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8:05pm - I thought the actual finale started at 8pm, but it’s actually 9.   Good thing because XTina #2 is not here yet.  So I’m watching today’s Oprah :)  Dane Cook!  Yes, I realize 99% of the men I know HATE HIM….they’re stupid.

8:37pm - Now watching The Daily Show (from last night).  Laura arrived home and can’t stomach Oprah, or Dane

8:39pm - Really loves Stewart’s impression of Trump.  They’re talking about the Miss California debaucle.  I agree with him, the girl is entiteld to her own opinion and it’s the same position Obama takes.  So…leave the dumb blonde alone.

8:55pm - And now, Colbert.  We want to watch long enough so that we can fast forward through some of the LOST commercials.  I love comparing the same news stories on Daily and Colbert to see how they spin it for a liberal and the faux-conservative view.

9:02pm - Nervous!  Making sure that the DVR is recording while we wait to start watching.  Yes, red light is on :)  Colbert is totally running it with this woman from the Council of Foreign Relations.

9:11pm - So my friend, who is watching on “real” time, keeps sending me teasers!

9:13pm - Me, to my roommate and xtina #2, “why don’t you guys just be over there in your little matching outfits.”  They were making fun of me for bloggin’.

9:17pm - We’re watching!  Who is this? Jacob?!

9:19pm - God and Devil?

9:20pm - Commercial already?!  ABC is getting more money than the Super Bowl for this.  Ok, it’s Kate and Tom; good job Laura for recognizing the toy airplane.  Kate’s always been a bad seed.  And there’s Jacob!  He is totally God.  He’s going to visit them all as children.

9:23pm - Sawyer is so boring.

9:24pm - Sayid is so hot.

9:26pm - Razinksi is a total tool.  He’s gonna die soon.  When are we going to get Richard’s backstory?  The man who never ages.  Also, I feel bad for Ben.

9:29pm - Why did they kill of Ana Lucia if they were just going to replace her with the exact same character?

9:33pm - Baby Boy Sawyer, writing the letter.  And there’s my man Jacob. Is this basically the story of how they all become liars and thieves?

9:42pm - So did Jacob cause Sayid’s wife to die?  Or save Sayid from being killed?  And that’s when Sayid goes bad, permanently?

9:46pm - Out of nowhere, Jin and Hurley!

9:48pm - Sawyer and Freckler flirt and Juliet thinks “why did I let you mothers off this submarine?”  WTF! Where did Vincent come from?  Holy shit it’s Rose!

9:51pm - “it’s always something with you people.” - Rose.  They’re very Zen.  Aww, cute moment.

9:55pm - Why is Jacob talking to the Ana Lucia clone?  How have they all been on this island before?!  Also, there’s NO WAY that fire is going to stay contained!

9:58pm - Heal thyself!  Well, there’s one thing that was explained. And that book that Jacob was reading is on the top seller’s list….now.

10:00pm - Look at Locke, telling Ben why he needs to kill Jacob.

10:02pm - Charlie’s ring!!! I called that shit!  Also, how Western is this Korean wedding?

10:08pm - So the story Jack tells Kate in the first episode, about facing fear head-on.  I had no idea it was his father’s words he was following.  God, Jack is a total brat.

10:12pm - Jack and Sawyer are having a heart to heart. July 1977.  “What’s done is done.”  God, Sawyer is being so rational.  Throw down!

10:17pm - We are now on real time.  Baby Juliet and Rachel.  And no Jacob.

10:27pm - How does Hurley get the real conversation with Jacob?

10:31pm - So if Sayid “dies,” and I say this loosely because apparently everyone’s coming back to life soon, will the fans revolt?

10:33pm - You can’t kill Jacob, you can’t even SEE Jacob!

10:40pm - Here comes the Scooby Doo van!

10:46pm - Holy Crap.  Did that really just happen in six minutes??  In apartment #9 there was a lot of screaming and “OH NO!!!”s and cringing.

However, I did call Juliet’s death.  Totally.

10:51pm - Yeah, we knew that was Locke.  So this other Locke must be the devil person and he wants to kill Jacob but can’t so now Ben’s going to do it.

10:54pm - Jacob vs. the Devil.  Ben is having a talk with God.

10:57pm - Did they just kill God?

10:58pm - Oh no Juliet.

10:59pm - No they didn’t. Really?  Really?

UGGHGHGH. 2010!!!!!

I had been doing really well at blogging for a bit…I feel like I lost focus of what I was using this blog for.  And by lost focus I mean I never really had a focus :)  Sometimes I write about actual events that are going on (European adventure in 02) or I talk about some pop culture (mainly Lost), or I speak about life in a general sense.  I really don’t have a problem with how I use this site, so I guess I just need to start using it more.  I think I’ve been Facebooking (is that a verb now?) my thoughts instead of putting them on electronic paper here.

So…things I’m excited about

1. Finale time!  Well, this is really bittersweet.  I want the action of a finale but I hate having to wait so long for the new season to start.  Especially with Lost, since they wait 7 months to return!  Perphaps I’ve watched too much TV in my life, but one of my co-workers had no idea that within a show’s regular season they show re-runs.  They just assumed every week was a new episode until they ran out for the year.  I mention this because she was upset when Gossip Girl was a repeat a couple of weeks ago.  Yes, she watches Gossip Girl and is in her mid-20s.  Yes, I watch it too.

2. Summertime in Boston.  I get it.  I get why Northerners love the summer.  It’s because there are actual seasons up here and it makes a difference what time of year it is and what activities you can participate in.  As opposed to Florida where everyday is beach day - I mean, even in the “dead of winter” it hits at least 60 by noon.  So I’m absolutely thrilled that I can wear my flip flops again; I tried a month ago and kept stepping in puddles that were freaking freezing.  I’m also looking forward to driving outside of the city and experiencing outdoor summer fun without it being 100% humidity.  For those Southerners who have never been up here  - no humidity is FANTASTIC.  Believe the rumors, they are true.

3. Work.  Yes, I’m serious.  I was feeling like I was in a rut, a.k.a. a routine (which I am not a fan of) and now I’ve been given the opportunity to work in new areas of the organization.  I really couldn’t mention it before, but now that things are finalized I am free to speak about it.  In addition to HR, I’ll be the development manager and the alumni liasion.   For me, I’m most excited about getting some face time with the students and creating real relationships with them.  I haven’t had the opportunity to do that this year and, as a result, was not feeling that connected to the school and its mission.  So, new job(s) in tow, I am forging full steam ahead.  Yes, that sounded incredibly corny.  Wow.

4. I’m turning 29 next month!  I have no problem admitting my real age (especially when a parent asked me if I was a student….a high school student…not too long ago) and can’t wait to start the last year of my 20s.  I’m planning a party at Jillian’s, next to Fenway.  It’s a good venue for a party because they have a lot of different activities (bowling being the main one) and then we can go downstairs to Tequilla Rain for dancing.  And y’all know how I love to dance

Speaking of Fenway, I had the chance to sit in the most amazing seats last month.  Four of us from work were given tickets from one of our trustees, who wasn’t able to attend the game himself.  We were literally in the front row.  Right behind home plate, a bit to the right.  You could see us on the television whenever they showed a batter!  Completely awesome.

Oh, and speaking of fun things to do, I went paintballing last month with about 50 of my co-workers.  Beyond awesome.  I had never been and, this should not be surprising to most of you, I LOVE SHOOTING AT PEOPLE.  Honestly.  Best way to get some stress out and plenty of exercise - I was so sore (and bruised) the next day.  Sidenote: those “bullets” hurt like a bitch.  I’d totally do it again

So I’m really confused as to why Sun and Ben (and the pilot) are stuck in the present with the rest of the plane survivors.  However, I’m way too excited about the Hurley/Sawyer reunion to care!  Jack and Sawyer shaking hands,  James and Kate calling each other by their real names, I feel like this is going to be a good one.

Jin’s off to find his woman!  I can only think it’s because he hasn’t had sex in three years…oh, and because he loves her.  Hmm, and now we have to explain the whole “Juliet hearts James” thing.

Great, a new plane crash means a dozen new stupid characters we have to delve into. God, I hope we can kill them all off in this episode.  I can’t handle anymore side stories.

Ben is acting really strange.  No, I mean stranger than usual.

HA! I thought Juliet was going to drop Ethan on his head when she heard his name.

You know, I don’t think we’ve ever seen Sawyer acting frazzled, ever.  It’s interesting.

There’s my boy Sayid, looking hot as usual.

Haha, I am loving this Welcome New Recruits event.  Poor James/Sawyer, he’s in over his head with this return of the survivors business.  Meanwhile the Captain is becoming the new Jack.

Damn Sun!  Asian women…you just never know what they’re going to do next.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - never trust them.

Whoa!  We finally meet Peter Chang!  He looks much better in real life than on video.  And big kuddos to Sawyer for giving Jack the aptitude of a janitor!  Do you think that Kate and Juliet are going to have a smack-down in this episode or they will wait until next week?

Back to James/Sawyer trying to save the day.

DUDE.  Creepy Hitchcock moment with Christian’s shadow at that house.  He’s like Father Death.  Are we going to see Claire now?

I absolutely love Sawyer running the show in this time period.*

That guy is suspicious.  The one that gave Jack directions.  He’s trouble.

Juliet and Jack.  Uh huh.

Awkward.  Jack and Sawyer.  This is going to be a big problem.  Sawyer, thinking?  God, his ego is going to be sky high next week.  I don’t like how he’s basically turning into a Jack.  Annoying.  I don’t want to hate him.

….and I give it five days (island days) until Kate and Sawyer hit the hay.

OOOOOHHH!!! CHILD BEN!!!!!!!  He has adult Ben’s creepy glare.

I don’t know how Sayid is going to keep from killing Junior Ben.  Wait, I just saw previews for next week, he’s totally there to kill Ben.

Seacrest Out!

* I think I take that back.

Coy

Originally uploaded by kmj1659

Toby turns 4 today! That’s 28 in human years, which means that Toby and I are the same age….for the next three months at least

Time has certainly flown by and I can’t believe I’ve had him for so long (minus his stint in Maine). In fact, I think I’ve been watching too much Lost (strike that, I KNOW) and I was contemplating the idea that perhaps I’ve been time traveling and that’s why these four years have seemed like four months.

Anyways, here’s to Toby Jones!

Last year, an article was published about Dothan, AL (where my father’s family is from); the Jewish community was offering $50,000 to families that were willing to relocate to Dothan, for at least five years. Apparently the number of Jews in the area has dwindled in recent years, with many college graduates not returning to the town. Gee, I wonder why. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Dothan…for visiting. It’s very much the Bible Belt and I can’t even believe there were once 100 Jewish families living there. I’m from a relatively diverse part of FL and growing up we only had a handful of Jewish kids at my school - seriously, you could count them on one hand. I find it hard to believe Dothan had us beat. There, you’re either a Christian…or a Catholic. Ha! Sorry, I had to throw that one in, people actually say that.

My brother and I were discussing how much it would take him to move to Dothan; no, he’s not Jewish, he’s actually a liberal atheist. We stopped at $500,000 for five months, I think, and then realized he couldn’t even do that. We’ve just grown up with a much broader worldview than what I’ve witnessed in Dothan and I don’t think my mind could survive it.

This past week, another article hit the internet. Two of my best friends forwarded it to me - Dothan is quite famous amongst my crew as where my relatives are from. I often boast about the National Peanut Festival (where they give out samples of flavored chewing tobacco!) and the Copper Pig sculpture. The new article details the move of the first family, The Reeds, into the city. The husband, who was raised Mormon and is in the process of coverting to Judaism, spoke about the friendliness of the residents. He’s received dozens of calls from people asking if they can do anything for him, take the family to dinner, etc. I’m not surprised. These poor people are investing a million dollars to get 20 families to move there - they are going to do whatever it takes to make them happy. Me, I think I would have taken the million and moved the congregation up North. I know, I know, you’ve got to bring about change anyway that you can, and I wish them luck with that whole venture.

So, back to the entry’s title. My best friend in Atlanta texted me that it is snowing there today. I texted back telling her that it’s snowing in Dothan (information courtesy of my Aunt Cheryl, who is now on Facebook!). She then replies back “snow for the jews!”

Ha, I just thought it was funny. Yeah, so I decided to write an entire post about it

In other news, I’ve discovered that watching movies at the gym 1) entices me to work out for 2.2 times longer than I normally would and 2) might end up replacing my NetFlix subscription. Hey, it’s a recession. Gotta cut costs where you can!

First things first: it is absolutely unnecessary to have a countdown for the President’s speech to congress.  Come on CNN, this isn’t a WWF Smackdown.  There’s no space shuttle about to launch.  I do not need to know that there’s 5 minutes and 14 seconds to go.  Really.

This leads into my next topic, the economy (which I’m assuming is all Obama is going to talk about in 4:03).  I was thinking about how far-reaching this recession has been.  How it has affected those closest to me.  Rarely do national events strike so close to home for me - I have no family or close friends in service (apparently the only “national event” I can think of is war?)

I have been very fortunate during this time, knock on wood.  I have a good job, it’s relatively secure, and things are stable for my immediate family.  In fact, we’re doing better now than any other time I can think of.  Growing up, we were lower middle class.  Yes, I think that best describes it.  We weren’t poor enough to qualify for federal aid, but we also didn’t partake in most of the small luxuries/extravagances other friends’ families did.  Looking back now, with our current state of affairs on my mind, I’m realizing how much my parents sacrificed and how fiscally responsible they were.  They were Suze Orman’s dream - they are STILL Suze Orman’s dream.  They only bought was was absolutely necessary.  They always paid off their entire credit bill each month.  The only thing they didn’t pay for in cash was our house.  I’m truly amazed.

I’m also humbled with I think about how hard it was to raise a family a five, most of the time on one income.   When I was three, my father was laid off for awhile and my mother went to work as a maid at a nearby motel.  She spoke little English and had no formal education (in Thailand or the U.S.) so that was the only job she could get.  When I was 7 or 8, she went to work at the local fernery.  I don’t think I told a single friend about this at the time.  I was embarrassed  - of course I’m ashamed of myself now, but I understand why I felt that way.  My friends were all middle class, with educated parents, and nice homes.  I felt like I didn’t quite fit in, I wasn’t able to afford the cool clothes and shoes my friends had; I wasn’t going to add to it.

I think the only people associated with being fern cutters at that time (and maybe still) were hispanic immigrants.  I think very few people had any idea how many southeastern asians lived in our area.  I feel like it exploded in the 90s, and it’s absolutely huge now.  Having no education or money when they arrived here, they worked where they could.  Many of them illegally.  I remember visiting a housing development next to one of the fern fields.  Looking back, I’m surprised it was allowed to exist.  Actually, I doubt anyone (including the government) knew about the living conditions there.  It was basically a slum.  I have never seen anything since that compares to it.  A long wooden shack of a building, each family getting one small room to live in.  No hot water, no heat/air conditioning, I’m struggling to remember if they even had indoor toilets.  They had no beds, they slept on the floor.  My mother and I would go there to visit her Thai and Laotian friends, down a long dusty dirt road, outside of the city.  We’d bring old clothes to give them, we’d stay and eat, I’d play with the kids my age.  I think about how little we had and find it hard to imagine how rich we looked in their eyes.

It’s hard to think back to those days without feeling sad.

One point it brings up is that everything is relative.  My notion of poor is another’s concept of rich.  When we look at what we really have, it’s hard for many to say that we have hit rock bottom.  I know people who have lost their jobs - but they might have a small savings to live off of, or are able to move home and live with family.  They have a fallback.  It’s not a permanent fix, of course, but it’s enough to sustain them until they can get back on their feet again.  It’s more than those fern workers had.  And yet they survived.  And we will too.

Ok, I’m done being all gushy and philophical…or whatever that spiel was.  I originally set-out to write about my parents and how proud I am of them and then went off on a tangent.  A good tangent, though.

I will say this about Obama’s speech tonight - he mentioned Charter Schools!  Woot!  Everyone take a shot.  Oh, and my favorite quote, about high school dropouts “When you drop out of high school you not only quit on yourself.  You quit on your country!”  Snap!

Also, my roommate Laura wants to know who the “tiny black lady next to Michele” is

So I’m going to back up and share some Christmas pics. I spent time in DeLand with old friends - as in they are from grade school and we are all actually old now I then spend a few days in good ole’ Dothan, ALABAMA!

My best girl, Brandi, and me in Downtown Dee-Land!

My adorable 2nd cousin, Lawton, in Bama.

And because I included Lawton, I have to post one of Addy (who’s my third cousin, I think)

A shot from the long weekend, after a snowstorm or two. Toby loves the snow, rolls around in it, loves to just lay or sit in it. Yeah, weird as hell.

Toby sitting in front of the wrong apartment building

Yeah, there’s nothing good enough to write about…well, besides that whole INAUGRUATION (I’ll get that to that later)….except for LOST’s return!  So, you know the drill, I will tell you about my thoughts LIVE.

“We have to go back, Kate. We have to go BACK!!”

 Just finished watching the one hour special, also known as “if you’ve never seen this show before, here’s four years in 60 minutes.”  I had forgotten that Jack knows about Claire being his half-sister (it’s about time). 

OH, THE TIME TRAVELER!! 

So it’s been three years and apparently Ben has no idea what happened to the people on the island.  Don’t know how believable that is.

Haha, Bernard and Rose are the best old people ever.  Ok, so some people switched spots (like Locke) and the rest stayed in the same spot.  Hmm, and by stayed in the same place I mean they traveled to the past.  Well, we all knew this was a messed up show. Onwards and forwards people.

 Wow! Is that the dad from My So-Called Life questioning Kate?  “Then come back with the sheriff” cause I’ve dealt with sheriffs before!

Hello Sawyer with no shirt, slappin’ my Time Traveler!  Season 5 is looking good my friends. 

You know what I don’t like?  That weird smirk Juliet always has on her face.  What’s that about? 

What plane is that?  The one carrying the Virgin Marys with the coke?  I called it!!!!!!  Ok, Locke could seriously F with the future right now.  This is not good.  That plane isn’t supposed to fall until Boone dies.  That’s why he couldn’t move his legs when he got near it before!  Look at everything falling into place. 

And we just moved again. 

Back to Sun.  Great, that guy.  The dead one from Ugly Betty.

Aww, I missed Hurley and Sayid is such a badass, or as my friend Denva says “This dude is no joke!”  Oh! Knives in the back from the dishwasher!  HAHA, and they think Hurley did it.   

Is that Boone with the torch!!??  Damn, just Richard. 

“It’s a compass?”  ”What does it do?”  “It points North.”

So Richard is the one to blame for Locke’s death.  Great.

Yeah, so it’s been 46 minutes and I’m officially sick of this island time traveling mess.  Seems like the blood is a bad sign - so now Danny boy has to speak to Desmond.  Who, coincidentally, looks like Michael J. Fox when he wears the space suit in Back to the Future.  Ooh, Desmond is going back to Oxford to help them! 

Charles Whitmore is bad news.  Ohhhh, no one is backing Hurley’s ass up with the truth!  And Hurley just laid the shit down.  No help from him!  

So they can bring Ana Lucia back for a hallucination but no Boone? Uh huh, yeah, I get it.

Sawyer found himself a shirt.  Sayid looks like dead Uncle Bernie. 

Ok, whatever, Kate does not have to be in the same city AND gas station as Hurley.  That’s stupid.  Yes, I realize I said that coincidence was stupid and nothing about them time traveling.  

So if they go to the island they can never return?  God, why more questions?

SIDENOTE FROM COMMERCIAL BREAK:  Yeah, so, Patrick Swayze…making new series while sick….yeah.  Not the best idea.

Oh great, Hurley sounds as crazy as a loon. 

Neal = Annoying.  Blood nose and headache = BAD.  Poor Ginger is going down. Also, Neal is going to die soon…..yup, I’m smarts, or this show is too predictable.

Is Sun trying to set-up Kate to kill people?  Oh, guilt trip about Jin!  Nice work.

Do you really think Hurley’s mom believes him?  He sounded like me trying to tell people about GH when he was explaining the time on the island.  Did Hugo just throw a pizza pocket at Ben?  HA!  Damn, even when Ben is telling the truth he looks like he’s lying.  Run Hurley Run!  And now we have to get him out of prison instead of the nuthouse.

Welcome back Locke.

So this is Dan’s mom, wearing the cloak like she’s in The DaVinci Code?  Wait, what’s that old woman from? Is that the Dame Judi Densch? GD! I hate this show.

Except I love it.

I’m very much behind in my blogging, apologies all around - to my nonexistent fans :)  I’ll have to backtrack to Thanksgiving in NYC (Macy’s Day Parade!) and Christmas. 

I just got back from NYC today, I was down there for the weekend.  Pretty uneventful, though.  I didn’t dare travel out to Times Square and not because of the insane crowds or the potential for terrorist attacks (yeah, my dad is convinced), but because it was so damn cold!  I spent one other New Year’s Eve in the cold, at MGM no less, the only time it’s ever been cold in FL on New Year’s.  It was around 30 degrees all day long and I did not plan at all for this - no gloves or scarf, hell I didn’t own any at the time.  Disney was ransacked for everything that could possibly fly as warm, I would have wrapped a childs shirt around my neck at that point for warmth. 

So  yeah, I didn’t go out for the New Year.  I did eat dinner at Sparks Steakhouse, where John Giotti killed Paul Costellano, which was fantastic.  I also saw two(!) movies - Slumdog Millionaire and Revolutionary Road (which my friend kept referring to as Colonial Drive).  Really liked Slumdog, good story even if it’s depressing at times.  Revolutionary, however, was depressing the WHOLE time.  Well, 99% of the time. It’s been a decade since Titanic, and you all know my love for that movie, so I was really interested to see Kate and Leo paired up again.  Man, it was a bummer.  Their relationship is a complete 180 from the first movie.  The acting was great, don’t get me wrong, but it was just a real downer.  Makes marriage look like…hell.

Well, I am going to sign-off for now.  I made a resolution this year to spend less time on the computer and watching TV at night, and read more books instead.  Or crochet with the 100lbs of yarn I have.  Or finish a sewing project.  Yes, plenty of other stuff to do besides rot my brain with the pretty glow of the tube.