Constant(ly) Awesome

First I'm going to say this, read King Tom's post. He did a much better job than I tonight, I'm blaming the medication.

For an episode that I have no idea what was going on, this week was great. Yet I am confused, I thought we were going to get flashbacks, but instead we find out Desmond is flashing back and forth through time… well at least his consciousness is doing that. I felt like I was in an advanced Physics class at times, yet I wanted to know more. So does that actually validate what happened to him when the swan blew up and he started to see into the future and went back in time? I think Desmond is going to be the key for every major reveal. He is like Lothar the key master.

I love Desmond episodes, you never can figure out what is happening till the end. Desmond was flashing back and forth from 1996 and 2004. I knew Penny would be involved, but I didn’t know how. I was confused, anxious, worried and relieved for the entire episode. What we got was a love story, I was almost moved by the fact that Desmond finally got to talk to Penny. I felt like this was a little Princess Bride with the whole true love thing, but I can deal with it. No I wasn't crying, I just had something in my eye.

Not a lot of answers, but some new information popped up and all that will be revealed in the random thoughts:

Hey, it’s the Black Rock and the first mate was Tovar Hanso! The only thing found was a journal 7 years after it wrecked. It's not quite an answer, but at least it's a small reveal. Maybe we will get more information about Hanso, the Black Rock and why Mr Whitemore bought the journal.

Why was Penny’s dad bidding on the book. I think he has something to do with the boat. Penny is just a cover for him.

I felt like I was watching 12 Monkeys for a while.

I still can’t figure out the pilot, is he good or is he bad. I think he has a hidden agenda, I don’t know what, but something big will happen with him this year.

Was Daniel 1996 modeled after Lazlo?

OK is Daniel jumping around as well? I’m confused; this is going to get weird.

Stolen line of the night: I love you and I always have. First was used in Braveheart. I use that line with the accent on The Wife all the time.

Worst character name so far…. Dr Ray.

I love (George McCousky) he has been in a bunch of TV shows and one of my favorite bad movies Hackers. He always plays a great strange or bad guy.

Down in the Back

It's been a few since I last posted, it's not because I haven't wanted to, more like I couldn't take the sere pain. On Sunday I was helping out at my church and I reached down to pick something and I felt a pop in my lower back. Thought nothing of it, I've had this happen before. I continue on my way acting all nimbly bimbly till I get a call from work and I'm on call (yet I work on Sundays). I grab my gear and go to work.

After my first assignment the back feels... not so good. I go the second story and everything feels bad. By the time I start heading to Durham I'm in so much pain I'm starting to see stars. I finally call the desk and tell them I can only get one, I need to not drive any more. The middle managers find out that I am in so much pain and they want me to go to the urgent care.

Come to find out I have an acute sprain of the back. This sucks, I can't sit for more than 5 minutes and I can't lift anything over 10 pounds. I can't even sit to edit, that's how bad it is. By Monday I will have missed 3.5 days of work. I just want this to heal, I can't even enjoy my days off. I can't golf, walk, or anything that involves movement. I can't even write more and I need to get back to the ice pack and the comfy chair.

The Devil in the White City

I'm trying to read 11 books this year, and it wasn't looking that good, I finished one book, but I was struggling to finish the second. I put it down and started to read The Devil in the White City on the recommendation from Justice. This is a true story about the celebration of 400th anniversary of Columbus finding the new world. Chicago won the rights to the fair, which later was called the Worlds Fair. It was about all the insight and struggles they had about pulling off this grand event. How a depression almost shut down construction, inability to get plans in, dealing with committees and political in fighting. I know what your thinking, that book sounds like suck! That's not all, it also has a serial killer. Just happens to be a real life killer that when on a killing spree that lasted as long as it took to start and finish the fair.

A lot of the killings he could not have gotten away with today, but with no instant communication, or computers and video keeping track of everything, he took advantage. He was very charming and conned his way around creditors and young women (most of his victims). All I will say is he may have killed as many as a hundred people, yet today he is unknown by many. Most of his killings never fully got documented yet they found remains and well did find many people that he came in contact with.

I read this book with in two and a half weeks. The Wife was happy I finished this book, because I'd stay up and read in bed till 2AM. Every chance I got I had to find out what happened next. Erik Larson, weaves both stories very well, I loved the serial killer parts and well liked the early development of the fair chapters. He would not have three straight chapters of the fair then one of the killer, he alternated each one. I would feel like I was getting bored with the fact that there was a fight about money and who controlled it. Yet, I knew that Holmes (the killer) was about to do something evil.

I know someone else who is reading this book and is loving it as much as I do. I would if you want an interesting story that reads like a novel, yet it's based on facts, get The Devil in the White City.

I Got Scooby Doo'ed

It's Friday so that means another Lost episode recap and for the second week this season I actually got to watch the show as it happened. I took notes this time, yet I left them at work... stupid me. Overall I am not a fan of Kate flash bask/forward episodes. I agree with King Tom to a point, I think Kate is a strong character, except when its a Kate-centric show. It lacks something and I don't know what it is. Also I am getting a little tired of the love ping pong. We get it she runs to one guy then gets bored or picks a fight with Jack and runs to Sawyer (now swap names and repeat).

All episode long I was waiting for the swerve, at first I thought it was going to be Miles. I was for sure he was the spy... nope he just wants lots of money. What is it with him and money, first he's shaking down ghosts and now Ben for 3.2 million. I'm with Ben, why 3.2 million? Why not make it an even 3 or even better 4 million. There's something there and I'm almost wanting to know. Then I kept thinking it was that Kate was preggos, as we find out, Kate was not. Then they waited till the end to reveal it, the next member of the Oceanic 6 is Aaron. I had a feeling when Kate asked if he had seen any of the coverage, I started to think that it was Aaron. According to The Wife she thinks he's probably 2 so if that is true and "currently" Aaron is about 4 months and a trial can take a long time, probably at least four months from arraignment to trial finish, Claire might get killed off in any where from 6 months to 14 months, I say she'll probably die at the end of next season.

What is it with Locke, he is starting to turn into a demented less smart version of Ben. He's threating to kill Kate, shoves a grenade in Miles mouth and exiles Kate and talks about punishments, he is about to loss it! This is the second time Ben has got Locke to crack and throw plates around. Maybe Locke should stop being the guy to give the food to Ben. I can't figure out how far they can take Locke before he goes all Texas bell tower.

I'm loving the post Charlie Hurley more and more. Yet again he had the line of the night. Kate tricks him into telling her the location of Miles. Once it happens he responds with "You just Schooby Doo'ed me, didn't you?" I laughed and then a minute later I get a text from The Wife with that phrase on it. That needs to be added into standard vernacular.

Finally before my random thoughts I need to revise my list of Oceanic 6, so far I had been 4 for 4 and then I missed with Aaron. That means we currently have Jack, Kate, Hurley, Sayid and Aaron and I now think the last one will be Sawyer. If you look at the list of people still alive, he, Jin and Sun are the only logical ones left, I have a feeling Sun won't make it and Jin will go crazy. Now on to my other random thoughts

Why are Daniel and Charlotte playing three card Monte?

I guess Locke feels like chicken tonight.

Why at the bond hearing was Kate wearing cloths from the set of Dynasty?

I agree with King Tom yet again, I loved Hurley and Sawyer as roommates. That needs to be a webispode type thing. Each week they give us a 5 to 10 minute show about how Hurley loves to watch Xanadu too much and Sawyer never cleans the kitchen.

Where are the "Others" hiding out? It's been a few days now, I think the remaining people might want to return home or at least want to know what happened to Locke and Ben. Last season I kept complaining about The Others and now I want them back.

Grenade in mouth equals non sass... good to know.

Kate learned all her deal making abilities from her mother. I didn't see the I'll not testify if you let me see my grandson card.

Almost a Story

I normally do not and won't blog at work, but I am attempting to load video off my laptop and it is taking an hour longer than it's suppose to, so I don't care right now. My story tonight was kind of a strange one. All The Serg would tell me is was about an attempted abduction. My reaction was this "You're tell me that we are doing a story on an almost crime?" I know abduction is a serious thing and the guy who nearly did the abduction has been harassing people for weeks. At the time I did not know that. It was just bizarre to me that we were going to do this almost story and for the rest of the night everything was about almost. Then, I kid you not, they almost arrested him. They spotted his car and pulled him over in a parking lot. Of course, he ran like the wind.

When we found out we were within a mile of the scene, the only problem was, the intersection had about 7 strip malls and countless parking lots and no one knew which lot and there were not any tell tale signs of the scene. It consisted of only one marked police car (lights off), an unmarked car and the suspects car with a vanity plate on the front saying "Fear This." After searching the area, I spotted another live truck parking and I head towards them and then I spot the front plate. I think the cop was laughing at me when I pointed and screamed "FEAR THIS!" It had to be funny; we were searching for over 20 minutes.

We do a live shot for the 7 and find out they want a shot for the 11 as well. After we ate lunch we went back to the location. As locations in Durham go this is not a great spot to be at late at night. Countless police cars circle the area, yet we are approached by three different homeless guys. I kept thinking about the South Park episode about the homeless asking for spare change. At times I don't mind giving a little when I have it, but when I am working I usually won't give them money, I will food if I have it. We are a giant walking billboard and everyone thinks we have money. I don't carry any money, The Wife doesn't allow it, and something about it's hers.

While all this is going on I get a call, regretfully my wish of an easier week at the church got worse. They are now doing a video this week. To make this work I need to go Thursday morning and get a little training at the Mac store on Final Cut Express. Friday morning set up the camera, leave and come back when the video is done being shot, finally edit it all day and hope it works. If it doesn't I have to go back Saturday and make it work. Sunday I'm probably going to have to shoot the opening of the new site as well. I am getting tired of this. We are doing the video this week because the main guy didn't want to burden another minister with a last minute sermon. Yet I guess it's OK to burden me. I know it will have to get better, if it doesn't I'm going to have to stop helping. I no longer enjoy helping.

Random Insomnia

As I sit here at 1:30 in the morning I am tired, yet I can not sleep. I've had a lot on my plate as of late and I'm starting to feel the effects. Work has been all over the place, my church has asked me to do a lot and I had a little family situation:

Work Front

I don't know what it is about Raleigh, but nothing interesting will happen for a long time and then all the sudden we have major news events every day. I blame Duke vs UNC for the start of my work stress. As I have mentioned I do not like Chapel Hill and yet JDOG-17 saw it fit to send be there to cover the possible riots if the Tarheels won the game. For the most part the night went smooth... except that I got hit by a car. I had a guy want to park next to the live truck and we put cones up so no one couldn't. Lets just say he started off on the wrong foot with me and I didn't make things easier. I started to move my cones and he guns it and swipes my arm. I am still not sure how he missed my foot. Luckily for me Shawn was there as well as two reporters and an intern. Come to find out later he was running late for a radio interview. That's ass, for nearly running me over so you can go to another media outlet.

After the brush fires, there was an explosion outside downtown Raleigh. Someone tried to take live mortar shells to a scrap yard and two went boom. As the night side crew Boston Stevie and I got to baby sit the scrap yard as the military decides what to do with the other 40 shells. Well the military gets the great idea to start blowing them up on site. Yeah that went over real well with all the locals who had to be evacuated or kept hearing explosions all night long.

One Church Two Locations Not Enough J Dog

I go to a church that meets in a movie theater, it's different, but The Wife and I like it. Since land is getting very expensive here, and we are out growing the current theater, we are opening in a second site. The new expansion is in Wake Forest, so now we only get to drive 10 minutes instead of 30. But there is a catch here, they are not increasing the ministry staff. How is that possible you may ask? That's where I come in, they are currently going to tape a sermon in advance, so I have been tapped to help. I have spent the majority of my off time at the church trying to help them figure out how to make this work. It's not that bad, except at times I feel like I'm trying to move a mountain. They want to save money, yet make it high end; use my skills, but use an editing system I've never touched; try lighting with 5 times the light needed, adjust it to make it work. I don't mind this extra work load, it's that my normal job has started to see a little bit of an effect from it. Hopefully after the opening this week everything will calm down.

Family

I was working Sunday and The Wife called and told me that my grandfather is not doing well. He is starting to have kidney failure. After talking to my mom, I guess it got to the point where she didn't think he was going to make to the end of the week. He's 94 and has led a full life, but he's my grandfather! He lived next door and I would go over every Monday and Friday and stay till my parents got home. When I was young and we moved around a lot. I would stay with them as the family packed. I still haven't gotten over the death of my grandmother and that was 6 years ago. I just can't imagine not having him here. Over the last few years I have taken him forgranted, I hate seeing him in a nursing home, it's just hard and makes me realize his mortality.

He did make it through and is getting better, no longer are we 100% worried (more like 50%) yet I am still shaken by this. I am actually wanting to get back home and currently there is no way to make that seven hour drive and not kill myself even more. With this news we were planning a trip to just Columbus in June and now we may have to include Ironton, just so I can visit.

Enough random ramblings for the night, hopefully I can get to sleep soon.

Lost Goes All International Man of Mystery on Us

Well I am correct so far as to who is part of the Oceanic 6, Sayid has made it off the island. Yet, I had no idea that he would turn heel. I definably could see him as a hit man, but a hit man for Ben? What does he have over Sayid? I know he mentioned his friends, but what is going on here? As King Tom asked maybe Ben is actually good? I myself am starting to go with the philosophy that he is neither good nor bad. The people looking for the island maybe evil, but Ben is less evil. Yet, who is it that Sayid is looking for, I'm guessing the people who sent the boat, but who are they, regretfully they are the new "others." We keep looking for answers, yet we get more questions.

I am a little upset at Hurly, I thought he was going to become a leader, instead he has become patsy to Locke and I have lost a little respect for him, even though he had the "Great another Saywer" and the"break dance move" lines. I think Hurly has figured out that Locke may not be "stable" and some how will leave the group and rejoin Jack, but I think it we be because Locke will kick Hurly out and some how shame him. He wanted to stay, but was forced out. That is why he wants to go back.

I thought it was eerie that when Katie saw a pair of boots walking towards her from under the bed and that it was Sawyer, it reminded me of Sawyers flashback. The one where we see his dad kill himself.

What's up with Ben's secret room? Is he an international man of mystery? Why does he need so many passports and types of money?

Mental note, to get to Sayid, use a woman. He needs to learn that women are his down fall. First Nadia then Shannon and now Elsa, come on Sayid... look at the trend.

What's up with the time difference on the island, are they some how behind everyone else by 45 minutes? Is the island on a different time space continuum?

I don't trust the pilot, he seems shifty and I don't like it.

I am confused by Jacob's cabin, does it really exist of is an island trick. I'm thinking Locke has lost favor with Jacob for some reason and that Hurly is the key.

Even though I have no idea what is going on with the show (in terms of finality) I love it and I want to see how this ends. How can one show cause so much confusion and yet I keep coming back.

National Pancake Day

I'm sorry for the lateness, but today February 12 is National Pancake Day. I guess this is a day created by IHOP, but if you donate something you get free pancakes! How can you pass this up. It's almost free pancakes! The only thing better would be a free burrito or maybe a free pie. It's for a good cause and you get almost free food. COME ON EVERYONE PANCAKES FOR ALL!!!!

How Can an Entire County be on Fire?

Yesterday was one of the most windy days I have ever seen. I went and did a pintsize sports story and it was one of the hardest shoots I've done in a while. Our sports guy wanted a lot of natural sound, well, all he got was a lot of wind.

I didn't think much more about the wind till I realized that we had all of our crews chasing brush fires. I kind of forgot that since we are in a drought, that when it's that windy if can help cause fires. I didn't think too much about it till I kept hearing one word, Franklinton. Even though we are technically in Wake Forest I actually live in Franklin county and live eight miles from Franklinton. Then I found out that most of Franklin county is on fire, I called The Wife and asked if Fried Chicken Drive is well not fried. I love her response, "Is that why I keep hearing fire trucks?" She had no idea that everything around the county was on fire. Fortunately, we are fine, it did come that far south everything stayed about 3 miles north of us.

I was worried for most of the night I kept wondering what I should tell The Wife if she sees the fire, what should she grab? Wedding photos, the lock box, the external hard drive and some clothes? We do have renter's insurance, but still to lose would be awful, I hope this ever happens to us.

Air You Ready To Rock!

I'm sitting here on Fried Chicken Drive looking for something to do and I find on VH1 a documentary about the two Americans trying to become the World Air Guitar Champion. Most of you are now looking at google or the link and see if I am hallucinating. Oh no my friends, I am not. This is a serious competition that has its finals in Oulo, Finland. The documentary was shot in 2003 and no American has ever entered into the competition so this was a big deal in the world of air guitar (to let you know I am laughing as I type this). Everyone is taking this extremely serious and they are freaking great at it. It’s been going on since the mid 90s, and just like their metal the Fins love and revere their air guitarness. I seriously thing one of the competitors (Bjorn Torque) actually thinks he is a rock star. All these guys have personas and when they are on stage they try to embody this creation. Bjorn was supposed to be a new age punk rocker and he seriously thought he was the greatest air guitarist ever.

The US winner C-Diddy is wonderful, he is actually an actor in New York who went to UNC Chapel Hill. His shtick is wearing a Hello Kitty backpack around his chest. He is unbelievable and he actually won the world championship.

Every one of you have to admit that you have picked up an air axe and whaled on that thing and rocked it like Dokken! I know most of you admit it. I'd love to see one of the competitions and there happens to be one in Columbus the week AFTER we are supposed to be there. I’m actually going to see if we can change the dates and go see the show, maybe I could even compete. Now all I need is a name, Maybe something like Hambone McGhee.

HELLO COLUMBUS! ARE YOU READY TO AIR ROCK!!!!

Just Found This

I was was going through the nearly 600 emails just sitting in my mail box (Why do I keep all those messages?) and I found this picture. I have ideas I want to write about, yet I can't get my mind to funtion enough to type them out. Yet I am putting my "nose to the grindstone" and I will get a post out soon. I know that was bad.

Down Then Way Up

I actually got to watch this episode live, after a long Wednesday (more on that in a later post), I was asked to edit and I was actually happy to. The main reason was exhaustion, the secondary was because Lost was on. Overall I wasn't happy with the beginning of the episode, I was not a fan of the new flashbacks, and I think they prepped up last season for this with the Nikki and Paulo episode.

For the most part I don't like the boat people, Miles is the stereotypical loose cannon, Daniel is too much of a whiner, the only thing going for the English chick is her red hair (sorry, personal thing) and her finding a polar bear with a Dharma collar. Yet you have the pilot guy, I actually liked him, I'm thinking he is going to turn and want to stay on the island, I just have that feeling. This episode took forever to get going, and I started to get interested when Ben shot the English chick, from there on, it was great. I loved the fact Ben is the reason the boat people came to the island. What did he do, was he D.B. Cooper or something? Then when Locke asked about the smoke monster I thought we were going to get answers, I want to know what smokie is! For an episode that started out slow, it ended up being pretty good, so dear creators of Lost, less slow more awesomeness... onto the jackassery:

Ben looked shocked that Hurley knew about the Jacob house.

When Sawyer was about to "pop a cap" in to Ben, Locke said something to the effect of are you going to kill him in front of his daughter, why didn't Sawyer comeback with "Look Shiskabob, she ain't his daughter." In Lost time that revelation only happened like two days ago. Is Hurly going to become a leader now?

When Sawyer was debating about killing Ben, he looked to Hurly and Hurly shook him off. I seriously think Hurly will be playing a huge roll this season.

We figured out how they will explain Walt's growth spurt, just say the island made him 6 foot now.

What is up with Abbadon the bald black guy with the empty office, The King thinks he has a connection to Penny's father, I'm not too sure, I think it's something else, but I don't know yet. Maybe he's with the Polar Bear black market and Ben stiffed him.

I may have more later, the lack of sleep from the past few days has caused some memory loss, I need to rewatch the episode.

Confusion and Vindication

While at work yesterday I was minding my own business when I had a young reporter come up to me and ask me a question. "Do you have a Myspace account?" She was not looking to add me as a friend, she didn't have an account. To me this was shocking I started to wonder if she was Amish. Someone in their early 20s not having a Myspace page, isn't there a law against that or something? To top it off she had no idea how it works. She was trying to find pilots in the area, I don't know why she was wanting Myspace, wouldn't Google be better? I felt like I was explaining the internet to my mother-in-law. I'm not a big fan of Myspace, yes I have a page, but I only check it when The Wife tells me to. She did all the leg work on the thing, I just created it, I'd rather just blog than look at Myspace.

A week ago I mentioned how I had a story ripped from me and we put it on hold. Well a miracle happened... I actually got to edit the story today. Of course, it almost didn't happen again. I was text that it was on the docket of doom, but things could change. I walk in the door and Donna the desk chick gave me a look. I raised my hands in the air and said to words "Told you." She still has hope, her soul has not been crushed. The Serg was sent to do another story and I was sent to retread a day side story. Well, somehow the stars aligned and God was looking down on me and the next thing I know we are doing the story. I was so pleased with the story, I seriously think it's the best story that I have done since I moved here. Go over to the station page and see the story.

Long Wait Is Over

I was a little dissapointed by the fact it wasn't a full two hours of Lost, it's a little bit of a mean joke to mention two hour premier and show one hours of a clip show. Yet I was very happy with that one hour.



So far we only knew that Jack and Kate actually got off the island, yet somehow I thought everyone might make it, till Hurly started screaming about the Oceanic 6. I kept wondering who are the six? We know three, but who are the other three? I must know I'm guessing Sawyer, Jin and Sayid. I love the fact that Hurly was freaking out and wanted to go back to the psych ward, the one place he sort of knew peace. The three biggest intriuges for me in the flash forwards are the cop asking about Anna Lucia, Jack and the mysterious visitor in the mental ward. I'm wondering if the cop knew something and was pumping Hurly for info for Mr. Suit. Then what was that all about Hurly talking about I should have gone with you instead of with Locke? I don't trust the guys on the boat, but still what did Locke do? I guess time will only tell.



This was a very strong start to the season, with only 16 episodes, I'm hoping there is that normal 5 to 7 week drop off and every week is this good, now onto the randomness:



-OK is Hurly special? He did see Jacob right? Yet Hurly has a history of crazy, maybe Jacob is a group crazy thing.



-Was it me or did Jacob look a lot like Jake's dad... just sayin'



-Yet again rain, everytime something bad happens rain is involved, was the split the cause of the rain.



-King Tome made the comment Ben is the strongest person on the island and I would agree. He has had his ass kicked by Rousso and Jack yet he is still trying to manipulate everyone.



-Holy crap, Jack was going to shoot Locke! I think Locke now understands that Jack REALLY wants off the island, he better be glad he emptied the gun.



-I am still sad Charlie is gone, I hope they keep him around as a ghost, or an island mystery.



-How did Naomi climb a tree? She was stabbed in the back? You know what, she might have lived longer if she hid in a bush or something. Kate has a history of being captured, for a tracking expert she should learn how to hide her own tracks better.



I think it's interesting that Rousso is going along with Locke, I know she does not want to leave the island, why not go back to your hideout and get to know your daughter.



-I'm guessing the next flash forward will be Kate. They won't reveal the next person for a few weeks. I'm guessing we will learn the past of Richard, he is the only one a complete mystery.