It's been a few days since the emotional Lost series finale. I figured that after some thought, I could be more objective about it. Alas, I'm still "grieving and glorying" (My apologies to Ms. Vanessa Redgrave for using this phrase. She said this in reference to her daughter's, brother's and sister's passing. But it's the closest I can get to describing how I've felt since Sunday.) It's funny because people say "It's just a TV show." and I didn't even think it going off the air would have this huge effect on me. I've seen other favorite shows come and go. Yet days later, why do I still get teary-eyed thinking about this particular one? Why am I obsessing about it? As if this post wasn't enough, here are more of my ruminations.
When the series started, I was skeptical. How long could they sustain a Gilligan's Island knock-off? True, the sci-fi aspects of the show and the never-ending mysteries were enough to keep me occupied and guessing. For six seasons, it kept me interested despite some missteps. When they announced that the series was ending, I was sad but elated because that would mean answers to many questions. Instead, I was frustrated with all the other questions that sprang up from this last season. You know how they say, have low expectations and you'll never be disappointed? Brava and thanks to the creative staff and the cast, I was blown away by their endgame. I was teary-eyed, at times full-out sobbing with shoulders shaking, clapping, cheering. Totally mesmerized, touched and affected.
Although the Island was not purgatory as many people predicted, it can be considered as such because some folks think purgatory is here on earth. Why are we here? Some faiths believe that we are put here on earth to atone for past sins. Or to stop the cycle of suffering and reincarnation until we achieve Enlightenment. Some say it's to reconnect with the Divine through the human experience.
To purge is to purify, to cleanse, to be rid of. And the passengers of Oceanic 815, like everyone else, had issues they needed to free themselves from. It was a chance to reboot, not necessarily to do over, but to correct, refine themselves. I'm glad the writers didn't cop out. Everything that happened, no matter how crazy---time travel, murderous Others, conniving businessmen, magical healing powers, secret Hatch, unlucky numbers, etc.---, did happen. It was Life, as they knew it. Their new life.
The writers knew they couldn't please everyone. So they went back to resolving the characters' stories, instead of getting to the bottom of details like the Egyptian hieroglyphics, the statue, who made Mother the Guardian, who made Jacob the boss of the Man in Black, why the MIB became a smoke monster. The transformations each character went through was astonishing. Jack, a man of reason, going on blind faith that extinguishing the Light would allow him to destroy Smokie. Sawyer finding love with Juliet. Locke's faith eventually destroying him---with a little help from science: electromagnetism.
Did they find the meaning of life? Perhaps not. But they did learn a thing or two from Jack's motto: "If we can't live together, we die alone." Physically, we may die alone. But we are accompanied on that final journey by our family and friends. And we are met on the other side by those who have gone before.
Favorite scenes? The final Island scenes interspersed with Sideways world, the church door opening and letting in the light as the Lostaways moved on to the next plane of existence together. The re-awakening scenes were especially moving. Top 1 fave? Hands down: the image of Jack's eye closing. With Vincent the dog keeping him company as his soul departed. The shepherd being shepherded. The series began with Jack's eye opening. It was Dr. Shephard being awakened to his life. We hear it all the time: be present, be in the Now, wake up to your life, pay attention. So to see him finally close his eyes meant that now he can rest. It's poetic and beautiful. My heart aches and bursts with joy just thinking about it.
It would be great to look back on this post years from now. (Time travel anyone?) As it stands, I can rehash, argue, analyze this episode for a long time. And that's quite a feat for the writers. I haven't even re-watched the episode yet. I'm not prepared to put my emotions through the ringer again. For now, I will be content to celebrate and mourn the loss of an innovative, exasperating and thought-provoking show. I surrender to my geekiness and obsession.
Good luck and best wishes to everyone involved with the show. Thanks for a great ride.
R.I.P. Lost :( Here are intense Jimmy Fallon interviews with Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly and Jorge Garcia.
Here's a strange fortune I got:
You are the crispy noodle in the vegetarian salad of life.
Got this from sistah-friend Ceci:
We'll begin with a box, and the plural is boxes,
But the plural of ox becomes oxen, not oxes.
One fowl is a goose, but two are called geese,
Yet the plural of moose should never be meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a nest full of mice,
Yet the plural of house is houses, not hice.
If the plural of man is always called men,
Then shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?
If I speak of my foot and show you my feet,
And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet?
If one is a tooth and a whole set are teeth,
Why shouldn't the plural of booth be called beeth?
Then one may be that, and three would be those,
Yet hat in the plural would never be hose,
And the plural of cat is cats, not cose.
We speak of a brother and also of brethren,
But though we say mother, we never say methren.
Then the masculine pronouns are he, his and him,
But imagine the feminine: she, shis and shim!
Let's face it - English is a crazy language.
There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren't invented in England ..We take English for granted, but if we explore
its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, and a
guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers
don't ham? Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend. If you
have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?
If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what
does a humanitarian eat? Sometimes I think all the folks who grew up speaking English
could be running the danger of being called verbally insane.
In what other language do people recite at a play and play at a recital?
We ship by truck but send cargo by ship.
We have noses that run and feet that smell.
We park in a driveway and drive in a parkway.
And how can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same,
while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites?
You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language
in which your house can burn up as it burns down,
in which you fill in a form by filling it out,
and in which an alarm goes off by going on.
And, in closing, if Father is Pop, how come Mother's not Mop?
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IF PEOPLE FROM POLAND ARE CALLED POLES
THEN PEOPLE FROM HOLLAND SHOULD BE HOLES AND THE GERMANS GERMS!!!
I saw Chad Kimball perform this touching song at Broadway on Broadway last year and I was intrigued by the new musical Memphis . So I finally watched it last Saturday. This song just moves me to tears. You can substitute any city or country. It's all about feeling a certain way about home.
I loved this sketch. I wanted to have an apartment in their building.
Poor Bert :(
Payback's a bitch Ernie!
I wanted to try licorice when I saw this. Turns out I don't like licorice. (Funny how Bert was just standing there, humming to himself at the start.)
Bert is a saint. Plus bonus Oscar the Grouch in the house!
I think this is why I love peanut butter (and jelly!) Funny how Ernie now reminds me of David Letterman/Al Roker and Bert reminds me of Tom Hanks.
Today's Gospel was John 17:20-26. The priest was essentially saying all the world's problems can be solved if we just follow Jesus' teaching: Love one another. It's true. We seem to have lost all respect for other people. And other creatures. The Monsignor noted the lack of unity and civility among people now. Just watch the talking heads on Fox, CNN, MSNBC. Everyone's screaming and yelling, trying to drown out everybody else's opinion.
Yesterday, I went the the city. On the train, there was a group of 3 young adults right in front of me who were talking so loud, even singing at one point. Then the dude called someone on his cellphone, again speaking very loudly. Where is common courtesy nowadays?
When I was in line to go to the bathroom at Grand Central Terminal, one woman put down her empty plastic cup on the floor when there was a trashcan within arm's length. The woman behind me told her that she should put it in the garbage. She yelled back, "YOU put it in the garbage!" as she went into a stall. The young girl in front of me quietly picked up the cup and threw it away. Kudos to that young lady.
No wonder we're in such a mess. But the silent actions of that teenager gave me hope.
Something I heard from Whoopi Goldberg today: Never assume. Assuming makes an ASS of U and ME.
I was driving home on Mother's Day after watching Letters to Juliet with Cecile and Eugene. There is a part of the highway where as you come up a hill, you get a view of the magnificent mountains and rolling hills. Sunlight was peeking through the clouds, illuminating the mountaintops. I just burst into tears. I wished I had my camera ready. (The picture above is from a South Dakota vacation.) But I quickly banished that thought, knowing that life is supposed to be like that. Ephemeral. We just have to appreciate the little gems we receive every single moment.
Happy Mothers' Day to our Mommy! It's true what's been said: that no gift we give you can equal the gift you gave us---life. Thank you for everything.
Did you know that May 4 is unofficially Star Wars Day? Why? "May the Fourth be with you." Get it?
How about we reap some lessons from Master Yoda on this very special occasion?
- Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.
- Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not. Attachment leads to jealously. The shadow of greed, that is.
- Do or do not. There is no try.
- Named must your fear be before banish it you can.
- You will find only what you bring in.
- Always in motion is the future.
- Great warrior.Wars not make one great.
- Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship.
- Truly wonderful. The mind of a child is.
- The dark side clouds everything.
King Tut returned to New York City last week, so I was planning to head down to the Discovery Times Square Expo yesterday. But something made me hem and haw about buying tickets to the exhibit and making the trip. Then last night, I heard about the bomb scare in Times Square. This photo of the bomb squad gave me chills. Reminded me of the film The Hurt Locker. This isn't supposed to happen in my favorite city.
I remember when my sisters and I were thinking of going to New Orleans but again, something made us procrastinate about booking flights and hotels. Hurricane Katrina hit the city the week we were planning to go.
Always trust your gut feeling and instincts. It may save you from a whole lot of trouble.
