Pictures from the Party and Link Up for the Dozen Today

Here are pics from my "Aloha, LOST" party Sunday night. You can speed up the show by clicking on the + sign. My two favorite decorations were the cake, featuring palm trees and a polar bear and a plane crashing into the ocean, and the "Smoke Monster," which was four bags of batting adhered together with spray adhesive and then spray painted black. Smokey rocked. :)

The food was great, but I couldn't get the pics to upload. Trust me. It was great.

The "Dharma" wrappers on water and chocolate bars were from the show, as well.

There are people in this group that we work with and go to church with, mainly. There is one picture where I'm sitting between two women on the sofa. The one to my right is Cindy, who got me hooked on LOST many years ago. The woman on my left is Debbie, who I turned on to LOST a couple of years ago. So you have my personal LOST legacy there on the sofa.

There was also a group on Facebook who I first met through blogging here at 2nd Cup which talked each week on line during commercials. That was so fun, too. I wished they could have been at the party. I will miss those weekly chats! For us FB LOSTIES, it was a matter of "Watch together or be confused alone," a take-off on the main character's tag line: "Live together or die alone."

We had so much fun! Sad that it's over, but this is one fan who was not disappointed in the ending. What a ride!

OK, that's enough of that--on to the Random! (You can see the questions on yesterday's post.)

Best Plane Crash Scene Ever, and How I Got LOST in a TV Show & Now I'm Having a Party!

*EDIT* You can catch the two very first episodes originally broadcast in September 2004 on ABC tonight at 8:00.


As you watch this 2 minute clip, keep these ideas in mind:

10. Best plane crash scene. Ever. Watch the debris come into the beach and be mesmerized.

9. The bald man who pulls himself up in the wreckage should not be able to do that. He is paralyzed. But not, it would turn out, on the island.

8. The juxtaposition of "Make Your Own Kind of Music" and other such peppy songs in the midst of horror and gripping fear reflect the incongruous emotions of the characters and eventually the viewers.

7. Some characters in this clip are blood relatives but do not know it yet.

6. The man at the computer is compelled to hit buttons at exactly every 108 minutes or something terrible will happen. He does not know exactly why he is driven to this kind of existence, but he is ... for a while.

5. Many of the main characters have had issues with their biological fathers. Because of that, some are criminals, some are addicts, some have savior complexes.

4. Self-sacrifice; evil vs. good; destiny vs free will; forgiveness; ends justifying the means; faith vs. science; blindly following a charismatic leader; damaged familial relationships; trust; living in community ... all themes in the series.

3. Symbolism galore, from the names of characters, from "Dr. Jack Shepard" (who steps forward in season one as the "shepherd" and "healer" of the survivors); John Locke (philosopher); Aaron, Jacob, Benjamin, Christian, Naomi (biblical names); a young girl named "Charlotte Staples Lewis" to symbols of ancient Egypt and the Garden of Eden, black & white, etc.

2. Critically acclaimed well-written plots and sub-plots.

1. The most riveting cliff-hangers ever produced and the most engaging characters ever created. A friend put it like this: "It's like watching a book. The characters are so rich and compelling, and the plot is so multi-layered. It's not like a TV show."

It has been a fun ride, and I hate to see this one end. My all-time favorite series, ever! Saturday night there is a 2-hour re-cap of the series with pop-up notes connecting those episodes with the last ones, and then on Sunday, a big extravaganza stretching from 7pm to 1am. And guess what? I'm having a LOST party Sunday night!

You can be sure I'll post pics!

I'd be LOST without the Random

Word to the playas: Don't take these questions too seriously. Some of you are saying that I'm making these too hard. I'm not trying to be profound or complex; I'm just trying to avoid rephrasing, "What is your favorite flower" week after week. That calls for me to get creative. Sometimes "creative" is read "hard!"

And please allow me a mini-post because there are rumblings about my not writing real posts and relying on the Random too much. So I shall co-mingle a post and the Random, but fear not if you do not watch LOST. The questions are applicable to everyone.



How many episodes are left?

5/04 (Tue.)
5/11 (Tue.)
5/18 (Tue.)
5/23 (Sun., 2 hours)

It's worse than when I finally got state fair tickets to see Donny Osmond in 1973. I wanted to go so badly, but every day drew me nearer to the end of the event of a lifetime. Yes, a 10-year lifetime. For "Donny love" was big love.

Those of us who have watched every season are in anticipatory agony, a place of limbo, like an emotional purgatory (that's Lostie joke). We want to see what's next and have years' worth of our questions answered, and yet, we don't want it to end because then we will just grow up and Donny will marry someone else.

Oops. Wrong conclusion. But you know what I mean.

Or maybe you don't. You cannot know this angst unless you're a devotee. Anyway, if you are not a fan but know one, please be patient with him/her--we must obsess together or die watch alone (another inside joke I can't resist.)

And now The Random prompt for this week:

1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?

2. Have you ever been to an island?

3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?

4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?

5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.)

6. What are you most afraid of?

7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?

8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?

9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)

10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.

11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?

12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?


For co-devotees:

Please bring back the old haircut. Just sayin'.

Tonight is MY Superbowl--and Here's Your Random Dozen Preview

Tonight is MY Superbowl. The first episode of the FINAL season of the BEST TV series in the history of … even before there was TV: Lost.

Most “Losties” are super excited for this event, and yet we mourn that it is the beginning of the end.

One of my most intelligent friends has said that watching Lost is more like watching a book than a regular TV show because "The characters are so complex, the plot is so rich, the spiritual overtones are so intriguing, and the romance is captivating.”

Wish I said dat.

If you happen to be a spiritual person, this show will definitely interest you.

“Is he … like Jesus?” “Is that one Judas?” “Why does Kate look so good with dirt all over her face and in her hair?”

Anyway, I can hardly write these questions because I have a one track mind, which is currently lost, pun intended, even though it was a bad one. I'm desperate. It's like I can't say "Lost" enough.

OK, two-track. I have to figure out what snack food to take to “THE” party tonight. Yes, I’m watching this in a group. I told you it was like my Superbowl!

I wish I had a team Jersey to wear … it would say, “Shepherd.” Because Jack is definitely the quarterback. And in typical Lostie fashion, I ask, “Is the name ‘Shepherd’ supposed to be symbolic of how he leads the ‘flock?’”




Here are you preview Q’s. Remember, read and write today; post tomorrow. Also remember: "Live Together, Die Alone" (Jack Shepherd, Lost):

The first 6 come from Kelley at I Didn’t Know That! Thanks so much, Kelley! And can you please help us out with #4???

1. Do you use the labels various charities send you as “free gifts?”

2. What is your favorite time of day (or night) for skywatching?

3. What is the most adventurous you've ever been with trying a new food? (Keep it G-rated please)

4. Have you ever heard a rock sing? (Trust me, there's a reason for this one!)

5. If you could learn a language you don't presently speak, what would it be?

6. Al Capone's tombstone read, “My Jesus, Mercy.” If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?

7. If you were a famous musician who was known by one name, like “Cher,” “Sting,” or “Jewel,” what would it be? It doesn’t have to be your first name, but it can be, if you’d like.

8. Have you ever been inordinately “into” a television show?

9. When you sneeze, do you go big, or do you do that weird “heenh!” sound that makes people think you’re going to blow your brains out? Any other variation we should know about?

10. Do you still read an actual newspaper that you hold in your hands, or do you get your news elsewhere?

11. Are you a good speller?

12. At what time each day do you start thinking about Lost lunch?


This is for my fellow Losties:

Skoots! "Say it Forward" Inaugural Post

I appreciate reader comments, and so do you. Don't even try to tell me you don't give a whit one way or the other about whether or not you receive comments because, in the words of the great 70s group Kansas, without comments, our blogs are "Dust in the Wind, All We are is Dust in the Wind." I had to wipe away a single tear just then.

Comments show us that at least one person is not only out there reading us but may also be resonating with something important we've just proclaimed to the world, like, "I Ken Lee International Delights White Chocolate-Coconut Coffee Creamer." I mean, a revelation like that, wow, it begs to be published on the Internet.

Similarly, a stunning confession such as, "I always mis-type my name 'Lidna' for 'Linda'" often evokes other powerful confessions from readers like, "When I was in my 20s, my mom told me I look like Ted Koppel," which, by the way, is probably my all-time favorite comment because it sent me into paroxysms of laughter then and still has the power to do so today, and no, I cannot quite explain why. (You're dying to know who said that, aren't you?) All this to say: Blogging Community = "You are not alone in your brain. We live there, too!" Scary, and yet, comforting.

Amazingly, no matter the drivel I toss out on a daily basis, someone says, "Me, too!" and then from my end, anyway, it's a veritable cyber love-fest between that commenter and me, in a purely platonic way, of course. Unless Matthew Fox happens to comment, "Me, too, Lid," and then it clearly crosses the platonic line, a place where I'm not willing to go with you, Matty, even though you plead in a cold sweat, "Lid, we have to go back;" I'm sorry, Matheo, but you'll have to find another soul mate today, Dr. Commenter.

Anyway.

At 5 Minutes for Moms, there's a new Friday carnival in which I'd like to participate called, "Say it Forward," which is a way to thank people who are regular commenters to your site. Please click on the button to read the details.

So on this maiden voyage today, I want to encourage you to visit "Skoots1Mom," at "My Hands, His Glory," one of my most faithful commenters and participants in any hair-brained schemes I have going on here at 2nd Cup.

About herself, Skoots says:

Blogging has helped me fight the doldrums of "mid-life" issues because bloggers make me laugh at them, their attitudes, and myself. They give me those "smiley" 'mones when I don't have any of my own.

I am a 10-year colon cancer survivor as of July 2 this year. I love participating in ACS's Relay Walk each year. My Daddy wasn't as blessed to have the same early information about colon cancer, but because of his diagnosis, I was informed I might need to get tested very early, which saved my life. Now, I'm a huge believer in early detection, knowing your family history and charging ahead instead of fearing diagnosis. Each year brings better diagnoses, better treatments and longer life.

As a youth counselor, I'm challenged to listen as teens share where they are, and I am able to share the gospel with them so that they understand the Bible as a lifelong user's manual instead of a "book of stories." Seeing the Holy Spirit in them as they grow is one of the highest blessings of my life.

A friend shared this with me recently: "If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, the fulfillment of your fall." If you'd like the see the narrative that goes with this quote, please go to
The Pear Tree.

Some Skoots factoids:

Interests

* Singing
* Playing keyboard
* trumpet; American Sign Language
* Charcoal sketching
* Gregg Shorthand--in my blood
* Photography
* crocheting
* youth counseling

Favorite Music

* Contemporary Christian
* Chicago
* Neil Diamond (and we are still friends.)
* Carol King
* Michael Buble
* Bozz Scaggs
* The Less
* Switchfoot

And this is her response to my previous post, which is WHY I LOVE HER!
LOVE YOU, SKOOTS! Menopausal Minds Unite! Please bless Skoots by hopping on over and saying, "Hi!"

LOST Again!

You've gotta be a fan or at least have seen the show once or twice to get this, but it's pretty funny, and I think it's a good way to celebrate the kick off of the new season.

Speaking of the new season, what did you think? I just finished watching my Tivo'd version, and it's 11:37 pm, so I'll make my comments short, and as usual, my comments are not unified or coherent because this isn't English composition class, and LOST defies unity and coherence. But it rocks!

Astoot Observations:

There is, of course, no doubt now that people are time traveling. And who didn't want to see Ethan and Ana Lucia again?! (Me!) Who do we hope to see again? Charlie!

All I know is, with all of this time traveling, I'm sure Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite is going to show up some time so that he can finally travel back to 1982 and "win state." He could probably actually throw a football 1/4 mile over those mountains on the Lost island.

Anyway.

Oh, that Sawyer, the most aggravated man in the history of televisiondome. And the most shirtless one. The only other characters rivaling his chest exposure are Juliet, and when she was on the island, Kate. Both always manage to have low cut tops on. How come Rose never does?

Moving right along: Yet another addition to the "ways I do not want to die" list: death by dishwasher.

Factoid: Richard, according to this source and many others, is not wearing manscara. You know, "guy"liner. He just looks like an Egyptian hieroglyph, which adds to his immortal aura.

The tiny tot actor playing Aaron is the best baby actor ever. He deserves an Emmy. He's not spitting back lines like Michelle Tanner. He's emoting.

Two of my favorite lines: "That chick likes me," and

"It's a compass." "What does it do?" "Points north."

Loved Hurley in his new shirt: "I heart my shih tzu." And who hasn't wanted to throw a burrito at Benjamin Linus?? He deserves a little bean burn, if you ask me.

And, is it just me, or does Sun seem "mad" at Kate?!

Finally, two of my favorite pics from my last LOST post of the previous season, Kristin imitating Juliet, and Sayid, the enigmatic, sensitive assassin.












What were your favorite moments? Any guesses about what's coming down the line?

Buh-Bye Carly and Countdown to LOST

So every single one of us bloggers got it wrong, you know.

Don't be tryin' to tell me you knew Carly was goin'. We all said Brooke or Jason. I cracked up at Jason's expression when he was reacting to the news that he was safe; he sort of twisted up his lips and shrugged--totally Jason. And to quote him from his memorable, yea, infamous, CATS performance, "a new day has begun" for Jason Castro.

I loved Randy's phrase that went something like "red-hot molten lava," but I would apply that to the "Tainted Love" Ford commercial. That rocked. I even loved David C. in that. I could watch that over again several times.

So we can look forward to another week of "Oopsie" from Brooke White and poses by Syesha Mercado, the invincible piano model.

Finally, because someone disagreed that ALW looks like Mike Meyers:

Hello?

I didn't post right away tonight because I was out with girlfriends until 11:30, which means tomorrow will be a complete and utter fog, which is no big deal because we're only coming up on our second-biggest event of the year at Oneighty. P-shaw. No biggie. What-so-everzzzzz.


But oh, people, it's time. LOST is back on Thursday night!

Oh, how I need to talk about it because it just helps alleviate the wait!

Here is the LOST post I wrote but never published after we saw the last episode. Hint: the last half of the post is better than the first, beginning with Sayid's picture.

So if I asked you if you have it all figured out, I'm betting your answer would be:

"Not yet." I mean, really. Didn't you sort of sympathize with Michael's frustration when that little note popped up? The writers just keep baiting us and baiting us, but we don't get any big answers. And even when they supply some answers, they then pose even bigger questions or go on hiatus! It's like they keep saying, "Ahhh, not yet, plebian mainlanders. It is not your time to know--not yet. Bwa-ha-ha." It's insane.

Many people (approximately 3, give or take 2) comment after my LOST posts that they do not watch LOST. I'm telling you, go get season one. After the first episode of season one ended, I just sat there for a second or two processing everything in silence. Then I turned to Jorge and said, "Oh. OH. We are not stopping here," and on to the next episode we went. (It's like remembering falling in love for the first time. Sigh.)

The plot is highly intriguing, but it's also fun to see spiritual issues addressed. Did you know that John Ankerberg has written a book about that aspect of LOST? It's called, What Can Be Found in Lost.

Anyway, Jorge and I watched the last LOST with two of my friends from Girls' Group that I meet with every Wednesday night, plus one of their husbands and her daughter. That was fun. Except the girlfriend who sat next to me is the IRL Cindy who got me hooked on LOST in the first place (There is a Blogging Cindy who I believe must have conspired with IRL Cindy to hook me.) so she is like a walking encyclopedia of the most cryptic minutiae from "previously, on LOST," which kind of made me feel like a sub-fan instead of a regular fan. She's like ... SuperFan. Or, to put it another way, "She knows jack." (wink, wink.)

This is LOST Cindy and me. No, we do not always do the matchy-matchy. Here is Cindy's LOST prowess: She remembered that Libby gave a boat to Desmond. She remembered that Locke's mom was in the asylum. She remembered that the compassing bearing was 325 and that those were the numbers on the helicopter. Yeah. It was like having one of those pop-up episodes sitting next to me!

One of the biggest things we found out this week is that the island (or should I treat it as a proper noun and capitalize "Island" since it obviously has a personality?) anyway--the Island has power off the island. That is, the Oceanic 6 are not able to commit suicide. I am happy to brag that I called that as soon as Michael survived the crash. The way they showed the aftermath of the wreckage and then showed him alive in the hospital bed, I knew instantly there was no way he could've survived that, and then it hit me, "He can't die!" Wasn't it freaky when Libby offered him blankets?! Yikes!

Finally, we know: The Oceanic 6 are Jack, Kate, Aaron, Hurley, Sun, and Sayid, also known as "Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown--Badder than Old King Kong, Meaner than a Junkyard Dog Sayid Jarrah." When Sayid ratted out (sorry, Eloise) Michael, I thought Michael was a goner. Wrong!

RANDOMNESS:

Two things about the following picture. First of all, this has to be the most unflattering picture of Juliet ev-er. Secondly, if females are not Tom's type, exactly what is he locking his lasers on in this photo here?!



Random question: Why does Sun always call Jin something that sounds like "Jin Su-shi?" I always think of raw fish when she calls him that. It's not his full name; that's Jin-Soo Kwon. Maybe it's a Korean term of endearment?

Random recognition: Remember how in previous LOST posts I pointed out that Desmond looks like Eric Clapton and Barry Gibb--and that Juliet looks like the Grinch but a pretty Grinch? Well, I just realized this week that Karl looks like a young Matthew Broderick.





Bonus pic: Here is my youngest doing her imitation of Juliet (shoulders up, curly smile):









Finally, here's the schedule for the rest of the season:
Episode 9: April 24
Episode 10: May 1
Episode 11: May 8
Episode 12: May 15
Episode 13: May 22 (Season Finale)

Here we go, Losties!

Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore

I'd like to whoop and holler and say that I called this, but then so did a million other people. I think Michael would do anything or could be convinced that any means to an end is OK if it brings back Walt. Even working for Ben.

Were you confused about the Panda? I kept thinking, "Why are you worrying about the stinkin' panda?! Get to the hospital!"

So, I guess Jin meant it when he said he'd do anything to get Sun and the baby off the island. He must have sacrificed in some way.

The Ocean 6, then? Kate, Jack, Hurley, Sayid, Sun ... Aaron?

Oh, didn't your blood just boil when Juliet ratted out Sun? "Oh-no-she-dit-unt!" You knew that slap was coming.

So many scenes in this series seem random and incongruous. Who is Regina? Why did Bernard and Jin have the wacky karma conversation?

And who but Benjamin Linus could gas 300 people, strap them into airplane seats and plant them in the ocean? Oh yes, it's all so logical now. (uh, yeah-no.)

Ack! This show is driving me crazy. My friend, Leslie, (not the one whose car I hit) let me borrow her current TV Guide, and it has a short article in which the actors get to ask the writers questions about the show. It's pretty funny. The first thing Jorge Garcia asked is, "Who is in the casket?" Don't you love it that the characters don't even know what's going on??


So we said goodbye to David Hernandez last night. I think he was surprised to be the one to go. Anyway, he will no longer be putting the Mighty Kreskin gaze on us.

Did you notice Randy's and Paula's attire? Did it call to mind any TV show from the past? I thought Randy's giant V-shirt and Paula's metallic jacket looked very Star Trekish.

So who do you think will be voted off next?

I say Kristy Lee Cook. And I'm just sayin', my prediction skilz have been crazy-good of late. Like right now I'm predicting I'm going to have a snack as soon as I sign off here.

Catch you tomorrow, when I will unveil all of the books I'm about to give away as I wind up the Ultimate Blog Party! If you haven't commented on that post, go on back there Girl, and get your name in the hat.

Who are These People, And Why Do They Have Spirit Fingers?

No, they're not in a Godspell production.

They're not in a deodorant commercial.

They're not on a cruise ship.



They are not an improperly dressed and pitifully lack-lustre exercise class.

They are, in fact, the staff I work with at UC, just ending the cheer "Two Bits." I am not in this photo because I snapped it. And, when I practiced the cheer, I was in the back where no man will ever see me.

Because it's not 1980 anymore. (Far left. Awesome shoes, Squad.)

Why is the staff cheering? It's a rehearsal for tonight, our annual big doo-dah volunteer appreciation banquet. Because at Union Chapel, we love our volunteers. A lot. One year we did a western theme, which thrilled my boss from Abilene, one year we did a cruise theme and sent two lucky vols on a cruise at the end of the night, and last year, it was an Oscar-ish theme, with staff wearing formal wear and serving dinner, etc. There is always extensive, extensive decorating and door prizes and great food and a lovely time had by all.

This year, the theme is "sports," thus the cheers and chants at the end of the night to yell at our volunteers that we are so much for them, we will "stand up and holler." That is love.

**********
Edit: In yesterday's post, I was at my boss's desk when he was in Kazakhstan (my take on taking over while he was gone.) He does not usually have a doily table cloth on his desk or stuffed animals in there. But it was a nice touch, don't you think? Especially the feet on the desk?

In other news: Pray for College Daughter who leaves for London tonight. I will be serving up food at the banquet and not seeing her off at the airport, and that makes me sad. Here she is having a mountain-top experience in Mexico last year.

Other other news: The next time you come back to 2nd Cup (please do) it may look very different--yes, I feel the ground rumbling even now as big changes are coming ...

Other "OTHER" news: First of all, how many times can Kate get clonked on the head without sustaining drain bamage?

Secondly, who is the man on Ben's boat?? For a couple of weeks, I thought it was Michael. And what if it's a female that they've been calling Ben's "man?"

Then last night, I was suddenly seized by the possibility: Charlie?! Oh please (writers? producers? Oprah?) let Charlie come back to us. I need to hear "You All Everybody" by Driveshaft one more time. Finally, I think Juliet is beautiful. But I am mesmerized by her curly mouth. I finally realized what it reminds me of, and this may be why I don't trust her:

Weekend Update: LOST! and Cheeseburger in Paradise

What's going on with you this weekend?

I'll be having lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise with both of my college kids plus the one at home and Jorge, the Hunky Husband. We are all celebrating my son's 19th birthday, although the actual d.o.b. is March 8th (also International Women's Day, which causes my son, Jordan, to conclude that he must be God's gift to women all over the world.) He's just joking, of course. Because we all know that I, the mom, am the woman he was given to on March 8th, 1989, and he's mine until he walks the church aisle. Moms of boys, can I get an "Amen!"?

We are celebrating early because College Daughter is going to England next week with a school group. I've kind of been ignoring this whole trip thing for a while now, lending the same credibility to the idea as I did to her threats to run away when she was little ("M-hmm. Take care now; better pack some crackers.") But the reality is sinking in ... she's flying across an ocean. She's going to a huge city. She sent me her itinerary last week. I was doing pretty well worry-wise until my eyes fell on one sight-seeing plan: The Jack the Ripper Tour. Greaaaat.

For about the last six times I've talked to her, I've said, "DO NOT turn your back on your drink or food in public." She says, "I know, Mom; I promise I won't." Then I say, "Good." But do I stop there? No. It is impossible for me to stop there. I am compelled to add, "Because you know what happened to Natalie Holloway."

In the grand tradition of my mother, Lucille, I am the current reigning champ of spreading anxiety and suspicion. I am a human fear atomizer, dispersing dire warnings and dreaded consequences like the spray from a sneeze. The Pig Pen of angst.

Gee, who wouldn't love to have a fun birthday lunch with me?

Other weekend stuff:

Attention, LOSTIES (spoiler alert):














First of all, does anyone else see the resemblance between Barry Gibb, Eric Clapton and Desmond? Weird.

But now let's get serious. In the words of my friend, Cindy, who turned me on to LOST:

Well, my mind can’t stop reeling from last night’s episode. I think that was one of the most revealing ever! I know you may not believe it, but for a long time, I’ve had a suspicion that it was Penelope’s dad that was behind the evil deeds of the island. I can’t help but wonder now how he fits into it all! If he was buying artifacts from the Black Rock in 1995, how involved might he be? Is this the discovery of mind/time travel?

"I think 'tis, Brotha, aye, 'tis."

Jorge has been suspecting Penny's dad, as well.

That's why I like to surround myself with smart people--I was suspecting Plankton from Sponge Bob. (Well, he is an evil genius.)

Actually, I cannot be distracted by deciphering what's going on. I am still reeling from Aaron and Kate. No other story lines are as interesting to me as those of the initial small cast of survivors.

I did crack up out loud this morning, though, when Amy of Sings, Miracles and Wonders asked me if I would be her "time travel constant." I'm not sure, but I think I got one of those crazy Leap Day proposals. I said yes, so I think it's pretty much official for Amy and me.

Finally, 'dja ever notice that when people die on LOST, they look way dead. Even Eloise the Rat deserves an Emmy for her portrayal of "death by time travel." She's good--really good.

"What's my motivation here? Oh, I see, I'm traveling back and forth in time, but I have no 'constant', so my brain is short circuiting? Got it. I'll just do the old 'dead rat in pink light baring little rat teeth' scene."


*Next post: The winner of the Skinny Songs CD!*

My column about being "LOST" that was in the paper Saturday 02.23.08

You usually get a 2nd Cup of silly here, but I do enjoy writing with a little more depth once in a while. Regarding my columns, I try to speak to people who aren't yet committed to following Christ and then with the next column, to those who are committed. However, all of my columns appear on the religion page, and to be honest, I don't think many people go there on purpose. Unless they're my parents. And sometimes not even them! ["Mom, did you know my column is in today's paper? No? Well, it is."] Also, I did not title this piece; the editors did.


Feeling Lost? Here's a Message in a Bottle

For the first time since the General Hospital Luke and Laura phenomenon of my senior year in high school, I'm hooked on a television series.

Lost is ostensibly about the survivors of an airplane crash on an uncharted Pacific island, but the reason the show is wildly popular is that every week, the double meaning of the title becomes more and more enthralling.

Each Lost character has his own backstory that brought him aboard Oceanic flight 815, allowing writers to address themes such as the existence of God, fate vs. destiny, good vs. evil, dualism within characters, relationship dysfunction -- particularly between fathers and sons, faith vs. science and redemption.

Plus it's just so ingeniously written that it's completely captivating.

So, I've been thinking about being lost a lot lately, specifically, that while a person can be physically disoriented, he can also be confused in his spirit, his heart or identity.

Maybe you can relate to these "lost" moments from my life:

When I was a child, I skipped up to my father in a department store and took his hand, only to look up and see that I had grabbed a stranger's hand instead. I was so panicked I couldn't speak and ran away. I wasn't running toward anything because I wasn't thinking at all; I could only run away.

I'll never forget the first time I was driving when suddenly I whispered, "Where am I?"

Once I lost my toddler daughter only to find her curled up behind a toilet in our half bath, smiling mischievously at me.

I remember when my husband took my little dog for a short car trip without my knowledge. When I couldn't find her, I was heart-sick, believing her to be lost.

I also remember how lost I felt when my college sweetheart broke up with me as I looked down the road at the rest of my life without him.

And then there was the moment as a young adult that I realized that I was living in a state of lostness, desiring a meaningful life and unconditional love but feeling depressed instead. Again, I reached out for my Father's hand. This time, I recognized the sure grip of a faithful God. No more confusion or running -- His hand was the right thing to reach for.

Eugene Peterson, who wrote The Message, said that we're all stuck on a personal "I-land," where we are so lost that we don't know who we are, who God is or why we're here. In this sense, we are born lost. We're merely existing, just surviving. The message in a bottle: "I have made a way to rescue you from your I-land!" floats by everyone on his I-land, but only a few realize the need to be rescued or believe that it's possible.

If you're confused, afraid, lonely, hopeless, or empty, open the message in the bottle with your name on it and know that help is on the way. Your rescuer is closer than your next heartbeat if you'll just reach out. For the rest of your life, you'll feel your Father's presence, and nothing will be able tear you away from His firm grip -- you'll never be lost again.

Linda Crow, of Muncie, is the mother of three teenagers and works in youth ministry. Visit her blog at www.2nd-cup-of-coffee.blogspot.com.

Catching/Ketching Up

Besides saying "pop" for soda or Coke, most Hoosiers say "ketchup" for catsup. Because I'm all about conducting broad-based (no pun intended) accurate research on phonetics, please identify your region and pronunciation of the red stuff that goes on fries in order to represent your peeps on the most legitimate scientific record known to man, my mom blog.

And by the way, judging by my past question about pronouncing "meme," I have concluded that none of us really knows how to say that except the person who made it up. The responses were hilarious. My favorites were "Mame," as in "You coax the blues right out of the horn, Mame, You charm the husk right off of the corn, Mame." But a close 2nd was the French "e" (accent egu) that rhymes with "creme de la creme." Finally, I enjoyed "mi-mi" because that sounds like you're referring to Aunt Mimi.

So basically, "meme" now conjures up for me pictures of a middle-aged French aunt.

If you're not caught up with season 4, look away, look away! OK, did you figure out that Kate's baby was AARON? I did not. I thought the reason Jack didn't want to see him was because he was Sawyer's baby. Of course, that's what the writers wanted me to think. And then, don't ask me why, I thought that the baby appeared to have something physically wrong with him, and maybe Jack couldn't handle that. Those writers are messing with our minds, people.

However, I just posted last week at Lisa's site that I think Aaron has a bigger part in the storyline than we previously may have thought. So pin a rose on my nose.

So, this begs the question: Is Claire in the coffin? [Cue strange harmonic music.]

I'm a little scared, because I'm finding myself agreeing with Simon this season. I'm watching my Tivo'd girls comp right now, and so far, I am thoroughly underwhelmed. That Spinning Wheel song? I didn't like that at all, and Randy and Paula loved it.

I enjoyed Randy's alliterative "s" exclamations like "You slayed that song! You smashed it! You scooped those notes!"

And remember how Simon laughed at Paula's reference to contestants' colors (as in auras)? What was up with his reference to Brooke being all sunshiny and "yellow?"

I've got to stop watching now and get ready for work, so I can't read anything today that tells who was cut. (Hint: don't tell me.)

I have a post I'm sitting on because it's a little controversial and confrontational. What do you think?