Shrinking Violets - Part 5!

[Haydee 2]

Aww, thanks for the compliments on the pics. We absolutely loved it there but in reality we would have been happy in a shack as long as we were together. We were still so high from the wedding euphoria.

Judy sorry about your trip. :smile2:

Pam- good luck with the move today.

Delo, great job with WW, you are doing awesome!

Jane- yep I'm back at work. Been back since Monday. I would have loved to stay home but we have to pay bills, lol. We are gonna be broke for a bit after this wedding.

My sister called and told me she was having a donut for Breakfast. Yum! I want one too but I'm already at work. Its probably for the best!

[janiebug 0]

Judy that is no fair about your trip!!

Haydee was it from Shipleys?

[mdrai 3]

Hey girlies...

I finally had a chance to read Sunday's newspaper last eve, and came across this in the Travel section... thought it was good info for those of us who may be tracking flight fares, etc...

"Want to find out the likelihood of missing your connecting flight? Or the true price of a flight, with baggage fees and drink tab included? InsideTrip.com, which launched last week, promises to figure it out for you.

Most aggregator and booking sites, such as Kayak and Expedia, search flights by price and times, but InsideTrip is "price-plus," said founder Dave Pelter.

"Those other guys do a great job, don't get me wrong, but they're really presenting prices and schedules," he said. "We're really going deep on the qualitative side, and they're assuming price always matters."

The site gives each flight a "TripQuality" rating based on three categories: speed, comfort, and ease. Among the factors taken into consideration are number of stops, security wait time, legroom, aircraft age, and lost-baggage ranking. A recent search of flights to Detroit Metro Wayne Co. Airport, for instance, rated a $321 round-trip flight from BWI a 93, and a $299 round-trip flight from National an 89. The highest possible score is 100.

The Web site also tracks historical TripQuality scores to give travelers an idea of what to expect on any given route. Consumers can also search by business class, first class, and multi-city itineraries."

Enjoy the day!

[mdrai 3]

Ok, more info from the paper... "Books for Grads Setting Out on that Next Big Adventure"... or really, anyone trying to figure out what they want to be/do when they grow up!

"What Should I Do With My Life?," by Po Bronson. A collection of stories from people who have "found bliss in every setting."

"Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It," by Marshall Goldsmith. The book is designed to get you into the "make it happen" zone.

"101 Things I Learned in Business School," by Michael Preis. This is "ideal for the liberal arts grad" who skipped business-school.

[Teachlady 3]

Quick post before WW...

The business cards arrived today and they are perfect!!! Can't wait to use them on the Palms trip. The back is blank so we can sign our names... (think autographs). Off to the bank and then to weigh in.. keeping my fingers crossed and my clothes light!

[Teachlady 3]

Back again. I lost 1# so I'm happy. That makes 8.4# this month so far.

I also made the decision not to go to Canada without Bob. Sooooooooo that means tickets and B&B costs are swallowed. But... it's only money, right?? I just can't leave him alone on his birthday after all these years. Neither one of us has to work on Sunday so we'll take the day and go do something fun like go to Mackinaw or go to the Casino... yikes... on Sunday!!

I put a note on Facebook for anyone who might be going to Stratford... might put an ad in the local paper too. Such is life!

Off to have some lunch... sandwich and veggie straws. Yums..

[Daisalana 33]

Though it sounds like none of you really watched Lost, here is a GREAT breakdown of what it all meant, and I was pleasantly surprised at the end to realize the person who wrote this was a writer on the show.

http://lostmediamentions.blogspot.com/2010/05/someone-from-bad-robots-take-on-finale.html

Good stuff on here! I can finally throw in my two cents! I've had to bite my tongue for far too long. Also, hopefully I can answer some of John's questions about Dharma and the "pointless breadcrumbs" that really, weren't so pointless ...

First ...

The Island:

It was real. Everything that happened on the island that we saw throughout the 6 seasons was real. Forget the final image of the plane crash, it was put in purposely to f*&k with people's heads and show how far the show had come. They really crashed. They really survived. They really discovered Dharma and the Others. The Island keeps the balance of good and evil in the world. It always has and always will perform that role. And the Island will always need a "Protector". Jacob wasn't the first, Hurley won't be the last. However, Jacob had to deal with a malevolent force (MIB) that his mother, nor Hurley had to deal with. He created the devil and had to find a way to kill him -- even though the rules prevented him from actually doing so.

Thus began Jacob's plan to bring candidates to the Island to do the one thing he couldn't do. Kill the MIB. He had a huge list of candidates that spanned generations. Yet everytime he brought people there, the MIB corrupted them and caused them to kill one another. That was until Richard came along and helped Jacob understand that if he didn't take a more active role, then his plan would never work.

Enter Dharma -- which I'm not sure why John is having such a hard time grasping. Dharma, like the countless scores of people that were brought to the island before, were brought there by Jacob as part of his plan to kill the MIB. However, the MIB was aware of this plan and interferred by "corrupting" Ben. Making Ben believe he was doing the work of Jacob when in reality he was doing the work of the MIB. This carried over into all of Ben's "off-island" activities. He was the leader. He spoke for Jacob as far as they were concerned. So the "Others" killed Dharma and later were actively trying to kill Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley and all the candidates because that's what the MIB wanted. And what he couldn't do for himself.

Dharma was originally brought in to be good. But was turned bad by MIB's corruption and eventually destroyed by his pawn Ben. Now, was Dharma only brought there to help Jack and the other Canditates on their overall Quest to kill Smokey? Or did Jacob have another list of Canidates from the Dharma group that we were never aware of? That's a question that is purposley not answered because whatever answer the writers came up with would be worse than the one you come up with for yourself. Still ... Dharma's purpose is not "pointless" or even vague. Hell, it's pretty blantent.

Still, despite his grand plan, Jacob wanted to give his "candidates" (our Lostaways) the one thing he, nor his brother, were ever afforded: free will. Hence him bringing a host of "candidates" through the decades and letting them "choose" which one would actually do the job in the end. Maybe he knew Jack would be the one to kill Flocke and that Hurley would be the protector in the end. Maybe he didn't. But that was always the key question of the show: Fate vs Free-will. Science vs Faith. Personally I think Jacob knew from the beginning what was going to happen and that everyone played a part over 6 seasons in helping Jack get to the point where he needed to be to kill Smokey and make Hurley the protector -- I know that's how a lot of the writers viewed it. But again, they won't answer that (nor should they) because that ruins the fun.

In the end, Jack got to do what he always wanted to do from the very first episode of the show: Save his fellow Lostaways. He got Kate and Sawyer off the island and he gave Hurley the purpose in life he'd always been missing. And, in Sideways world (which we'll get to next) he in fact saved everyone by helping them all move on ...

Now...

Sideways World:

Sideways world is where it gets really cool in terms of theology and metaphysical discussion (for me at least -- because I love history/religion theories and loved all the talks in the writer's room about it). Basically what the show is proposing is that we're all linked to certain people during our lives. Call them soulmates (though it's not exactly the best word). But these people we're linked to are with us duing "the most important moments of our lives" as Christian said. These are the people we move through the universe with from lifetime to lifetime. It's loosely based in Hinduisim with large doses of western religion thrown into the mix.

The conceit that the writers created, basing it off these religious philosophies, was that as a group, the Lostaways subconsciously created this "sideways" world where they exist in purgatory until they are "awakened" and find one another. Once they all find one another, they can then move on and move forward. In essence, this is the show's concept of the afterlife. According to the show, everyone creates their own "Sideways" purgatory with their "soulmates" throughout their lives and exist there until they all move on together. That's a beautiful notion. Even if you aren't religious or even spirtual, the idea that we live AND die together is deeply profound and moving.

It's a really cool and spirtual concept that fits the whole tone and subtext the show has had from the beginning. These people were SUPPOSED to be together on that plane. They were supposed to live through these events -- not JUST because of Jacob. But because that's what the universe or God (depending on how religious you wish to get) wanted to happen. The show was always about science vs faith -- and it ultimately came down on the side of faith. It answered THE core question of the series. The one question that has been at the root of every island mystery, every character backstory, every plot twist. That, by itself, is quite an accomplishment.

How much you want to extrapolate from that is up to you as the viewer. Think about season 1 when we first found the Hatch. Everyone thought that's THE answer! Whatever is down there is the answer! Then, as we discovered it was just one station of many. One link in a very long chain that kept revealing more, and more of a larger mosiac.

But the writer's took it even further this season by contrasting this Sideways "purgatory" with the Island itself. Remember when Michael appeared to Hurley, he said he was not allowed to leave the Island. Just like the MIB. He wasn't allowed into this sideways world and thus, was not afforded the opportunity to move on. Why? Because he had proven himself to be unworthy with his actions on the Island. He failed the test. The others, passed. They made it into Sideways world when they died -- some before Jack, some years later. In Hurley's case, maybe centuries later. They exist in this sideways world until they are "awakened" and they can only move on TOGETHER because they are linked. They are destined to be together for eternity. That was their destiny.

They were NOT linked to Anna Lucia, Daniel, Roussou, Alex, Miles, Lupidis, (and all the rest who weren't in the chuch -- basically everyone who wasn't in season 1). Yet those people exist in Sideways world. Why? Well again, here's where they leave it up to you to decide. The way I like to think about it, is that those people who were left behind in Sideways world have to find their own soulmates before they can wake up. It's possible that those links aren't people from the island but from their other life (Anna's parnter, the guy she shot --- Roussou's husband, etc etc).

A lot of people have been talking about Ben and why he didn't go into the Church. And if you think of Sideways world in this way, then it gives you the answer to that very question. Ben can't move on yet because he hasn't connected with the people he needs to. It's going to be his job to awaken Roussou, Alex, Anna Lucia (maybe), Ethan, Goodspeed, his father and the rest. He has to attone for his sins more than he did by being Hurley's number two. He has to do what Hurley and Desmond did for our Lostaways with his own people. He has to help them connect. And he can only move on when all the links in his chain are ready to. Same can be said for Faraday, Charlotte, Whidmore, Hawkins etc. It's really a neat, and cool concept. At least to me.

But, from a more "behind the scenes" note: the reason Ben's not in the church, and the reason no one is in the church but for Season 1 people is because they wrote the ending to the show after writing the pilot. And never changed it. The writers always said (and many didn't believe them) that they knew their ending from the very first episode. I applaud them for that. It's pretty fantastic. Originally Ben was supposed to have a 3 episode arc and be done. But he became a big part of the show. They could have easily changed their ending and put him in the church -- but instead they problem solved it. Gave him a BRILLIANT moment with Locke outside the church ... and then that was it. I loved that. For those that wonder -- the original ending started the moment Jack walked into the church and touches the casket to Jack closing his eyes as the other plane flies away. That was always JJ's ending. And they kept it.

For me the ending of this show means a lot. Not only because I worked on it, but because as a writer it inspired me in a way the medium had never done before. I've been inspired to write by great films. Maybe too many to count. And there have been amazing TV shows that I've loved (X-Files, 24, Sopranos, countless 1/2 hour shows). But none did what LOST did for me. None showed me that you could take huge risks (writing a show about faith for network TV) and stick to your creative guns and STILL please the audience. I learned a lot from the show as a writer. I learned even more from being around the incredible writers, producers, PAs, interns and everyone else who slaved on the show for 6 years.

In the end, for me, LOST was a touchstone show that dealt with faith, the afterlife, and all these big, spirtual questions that most shows don't touch. And to me, they never once waivered from their core story -- even with all the sci-fi elements they mixed in. To walk that long and daunting of a creative tightrope and survive is simply astounding.

It explains it enough to satisy me, so I'm good again.

[mdrai 3]

Interesting... thanks for posting it, Laura!

Sorry about your trip -- or non-trip, really -- Judy. But yay yay yay on the loss! Ya'll are doing so well, I may be tempted to check it out...

Look what tease was on Twitter:

SpaResortCasino

Taking of the Waters signature spa treatment-steam, sauna, eucalyptus inhalation and mineral waters. Amazing!

...ok, off to soccer practice.

[Haydee 2]

thanks for the update laura. makes me want to watch it. it sounds so intriguing!

does anyone watch parenthood? it's pretty good...

hows everyone? i'm doing good. feeling good. lots of work like always. will it ever end?? ha ha ha

headed over to mama and daddys house. my dads grilling some steaks and we are going to jump in the pool for a bit.

everyone have a fantastic night...

[irishmae11 0]

I like Parenthood, Haydee....I am soo ticked at NBC though-after the Conan disaster, they now have canceled TRAUMA and Mercy...this from the network that brought us FEAR FACTOR-sheesh...the idol kid was from this area...and the Biggest loser was too...AND I saw the Mayor of Elgin today...lol...at City hall and I met a city councilman...red letter day for me...yawn..have 2 more weeks until I hit LIFETIME with WW...still 1 1/2 lbs below goal...we went out for dinner and I had not 1 but "2" margaritas...and some enchiladas...guess what I am having for lunch tomorrow...ok, getting sleepy-trying to stay awake for Paula Deen on the CHIN, but fading fast...Kathy Griffith is on now...sometimes I can take her, sometimes not...

[kity 2]

Hey V's~

OK...all moved in. There is crap every where and I have no idea where anything is. I have 32 students this am...who won't be learnin' nuttin' new today, except how to unpack boxes!

I had to google who won Dancing (didn't watch it, but kinda followed along each week), and am ok w/ Idol's finale. I think she should've won, butttt, am glad she will be signed today, and is not confined by the restraints of AI (winners have to do x, y, and z for their label). Lee was great, just sucked Tuesday.

Well, went to WW yesterday. I was STARVING trying not to eat before the weigh in, but went to costco before the mtg. I had only a few appetizers things, some diet coke (cause I pb'd a string cheese and needed something to drink) and was stuffed when I weighed in...and gained 3#:thumbup:. I will stick with it, and next week, I'll be "empty" before weigh in fo'sho'!

OK...have a great day. It is 6am, the sun was georgous this am at 5am!

We are having some friends over for dinner...grilled chix, sal, zuccini, and spinach ravioli (not for me). One of the gals just got out of rehab for alcohol, so it is diet coke tonight. We have another couple coming over Sat...that is a different story:rolleyes:.

Have a great day!

xoxoxoxoxo

[Teachlady 3]

Good morning, Violets..

Well, our friends just stopped by to bring Bob a card and some Cookies before they headed to Canada without us. sighhhhh I couldn't sleep last night thinking about all the wasted money, but nothing I can do about it. I could have gone, but just didn't want to be away from Bob for the weekend. We are going to go to Traverse City on his birthday and stop by the garden store on the way. Then we'll hit the casino and the mall in TC and have dinner there before heading home. It's a 2 hour drive so it will take up most of the day.

Ethan arrived at 7:30 this morning and he's already gone through the Netflix stuff on the tv and has settled in with Wii sports. That will keep him busy for awhile and then it will be pool time. It's supposed to be 78 today. The pool temp yesterday was 90. Should be a little cooler today. I'm working on my tan even though the sun poisoning has started too, as usual.

I was disappointed with the American Idol outcome last night. Same as last year and the year Clay Aiken lost. Boy, Rueben Studdard has lost a LOT of weight!!

Nothing in the house for breakfast so I'm munching on Veggie Straws. I need to do some shopping. I just figured we would be gone this weekend so didn't stock up on things.

I have 6 bags of mulch to spread on the front yard beds today. I put 4 bags in yesterday and will probably need 10 more to finish the job. But once that's done, I'm DONE with mulching!!

Everyone have a great day. Be good to yourselves!!

[mdrai 3]

Last week ds had a sore throat/headache thing for a few days... I gave him meds, tea, etc. & he recovered... on Sunday dh started complaining and ended up being home sick from work on T & W w/sore throat, cold, cough... I even slept in the guest room the past 3 nights so I wouldn't get sick... so guess how I feel this morn? Sore & swollen throat, popping ears, headache! Wah! Glad I don't have any work today & can veg out 'til later when I have to take kids to activities...

[kity 2]

Feel better Michelle~

was at work at 6:50am...just sitting looking at all this crap to do.

feel tired.

[janiebug 0]

Feel better Michelle! I was kind of paranoid on the plane because of recycled air just over and over being contaminated with someones illness, but I was lucky, and didn't get sick! I am not germ phobic, just don't want to get sick and miss work....