Wallydraigle: lost

Showing posts with label lost. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Dear show, thank you for ruining my life

Dudes. I got nothin'.

My darling sister and Adventures in Cooking have both been breathing down my neck to write another entry, but the last couple of weeks were one long blur of suck and then busyness, and now more suck. It's like 800 degrees here with 146% humidity, and my brain feels like this looks, except half-melted:

Wedding shower on Saturday. I consumed more sugar in those two hours than I normally do in a year. Woke up with a headache on Sunday, and now it's sweltering, and there's no way I'm getting on the elliptical anytime this week. I feel gross and worthless. Maybe I will start jogging outside at night.

Wait, no. No, I won't.

2.0 is more like 2.0 x 10⁸ (too bad I didn't name her 3.0 because then she'd be the speed of light, and I am such a dork). I'm obsessed with her weight and length because I have never seen a baby grow so fast. It's almost obscene. She's about 17 pounds and 26 inches now. As big as Grace was around 7 or 8 months. I do not feed her Sprite and doughnuts, I swear.

I watched the finale of Lost. Now, I figured it would be a letdown. A show that great just can't have a satisfying finale. It's pretty much impossible. But oh my gosh, people. I can't even tell you how irritating this was.

It was so schmaltzy and argh. And schmaltzy. Did I mention that? Because it was. I expect better from you, show.

For most of the episode, I was pretty sure we were looking at a Rambaldi device, which would have been annoying, but not as lame as what it really was, which I'm still not sure of. Have you ever been talking about something and suddenly realized you were running off at the mouth, and you let your sentence just trail off aimlessly because you didn't know where it was going anyway? That was the finale of Lost. I think the writers were all drunk and got tired.

And then the scene in the church at the end. Oh my gosh. What annoyed me the most--and I know this is stupid--was the stained-glass window. A cross, a moon and star, a star of David, and a bunch of other Major World Religion symbols. It was so ridiculously heavy-handed I wanted to barf.

So, we took our mower to the hardware store to get repaired. It's always been broken. One of the wheels likes to come off, and James has to stop and kick it back on. It adds more than a few minutes to the job.

It's now been a week and a half, and they're still not done with it. Meanwhile, our lawn looks like something out of Little House on the Prairie. I'm afraid to go play in the yard with Grace because I'm pretty sure I'd lose her. Soon, the neighbors will start complaining. Too bad Shirtless Yardwork Neighbor Man is no longer around to mow our lawn when it gets too long.

We need a new car seat. The Enormous One is not going to fit into hers much longer unless she stops eating (hah!). It needs to be a convertible, easy to install without LATCH, and rear-facing up to a pretty high weight. Also, it must not exceed the value of the child who will be sitting in it. Otherwise, I'll just sell her to the highest bidder and buy myself a cute little sports car.

I am running out of shows to watch on Netflix while I feed the rabid beast. I started Torchwood and was intrigued, but it's not really clicking with me. Any suggestions?

I would like to read while feeding the baby, but I find it difficult to hold her and a book at the same time.

We started weaning her from the swaddle tonight. It was so hot in her room. I left one arm out. Hopefully we don't wake at three in the morning to an enraged, naked baby. Few things are less pleasant.

Remember earlier how I talked about trailing off at the end of a sentence because you realize you're rambling on about nothing? Yeah, that's what I'm doing. So now I'll stop.

Friday, May 15, 2009

And the rest of LOST

I wrote a whole post on the first 17 minutes of the finale. It's the one before this. I am a sad, sad person.

I find it very hard to believe that Horace doesn't have a SINGLE hat in his house. For serious, guys? Did you think no one would recognize you? A hat is not that hard. Unless it's a hard hat. Hahahah! Jack, you're a doctor. Sayid, you're Batman and GI Joe and The Shadow all in one. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS.

Dude! Vincent!

Also, I like how the sky was completely overcast when they were half a mile from shore, and then when they got there it was blue skies and fluffy clouds all over. Not impossible, but still kind of weird.

And Rose and Bernard! Love Bernard's creepy facial hair. Is it just me, or did Rose sound disappointed when she said, "They found us." Also, how did Bernard manage to put on weight while living in the jungle off fruits and nuts?

Okay, nevermind. BUT! If Jin was searching grid by grid, how did he miss a big old cabin in the middle of a clearing? Is Bernard Harry Potter? Does he have a gigantic invisibility cloak?

Ilana means "tree". I doubt that's important. I was just excited because it's Hebrew.

Jacob's cabin looks like Rose and Bernard's, but I doubt that means anything either. I'm guessing that there's not a huge variety of basic cabin-in-the-jungle-built-with-your-own-two-hands-templates-out-there. Maybe they show just didn't want to make more than one set piece.

Was John Locke raised from the dead after he fell out of the building?

Why is everybody all so happy to do everything Locke says? He's just a random stranger.

That ain't Locke. It's Johnny Cash/Esau/Ol' Smokey. One of those three. All of those three. Some combination.

I can't decide who I hate more: Jack or Kate.

How hard is it to say, "Sayid is bleeding to death in there. He will die if I take five minutes"? Instead, Jack says, "Five minutes," and imagine Sayid's in there like, "Remind me never to come to your ER EVER. Oh wait. I don't have to worry about that because I'm about to bleed to death."

Surgery: Ew. I didn't need to see that. I have a thing about spines and poking around in them.

All right, Jack. This is spinal surgery. You aren't out teaching a bunch of kids to fish, and your pole slipped. Your feelings do not matter very much right now. I bet that girl would have been really happy to know that even though she was paralyzed for life, your feelings were intact and you team believed in you.

How did Roger know about the bomb?

Hurley's hilarious.

To guard: Dudes with tranquilizer darts! Everywhere! Coming to get me!
To random guy in cab he's never seen and is carrying a guitar case that could be hiding anything: Sure! I'll share a cab with you! Awesome!

Okay, this has been bugging me for some time. If Jack drops the bomb down the hole, and the magnet gets destroyed in 1979, they never land on the Island. And so Jack never goes back in time to 1979 to drop the bomb down the hole. This whole thing CAN'T HAPPEN. These people are idiots.

Why couldn't they kill Kate? Why why why?

I CALLED IT ON LOCKE BEING REALLY DEAD! I am awesome!

If I weren't so thrilled over being right about something on this show, I would really pissed off right now. I LOVE Locke. I love him so much. And now he is dead.

Oh, Juliet. What a crappy way to die.

I'm less convinced that Jacob is evil, but still not sure he's Jesus Christ either. I do think he was purposely cold to Ben so that he WOULD kill him. I think that's part of his plan. Which makes more signs point to "Christ figure". But still. Not convinced.

Also, it takes a ridiculously hot fire to actually burn a human being up.

The first 17 minutes of Lost, and I am such a dork.

I've been watching the first part of the season finale for an hour and a half and am only 17 minutes in. This is really pathetic. My crazy notions and dumb questions so far:

I have another crazy theory. The first episode of the entire show begins with Kate and Jack in the forest. It's very Adam and Evey, I think. Anyway, this scene and what follows lead us to believe that Jack and Kate are going to be the heroes of the show.

I think that's a deliberate misdirection. I don't think Jack and Kate are Adam and Eve in the sense that they are the first human beings, perfect in everything. I think Jack and Kate are the ones who first sin and bring about The Fall. Now, I don't they're intentionally villainy; in fact, I don't if this show has anyone who is completely evil on purpose. Not so far, at least. But I think that by their blundering selfishness, they continually guide the Losties down the path of destruction. Even when they think they're not being selfish, they do things out of self-righteous indignation. They don't do what they believe to be right out of a desire to do right, but out of a desire to be better than everybody else; every time one of them does something "good", it's followed by a long period of chest-thumping my-righteousness-is-better-than-your-righteousness.

My other crazy theory is about John Locke. John Locke has always been a very gullible soul. He's a kind-natured person, but he's constantly being duped. When he comes back to the Island, we see he's changed. He has an edge that was never there before. My theory: we're supposed to think that John has lost his gullible nature; after all, he's been lied to, had his kidneys stolen, sold out by his mother, abandoned by his father, abused by his foster parents, teased by his boss, humiliated by a tour guide, and murdered by Ben. Who could possibly trust anyone after all that?

The thing is, that up until Ben murdered him, he was still always too trusting of other people. So why would one event in a long string of betrayals suddenly make him change? I think John Locke is being duped again. Whatever is speaking to him, whether it's really the Island or not, is not his friend.

Moving on:

Scene one: Jacob, in white. The tapestry reads, "May gods grant what you desire in your heart." or "May heaven grant you in all things your heart's desire." Or something. That's what the Internet told me, at least. I don't know Greek. Why can't this show have Hebrew, huh? Such an important ancient language, yet so neglected and ignored. Sigh. Anyway, it's a line from the Odyssey. He's speaking to Nausicaa, whose name, coincidentally, I'm sure, means, "burner of ships" (again, this is just what the Internet has told me). She helps him get ships that finally get him home.

Jacob is wearing white and catching and eating some fish he's caught in the net (metaphor?). Other Dude is wearing black. We'll call him Johnny Cash. Is this Smokey? I'm still up in the air about who is good and who is evil on this show, and I know Lost loves misdirection. He draws hapless fish (real and in ship form) to the Island and devours them. I suspect the ship we see now is the Black Rock. And we know where that one ends up.

Johnny Cash asks Jacob if he knows how much he wants to kill him. Jacob, unimpressed by this, says "yes". They talk about loops, corruption, and how the only end that matters is the real end. Then we pan out to...

Sobek, crocodile god! From Wikipedia, that font of completely accurate information:

"Gradually, Sobek also came to symbolize the produce of the Nile and the fertility that it brought to the land; its status thus became more ambiguous.[2] Sometimes the ferocity of a crocodile was seen in a positive light, Sobek in these circumstances was considered the army's patron, as a representation of strength and power.

Sobek's ambiguous nature led some Egyptians to believe that he was a repairer of evil that had been done, rather than a force for good in itself, for example, going to Duat to restore damage done to the dead as a result of their form of death. He was also said to call on suitable gods and goddesses required for protecting people in situation, effectively having a more distant role, nudging things along, rather than taking an active part. In this way, he was seen as a more primal god, eventually becoming regarded as an avatar of the primal god Amun, who at that time was considered the chief god. When his identity finally merged, Amun had become merged himself with Ra to become Amun-Ra, so Sobek, as an avatar of Amun-Ra, was known as Sobek-Ra."

According to Wikipedia, the ankh he's toting represents his ability to undo evil. Very interesting when we're talking about time loops.

Scene in store: Kate steals, gets caught, is about to be punished. Jacob comes to the rescue, pays for her transgression, tells her not to steal anymore. Sound familiar? John 8:3-11 Again, I think this is a misdirection. I don't believe Jacob is Jesus Christ. He gives me the willies. What if the point of this interchange is instead that, by "saving" her from discipline, he's encouraging her in her earliest steps on a destructive path and, at the same time, claiming her as his own? BUT I'm not 100% sure of that. Sometimes I do think he's the good guy.

Maybe Rose and Bernard are Adam and Eve in the cave, and that's why they've completely vanished from the show without explanation.

So has Ben really never met Jacob, and he was faking the conversation when he took John to the cabin? Or is he lying to Sun? If he's lying to Sun, why?

What IS in the box? John Locke? Did he really not come back to life? Is the John Locke walking around 100% Ol' Smokey? This would make me sad. I love John Locke.

And AGAIN, Jacob steps in while Sawyer is planning his vengeance, even as a little boy. One the one hand, maybe he is just being a nice guy, doing a poor sad kid a favor. But I think he's encouraging him in his bitterness and laying claim to him with a "gift".

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

I win at grammar, too!

So. I'm out of my special lactation tea, so I've been drinking beer. And sitting on the couch all day. In boxers and a white tank, throwing cans at The Child while she rolls around on the floor. Kidding! Though I do sit on the couch a lot. And throw things at The Child.

Anyway. Beer. I'm halfway through my beer, right? And I'm already tipsy. Not drunk by any means, but I am feeling mirthful. The mirth, it is upon me. And I keep giggling over, "so I've been drinking beer." This is what almost a year of near-complete abstinence will do to you. Used to take me five beers to get to this point.

Also, my "g" key has consumption and is quickly fading. It is hard to remember to really pound on it when I have beer in the head. So if you see any very odd words in here, just add in a "g" somewhere and it will probably make sense. Actually, it probably won't, but keep trying anyway.

The Child has been SO MUCH FUN the last few days, which is why I've hardly written. I write more when I need something to do, something to get my mind away from. For six months, that's been The Child. That sounds awful. I just mean that until very recently, she was a major source of stress in my life (which, still not much stress at all, but even a small amount is a lot for me, who doesn't stress about almost anything), but lately she's been nothing short of delightful. Today I sat her on the floor (she sits! by herself! for whole minutes at a time! a half hour, even!) while I folded laundry. She had a duck that her great-grandma sent her for Easter. Out of nowhere, in a very Olga Queen of Scandinavia voice, she went, "GRAAAAGHALABADAAAAABAMALGABAAAAAAAAARFALAGAMAAAAAAAABAMAAAAAALADAAAAABFFFFPBBBT!" For five minutes straight. While hoisting the duck up into the air and pounding him back in the floor with all her might. I do not think I have ever laughed so hard in my life.

Mother of the Year So Far Award (Today) goes to me for having the baby monitor receivers on the wrong freaking channel for what is probably weeks now. And here I thought she was just totally awesome at never having nightmares anymore. I win again! At motherhood!

Also, on Saturday, she (1) bashed her head on the wall when James almost fell down the stairs with her in his arms (don't worry we checked her eye dilation and made sure she wasn't acting weird), (2) smacked her head on the ceiling of the car when I was getting out with her in my arms and (3) got my pointy tooth in the side of her head not ten seconds later. Also, on Friday, I had nicked a chunk of flesh out of her forehead with my pinky nail. My pinky nail that doesn't even exist. I list (1) and (2) like they were her fault. It makes me feel better about negligent parenting.

You know, I make these jokes because I know I love her and would cut off my own arm and eat it with a spoon for her, but I sometimes wonder if some crazy uptight weirdo would ever call the cops on me. When I waited tables, some lady called the cops on a mother who smacked the wrist of her unruly toddler. I didn't witness the incident, so I know wrist-smacking could definitely be done in a not good way, but I somehow doubt that was the case here.

I painted things today. And Saturday. And Friday. I stupidly wore my favorite most comfortable awesome black pants on Friday and smeared them with off-white paint. They are maternity yoga pants, so it's probably time I retired them anyhow, but oh how wonderful they are. And they're so soft and gentle on my still-itchy incision site.

Despite my sadness, I soldiered on. The trim for the dining room is FINALLY done. It just needs to be nailed up now. And the window over the kitchen sink is painted. There was permanent dirt in the corners of that window, and no amount of scrubbing would ever get it off. It just looked blech and ew. So I painted it, and what a difference that made.

I still can't figure out how to get the inner pane of glass out to clean it and get to the inside of the outer pane, but it still looks a thousand times better. It's the kind of window with a hand crank. I can get the screen out, and I could get to the outside with a long-handled sponge. There's an inner pane that appears to be detachable, but when I pull out the tabs, it just won't budge. Aggravating in the extreme.

Speaking of which, is that normal? Six months postpartum, and my scar still itches like a mother. Lotion, Vitamin E, nothing helps. Except scratching. Maybe I just need to bathe more.

Also, did you know that men can breastfeed? I found this while looking up info on lactation fun, and at first I was extremely creeped out. I'm still pretty creeped out, but the idea is growing on me. All the liberating benefits of formula, none of the expense. Jackpot! Maybe, with our next kid, I can get James on board with this. I'll never look at him the same way again, but I'll get to have a social life again.

I thought today was Wednesday. So when my fellow JJ Abrams-obsessed Hebrew Friend texted me at 8:15 with, "I hope the monster turns out to be Cloverfield!" I nearly had hernias in my scramble to the remote. MISSING LOST OH NO CANNOT HAPPEN MISSING LOST OH NO! Turns out today is Tuesday, and I was missing Fringe. Moderate sigh of relief. It's not Lost, but it's next in line for Favorite Show of the Moment, so we nearly had a crisis anyhow. The monster turned out not to be Cloverfield, but that would have been awesome. Though a monster the size of Cloverfield would not be the sort of thing the authorities would need to track down in Boston. He'd be on Boston, eating everything in sight.

I need to go to bed. Beer is kicking in more.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

I kind of don't hate Kate anymore

was baby wrangling while I watched this, so I probably missed a lot. I should watch again.

The white-hot fire of my hatred for Kate dimmed this episode. I was just as shocked as you are. Kate actually did something for completely for someone else. Not that she's never done anything for anyone else, but it's always had the added benefit of helping her. I'm not going to say I like her, but she did redeem herself ever so slightly this episode.

Jack, on the other hand was just as--excuse me--douchey as he's always been, maybe moreso. Why is it that I'm cool with Sayid shooting Ben, but Jack refusing to do surgery on him made me livid? I think it's because, first off, Sayid is awesome. He could bite the head off a puppy, and I'd still love him. But I also think it's because Sayid probably didn't just try to kill Ben for himself, but also to save a whole bunch of people. I'm not saying it's okay, but every time he's killed (that I can think of), it's always been for someone else. Even as a boy. He's a killer, but only in a defensive capacity--even if it's a preemptive defensive capacity.

Jack? Is just a smug, self-satisfied jerk. I liked him for the first few episodes of the series. I liked him a lot. But his character just went downhill almost from the start. I know I ask this all the time, but are we supposed to hate him? If I knew I was supposed to hate him, his character wouldn't bother me so much. Every show needs a jerk. What I hate is not knowing if the writers are screwing him up, or if they're writing him exactly as he's supposed to be.

This brings me to my next point. I'm going to take a leap and say that I have faith in this show and its writers. Minor errors I can expect, but slaughtering a character in this way by accident would be poor writing. And given the history of the show and J. J. Abrams's other work, I'm going to have faith that I'm supposed to dislike Jack.

I think Jack-as-hero is a misdirection. I don't think he ever was the hero of the show. In fact, in the end, I think he might be on the Devil's side. Hebrew Friend pointed out to me a couple weeks ago that Christian might not be a manifestation of Jacob, but that he might be opposed to Jacob. Jack is Christian's son. Is it significant that Jacob was one of the fathers of the Jews and Christian's name is Christian? Are they supposed to be opposed to each other, or is Christian the start of a new order that builds off the old order?

Who is the hero? Sawyer? Hurley (don't laugh; I think it's possible)?

Hebrew Friend and I were also talking about what, exactly, Richard Alpert is. If he's one of the good guys, I think he's analogous to the prophets of the Old Testament, like Nathaniel or Samuel. He speaks the word of "God" (The Island? Jacob?) to the king (Ben, Locke, etc...), and has power to anoint the king, but he himself does not rule. I say this because while doesn't seem to follow Ben's or anybody's authority, he also doesn't seem to have much direct authority of his own.

That's all I've got for now. I love how this show still has me guessing as to who's good and bad.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Crap the baby's hungry can't think of a title in time

I walked almost 4 miles yesterday. I was sick and miserable, but it still felt awesome. I did get a little sunburn, though. Great.

Breastfeeding not so great after all? Iiinteresting. I wouldn't even know how to go about fact-checking this, but still. I don't much get into her more feminist argument about breastfeeding, but it's interesting to me on other points. My guess is that there's some middle ground between "Breastfeeding Suxxors and Will Kill Yore Baybeez!" and "Formula = Poizun!" Why is it that no one falls in the middle? Seriously, folks. It's not like we have Good, Evil and No Man's Land here. It's baby-feeding, not vivisection.

ETA: I think a few of you misunderstood me. I rolled my eyes all the way through the part where she talked about unequal childcare blahdeblahdeblah. That's not what I was interested in. I'm wondering if what she said about the biological and nutritional benefits of breast feeding (that they're overblown) was true, and I have no idea how to check that. I'm not looking for a debate on breastfeeding. I do it, I love it, but I HATED it for a long time, and I completely understand when other people don't wish to do it.

First James was sick, then The Child was sick, and now I am sick. The Child had a pretty high fever last night (100.1F under the arm, which means it could have been as high as 101). We called the pediatrician. He said to give her some Tylenol and call in the morning if she was still feverish. Well, she's still pretty warm, but she's not cooking like she was. I think it's going down, so even though she still has it, I'll wait a little bit before freaking out and scheduling an appointment. Especially since the only ill effect she seems to be suffering is slight fussiness. Mostly she still gabbles away and chews on her feet and stares curiously at plastic bags. No lethargy or obvious pain.

And now, Lost, or, The Episode that Made Me Love Sawyer a Hundred Times More:

Sun kicks butt. And she has great hair. I think she's my new Scully, my new Sidney Bristow. But poor Ben. If you'd told me in Season 2 that I'd feel sorry for him, I would have laughed in your face. Guy just can't catch a break.

Aaaw. Ethan as a baby. It's kind of heartbreaking. Imagine if Grace grew up to be a creepy murderer and pregnant-lady snatcher. I would be sad.

Jack! Workman! AWESOME. Not that there's anything wrong with custodial work, but imagine how Jack feels about it. Mwahahah. Is it too much to hope that Kate will have similar duties?

Speaking of which... you KNOW Juliet left her hanging like that on purpose. I smell a catfight abrewin'. I hope Juliet crushes Kate. Maybe thereafter Kate will be bearable. Or maybe she'll become even whinier, if such a thing is possible.

Lostpedia, stop fancying up your front page. I have cable internet, and you still take too long to load. Idiots.

Phil is suspicious.

Oh, SNAP, Sawyer. That is so true about Jack just reacting. And hey, Jack, the only reason you even got off the Island is because Sawyer JUMPED. Otherwise you'd all be dead in the ocean right now. Remember when Jack was likable? What happened? Are we supposed to hate him? And Kate, too? I've often wondered about this.

This is totally young Ben. I just know it.

Yes! Oh, this was a sweet episode. I'm too icky-feeling still to write anything more, though. My thinking parts are not all there yet. Until next time, Namaste

Thursday, March 5, 2009

More LOST! and a baby picture...

...to appease all you Lost haters/Grace fans. I have no idea why the color is suddenly all washed out on this picture. She's really not anemic.

I think the statue is Anubis. I've found pictures of him in which he has only four toes on each foot. This matches up with the hieroglyphics we've seen. Also, Anubis's counterpart in Greek and Roman mythology is Cerberus. Darn you, Lost, for not letting us see more of the statue! Darn you to heck!

Dude! Amy's Sawyer's mom!

Is Paul played by the same guy that played Kate's best friend? No info up yet on IMDB.

That's either a Coptic cross or an ankh, Egyptian symbol of life often toted around by Egyptian gods. Such as Anubis. Does Horace start flipping out because he sees Paul alive?

Oh, PLEASE tell me the new conflict isn't Juliet vs. Kate for Sawyer's heart. If it is, I'm going to barf. Let's see. Kate: selfish, self-absorbed, commitment-phobic, sneaky, snarky, defensive, has great hair and upper arms. Juliet: sarcastic, highly intelligent, can fix a Dharma van and perform surgery, has great hair and upper arms. WHO WINS? This shouldn't even be a contest. I'm not Juliet's biggest fan, but she's twelve steps above Kate, the Homicidal Harpy. If this is what's next on Lost I'll be beyond upset.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

LOST!

Oh, thanks, LOST. I really needed to see that horrifying shard of shin bone ONE MORE TIME.

HALLELUJAH! Locke's alive! And maybe a little creepier than he was before. Is this really Locke? It better be. Like I said, if Locke is really dead, I'm done with this show.

Tunisia? I am telling you, people, ley lines. Check this out: Ley Line in Tunisia.

Abaddon! Yes! I love this guy. I love the actor, I love the creepy character. Also, he is very handsome. In a creepy way.

Widmore? I love this show. Is he evil? Is he really going to help for the right reasons? Who is the Devil? Widmore or Ben? Or are they opposing factions within the same side?

Holy crap Walt is twelve feet tall. Is Michael really dead? I mean, if Jin survived, it's possible Michael did, too. Of course, Jin was out on deck when the explosion happened, and I think Michael was down below.

Abaddon! No! He might be evil, but I liked him! That surprised me so much I jumped.

Terry O'Quin has some creepy toes. But how I love him. He's so badass on the Island and so pathetic and sad off the Island, and he just nails that; I don't even know how he does it. He was great on Alias, too.

Ben really did seem to want John to live. He didn't change his mind until John talked about spilling the beans to Sun. Ben knows they can't get back to the Island without everyone who left. Now, either he's desperate to get back for selfish reasons or because he knows something terrible will happen if they don't return. He did seem upset about killing John, but he did it anyway. Does he know John will come back? And why is he okay with letting Sun's baby, Aaron and Walt stay off the Island?

Okay, here's what I think: I think Ben isn't good or bad. Yes, I think he's power-hungry; he's pissed that Locke is the special one. But I think that's a secondary motivator; Ben is on the Island's side, and everything he does is in the best interest of the Island. North on his moral compass points to whatever is best for the Island. Now, he might be wrong about what is best for the Island, and his desire to regain Jacob's favor may skew his judgement, but I don't think he's 100% evil. He killed Locke because he knew Locke wouldn't be able to break his promise to Jin, removing any motivation Sun would have to return. It just so happens that killing Locke removed the person who supplanted him. Bonus!

Widmore, on the other hand--I think everything he does is to gain power. I don't think he was ever in charge of the Others, as he told Locke he was. I think he wanted to be, and he challenged the authority of whoever was in charge. Does this sound familiar. Could it be... Satan? He's spent the rest of his life trying to get back the ~~Garden~~ Island and gain control, and he will do anything to achieve those goals.

He fooled Locke by comparing himself to Ben, asking, "Have I ever tried to kill you, John?" (paraphrase) This is completely irrelevant. John himself would kill anyone who was a threat to the Island (Naomi! Does anyone remember her?), and he would offer up his own life if he thought it necessary. It doesn't matter that Ben has tried to kill him and Widmore hasn't. What matters is that Ben has killed and tried to kill for the sake of the Island and Widmore has only ever done anything for Widmore.

Remember Desmond going to Widmore and asking for Mrs. Hawking's address? Widmore gives it to him despite the obvious danger his own daughter will be in if Desmond goes down this path. He gives it to him because he knows Mrs. Hawking and the gang will find a way back to the Island. Now, I don't know why he needed to send Desmond if he knew where she lived all along; maybe he thought that Desmond needed to return, too, in order for the plan to work. But I bet ten dollars that he's either on plane, followed the plane, or has one of his people on the plane. Something. There's a reason he gave Desmond what he wanted, when before he wanted nothing to do with him.

Also, Abaddon's name. In the Bible, the place or person Abaddon is evil, associated with Sheol, death, and darkness. I know this doesn't make it 100% certain that he's not a good guy, but it's possible. Or maybe it's a red herring, and he's really an angel of light.

I'm starving. Lost makes me go hungry. I think I have a problem.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Warning: All about LOST.

Holy Heck. Flight 316, John Locke as a substitute for Christian, doubting Thomas. They really laid it on thick with the Biblical symbolism in this one. John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life." John Locke voluntarily dies (I don't really believe he's dead, by the way, or at least he's not dead for good; and if he's a Christ figure, there's an excellent chance he'll be resurrected once back to the Island) so that the Oceanic 6 can get back to the ~~Garden of Eden~~ Island.

Is it a coincidence that Ben (who looks like Thomas, Aaron's father, and Benjamin was a great great great uncle of Aaron) goes on at length about the Thomas of the Bible? Probably. But I still like to think there's some connection between the two.

Jack's grandpa's name is Raymond. Technically, this name means "protecting hands" or some such; it's not Latin in origin. BUT if it were derived from a romance language, it could mean something like "king of the world." HMMMM. Last name Shephard. Who is a shepherd king of the world? Yeah. CRAZY.

Okay, so if I were really upset about my kid (I killed him? He was kidnapped? I gave him to someone else? I don't know.), and I went to a friend's house for comfort, what would I do? Would I go in and search out said friend, say, "Hi, life sucks right now. Please make out with me"? Or would I slink in creepily and lie down on his bed and cry in the middle of the night and shoot cryptic demands at him and then attack him with my mouth? I guess if I were Kate (is it wrong that I was really excited she might be dead in the beginning of the episode?), I would do the latter. Because I'M ANNOYING AND NOTHING I DO MAKES ANY SENSE AT ALL.

Simon's Butcher Shop. Simeon was a son of Jacob, just like Benjamin. Benjamin was the second son of Rachel, and Simeon was the second son of Leah (coincidence that Benjamin's mother was the favored wife and Simeon's mother was the ugly, unloved wife?). Hmm. Then there was another Simon who was the brother of Jesus. Then there was Simon Peter. The most interesting to me is Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus's cross. Simon the Butcher has ~~Jesus's~~ Locke's body. On the other hand, there was also Simon Magus, who apparently had supernatural powers; he supposedly converted to Christianity but then attempted to charge the Apostles money for those abilities. He's not a good guy. I wonder if the ambiguity is intentional; maybe we're supposed to wonder if Locke is in league with the devil, not God. Maybe Locke has been duped; I don't think he would intentionally ally himself with evil, but he has a long history of credulity, and somehow I doubt all those flashbacks showing said credulity were merely to establish that he's had a sad, sorry life until the Island. Also, Jill, the lady at the shop, is an extra special kind of creepy. ETA: In the Bible, it's important that Jesus's legs were never broken (they did this when a crucifixion had gone on long enough; breaking the legs sped up death since the victim could no longer push himself up to breathe); he's an unblemished sacrifice. Is it significant, then, that Locke's leg was broken (and severely, at that)? I doubt it; I know it's a stretch, but I love speculation like this. It's so much fun.

Oh, do we have a new character? Mr. Condolences is kind of cute. In a short little dude sort of way. And ooooh, he's on the plane! I recognized the pilot's voice! Yay Lapidus! He's got the creepiest eyes ever. I love that guy. He cleaned up quite a bit. I wonder if the lady with Sayid is going to be a new character, too. Also, could Kate be any more of a jerk? "We're on the same plane, Jack. It doesn't mean we're together." That's a great way to treat the guy who keeps putting up with your crap, no matter how many times you ditch him. I mean, yeah, he's not the most happy fun time guy ever in the world, but you sneaked into his house last night, laid down on his bed, and told him to never ask about Aaron. Then, presumably, you slept with him and used his facilities. He cooked you breakfast. And now you're all attitudy with him? I don't even like Jack, and I want to punch you for him.

I love that Hurley bought all the seats. Why, though, did he not buy all the coach seats, too? Or was the plane already mostly full by the time he bought tickets? Does that guitar have something to do with Charlie?

Best line ever:

Jack: "How can you read?"
Ben: "My mother taught me."

It's not that funny written down, but Ben's delivery is hilarious.

Speaking of which, Ben calls, all beat up, from the docks earlier in the show. Was he with Desmond? Also, is Desmond not on the flight? He's coming back to the Island somehow. I wonder how or when.

Ben is reading Ulysses. I've never read it, but much of it parallels the Odyssey. I think. I'm sure this is intentional (Penelope, Desmond's wife, is the name of Ulysses's clever and faithful wife), but does it actually mean anything? Lost loves a red herring. If there is a real connection, is it to the Odyssey or Ulysses?

Anyway, plane starts shaking, blinding white light, and we're back to the beginning of the episode (which looks remarkably like the beginning of the series). This time, though, they're near a pool with a waterfall, and there seems to be no plane. I wonder if the plane was flying over the Island exactly when it time-shifted, thus sucking out the Oceanic Six and whoever else had been to the Island before--and maybe some new people, if the Island wants them--, and leaving the rest of the plane to go on its merry way. Hopefully the co-pilot is on his toes, eh? But wait. Locke fixed the Island, didn't he? It shouldn't be time shifting anymore. So what's going on?

Or maybe Locke fixed the Island in the past, so all those people get sucked into the past while the rest of the plane goes along its way. I'm so confused.

Then Jin rolls up in a Dharma van. Oooooh my.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Given a cute enough baby, I'd rule the world

I rediscovered Paint by Numbers a few days ago. It's my newest addiction. Instead of going to bed when I'm sleepy, I stay up until midnight with my laptop, solving maddening puzzles that strain the eyes and make my mouse-using wrist feel like it's been shoved through a wood chipper. At least I'm keeping my brain sharp.

It was in the 60s here on Tuesday. I was so deliriously happy I could barely contain myself long enough to shower and get out the door with The Child. We went to the library first. One more librarian has succumbed to the power of The Child and her cuteness. It's sickening. Why don't people ooh and aah and coo over me? Don't answer that.

Then we went to the bakery. Again. More cooing. "You brought that baby out in this wind?" says the guy at the counter. Older man; I think he and his wife own the bakery. I fought off the urge to say something snarky and instead just said, "Yup! I sure did!" There was much fawning and "Oh my goodness all that hair!" and such. *Some people freak out when others touch their babies. It doesn't bother me in the least, but it does some parents. I guess if some random dirty weirdo on the street with anthraxy fingers tried it, I might freak out. But she has all my antibodies, so I think we're okay most of the time.

Anyway, I bought a loaf of bread that lasted approximately 32 seconds once James and I got into it. I should just learn to make my own; it would save us a lot of money on good bread. I also picked up a treat for myself (of course--you know, after an hour and a half walk, I need some sustenance). I pointed to some frosting-covered concoction under the counter. "I don't know what that is, but I think I want it." The lady took a look and told me it was peanut butter and jelly. (In case you didn't know, I would happily live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the rest of my life.) "Sounds good," I said, and took it. And it was almost as good as the chocolate cinnamon roll I'd had on Saturday. This bakery will be the death of me.

*I'm not disparaging parents who do freak out, especially the ones with really young babies. Grace got a cold shortly after we came home from the hospital (she probably contracted it AT the hospital), and it was a total nightmare. So I definitely understand. Sometimes I think I might be a little TOO laid back about my kid. By the time we get to kid number 3 or 4, they'll be raising themselves. (that was a joke)

I trimmed Grace's hair in the bath the other day. She had long strands of hair growing over her ears, and it looked ridiculous. A very cute ridiculous, but still. They had to go. I also trimmed around the back of her head (it was down past the nape of her neck and getting crusty every time she spit up--yes, yes, I know, TMI) and on top. Just so it'd be spiky again. It is spiky again, but it looks totally crazy. That's what happens when you try to cut a slippery, wobbly baby's hair in the bathtub with a pair of kitchen shears. My child looks like a lunatic, but it's a fun lunacy--more mad scientist in the lab and less drunken hobo on the street.

Speaking of haircuts, Operation: Mullet is in full swing. My hair is all business in the front, party in the back. It was fun for a while, but I've been getting out of the house more lately and wouldn't mind feeling like a woman again.

Yesterday we were supposed to go to James's work so all his female coworkers could smother the baby. I was all excited because I finally fit into my old jeans again. There's a little bit of a muffin top, but if I wear the right shirt, no one will know. However, the cruel, cruel joke is that after ten minutes, my incision site start to itch and ache. I think I may be stuck in mom jeans and maternity yoga pants for the rest of my life. Yay me. They need to make hip jeans for people with itchy midsections. Maybe I will design some and become rich.

Well, I was walking out the door in my overused yoga pants when I realized my keys were still with a friend (I'd left them at her house a couple weeks ago) and James hadn't left his behind. This was terribly disappointing. I'd managed to bathe The Child and myself all before 11:30, and it was for nothing.

Yesterday was one of those days when Wisconsin just snots all over the place. Drizzle, clouds (not even interesting clouds--just a flat sheet of grey gloom), dead leaves rotting in the gutters under dirty, half-melted snow and ice. Blah. Wisconsin dangles Tuesday with its sunshine and insanely high temperatures in front of us, and then yanks it all away on Wednesday.

Today is more of the same. But today I have keys and a play date in Madison. My pastor's wife is an awesome amateur photography, so we're going over there to take some cheesy Valentine's Day pictures with Grace and her baby. Her baby is almost 7 months old and looks positively petite next to Brunhilda here. I'm pretty sure we'll have a lot of pictures of a screaming Grace propped up against the backdrop while cute little Elsie hams it up.

And finally, Fringe entered the realm of Awesome in the latest episode. I don't know how many of you watch that show, but I have a theory. I think the Observer is from another universe and that when Peter almost died as a kid, and here's what I think happened: He really did die, and Walter somehow got the Observer to bring alternate universe Peter to this world. Otherworld!Peter is the one with special abilities, not Olivia Dunham. Otherworld!Peter turned off the light board, not Agent Dunham.

I'm pretty sure that if I'd never watched that show and read the previous paragraph, it would sound like the most ridiculous thing ever. That's what I love about JJ Abrams and his shows. You can say crazy things like, "Yemi is the Smoke Monster!" and it makes complete sense. I hope that man continues making shows like this until the day he dies.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Stream of consciousness and wacky theories on Lost

Thoughts that pop into my head as I watch:

The lawyers are from Grandma Littleton!

If Charlotte dies, can I have her hair?

There's gotta be a reason they're suddenly specifying the flash forwards as "Three Years Later".

Sun's gonna steal Aaron!

So help me if Locke is killed of for real, I'm finished with this show.

The Island is The Garden of Eden! I called it!

Smokey is the angel guarding it.

Or the four-toed statue is the angel guarding it! I don't care that they've said it had no meaning. I don't believe that for a second.

Why is The Child waking up now?

Oh, red herring! Should have seen that coming.

Ten bucks says it's Jin.

Oh yeah, who's your mother?

Oh, The Sickness is the nosebleed thing.

Is it just me or does Thomas (Aaron's dad) look a LOT like a younger Ben?

Okay. I'm back. Baby is sleeping for (hopefully) the next half hour.

I think the Island is the Garden of Eden--not sticking strictly to the biblical Garden of Eden, but I see hints here and there: It's a paradise; sickness tends to be healed there; Smokey the Scary Security System could be the angel guarding the place (sans flaming sword, unfortunately); once you leave, you can't come back and your life goes to pot (well, sometimes--Jack, Hurley, Sayid). Also, people who have left the island seem to spend the rest of their lives trying to get back (like Widmore).

I think Widmore might be Satan, then. Possibly. OR Ben is. Not in the specific sense as spelled out in the Old and New Testaments but in the idea of Satan = adversary, father of lies. Okay, that's stretch, too. I kind of like the idea of Ben being Satan. Benjamin was a son of Jacob. "Benjamin" means "son of the right hand". Ben used to be Jacob's right-hand guy, and now he's not. He's fallen from favor. The same thing happened with Satan. Okay, again, a stretch. This stuff is so fun, though.

It also occurred to me that Ben might have more to do with Aaron than we realize; it may have been completely unintentional, but Aaron's dad looks to me like a younger Ben.

I think the Sickness Rousseau was so obsessed with may not just be a figment of her imagination; what if it has to do with the nosebleeds somehow?

Okay, this part is really, really, really stretching it, since the four-toed statue is supposedly not anything significant. I, personally, don't buy that. But whatever. The statue made me think of the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of the god Helios. Helios had two sisters, Selene and Eos. Eos was goddess of the dawn. Her home was at the edge of Oceanus. Oceanus, Oceanic? Ah? Yeah, I know. Long shot.