Post #119 LOST Revelation Thursday

Episode title: Follow the Leader
Primary Focus Character: John Locke

The title of the episode has two implications: Locke is the new leader of the Others and Ben has pledged to Alex (as the smoke monster) that he will follow Locke. The other implication of the title is Daniel started on a path to change the future and now Jack is following his lead.

It does not sit well with me that in the previous episode, Eloise Hawking appears convinced that destiny will fulfill itself and that the future is predetermined. However, in this episode, her younger self appears eager to try to change the future. This presents a character conflict and will hopefully be resolved. I predict that the bomb will not be able to be detonated. This causes destiny to course correct and thus fulfill itself.

The big reveal of the episode is Locke’s plan. Locke has an obvious issue with the way that Jacob has been used as a way to manipulate the Others. He decides to take the whole group of Others to “see” Jacob. Then he reveals to Ben that he plans to kill Jacob. My thought is that he plans to reveal that Jacob is a myth and has been a tool for manipulation of the group. He plans to “kill” Jacob by revealing that he does not exist.

The other striking character issue I am concerned about is Kate. Seemingly out of nowhere, Kate becomes concerned about moral issues of right and wrong? I don’t think so. Kate is not concerned about morality so much as she is concerned about her survival. Here’s her concern: if they detonate the bomb and eliminate the electromagnetic force on the island, Oceanic 815 will not crash on the island, but instead will land safely in Los Angeles, where she will be taken into custody for the murder of her father and for her fleeing the country. She is only really concerned about the possibility that she will go to prison.

Questions from the episode:
- Why does Locke really want to kill Jacob?
- Why is Richard hesitant to bring Locke to Jacob? What does he want to tell him about Jacob?
- How did the island tell Locke exactly when to find himself at the Beechcraft?
- How did the Others move the bomb from the field in 1954 to the tunnels in 1977? They certainly didn’t swim it under the river. There must be another entrance.

Post #117 LOST Revelations

I didn't get anything posted about the most recent episode of LOST, so here we go:

Episode Title: The Variable
Primary Focus Character: Daniel Faraday

In this episode, we discover that Daniel has a plan to alter the timeline of the island. He remembers the bomb he had previously advised that Richard Alpert should bury. If the bomb was detonated, it would wipe out the island and the electromagnetic energy on the island, thus causing Oceanic Flight 815 to never crash on the island, and he would never be on the freighter sailing to the island. This is all catastrophic for the present islanders, so Daniel attempts to get the inhabitants to evacuate, but that fails.

We also realize that in his "I can change the future/past" thinking, Daniel is a believer in free-will and the ability to change what might seem predestined. However, his mother is a firm believer in destiny and the predetermined outcomes of life. She believes that we cannot change the future/past; so much so, that she encourages adult Daniel to go with the freighter to the island. (Even though she knows that her younger self will eventually kill him)

Questions from the episode:

- What is the nature of the falling-out between Eloise Hawking and Charles Widmore?
- How and when did Eloise leave the Island?

Post #92 LOST Revelation Thursday...

Last Night's Episode: Whatever Happened, Happened
Primary Focus Character: Kate Austin
Secondary Focus Character: Ben Linus

Two weeks in a row and very little appears to be happening on this show. Don't get me wrong, I love this show. However, in last week's episode, Sayid shot young Ben in the last five minutes. That was the only important aspect of the episode. Then, in last night's episode, Hurley and Miles discuss theories of time travel, including a great reference to "Back to the Future." The only other important aspect was that Kate and Sawyer took a mortally wounded young Ben to see Richard Alpert.

Check out Lostpedia for a thorough summary: here.

There are a few questions to answer:
- How does Juliet know to take Ben to Richard?
- What did Richard do to young Ben in the Temple in order to heal him? Is there some "Other" form of treatment that we are not aware of yet?
- Where will Sayid escape to? Will he eventually join the Hostiles? Will he find Danielle?
- Why are Ellie and Charles in positions of authority among the Others?
- Why didn't Kate tell Jack she left Aaron with Carole?

Post #84 LOST Revelation Thursday...

Last night's episode: He's Our Your
Primary Focus Character: Sayid Jarrah
Secondary Focus Character: Ben Linus

First, let me state that I firmly believe that the worst episode of LOST is still better than the best hour of any other show. That being said, last night's was the worst episode of LOST this season.

There was little story development and little character development.
The story was slow and gave us little that we did not already know:
- Sayid has always been a twisted individual, finding it inhumanly easy to take the life of another creature.
- Kate loves Sawyer.
- Ben hated his father.


Here is the episode in a nutshell: The DHARMA people take Sayid to an interrogator who lives in the jungle. The truth about Sayid's trip to the island is so unbelievable that the DHARMA people vote to execute him. Sawyer is losing control of his long con. Young Ben helps Sayid break out of the DHARMA jail. Sayid shoots young Ben.

There are a few questions that this episode begs:
- How does Sayid shooting Ben influence future events?
*Does Ben survive the shooting, appearing to come back to life and thus elevating him to "resurrected leader of the others"?
- Why does the interrogator, Oldham, live outside of the barracks?

I realize that not every episode will be a 10. That's fine, but I expect more from LOST than I got last night. It was entertaining, but there was only 3 minutes of action and 39 minutes of filler.

Post #79 LOST Revelation Thursday

Since the season 3 finale, the LOST writers/producers have made it clear that time is relevant. In that episode, they deviated from the mainstay story telling device of the show: the flashback. Instead, they put a twist on time and presented a flashforward. Since then, we have seen episodes containing flashbacks, flashforwards, and a combination of the two. Until this season.

When Ben turned the "frozen donkey wheel," the island began to bounce through time. Then, John Locke put the wheel back on its axis, fixing the island in time. Unfortunately for those on the island, that time was in the 1970's.

This season, we have seen many time periods, none of which could be classified as forward, back, or present; for they were all present to those experiencing them.

Last night, we were given confirmation that our beloved LOSTies group (Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley) are in 1977. We also received confirmation that the other survivors of Ajira flight 316 are in 2007-8. Both groups are on the island, only 30 years apart.

There were a few great revelations in the episode:
- Sun is with the Ajira people in 2007-8, not with the other Oceanic survivors in 1977.
- Sayid is mistaken as a hostile in 1977.
- Amy and Horace's son is Ethan.
- Young Ben Linus is in fact on the island.

Several question come to mind after watching this episode:
- Where is Daniel Faraday? Why is it implied that he is no longer with the rest of the DHARMA LOSTies?
- Why does Sun end up with the Ajira people?
- Why do Sun and Frank see and understand Christian?
- How does Ethan survive the purge that Ben eventually leads?

Post #63 LOST Revelation Thursday...

Last night's episode: LaFleur
Primary Focus Character: James Ford (aka Sawyer)
Secondary Focus Character: Juliet Burke

As the island group of Sawyer, Juliet, Miles, and Daniel attempt to make their way to the beach, they experience to flashes. The first is a short lived moment during an apparently ancient period on the island. They see a full sized statue of great size along the beach. This could be the whole statue from the previously seen "four-toed" ruin. They did not have time to explore however, as the second flash transported them to another time period.

During this period, they encounter a woman (Amy) being assaulted by two men. A man (Paul) laid on the ground, dead from a gunshot wound. Sawyer, being the roughneck with the heart of gold, sees an opportunity to help and eventually he and Juliet shoot and kill the assailants.

The group ends up in the DHARMA village where Sawyer meets Horace. (If you remember, Horace is the man who helped bring Ben Linus and his father, Roger, to the island). We discover that the current island time is 1974.

Eventually we find out about a truce with the "hostiles". This truce has potentially been broken by the violence and the "hostiles" representative, Richard Alpert pays a visit to DHARMA-ville.

Sawyer decides to explain the situation, as best he could, to Richard who seems to accept it.

The rest of the episode takes place in 1977. The group has remained with DHARMA for three years, taking on jobs as security detail and mechanics.

We see Amy about to deliver a child. (We find out that the father is Horace) Juliet, who is posing as a mechanic, is called on to help deliver the child. Apprehensive from her previous experiences of island childbirth, Juliet is relived when Amy and the child make it through the delivery healthy.

It is also revealed that in the three years with DHARMA, Sawyer (now going by the alias, Jim LaFleur) and Juliet are romantically involved.

In the final scene of the episode, Sawyer receives a call from Jin, telling him that he has found someone in the jungle. Sawyer tells Jin where to meet him and as we assumed, Jin brings Jack, Kate, and Hurley. Glances are exchanged, but there is definitely tension.

For a complete summary, check out Lostpedia's article: LaFleur

Questions
What happened to the statue so that only one foot remains in the future?
What year is the statue in?

What is the nature of the truce between the DHARMA Initiative and the Others?

Was Amy's and Paul's picnic location a violation of the truce?
Why were the Others so brutal and murderous in their treatment of Amy and Paul?

Why were Amy and her son able to survive the delivery?
Why are women unable to carry a child to term later in the Island's history?
Who is the baby boy born to Horace and Amy?

Why wasn't Richard concerned about the Sonic fence? How did he bypass it?
Why do the Others want Paul's corpse?

How did Sawyer get Juliet to stay for more than two weeks?

Are the 815 Survivors still with DHARMA when The Purge occurs?
Where are Rose, Bernard, and the other survivors?
Why did Jack, Kate, and Hurley return to 1977?

Post #56 LOST Revelation Thursday...

Lostpedia link for this episode.

Last night's episode: The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham
Primary Focus Character: John Locke (aka Jeremy Bentham)
Secondary Focus Character: Benjamin Linus

We find out that the Ajira flight 316 did crash land on the island. Several people congregate on the beach as Caesar, one of the only passenger from the flight seated with our LOSTies, is rooting through an office in the Hydra DHARMA station.
He appears to know what he is looking for.

The woman who had Sayid in custody, Ilana, tells Ceasar that someone is on the beach who was not on the plane. In a scene reminiscent of Luke in Jabba's chamber, we see a cloaked Locke reveal himself. We see two canoes and Ilana explains that the pilot and a woman took a third canoe and left without saying anything to anyone.

Off the island, Locke finds himself in Tunisia after turning the "frozen donkey wheel." A group of men picks him up and takes him to a makeshift hospital to treat his broken leg. Here we see Matthew Abaddon and Charles Widmore.

Widmore sets Locke up with a fake passport and provides Abaddon as a driver. He send Locke on his way to persuade the O6 to come back to the island with him.

Locke visits all of the O6 with no luck. He visits a much older Walt who tells Locke that he has been having dreams about him. Locke also visits the grave of his dear Helen. This is where Abaddon is gunned down and Locke, in a rush to flee is in an accident.

After leaving the hospital, Locke feels like a failure: alone and worthless. He writes Jack a note and proceeds to hang himself. But, as he is about to step off the table, Locke is interrupted by Ben, who has tracked him down. Ben talks Locke down from the table, but when Locke explains that they should find the woman, Eloise Hawking, Ben appears visible stunned. He grabs the cord and chocks Locke to death. He then stages the scene as if it was a suicide and takes Jin's wedding ring.

Back on the island, Locke finds Caesar, who shows him several of the people who had been hurt in the crash. They stop at one bed where Caesar asks if Locke knows the man in the bed. Locke answers that he was "the man who killed me." The man is Ben Linus.

Questions:
* How many survived the crash of Flight 316?
* How and why did John Locke return to life?
* What was Caesar looking for in the Hydra office?
* How did Danielle's map of the Island end up at the Hydra station?
* How did Daniel's map to the Tempest end up in the Hydra station?
* Where did Lapidus and the woman go on the boat?
o Who was this woman?
* Why was the surveillance camera at the "exit" not present in 2005 when Ben left the Island?
* Was Charles Widmore telling the truth about his past leadership of The Others?
o If so, how did Ben force him off the Island?
* Why was Walt having dreams about John's future?
* Why did Ben kill Locke?
* Why did Locke seemingly trust Ben again after the warning from Christian/Jacob?

Crazy Theory:
I believe that the original LOSTies somehow "flashed" out of the plane and entered the island circa 1960, while the other passengers of Ajira 316 crashed on the island circa 2008-9.

Post #55 The importance of 316...

Another LOST post...

I think the title of the episode is important not just to the Ajira flight, and not just because the episode aired on the day when only 316 days were left in our year. The importance of the title is specific to the "suicide note."



When considering that John is presumed to have written the note, we must also consider the Biblical reference: John 3:16
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
The importance is John's note simply saying "I wish you had believed me."

There is significant allusion to salvation and redemption being attainable IF they had only believed John from the beginning.

I think all of this falls into a previous post I made regarding John's role as "Christ-figure". When his body is "resurrected" on the island, and he brings peace to that place, we will see his ministry come full circle.

Post #51 Lost Revelation Thursday...

Here is the link to the Lostpedia article for last night's episode: 316

Although this was a good episode, it was most likely a "filler" episode that is necessary in order to set up a much larger part of the story. However, there are a few questions that come to mind and maybe even a theory.

- Who built The Lamppost?
Who was the group originally interested in the Island?Who did the equations?
- What is Desmond's remaining purpose with the Island?
- Why does Locke need to serve as a proxy for Christian?
- What was Ben's loose end? What happened to make him bloody and beaten?
- What happened to Aaron? Why doesn't Kate want Jack to know?
- Why doesn't Aaron have to return to the Island as well?
- What was Sayid arrested for? Why go to Guam?
- How did Hurley hear about the flight? Why did he bring a guitar case?
- Did Ben and Frank go back to the Island as well?
- What happened to the other passengers on the plane?

Big Reveal: Jin in a DHARMA jumpsuit.

Theories:
- Charlotte learns Korean as child from Jin. Then she needs it in order to speak to Jin 20-something years later.

- Ben's loose end was going after Penny. He told Charles that he would kill her for the death of Alex.

- Hurley was "told" to get on that plane by Charlie.

Post #43 Lost Revelation Thursdays...

Instead of doing a synopsis of the episode, I will just point to my primary resource on all things LOST: Lostpedia.com. Specifically, I will point to the page for this episode: This Place is Death.

Instead of a synopsis, I want to discuss a couple of theories and pose a few questions.

Most epic stories have a character that is referred to as the "Christ-figure." The "Christ Figure is a spiritual or prophetic character who parallels Jesus, or other spiritual or prophetic figures...Christ figures are often martyrs, sacrificing themselves for causes larger than themselves. Wikipedia article.

I believe that this week's episode is the true beginning of John Locke's role as Christ-figure. Here are my thoughts:

- Jesus ministers to a Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well. This is an example of his ministry reaching out of his primary area of Jerusalem.
- John begins his journey to save the island and takes his "ministry" out of his primary area, by entering a well...Jacob's Well.

-The story of Jesus at Jacob's Well is recorded in the book of John.
-Do I really need to make this connection?

-Jesus' ministry requires him to sacrifice himself for the salvation of others.
-John's "ministry" requires him to sacrifice himself for the salvation of others, as told to him by Christian Shepherd.

This being said, LOST has led me to consider several crackpot theories in the past.

That leads me to my Crackpot theory of the week:

Daniel is Charlotte's father. She tells him that she has not seen her father since she left the island as a child. Previously, Daniel had expressed that he loved Charlotte. Many viewers believed that Daniel meant this on a romantic level. However, he never implies this and tenderly, compassionately cares for Charlotte, as a father would.

This is probably in left field but I will stick to it until it is proven wrong.

Big Questions:
- What happened to the French men inside the Temple?
- What were the markings on the Temple? What purpose does it serve?
- How did Charlotte know about the well?
- Who are Charlotte's parents?
- When did Daniel see Charlotte as a young girl?
- Is Christian really Jacob, or is Jacob assuming the form of Christian?

Post #36 LOST Revelation Thursday...

This is a pretty lengthy post, my apologies.

Last night’s episode: “The Little Prince”
Primary Focus Character: Kate/Aaron
Secondary Focus Character: Jack/Sawyer

On Island:
Sawyer, Locke, Juliet, Miles, Charlotte, and Daniel are in the field where the "Others" 1954 camp was before the most recent flash. Charlotte is revived and Locke suggests that the group head to the Orchid station. In order to save time he suggests heading to the beach camp and using the zodiac. After dark, while traveling through the jungle, they see a beam of light emanating from the ground. Recognizing it as the light he saw the night Boone died, coming from the Hatch, Locke takes them in a different direction. Miles notices that he has started having a nose bleed. Sawyer hears screaming and finds Kate assisting Claire as she gave birth to Aaron. The events surrounding the LOSTies originally occurred on November 1, 2004. Sawyer is obviously overwhelmed; the scene ends with another time flash.

After the flash the group makes its way to the beach. It has been ransacked None of the remaining survivors are in the camp and the zodiac is gone. There are a pair of canoes, one containing a water bottle with an Ajira Airways label. The group takes a canoe and makes their way toward the Orchid. The soon realize their are being pursued. As the other boat closes in, and shots are being fired at the LOSTies, another time flash occurs. Because the beach camp had been built, the time of this flash is post-Oceanic crash. However, the time is not easily identified.

The group finds itself in the middle of a storm and makes their way to shore. There they find debris from a recent shipwreck. Juliet realizes that she is now experiencing a nose bleed. Meanwhile, a French-speaking group is seen in an emergency raft fighting the storm. They see someone floating in the water and rescue....dum, dum, dum...Jin. They finally reach the beach and a woman in the group identifies herself as...dum...dum...dum...Danielle Rousseu.

Off Island:
Kate leaves Aaron with Sun at the hotel. Sun receives a package from an unknown source. The package consists of a surveillance report, a box of chocolates with a hidden gun inside, and photos of Jack and Ben in front of the Hoffs-Drawlar funeral home.

Kate meets with the lawyer who came to her house, volunteering she will provide her blood and Aaron's if he will tell her who his client is. He says that she is in no position to bargain and that she will lose custody.

Meanwhile, Jack and Sayid are in the hospital waiting for Sayid to regain his strength. Jack leaves the room to be chewed out for being irrespondible. A nurse comes to give Sayid medication, but Sayid recognizes this as an ambush and moves from the hospital bed just as the nurse attempts to shoot him with a dart gun. After disabling the gunman and choking him, he demands to know who sent him. The man tells him there is an address in his pocket. Sayid then shoots him twice with the dart gun.

Jack's phone rings - Hurley, who is at the county jail in an orange jumpsuit, is very happy. Jack assures him that Sayid is okay. Hurley says to tell Sayid he followed his advice (In "Because You Left", Sayid cautioned Hurley to do the exact opposite of whatever Linus requested of him.). Ben arrives. They get the piece of paper from the attacker's pocket. It has Kate's address. Jack calls Kate and persuades her to tell him where she is. He goes to meet her.

Kate and Jack follow the lawyer from his offices to a motel near LAX. Concluding that his mysterious client must be there, they watch as he goes to a room. When the door opens they see Carol Littleton inside. Concluding that she intends to gain custody of Aaron, Kate attempts to flee, but Jack convinces her to allow him to talk to Ms Littleton. When he does so he discovers that Littleton has no knowledge of Aaron's existence and was in town to settle a lawsuit against Oceanic Airlines. Upon learning this, Jack and Kate go to rendezvous with Ben, unbeknownst to Kate that the lawyer is actually Ben's lawyer as well.

Ben and Sayid meet the lawyer in the police garage where he informs Ben that the charges will be dropped against Hurley and that he should be out by the next morning. When Sayid asks who the man is, Ben says he is his lawyer.

Jack, Kate, Ben and Sayid meet up, but when Kate sees Ben she looks very disturbed. Jack then tells her that Ben is with him and that Ben is there to help them and everyone they left behind. Kate then accuses Ben of trying to take Aaron, Jack dismisses it, but Ben quickly says that Kate is right and apologizes to Jack. Kate then asks Ben why he doesn't just leave her and her son alone, Ben responds to that with 'Because he's not your son, Kate'. It is then revealed that Sun is observing them from a car with Aaron sleeping in the back and her surveillance photos in the passenger seat. She then gets her gun and steps out.

Big Reveals:
Jin is alive.
We see a young Danielle Rousseu and her team.
The name on the side of Ben's van, "Canton Rainier" is an anagram of "reincarnation."

Big Questions:
* What is the nature of the "time sickness"?
* If the "sickness" first strikes individuals who have spent more time on the Island, why are Charlotte and Miles affected?
* What is Ben's motive for separating Aaron from Kate?
* Who were the pursuers in the other boat?
o Were they responsible for ransacking the beach camp?
o What happened to the rest of the survivors?
o When did these events take place?
* Who sent the package to Sun?
* Who was Sayid's assailant at the hospital and why did he have Kate's address?


Thanks to Lostpedia.com

Post #35 On my iPod

I can't go anywhere without my iPod. I listen to it every day on my way to work and on my way home. I rarely listen to "regular radio" anymore. I thought I would share a little of what I am listening to.

First, I subscribe to a lot of podcasts. So, here's what I am listening to:


Mars Hill Bible Church - Rob Bell is the teaching pastor at MHBC. I love his style and he often speaks to my heart.






LOSTcasts - Ran by a team of fans from Austin, Texas, this podcast reviews each episode of LOST. They also provide theories and discuss connections between characters. One of the best parts is the comment section on their website where fans can join in the conversation.






The Official LOST Podcast - Hosted by ABC, the OLP features the creative force behind the show: Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. They answer fan questions and occasionally provide some spoiler info.






Countdown with Keith Olbermann - You either love him or hate him, but KO is my man for political commentary.






SModcast- Presented by filmmaker, Kevin Smith and producer, Scott Mosier. THis one is vulgar, but it is my guilty pleasure. They basically record themselves having a conversation and then put it on the web. It is sometimes incredibly juvenile. Other times, it is somewhat enlightening.

So there we have it. My current list of podcasts. Tomorrow, I will post some of the music I am listening to.

Post #34 100 things about me...

I normally don't do these things, but Michelle sent it to me, and I thought it would make for a good daily post.

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
I have a scar on my left eyebrow from a pickup basketball game. I got undercut and ended up with 8 stitches. It coincidentally happened on the day my mother passed away. So I have a daily reminder of my mother.

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?
Nothing. Our house is a cape cod, with sloped upstairs ceiling. Haven't quite figured out what to do with that.

3. DO YOU SNORE, GRIND YOUR TEETH, OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP?
I do all three. I usually snore if really tired or sick.

4. WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
I listen to a lot of different types of music, but I loathe country.

5. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?
4:30pm I think. My dad would know.

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
I just want to be a good person and to make my wife as happy as she can be.

7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?
Late night talks over hot chocolate with my mom.

8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION(S)?
I am pretty possessive of my guitars. But I would say my prized possession is my degree; it not only cost me a ton of money, but also 13 years.

9. HOW TALL ARE YOU?
I am just barely 6' tall.

10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
Not often. We used to go caving in Kentucky. There was one cave that was about a quarter mile long. You had to go through it on your belly and at one point, the ceiling was against your back. It was maybe 2 feet tall for a long portion.

11. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
Sometimes

12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?
I cry every time I watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

13. WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?
Getting old

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Mid-length light brown hair with highlights and green eyes. (that's what my wife has right?)

15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING PROPOSED TO AT?
I did the proposing; next to a lake, at night.

16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINK?
Coffee!

17. FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
I'm not picky. Just no mushrooms.

18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
A Texas Roadhouse Filet, medium rare.

19. FAVORITE COLOR OF ALL TIME?
I am a big fan of black.

20. HAVE YOU EVER EATEN A GOLDFISH?
I know that I have, but can't remember when. I think I might have been in jr. high.

21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST MEANINGFUL GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?
Anything from my grandmother.

22. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH?
Besides my wife? None that I no of. I am sure my wife can think of a few.

23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
Nope. I did dislocate my thumb while skiing a few years ago and it pops out of place occasionally.

24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?
Not really a brand kind of guy. I like anything made in Europe. My Irish souvenirs are great.

25. WHO IS YOUR FAV FEMALE/MALE CELEBRITY?
Female: It is difficult to pick one.
Male: I am typically a fan of anything Ed Norton does.

26. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?
Yep

27. WHAT KIND IS IT?
2 dogs: Barkley and Dexter, one satanic cat: Max

28. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
Maybe

30. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED.
23

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
Typically, brunettes, but whatever color my wife's hair is.

32. FAVORITE QUOTE?
"We are the music makers. We are the dreamers of the dreams." - Willie Wonka (the original)

33. FAVORITE PLACE?
Dublin, in any pub, with a pint of Guinness.

34. HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF THE USA?
Yes.

35. YOUR WEAKNESSES?
Insecurity disguised as arrogance.

36. MET ANYONE FAMOUS?
Yeah. A couple of writers and some musicians.

37. FIRST JOB?
My first real job was at a Rax restaurant.

38. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?
Yeah. I remember making a few.

39. DO YOU THINK EVERYONE OUT THERE HAS A SOULMATE?
Soulmates seems a little too much like a jr. high girl's dream. I think it is too "destiny" oriented. I think we have several people who we are compatible with.

40. WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE YOU FILLED THIS OUT?
I was sleeping, but Michelle asked me to take Dexter out. So now I am doing my daily post.

41. HAVE YOU EVER HAD SURGERY?
No. I have had a few procedures that required me to be under, but I have never been cut with a scalpel.

42. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?
My glasses get a lot of compliments.

43. HAVE YOU EVER HAD BRACES?
Nope, but I probably should have.

44. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?
I would love it if Michelle got pregnant. Other than that, I would love home brewery and a drum set.

45. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT AND THEIR NAMES?
2. Names are up for debate.

46. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Not really.

47. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST TURN OFF OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Arrogance, I like confidence, but when it comes off as just arrogant, I get turned off.

48. WHAT IS ONE THING YOU LIKED ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL?
I loved my senior year. Working with so many people on the yearbook and newspaper was great.

49. WHAT KIND OF SHAMPOO DO YOU USE?
Never a name brand. I always get a store brand. Right now it is from Target.

50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Not really.

51. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Maple glazed ham.

52. ANY BAD HABITS?
I procrastinate a lot.

53. ARE YOU A JEALOUS PERSON?
Not usually.

54. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Maybe, but I would think that I was not very approachable, so maybe not.

55. DO YOU AGREE WITH FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS?
I used to. I am too old for that now.

56. DO LOOKS MATTER?
Sure they matter. You don't want to be with someone you are physically repulsed by. But there are other very attractive qualities. I have met some very physically attractive people who are really ugly inside.

57. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?
I just hold it in.

59. WHAT'S YOUR MAIN GOAL IN LIFE?
To leave a positive influence on as many people as I can.

60. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A CHILD?
Action figures and my basketball.

61. HOW MANY NUMBERS ARE IN YOUR CELL PHONE?
Not many. Maybe 25-30.

62.WERE YOU A FAN OF BARNEY AS A LITTLE KID?
I am too old for Barney. I was definitely a Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers kid.

63. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Nope, I never use sarcasm. It uses me.

64. MASHED POTATOES OR MACARONI AND CHEESE?
Tough choice. I don't eat mashed potatoes often. I do like some mac n' cheese, especially if Ron and Aisa made it.

65. WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A GUY/GIRL?
I really just need someone who can tolerate me. It helps if they are kind-hearted.

66. WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?
I never really had a nickname. Everyone always just called me "Box."

67. FAVORITE SUPER POWER
I would love flying. But if I could go into the future and find out sports scores, then come back and bet on them: that would be freaking awesome!

68. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?
LOST!

69.WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DEAL WITH YOUR ENEMIES?
Kill them with kindness. If that doesn't work, just kill them. haha.

70. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
Plain ole' vanilla.

71. DO YOU HAVE ALL YOUR FINGERS AND TOES?
yes.

72. DO YOU HAVE A COMPUTER IN YOUR ROOM?
Yes, several

73. PLANS FOR TONIGHT?
Work out, watch Biggest Loser.

74. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE WHEN YOU ARE OLDER?
East or West Coast of US, or anywhere in Ireland.

75. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
If they want to, that would be cool.

76. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?
News. I am a news junkie.

77. LAST THING YOU DRANK?
Orange Juice

78. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO THE PHONE?
Michelle.

79. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX?
I want to say eyes, but it is probably a little south of there.

80. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
Read, play guitar, write, travel, work on project around the house.

81. FAVORITE THING TO HATE?
I have a big problem with ignorance and intolerance. I sometimes see them in myself. That hurts.

82. FAVORITE SEASON?
Fall

83. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE TYPE OF CANDY?
Candy bar: Kit Kat

84. HAVE YOU EVER REALLY AND TRULY HAD A BEST FRIEND?
Yeah, my wife. Seriously.

85. WHAT IS YOUR HAIR COLOR?
Brown, but I think I see some gray.

86. EYE COLOR?
Hazel

87. SHOE SIZE?
12

88. FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE?
Not really into fast food. I do like Fazoli's a lot.

89. FAVORITE RESTAURANT?
Rusty bucket.

90. DO YOU LIKE SUSHI?
I want to say no, but I haven't really given it a chance.

91. WATCH TV TODAY?
I am right now.

92. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
I don't really have one.

93. PLAY ANY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS?
I play guitar and bass. I want to learn drums and piano too.

94. REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT?
I would like to say that I am an Independent, but I have never voted for a Republican.

95. KISSES OR HUGS?
Both

96. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS?
Relationships. Although...never mind.

97. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?
Groceries on Friday. I don't usually but much outside of that.

98. WOULD YOU EVER BE A HOUSEWIFE?
Not really, I would however, be down with being a house-husband.

99. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
Jesus Wants to Save Christians: A Manifesto for the Church in Exile.

100. DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE:
Always falling more in love.

Post #29 LOST Revelation Thursday

Since you may now realize that I am a huge fan of LOST, I am going to write a post on Thursdays, summarizing and speculating about the previous night’s episode.


Last night’s episode: “Jughead”
Primary Focus Character: Desmond Hume
Secondary Focus Character: Daniel Faraday

On Island:
The LOSTIES have been traveling back and forth through time since Ben Linus “did whatever he did in the Orchid Station.” The group has been split into two smaller groups: Sawyer, Juliet, and John Locke have just taken two attackers hostage. On another part of the island, Miles, Charlotte, and Daniel are ambushed and then taken captive. They are then taken to a military camp.

Eventually they all make it to the camp where it is revealed that the seemingly Richard Alpert is the leader of this camp. Locke confronts Alpert and explains that they had been having a conversation 50 years in the future about John’s mission.

Faraday takes a guess that there was a US military bomb on the island. He explains that he can disarm the bomb. One of Alpert’s soldiers (Ellie) takes him to the bomb-site where he realizes that the bomb (tagged as “Jughead”) has been compromised and needs to be patched and buried.

Meanwhile, Charlotte is suffering obvious effects of the time-jumps: bloody noses, confusion, memory loss.

In a great revelation, we discover that Charles Widmore is one of the hothead soldiers in Alpert’s group.

Off Island:
A flashback reveals that Penny Widmore and Desmond have a child together. In a jump to current off island time, we find out that Desmond has made it to Oxford. He is on a mission to find Daniel’s mother. However, on contacting an Oxford receptionist, we learn that Oxford has no “Faradays” in its files.

Desmond finds the lab where he once met Daniel. It has been closed up and abandoned. A janitor reveals that Daniel and his experimentation on humans shamed the school.

He ends up finding the girl used in the experiments. She is in an apparent coma, but her sister reveals that she is jumping through time (much like Minkowski on the freighter).

It is then revealed that Charles Widmore was paying for the medical treatment of this woman and that he had been the financial contributor to Daniel’s research. Desmond decides to visit his estranged father-in-law. Widmore reveals that Faraday’s mother is in Los Angeles.

In a final interesting revelation, we discover that Penny and Desmond’s son is named Charlie. This is interesting because Penny’s father is Charles Widmore, and Charlie Pace died in order to help everyone get off the island.


Big Questions:

Why was the U.S. army on the Island in the 1950s? Why did they set up a hydrogen bomb?
Who was in charge of the Others (above Richard) in the 1950s?
Why and how did Widmore get off the Island and establish his wealth? Why can't he return? How does this knowledge impact the struggle with Ben?
Why does Daniel seem to recognize Ellie?
What does Ellie mean when she says "You just couldn't stay away could you." when she first sees Daniel?

Post #24 The Missing Link...

This experiment is closing in on the end of its first month. The challenge is to write one post for every day of the year. I have missed a few days, here and there, but have been able to catch up. It is not east, as I sometimes get lazy and other times just forget. But, I think it is a good thing to give my brain the shot of creativity that it craves.

For this post, I want to give a few links to other sites/blogs that I visit regularly. I hope you find them enjoyable.

Church Marketing Sucks

Finding Rhythm - Zach Lind

Post Secret

PoMo Musings - Adam Walker Cleveland

Pundit Kitchen - Funny Political Pictures (May have questionable material)

LOSTCasts The only LOST podcast worth listening to

Post #23 Lost Season Premiere!

LOST is back!

We have a few friends over every Wednesday to watch LOST. The season premiere was this week and man, did they come back with a purpose! Time travel seems to be the main plot device of this season, but that could change at any time. If you missed the episode, check it out online at ABC's LOST page

I know I have already posted about my love for this show. So, I will leave it at this: if you have not watched it, start at season 1. It is way too late in the game to start watching it in season 5. I can't wait for next Wednesday!

Post #16 ...and Found

I have been a fan of the television show, LOST, since the very first episode. I never miss an episode, going so far as to host a LOST-night at our house every Wednesday. I am a pretty big LOST-nerd.

Why do I love this show so much? It's a survival story, it's sci-fi. It's drama, it's romance. It's action, it's comedy. The one aspect of the show that I love so much is that it is made up of layers.

Someone can watch it just for the action or drama. That's layer one.
Another person can watch it for the religious or mythological undertones: layer two.
Someone else might be drawn to the literary, philosophic, or scientific references: layer 3. And the list goes on.

I have heard some people complain that the show is hard to follow. It can be difficult, if you are watching it out of order, or if you miss episodes. But once you get into it, it gets into you.

I can't wait for Wednesday night, when we get the premiere of Season 5. I am sure there will be twists and turns, new revelations, and hopefully answers to unresolved questions.

If you have not watched the show and think you might start, get the DVD's and start with the first season. I imagine you will not be disappointed.

Comics, Sci-fi, and our Secret Identity

Unless you have been living in a cave somewhere, you may have noticed that our film industry has become obsessed with comic books. Batman, Superman, the Hulk, Spiderman. Not to mention graphic novels. Sin City, Road to Perdition, a History of Violence, and now 300. It’s on TV too. Heroes is a huge hit. LOST repeatedly draws inspiration from the comic genre. What is the drawing power of the comic/graphic novel? What is it about this fantasy, sci-fi, surreal genre that packs theaters and enslaves viewers?

I am not an expert, but I think I might have figured it out. Life sucks.

It’s that simple.

We live in a pretty broken world. Don’t get me wrong, it’s our own fault. Pollution, disease, oppression, war, pain, suffering, hunger, poverty…it’s all humanity’s collective fault. But the fact that this world is less than perfect inspires hope. Most of these stories focus on something bad, something impending, something oppressive. Then they shift gears and focus on a hope, a hope for some resolution, that this world could become better, healthier, whole.

Sci-fi and fantasy stories allow us to think about and discuss topics that might not feel all that safe. Like terrorism, nuclear threats (or nucular if you are from Texas), natural disasters, political oppression, human atrocity, etc.

Because in a comic, the enemy is always a bad guy, an alien, a fascist warlord, or a demented megalomaniac. The enemy is not exactly your everyday, run-of-the-mill person. We put this idea of “enemy” with a face and now it can be fought.

I admit, I am addicted to the TV show, LOST. Although the line between “good guys” and “bad guys” is often a little blurry, there is usually a definite “us” and “them.” For the most part, the “good guys/us” are the survivors of a plane crash. The perceived “bad guys/them” are a mysterious group dubbed “the others.” In typical sci-fi fashion, the others can represent many enemies. To some, they might represent corporate greed and exploitation, to someone else – fascist government, to another – oppressive religion. Whoever the enemy is, their face is the “others.”

Why do we equate our fears with the bad guys in comics/sci-fi? Because we are afraid to face them in our real lives. Often the fears we have are connected to things outside of our control. Often we fear what we have no power to change. It is cathartic to overcome the enemy in a comic or sci-fi story. I think that is why so many kids get into the genre, and I am sure that is why so many men are hooked. Men, in general, are taught to crave control, but we are often not in control of so much of our lives. We wish that we could overcome our fears, but we often feel powerless. So when the wimpy nerd is bitten by the radioactive spider and develops super powers we cheer him on, because he is everything that we wish we were.

Why am I spending so much time on this? Because the real question is not about comics and sci-fi. It’s about us and our identity and where we find our own value.

There is this lie, it goes something like this:

“You are stupid.

You are unattractive.

You are untalented.

You are unlovable.

You are worthless.

You are nothing.”

Have you heard this lie before? Maybe somewhere in the back of your mind, this lie repeats like a broken record.

Because of this lie, we are afraid. We are afraid of others, their judgment, ourselves, our potential, of failure, and sometimes even afraid of success.

Most of the time, comic heroes have secret identities. Why is this? Often it is because the rest of the world would not understand their need to fit in. Most superheroes just want to be normal, while the normal people would give anything to be extraordinary.

The reason the lie sinks its hooks into us is because we have an identity crisis. We desire an identity that is not true. We want a secret identity.

Identity and value are rooted in perception. When others want to be around us we believe that we are valued. We find our value in what others think of us. In this way we create an identity that displays the qualities and characteristics that we think others want from us. We root our identity in the judgment of others.

Hollywood will continue to make comic/sci-fi movies because they draw the crowds. We will continue to go because we desire hope. But at the end of the two hours we will still have a lie playing over and over in our heads. If we believe the lie, no amount of Hollywood hope will overcome it. And the only way to defeat the lie is to embrace your true identity.

You are intelligent.

You are beautiful.

You are gifted.

You are loved.

You are valued.

You are somebody.


There is a sermon in here somewhere.

new posts coming

Ok so it's been a while since I posted anything serious (or anything at all for that matter). so i plan to start making a few posts here and there about a few things that have been on my mind, books I am reading, thoughts I have had, and other points of interest (at least interesting to me).

so be patient, it is coming.

In order to hold you over here are a few things that are keeping me occupied:

School: Cincinnati Christian University
House Church: 3rd Place

Books I am reading:
Slaves, Women, and Homosexuals by William Webb

Colossians Remixed by Brian J. Walsh and Sylvia C. Keesmaat


Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections Between Sexuality And Spirituality by Rob Bell.

When I get time to watch TV:
L O S T

The Office

Heroes