not helping and tries to leave. Even through S2, even when he thinks he's made a mistake, he's usually right in his assessment of the situation and the people involved. Like Ana says later, "Jack and Locke are a little too worried about Locke and Jack!" (one of my favorite lines ever!) This comes back to bite them and everyone else more than once, while Sayid keeps coming up with good ideas. The smart survivors better start listening to this guy!

Or we can play "I've Got a Secret!"

Jack decides not to tell Kate he saw her wanted poster when the Marshall woke up. Kate returns the favor when she decides not to tell Jack about her criminal past. Some viewers have complained that no one seems to talk or at least tell each other anything. This might be a mistake when it comes to things that might affect the group's survival (the transmission, the capture of Henry) but when it comes to personal details, I think it's just human nature. I know if I were Kate, I wouldn't exactly stand on a tree stump and shout out my past sins. And Jack doesn't want to turn into a pot calling Kettle Kate black because we're probably going to find out he's been a little bit naughtier then we've seen so far. However, Sun isn't the only one planting seeds! The Marshall's words to Jack about Kate stick with him and color how he sees her up until the end of S2 when it appears she has gained back at least some of his trust.

Who'll stop the rain?

It's not exactly clear at this point, but there are hints that Walt may be "special." Michael tells Walt he will look for Vincent (the dog) as soon as it stops raining. Just at that moment, it stopped. As I recall, when we see Walt reading the comic book with a polar bear clearly visible on one of the pages, it isn't too long after this that the "real" polar bear shows up! This is again echoed in "Special" when Walt is reading a book about birds (I think) and a bird flies into the window.

I'll post more later! Hope you've enjoyed my rambling!

Finale thoughts, or "Help me! I can't stop taking notes!"

2006-06-13T09:22:00.000-04:00

I started thinking about why the Others wanted Jack, Kate and Sawyer. If it's because they are seeing things and might be sick, or psychic, why isn't Sayid there? Didn't he see Walt? As far as people seeing things, Sayid did tell Michael in "The Other 48 Days" (I think) that he saw Walt, but like I really think that was more Walt than Sayid - Walt, because of the island, might be powerful enough that he can project himself to people that are not necessarily psychic.

My guess is that Jack, Kate and Sawyer/James have this power too but maybe not to the level Walt does. It seems the Others do think this might be genetic because they took Michael's blood right before they asked about Walt.

My other guess is that the "sickness", is related to psychic ability, or the island's power to enhance it, whether through its magnetic properties (which may or may not be gone now) or just its lack of any other types of interference or stimuli. This might explain why Rousseau's team went crazy (too many visions, projections, etc.).

Whether the "sickness" can be detected in the blood is something the Others may be trying to find out. Jack, Kate and Sawyer better get used to needles! I'll think of some Sawyer one-liners having to do with blood, needles, or medical procedures! Maybe he could call fake Henry Vlad or Bea could be Vampira - yeah, those are weak. (Actually, the hardest scene for me to watch was the now-famous blood drawing scene in "Three Minutes!" I had to turn away!)

OMG, I just thought of something else. What if the Others were planning to get Walt off the island as part of their experiment? If there is more than one possible cause of something, I think you would try to isolate the causes and try them one at a time.

Let's say the Others want to see if the ability to see visions, project yourself or other things, etc., is genetic or due to a "sickness" (blood draws), because of the magnetic properties of the island (the button) or Walt. This would explain why Jack, Kate and Sawyer are with the Others, why they let Walt go and why they eventually wanted the button to stop being pushed.
Fake Henry probably wanted the button pushing to go on a little longer once Walt left so they could see how much of an effect Walt really had. However, I think there are other parts of the island, or smaller nearby islands (maybe where the barracks are) that may have the same properties, or even more magnets or buttons to push. This might be why the Others weren't that concerned about the noise and bright light and still let Walt go. Even if they didn't know about the failsafe, they probably have a back-up plan. I could see fake Henry declaring, "Failing to plan is planning to fail, Jack!"

And what if Inman wasn't telling the truth, or what if he was lied to? He sure seemed to have a "screw this" attitude and may not have cared what happened anyway. What if the "failsafe" doesn't turn off the magnet but just resets everything? The experiment could still go on, nothing would be destroyed, and my favorite guys would still be alive! (Note to Eko: whoever harms my beautiful bald Locke is in for a bruisin'. Yo.) And if the Others didn't know about it or just weren't sure about what it does, they have a back-up, so they didn't care.

Parenting the Lost Way

Oh, one more thing. I showed my boys (4 and 6) the first part of the finale with Jack, Sayid and Sawyer swimming out to the boat. It turns out my VCR went nuts and refused to record any more! They wanted to re-enact the scene in the bathtub. Johnny (6) wanted to be “one of the guys who stripped.” (Mommy seemed to like that part, I guess, although I was pulling for the trifecta, and when Jack did not go shirtless, I was disappointed.) He did not understand why they left their pants on because that would make it harder to swim. I was honest and told them I was disappointed too (because of the swimming thing, not because I wanted to see those guys mostly naked . . . well, ok I did, but I didn't share any of this with them!) but that they could not show naked people on network TV at 9:00 pm. Bobby wanted to be Charlie because he determined Desmond was crazy. I agreed and told him he’s not a baby anymore like Aaron and Charlie seems to be the next smallest guy since Walt was gone. But I told him that would not be a good idea. I didn’t explain. I told him he could watch Season 1 when he turned 14 when I will get him the 10th Anniversary Edition for Christmas.

When a ? means answers

2006-05-16T14:31:00.000-04:00

I have some thoughts after watching (and taking notes!) “?.” Yeah, I take notes. I have trouble remembering everything I saw, even if I watch more than once. An episode like "?" almost begs for notetaking. I guess I'm hoping the more I understand along the way the better the payoff will be when answers come.

I warn you that these are pretty random and disconnected – I have sinusitis and am on medication! Just one of the perks of the Beautiful Ohio Valley – sinus issues!

Here is what we learned, or my nine points of revelation:

1. Kate is Vincent’s replacement! - I posted about this on the forum, but what’s up with Jack and Sawyer treating SuperKate like the family dog? Jack tells Sawyer Kate will go with him, not even stooping to speak to her. Then Sawyer walks away and says “C’mon Freckles” as an afterthought. No wonder nobody misses Vincent – they have good old Kate! Trust me – she is the next one to go all Michael on everybody.

2. Sometimes you don’t need any words. How about when Hurley comes upon Sawyer and Kate-the-Family-Pet getting the heroin? The camera pulls back because we know what Kate’s telling him and we don’t need to hear it. Almost anybody would walk away from a conversation like that between two other people because it’s so personal. (No clunky exposition once again – thanks, Damon!) We just get to see Kate’s arm on his shoulder and Hurley’s head slump forward, almost like he was shot too. I got a little misty. Actually, if you didn’t tear up during this episode, check your pulse!

3. Deep down, Locke really is pathetic, and he finally realizes that. Question: If Locke dreams that Eko is watching him sleep, is he really watching himself? And – surprise – in Locke’s dream, he is not the hero, Eko is. This supports what he says later about his pathetic little life being meaningless. He’s forever watching other people do what he’s supposed to do. Maybe Locke realizes he’s “sleeping” when he should get his bottom (and what a nice one it is!) in gear and do something to find the ?. This is where his "redemption" comes in. He'll finally act to back up his beliefs instead of telling everyone else to do something. ETA: It’s been pointed out that Eko was limping in Locke’s dream, so Locke wants to be Eko? Or he thinks he can’t accomplish what he’s supposed to accomplish without Eko?

4. The new bickering couple is Eko and Locke! I sincerely loved their walk through the jungle: Eko: (looking at the map) What is this, a river? Locke: It’s a wavy line. And the head butt? I have been waiting for almost two years for somebody to do that to Locke (and I’m the biggest Locke fan there is)! Eko rocks! ETA: Moral – Sometimes we all need some sense knocked into us!

5. We’re not asking the right questions. For those who think we’re not getting any answers, I think we are, but not to the questions we’re asking. Kinda like life. (Medication, remember?) IMHO, the right question is how many log carriers does it take to replace Ana and Libby??

6. It’s Michael’s party, and he can shoot if he wants to! Michael and Hurley in the Hatch: I think Michael is realizing there it’s not his island and the other Losties are just there because he lets them live on it. Well, actually it’s exactly like that right now. Anyways (ding), while he’s been thinking about and searching for Walt, he has failed to notice anybody not connected with his son. This might be natural for a father, especially an over-compensating formerly absentee one, and I think the Others have and will continue to exploit that. But when Hurley tells him he’s glad he’s OK, he is starting to notice somebody else, even as Hurley’s killing him with guilt and kindness. I guess that will be the beginning of his redemption, and maybe the reason behind why Walt was taken in the first place. Remember Zeke saying they have to take the boy? After fake Henry told Ana Goodwin thought he could redeem her, I thought one of the missions of Dharma might be to “redeem” the people who can be good, which is to exploit the weaknesses of the Losties for their own benefit.

7. Eko is a good priest! Charlotte tells Eko his brother said this. Well, if Yemi said it, it’s good enough for me!

8. Libby really does (oops, did) work for Dharma (either consicously or without knowing it)! Did you catch the look she gave Charlotte at the airport? I think Eko noticed too but was too distracted by what Charlotte was saying to put it together. Now that she’s dead, he probably won’t remember he saw her at all. Remember Jack, just because she was on the plane (and the fact she was in the airport doesn’t entirely prove that) it doesn’t mean she isn’t (or wasn’t) a mole! And depending on how complicated or devious you think Dharma and/or Widmore are, might they be deceiving their moles too? How much does anyone who is doing their bidding have to understand? Remember in the second orientation film how the doctor says the observers don't need to know the purpose of the experiment?

9. The work being done on the island is important, but not because they’re told to do it. When Eko mentions this, I think he’s not just talking about what they do in the Swan Station, or the Pearl Station, if they ever make use of it. He’s also talking about whatever they do on the island – all their interactions, conflicts, etc.

One more and I promise I’ll stop! The beeping of the alarm at the end clues us in to the fact that time really is running out.

"Well, doctor, my imaginary friend hates me!"

2006-04-10T07:31:00.000-04:00

I'm just guessing here, but if I had an imaginary friend, he (or she) would not hit me, slap me, or make fun of me. What he or she would do or say is anybody's guess, but I'm quite sure, even if I felt the need to punish myself, my imaginary friend would be supportive and kind. "Dave" put a new spin on "With friends like these, who needs enemies!"

With a friend like Dave, it's easy to see why Hurley went off on Sawyer. Dave treated him so badly, by the time Sawyer gave him the last straw, he was ready to go off! I was ready for a big fight scene with Dave. Instead of letting Dave jump off the cliff, why not let Hurley push him off: "And this is for the coconuts!" A breakthrough is a breakthrough! That being said, I hope we have not seen the last of Dave. Wouldn't it be fun if he started to bother Jack? Then we could hear Hurley snarl "Hey, you stole my imaginary friend!" Hijinks would ensue. Jack would not even have to see Dave - Hurley would just think he could. What kind of paranoia is it that allows you to think your neighbors are stealing your psychosis? Too funny.

All in all, I liked this one. It touched on some real issues in a non-threatening way. Binging and hoarding food are real disorders and they were treated appropriately. It provided some real humor too. What Sawyer fan did not like the fight with Hurley? The best line of the night: (Dave trying to talk Hurley into stealing Lenny's graham crackers) "What's he going to do? Call you a 23?" You know, that's my new curse. Anytime somebody is just bugging me, I will call them a 23. It doesn't matter that they won't know what I'm talking about. If the numbers are cursed, then using one of them to refer to somebody is a curse too, right? I guess you could use any of them, but 23 is just funnier to me for some reason.

I can't wait for next week's episode either. If you miss it, your're a 23!

Fridge Art

2006-04-04T23:16:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that my son is four. He made a picture in pre-school for art class. He took some of those packing peanuts and put them in food coloring so they were different colors. Then he glued them onto a piece of construction paper. The title at the top (written by the teacher after he told her what to write) was "Bobby's Cannon Balls." When we brought it home, he told me he wanted to cover up the word "Cannon" so it would say . . yes, you got it . . "Bobby's Balls." When he told me this, it was very hard to explain why I laughed so hard I started crying. I took a small white piece of paper and glued it over the word "Cannon." I hung the picture back up on the fridge. Every time I walk into the kitchen, I crack up again. Did I mention my son is four?

ETA: The picture is up.

Sometimes a lockdown is a very good thing!

2006-04-01T21:34:00.000-05:00

Ok, I guess the game is on now! And no, I'm not talking about the Craphole Island World Series of Poker. We saw what happens when the counter reaches zero, and now (as I'm watching an encore presentation right now) we get to see what happens during a food drop? How much do you want to bet that The Prisoner Formerly Known as Henry Gale won't see very much of it? If you think Jack and Sawyer had a contest going, wait until Ana Lucia and Sayid flip to see who gets to plug the Prisoner!

You know, I think I've also come up with some events for the Craphole Island Olympics too.

The Locke-Eko Stare-Off. The two take turns giving "the look" to everyone else. Whoever can make someone curl up in a corner in the fetal position and cry in the shortest amount of time wins a gold medal. Also, whoever can keep from crying when stared at by Locke or Eko wins a silver medal. The bronze medal goes to whoever can stare back and make Locke or Eko cry. The Prisoner is not eligible to compete.
The Balloon Treasure Hunt. A hot-air balloon is hidden somewhere on the island. Whoever can find it wins a bronze, whoever gets it down wins silver, and whoever can get it working and fly off to get help gets gold! The Prisoner can compete in this one, since he probably is not any better at flying a balloon than anyone else.
The Doctor Bother-a-thon. Whoever can get Jack to treat them for the most obscure or silliest ailment wins. The catch is he has to do it with whatever he wins from Sawyer - and it can't be medical supplies! The Prisoner is not eligible for this one either since he doesn't deserve to be treated for anything.
The Black Light Map Drawing Contest. The gold medal goes to whoever can make the best map (visible only by black light) and get someone to follow it to a pre-determined point on the island. The Prisoner is not eligible for this one - he had already had practice drawing a map and getting someone to find something with it.
Ruler Contest. Only the guys are eligible to compete in this one.

If I think of any more, I'll post them. We can hold the events over the summer.

That's all for now. Next week, I think we get to find out what happens when Hurley remembers he's crazy.

My crazy "Lost" boys!

2006-03-22T22:59:00.000-05:00

If you like podcasts about Lost, you have to check out this one! Cliff, Stephanie and Rachel are fun to listen to and have interesting points of view.

Now, about my boys! First, let me say that everything I'm telling you they said came from their own little crazy mouths. I did not prompt them - I just laughed! Second, I'm not sure what movies or TV shows they are watching at Dad's house. "Lost", "24" - maybe. You be the judge.

We were playing pirates with their little Lego-type set and my four year old said these gems:

(pirate carrying small treasure chest) "I'm going to school and this is my lunch." Well, pirates have to learn somewhere. Then we discussed what pirates eat for lunch. I really didn't know what they ate.

(a dark-haired pirate to blond pirate) "Sorry for shooting you!" Obviously, Pirate School stresses manners!

(blond pirate back to dark-haired pirate) "Are you gay?" This was, accoring to same four-year-old, originally said by his uncle. I did not ask about the circumstances! Maybe they did see "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl." They both still say they never did.

My six year old contributed this:

"I'm getting drunk! Where's my beer?" (puts pirate down in the cargo hold briefly then brings him back to the kitchen area, makes burping sound) "I think I'm drunk now!" (puts pirate up in crow's nest and pushes him down) Now, their Dad doesn't drink, neither do I. Note to self: talk to uncle! I really think this is how Johnny thinks pirates act. Obviously, his pirate did not go to Pirate School! It's not good manners to demand beer, then go up to the crow's nest while you are impaired - you might fall and sqaush someone!

Lost for Children

2006-03-02T21:48:00.000-05:00

My sons caught me watching "Lost" again! They wanted to play Legos and were inspired to make these scenes. The scenes are theirs - I added the captions based on what they told me the characters were doing.

Hey, Walt, where have you been? Look, it's Ethan, Clare, Kate and Baby Aaron! Mr. Locke couldn't make it today. He's polishing his head!

I see you made some tea for us. You must have known we were coming. Thanks!

Oh oh! There's the monster! Maybe he would like some tea.

Don't worry Aaron! Ethan's nice. Maybe he would like some tea. Sure hope it's decaf!

See, Lost is for everybody!!

My Evil Rating

2006-02-26T09:28:00.000-05:00

You Are 36% Evil

A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well.In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.

How Evil Are You?

Well, it looks like I'm not that evil after all! That's good, I guess. It would be fun to answer the questions the way the characters would. Some answers have been made known throught flashbacks, but some you would have to guess. The writers have made the characters so layered that in most cases, that would not be very hard.

If an ego falls in the jungle, does it make a sound?

2006-01-22T17:23:00.000-05:00

Well, well, well...Jack has flaws. Hey, that's OK. I hear most everyone does. And before you go off on Kate keep in mind she just might have saved everyone's hide. . . indirectly. Information Jack and the others may have been hoping for was probably not forthcoming anyway, and she probably kept the "hunting party" from making a big mistake in provoking the Others any further.

Anyways (ding), I had some other thoughts after this week and this is as good a place as any to dump them.

Redemption and other things

I think the question Charlie asked in S1 might be rephrased, "Guys, why are we (here)?" The smaller "why" --why the plane crashed--might be answered soon. I heard somewhere it may even be this season. It may have nothings to do with the larger why though -- the Losties' purpose for being there. Remember Mr. Eko's advice about not mistaking coincidence for fate? Even if the plane crash was just an accident, the situations the Losties find themselves in on the island would probably always be ties to what they need to work out--their issues, redemption--whatever you want to call it. Stressful situations tend to bring out the best and worst in everybody and all our buttons get pushed sooner or later!

What they did vs. What they think

Remember what Kate did? She killed her father. What did Jack do? Well, we learned this past week he lost a patient. He definitely felt responsible, even though others tried to tell him he did the best he could. I think in Jack's case, as with some of the other characters, it is not what he did that imprisons him--it's what he thinks he did. When Jack's wife told him he will always need something (someone) to fix, that was something she saw in Jack because deep down Jack believes it---and he believes it so strongly that it's become his curse, or his prison. It's what he needs to work out on the island.

Let's look at Hugo (Hurley). What did he do that was so terrible? Well, he won the lottery. Pretty cool, right? For most people, it would be. Once again, it's not so much what he did as what he thought. He thought he used cursed numbers to win, and that everything that happened to him as a result, and everyone associated with him, was bad. But are they really bad--or are they bad because he thinks they are? To him, those number represent drastic change and responsibility. One of his issues he needs to work out is how he handles that. And, once again, it's something he can control -- it's not fate.

What about Charlie? His big issue has to do with his drug addiction and how it affects those around him. But is it really the drugs or is it him? I think his larger issue is dependence on others -- the drugs just represent something he depends on. When he relied on others in the past, bad things happened. When he took the initiative -- went after Ethan to protect Claire, for instance -- she came back and was safe. Once again, he's in a prison of his own making. When he realizes that, I think he will conquer his addiction.

And Kate? Her issue stems not from what she did but what she thought. She takes risks (follows the hunting party into the jungle, goes down into the hatch first, etc.) and pushes people away because she thinks she can never be "good." As we have seen, this is a pretty subjective term. She didn't think she was bad because she killed her father -- she thinks she killed her father because she was bad. Maybe all she really needs to realize is that she is what she thinks she is.

This all seems to go back to what Locke has been preaching from Day 1, or soon after that. It's obvious that he struggles with this too. Not telling people what they can't do means they will have to figure it out for themselves, even if it gets them into trouble. It's what free will is all about. Maybe this is what is meant by "destiny." It might be everyone's destiny to figure out their own prisons, and that it is, for the most part, totally within their control to escape.

The "Others" - are they really evil?

This also ties in with Goodwin's comment about "good people" and why those who weren't considered good were not taken from the Tailies. I started thinking about who made this determination. As soon as I saw the "monster" scanning Eko, I though maybe it was based on what the person thought they were as much as what moments in their lives may have shown. Thoughts have power. This is probably what makes Walt so special, as Zeke has said.

This brings me at last to Zeke and his group. The big question now is -- are they really the enemy? The Losties -- at times -- seem to be their own worst enemy. But Jack thinks Zeke and his group are certainly at least capable of harming them. But this is ties to his world view that this situation can be "fixed" by training an army. There will surely be disagreement on how to do this and what the "army" will be used for, and this will likely take us to the end of this season and probably beyond. It is also another device to show us things are generally what we think they are -- if we think every stranger is an enemy, we will raise an army to deal with them. If we think revenge will satisfy us, it will. If we think a group of numbers is cursed, they will be. If we think drugs have a hold on us, they do. And if we think there is a horse in the jungle and we touch it, it's really there. Why the Losties are there may just be a coincidence -- but it just might be their destiny to figure out their real deserted islands are of their own making.

He's a baaad. . . shut your mouth, Charlie!

2006-01-16T09:28:00.000-05:00

Who should I smack first? Mr. Eko? If I were suicidal, sure. Just the sight of an angry Eko coming for me would probably strike me down on the spot. How about Charlie? Nah, I never want to kick a man when he's down. He's been kicked to the curb so many times he's got shoe prints on his backside! Claire? No, she's the only one making sense! And she packed up Charlie's stuff so neatly. I think there's hope, shippers!

I think the one who deserves a good smack upside the head is Sawyer! Everyone is trying to be nice to him and he is having none of it. I know he has an image to maintain, so after he gets what's coming to him (a sign of affection, of course), he can go back to the smart-aleck we all love!

Back to Mr. Eko. Once again, I am a hypocrite. I will give Eko a pass, but not Ana Lucia. Hell, I'll give anyone a pass before her. But that's not my point. A messed-up past is a staple here. It seems you couldn't have gotten on Flight 815 without one. His scared the crap out of me, and occasionally, made me cry like a little girl. I'm hopeful for him because he has already hit rock bottom. I can't say the same for everyone's favorite addict - Charlie. I think he still has a ways to go. But at least he may have Mr. Eko in his corner. It'll be interesting to see who stands by Charlie and who doesn't - and who may have to stand up to Mr. Eko in the process. Although even his one friend may leave him if he doesn't make an effort to clean up.

All in all, some interesting interactions and conflicts up ahead. And, oh yeah, everybody is still stranded on Mystery Craphole Island complete with smoke "monsters," wild animals, Others, and who knows what else!

Still breaking . . and staying Lost!

2005-12-10T14:36:00.000-05:00

This is Week Two (?) of the Winter Break, or as it will soon come to be known, the Great Lost Break of '05-'06. I decided to eschew the whole holiday/Christmas discussion and just go with the season. I'm doing my toy shopping, putting up with relatives, then throwing them out when they irritate me and watching Season 1 again! (Just kidding, except for watching Season 1!)

Winter break . . hey this is just like college!

2005-12-04T22:39:00.000-05:00

Time for Winter Break people! You would think I'd be used to this by now. But I guess I haven't come across a show that goes completely where I want to - and somtimes where I don't - but makes me like it! The trouble with something like that is - well, like the song says, "You don't know what you got till it's gone!" Fortunately, there is the first season DVD set, iTunes, and my memory! So, actually, nobody has to go without. Withdrawl is very hard, isn't it?

Now, some thoughts on "What Kate Did." My five-year-old son actually saw what Kate did (because he wanted water) and thought she was "awesome." He likes when stuff blows up. I never explained the finer points of murder or involuntary manslaughter, or arson for that matter. Something blew up. It was cool - except for when Mommy shouted "Holy crap!" My three year old picked that up and ran with it. From now on, bedtime is earlier on Wednesday nights!

There were some things I wasn't expecting. That's because I try to sit down with no expectations. You want to tell me a story, writers? Fine, tell me. I'll watch and listen. I won't expect explosions, black horses in the middle of the jungle, or passionate kisses with the "wrong" guy (sorry, my Skates are showing) and when they show up, I will be surprised. It's more fun for me that way.

Happy Belated Lost Thanksgiving!

2005-11-28T16:59:00.000-05:00

Sorry I couldn't get this up sooner, but this cracked me up! This appeared in our local paper, The Cincinnati Enquirer. The artists (props are due) are Holly Hilliard, 14, and Kelsey Bick, 15, of Hillsboro. Apparently the newspaper chose 45 winners out of 5,470 entries! This, of course, was my favorite!

Here you see Charlie and Claire turkeys at the top left. Just to the right of them, you can just make out the "Other" turkeys! Too funny! Just below Charlie and Claire is the Locke turkey, complete with knife and monkey (?) or boar - I can't tell. To his right is the Jack turkey with a torch. Just below Jack is the Kate turkey with a tiny airplane in her wing! And on the far right is the Hurley turkey. Kudos to Holly and Kelsey!!!

Okay, one more and I'll stop!

2005-11-25T17:35:00.000-05:00

Jin

I use my language
he is my friend
he shows a raw bitter heart
you hit with the rock
one weak moment
they whisper

This was literally pulled out of the box after re-watching "Collision." What do you think?

How about some inspired poems?

2005-11-23T18:37:00.000-05:00

This afternoon I got out my magnetic poetry kit, thought about the fact it is Wednesday, and this is what came out (the titles I added later based on who I imagined would say that):

Sun

my spring gown was purple
a luscious peach by the water
beauty moans

Kate

I see the moon
my bed is red petals
some dream of music together
but you and I lust after life
play only a moment with these
my friend is beneath me
one from two

Claire

please would you whisper of love
let eternity show a symphony
a delicate gift from your heart

Charlie

she is a mother
I play my music
honey could you only love me as a friend
stare at the sea
but never dream it's over
your visions tell me who you are

Yeah, yeah, I know - keep my day job, right?

Wait a minute . . I'm thinking, I'm thinking . .

2005-11-23T13:24:00.000-05:00

I don't know about anybody else, but I have the sneaking suspicion that something is changing! By "something" I mean the way I think about and experience not just entertainment but almost everything I take in. For example, at work, I now pay much more attention to detail and catch errors in time to actually do something about them. I am remembering more too. Names and numbers used to elude me all the time. I don't remember perfectly but I seem to forget a lot less.

All of this is due to the self-inflicted training my brain has received by watching "Lost." Maybe someone finally got the idea that - once in a while - I want to be challenged. Maybe I finally got the message not to accept everything I see - or hear - at face value. Maybe we met in the middle somewhere. And that place is turning out to be a very wonderful place.

Thoughts about the Charlie and Claire "family"

2005-11-13T11:23:00.000-05:00

I'm a sucker for a baby! I used to swaddle my two boys too. They were extreme preemies and I was told that it really helps them feel secure. (Not sure Aaron officially was a preemie - Claire seemed as big as a house before Aaron popped out!)

This has nothing to do with Claire's Austrailian background, but I used to try something called "kangaroo care" with my babies. I even have a book on it given to me by the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit). You hold them on your chest (bare baby against mom's bare chest) and cover both, of course, with a sheet or blanket. This would be something that could be shown, since everyone would be covered very discreetly! I think showing Claire feeding Aaron (again, somewhat covered, but so you could tell what she was doing) would be awesome! I am quite sure there are baby experts and parents (although IMHO parents do become baby experts - at least with their own!) among the writers and the baby information will be first rate!

Finally, I have a couple of ideas of involving the baby more. First, you could have an episode filmed entirely from Aaron's pov. You would get more interesting conversations, since Claire and Charlie and others would be free to say whatever they wanted in front of the baby (indoor voices, of course!) because who's he going to tell and he can't talk back! Also, if someone wanted no one to hear them, but they still had to get something off their chest, who better to listen then Aaron? Especially when Locke gets on your last nerve!

As a side note, I love Locke intensely, but I pray for a scence where someone will explicitly tell him, "You are getting on my last nerve and if you don't back the h*** off, you will be missing a limb!" Charlie may end up doing it first but I think it would be more interesting if Claire did.

Then, maybe sometime down the road, have Aaron all grown up, and having weird memories or dreams about what happened when he was a baby/toddler/young boy. This could be a flashback ep to fill in missing pieces.

I loved the part where Claire told Locke that her and Charlie are living there and kind or raising the baby together but she doesn't remember marrying him. (I almost typed "raisining" there. Well, if you sit a baby in the sun too long. . . ) Notice she said she doesn't remember not that she didn't . . or wouldn't! Would'nt it be funny if she actually did have a cute little ceremony, before her amnesia scare, maybe just the two of them fooling around on the beach? Charlie, if he's feeling a bit devious, could make up anything they allegedly said to each other, then conveniently "remind" Claire if she was unsure of their relationship. But Charlie wouldn't do that . . would he? Yes he would, people!

Tizzy Tuesday

2005-11-08T10:10:00.000-05:00

All right! There is a new ep tomorow. I'm expecting a lot of "OMG!" moments and "They wouldn't go there.." just before they do. I'm a big fan of drawing a boundary one minute - setting up parameters for a world - and blowing it all to pieces the next. I know there will be more surprises and I can't wait!

I have been listening to a certain song and driving it into my brain until it won't go away. It is "Sweet the Sting" from Tori Amos' new album "The Beekeeper." It fits in with my current interest at the moment - the character of Locke. It's kind of like playing the game where someone asks you if you could have a conversation with any fictional character who would it be and why. The who is obvious. Why? I'm really big right now on facing your fears. If I actually met someone like this, I might be afraid of him at first. Curiosity, however, would set in. It might go something like this . . .

With a strut into the room
With his hat cocked sure defiantly
He said "I, I have heard
That you can play the way I like it to be played."
I said, "I can play, anyway that you want.
But first I want, I want to know

Baby is it sweet sweet
Sweet the sting
Is it real this infusion
Can it heal where others before have failed?
If so then somebody
Shake shake shake me sane
'cause I am inching ever closer to the tip of this scorpion's tail"

He said "I laid my weapons
down with my pistol
Fully loaded, a hunted man
To my root, will it end
Or begin in your cinnabar juice?"

Is it sweet sweet
Sweet the sting
Is it real this infusion
Can it heal where others before have failed?
If so then somebody
Shake shake shake me sane
'cause I am inching ever closer to the tip of this scorpion's tail"

Love let me breathe
Breathe you in
Melt the confusion
Until there is

I especially like the line about the weapons!

Big reunion I am waiting for: Jin and Sun! I think once they meet again . . if they meet again . . there will be a new understanding that the awful things that came before don't matter now. They won't want to lose each other for good. Of course, I expect to be throw for a loop here too, although I don't know how yet. Keep watching . .