Farewell LOST

(Transferred from the old blog The Egan Initiative)

I am still emotional after watching the LOST series finale last night. I can best grasp it is from a combination of the actual events of the show, and that there will be no more. It is a period of mourning and of satisfaction...the last episode hit home that investing myself into this show has been more than worth it.

Anyone with some idea of the stories in Lost would immediately recognize that we are fans by the title of our blog, a reference to the Dharma initiative, a group of scientists that were on the Island in the 1970's.
I have found this to be no ordinary television series. I have witnessed LOST to be a perfect work of art, in the sense that the masterpiece it is allows each viewer to bring themselves into it for their own interpretation. They kept true with this theme from beginning to the end.

There was always the sense of wanting to know the answers to the questions posed by the show. For many of the episodes of the 6 seasons, each answer given only lead to more questions. As the show came to an end, many questions got some form of resolution. However, some of this resolution was gained by paying attention to the show all along. The show itself has become a mosaic on answers and questions, mimicking life in its existence. LOST is a mirror to humanity and spirituality. The end was a stunning and beautiful tribute to the conclusion of the answer that we may not know why or how, but that we exist, we live, we struggle, and we love.

LOST has become what I believe to be the greatest mythological story of our time. It holds up to Homer's Odyssey, the Hindu Vedas, the tales of the Torah and New Biblical Testament. It merged together ancient tales with modern viewpoints, some easily recognized as Biblical, Hindu, Atlantean, and Egyptian; references of modern science, philosophy, books, movies; along with ideas as mysterious as the Island itself. Since childhood I have been an avid reader of myths, legends, and religious beliefs from around the world. The writers of Lost incorporated so many of these into their tale, which I know is the primary reason why I got so deep into this series. I admit I did not have interest in the show for the first season as it was marketed as a drama version of "Survivor", then word of mouth came out that it was nothing like people expected. When Kenna was a newborn and would wake up in the middle of the night, I needed something to help me stay awake along side her. I rented the first season of Lost and was instantly hooked. The quality of the acting, writing, and directing matched those of outstanding movies. I soon had any family and friend I could get to watch it sit down with me and enjoy the show, piecing it together and trying to come up with the answers before they were revealed (if they ever were revealed)

In the course of the next few years we were introduced to characters in such a deep level that many of us fans felt like they were a part of us, that we knew them. Some of them we identified with, some we loved, others we loved to hate. The show was so well executed that the surprises given were rarely if ever predictable. Like life itself, it took us for a ride...some enjoyed it for the whole turn, others deciding to get off halfway through.... and I can say that the ride payed off in a way I could have only hoped. I will greatly miss our Lost nights, but I am so happy to have been able to be a part of this and experience this story in a way that only modern technology could bring it to us.

I am in awe of the culmination of the message of the show, of eternity, love, free will, and fate. LOST is a gift of which I will be forever grateful.

Farewell

It has been only hours since the world was told the news of the death of Michael Jackson. I must say a part of me was surprised about how much it affected me. I first heard of him being brought to the hospital in the 5 o'clock news headlines. 45 minutes later I logged in to check Facebook and a friend had said that he died...I at first didn't beleive it. I turned on the TV, and they were talking about it, saying that the news came in that he was pronounced dead. A split second of shock was followed by tears. No way...not yet, it can't be.... and then opened up reflections on just how much of an influence he was on my life. His passing on is like the marking of the end of an era, and end to my childhood. There is no doubt his influence will live on.

I remember the first time I was introduced to Michael like it was yesterday. I was quite young and at a birthday party for a daughter of one of my mom's friends, whose name was Sue. At some point in the party many of the adults were inside and going to watch something on the TV. It turned out to be Thriller. I remember one person telling me it was scary and I shouldn't watch it, but I was too intrigued to turn away. I fell in love instantly! Soon I was given the Thriller album on tape. I still have it, bearing a star my mom drew on the side with Billy Jean, which was my favorite song on the whole album. I had a little tape player/speaker combo that I brought with me everywhere and listened to the tape. I'm sure there are many people I subjected to my Michael Jackson infatuation over the years. ;) Later that same year for Christmas I was given a Michael Jackson Thriller doll, which I still have...though I have since lost his shoes, sunglasses, and silver glove. I had a poster of him at my bed. All by the age of 4.

Over my growing years I formed a life long adoration of singing and dance which I attribute to him. I realized last night just how much of who I am was influenced by my first childhood 'crush'. I used to dance and sing to his music in the backyard, imagining that I was also a famous singer. Such good times. I know that because of him I love skinny guys...so really Ryan has him to thank, too, ha ha... not to mention that I always that it was awesome when guys wear eyeliner, and even down to the fashion influence having me always loving black and a bit more of the goth style...I know it all surfaced from him. I also realized last night while watching some recaps of him and just mesmerized by his glittery outfits that my love of glitter must have been born through my love of him too. I even broke my arm when I was 8 because I was doing my own version of what I saw him do in the music video "The Way you Make me Feel"; he climbed through a window of a car, and I was doing the same thing only I decided it would be cool to sit on the window sill for a while. Next thing I knew I was hurt and on the ground. Whenever anything of Michael came on TV my parents would record it for me on what would be much used VHS tapes. I watched Moonwalker all the time. Whenever I see Joe Pesci I first associate him with the bad guy in Moonwalker. That movie was the first time I realized the Beatles could be cool, since he performed "Come Together" in it.

Even when his popularity waned during the 90s I never stopped loving him. I'd listen to his tape in my car all the time, not caring what others thought, though I just loved it when someone else enjoyed it as much as I did. Old school Michael is classic. You can't top it, and pop music could never escape his talented influence. Any time he is played at the dance clubs I'd get giddy and feel like a kid again. I used to love going to Disney's Pleasure Island while it was still open since they played him frequently at 8Trax. I even opened up our housewarming party last year playing the music video for Rock With You (woohoo, glitter)

I regret I will never be able to see him perform live. I was all set to do whatever I could to see him on his planned upcoming tour. We have lost an amazing talent, one I honestly believe will never be equaled in the field of pop music ever. Much love to Michael & his family, and many thanks for all he has meant for me.



















First photo: With my cousin Alyssa in Oregon listening & dancing to Michael on my tape player. Andrea was never much of a fan, ha ha.
Second Photo: Christmas when I got my MJ doll. You can see my tape player on the floor below him. Knowing me I was trying to play along with the song while pretending he was singing.
Third Photo: At Pleasure Island having a great time dancing to Billy Jean in 2008

Bela's Undead

I wanted to post this quite a while ago, but as usual I procrastinated. Tis a habit I really need to break!

Anyway, I was reading about the funeral of a film director that I find inspiring and amazing, Ingmar Bergman.

This was back in August. (See..I told you I've been procrastinating). I wanted to share with you one of my favorite films, The Seventh Seal. It is a must see. Fascinating and thought provoking. He made this movie in the 50s, and it is in Swedish, but the translated subtitles get the message well enough across with the artistic imagery. So for those of you out there who like movies that will make you think, see this one.
.

Speaking of old movies and such, a little over a month ago Ryan and I watched Ed Wood. Silly, of course, but I never realized how sad the last years of Bela Lugosi were. He is awesome, and it was unfortunate to see his decline. What I liked so much about "Ed Wood" is that it showed that he was still able to find someone that cared about him in the end...something I wish for all of us.

Later that night I decided for some unknown reason to look up which famous people were born on Zelda's birthday.

Well, wouldn't you have it, one of them is Bela Lugosi.
How funny that I would find that out on the very same evening. She also shares a birthday with Snoop Dogg, Tom Petty, and Viggo Mortensen. I share mine with Socrates and Cher. Ha!