'Embrace Life'

So I wouldn't typically post something that as mundane as a seat belt commercial (unless it was a spoof, of course), but this particular commercial was just so cleverly and artfully done and is not condescending or scolding at all, like most public safety type ads tend to be. It's really quite beautiful and I seriously almost teared up. Yeah, for a cynic, I'm quite the sap. (Thanks to my sister-in-law Sara for sending me this video).

Roller Derby 101

(*Click the post title to go to the website*)

So this weekend my friend Jen and I went to a Girls Roller Derby match in Ogden.Why? Because there was a Girls Roller Derby match in Ogden. How could we pass up on a chance to say we'd been to one of those?

The two teams were The 25th Street Brawlers (in pink) and Wasatch Roller Derby (in blue). Right off the bat we were rooting for the Brawlers. My brother-in-law would tell me that my reasons for this are girly, as are most of my reasons for favoring certain sports teams, but I am, after all, a girl. Our reasons were as follows: 1- Their name was cooler, 2- They were wearing pink which just seemed right for a Girls Roller Derby team, and 3- they had more individual personality with bright tutus and tights than the other team that were all more demure in their choices and just felt like a whole instead of being able to single out specific girls to root for, 4- the sister of the guy who was sitting next to me was on that team. For not having been to a RD match before and having no connection to either team, I feel that these were all valid reasons.

Had to love the signs on the floor where we were sitting.

Friendly ENT's waiting on the sidelines in case someone gets severely pummeled. Disappointingly, nothing too serious happened. I wonder if these guys enjoy getting assigned to a show or if the whole time they were thinking, 'we could be out helping people who are getting hurt by accident.'

Difficult to capture such swiftly moving persons

The girl in the font in the pink tutu who is mostly in focus is Skull Candi, captain of the Brawlers.

You can go HERE to read more specific rules and get a history of the sport, which it fairly interesting, but here is what we picked up as we watched (because we had no idea before hand.) The Derby was split into two halves, each about forty minutes long, and there are several heats. In each heat one girl sticks a cover over her helmet with a star on it and to get points that girl has to get through everyone and make one full lap around. They keep trying for as many laps as they can within each heat and they swap out who has the star (and the other positions) each heat.

Unexpected Highlights (is 'highlights' the right word?):

1- There were two commentators throughout (they must have been local radio hosts or something) and I couldn't really say if they were more amusing or irritating. Example: at one point one of the Brawlers, code name, Carnage Kitten, had a pretty bad hit and the stopped everything so the ENT's could have a look at her to be safe. After a few minutes when is was clear it was nothing serious, one of the commentators said something along the lines of, "What a trooper. All Carnage is suffering from is too much awesome." Jen and I exchanged a silent eye roll and moved on.

2- There were some pretty exciting falls and shoves, but we were slightly disappointed that there was no blood and that no scuffles broke out. We did almost get rammed into by a roller girl who got knocked out of the rink. She slid into the lady sitting next to us.

3- Four little scouts came out at the beginning with an American Flag and one of them was on the microphone trying to give them orders the whole time, 'about face!' and stuff like that, and they had no idea what they were doing. It was hilarious and I wish I had gotten video of it, but I was busy with, you know, my hand over my heart like the true patriot that I am ;)

4- The fact that they patted down the girls right before the match started to make sure no one was packing any kind of shiv. The announcers played it of lightheartedly, but I'm pretty sure they were serious.

5- The creeper fourteen or so year old kid and his Grandma sitting near us. The kid had a crush on the captain of the Brawlers, 'Skull Candi', was not in the least embarrassed when Grandma told us this little fact, kept pestering his Grandma to take pictures of her for him, and at one point, in his weaselly voice, excitedly told me how Candi was dating one of the Refs, though the kid obviously didn't know her personally. Grandma told me that she came for lack of something better to do, and saw that her ex-stepdaughter (yeah, sounds complicated) was on the team, though she certainly wasn't there rooting for her. It's a toss up who wins the creeper award of these two.

Turns out we were rooting for the underdog and didn't know it. We were kind of surprised when part way through the second half we realized, ummm, where was I? Oh yes, we were surprised to discover that the Brawlers were being quite badly beaten. Because we were gradually figuring out how rules and points went as we watched, and because we were so distracted and captivated by the feisty flurry of pink, we didn't notice how often Wasatch was scoring. It ended up 142 to 67, Wasatch. apparently they have a shot at going to Nationals. Yup. Roller Derby has Nationals.

Not sure how clear it is with all the cheering, but I loved hearing them announce all their funky names. Examples: Daisy Dukes Em' Out, Tsunami Bombshell, Pandora the Explora, Mauly Mormon, Sadistic Stiletto, Skatey GaGa, Chica Dolor, Miss Bizness Das...

And here they are in action:

The verdict, creepers aside: Was it quite as exciting as I hoped it would be? Sadly no, though I bet going to Nationals or a Derby competition that was more professional and hard core, would be extremely fun. Am I glad I went, was I entertained and would I go to one again? Yes, yes and yes.

LOST in a Flash: Top 10 from 'Everybody Loves Hugo'

Whitney Matheson who writes the Pop Candy column on the USA Today has a LOST discussion thread after each new episode and each Friday she posts the ten most intriguing comments. I seriously cannot believe some of the little Easter Eggs people catch. Here are the ones for the 4/13/10 episode, Everybody Loves Hugo. (Click the title to link to the article.) Also, I would like it to be acknowledged that I already mentioned a couple of these in my own posts ;)

1. layfieldster: "Why arent you afraid?"

The line that Locke spoke to Desmond before he pushed him down the well. This wasn't just a question but it appears that it was a concern of MIB. And looking back it does seem that everyone he motivates and influences is guided by fear. MIBs main weapon is prying on people's fear in order to get them to do what he wants. Thus, it appears that MIB relies on fear and Jacob always relies on choice. This is the significant difference that separates the battle lines.

2. Sister Carrie: Not to sound like a broken record, but Michael again brought up the idea tonight of being "stuck" on the Island "because of what I did." He confirmed that The Whispers were others who were also stuck, unable to move on.

Maybe this was another example of the creators introducing a theory to dismiss it, but when reviewing Libby's backstory I came upon her encounter with Eko and Charlotte Malkin in the airport. Charlotte tells Eko that she saw Eko's brother Yemi when she was DEAD and "BETWEEN PLACES."

So again we have this idea of the Island as an "in-between place," somewhere people are "stuck." This could be another reference to the Island as "underworld," "abode of the dead," "Sheol." All are in-between places where people await final judgment. BUT Michael seems to intimate tonight that there is the possibility for REDEMPTION even for those in this holding cell. He tells Hurley that if he ever sees Libby again to tell her he's "very sorry."

So perhaps there is a way to be "unstuck" and that is through REDEMPTION or FORGIVENESS. I so wanted Hurley to say, after the big kiss with Libby on the beach: "Michael says he's sorry." And then Michael would be free!

3. EileenBurmeister: On a more serious note, I couldn't remember where I had heard Spanish Johnny, the restaurant Hurley was to meet Rosalita at. "Spanish Johnny" is from Bruce Springsteen's "Incident on 57th Street." Spanish Johnny is described as "dressed just like dynamite." He meets "Puerto Rican Jane" who wants to take him "to the other part of town where paradise ain't so crowded." The new couple find their "soul flame" while "out on the street tonight." The song that comes after this one on the album? "Rosalita." I'm just saying...

4. Superdudex: Maybe at this point Desmond knows more than we've seen him remember. He is not trying to create near death experiences for the other passengers, but he is trying to recreate significant moments that will trigger their recollection.

Desmond's moment of recollection came not when he came in contact with his constant, but when he lived a nearly identical moment to his other self (Charlie's hand underwater).
Charlie's must have been as he was dying by lack of oxygen.
Faraday's when he saw Charlotte.

And now he is trying recreate moments for others:
Hugo's is when he kisses Libby (happened in season 2, and Desmond makes no attempt to create near death, just watches and makes sure it happens)
And at the end of the ep we saw Locke's recollection, as he was lying on his back after an accident, just like when he was pushed out the window.

How Desmond knows how to trigger their recollections i don't know. But it seems more recollection knowledge comes with more similar experiences (Desmonds other flashes when he was in the electromagnetic machine, when he shook hands with Penny, and Libby's on being in the institution and sitting on the beach with Hugo). Maybe he's made a significant recovery of other-life memories by meeting with Penny for coffee and following around other Oceanic people.

5. Cincy Steve:

Exurban Mom (0 friends, send message) wrote: 5h 18m ago
I think, in lieu of a mirror moment, we get Hurley looking at himself on a poster for Mr. Chicken. It's very close to a mirror moment, anyway, and the camera does pause and look at the poster for a second before Hurley is seen entering the Mr. Chicken franchise for his family bucket.
**********************************
Why couldn't the "mirror" moment be at the beginning with the film showing him from a baby through his life's work? It was a way for Hurley to reflect on his life and where he's at now like everyone else did with their instant mirror reflections.

6. dd42: When Richard said to ask Jacob was the Island was, I think he was referring to the 'cork' for the wine bottle, not something we haven't heard before. It was something that Jacob told Richard a long time ago.

Also, it seems like only people that originally died on the island (charlie, libby, faraday) have knowledge that the sideways world is not the "right" world. Except for Desmond because the rules don't apply to him. But only after they touch those who are still alive in the island world, do they realize this to be true as well in the sideways timeline.

7. Bubble of Sanity: The dynamite from Black Rock is all gone now; the atomic bomb has been detonated. I've got to find some explosives somewhere, because if they kill Desmond, I will blow up this show and look for an alternate timeline...

The "previews" of next week were the most revealing I've seen on "Lost" in quite some time. It appears that both Desmond and Locke survived their "encounters" with each other. Now, we will have to see what becomes of that. I'm with those who say that Desmond was sending Locke to a meeting with Jack. Not only will they both connect with the island, Jack will fix Locke's back.

As I noted in another post, in Genesis, Joseph the son of Jacob is thrown into a well. I have since noticed that there are references to Jacob's well, even in the New Testament. Is it possible that Desmond will be a "son" of Jacob, rescued from the well, and used to deliver everyone else, as happened in the biblical story?

To those of you who have already read what I said earlier, I'm just connecting a little more.

Oh, and to the one who mentioned compiling a list of the ten funniest moments, I'm grotesque enough that I nominate the following:

#1 - Arzt and the dynamite, with Hurley's follow-up comment. I remember that when it went off, everyone was shocked, but maybe a little relieved that Arzt had finally shut up...hilarious.
#2 - Juliet's husband and the bus. I did not think it was funny when it happened to Nadia, but Juliet's spouse was abusive and controlling, up to his comical last moment.
#3 - Ilana and the dynamite. If it's funny once, why isn't it funny twice? Maybe not...

8. CA Steeler: Desmond will do anything to make sure everyone meets up with their constant...even if it takes running over John Locke so he can see his constant, Jack Shepard.

9. eyolar: Okay, when Locke is on the ground after getting run over, I totally flashed on wow, that reminds me of when Locke is on the ground after the plane crashed originally. Also, it totally reminded me of his panicked, painful breathing after getting thrown out of the window. Now, bear with me, but that is when Jacob showed up and touched Locke, to comfort him as he lay there, very much in the same way that Ben was comforting Locke as he was laying on the ground after Des ran him over. Hmm, that makes 3 near-death experiences for Locke now doesn't it? That's got to be significant in some way.

10. Kathryn -- DC: At the very beginning of the episode, when Hurley is talking with his mother outside of the hotel, I think he made a reference to "The Human Fund." That is a fictional foundation from Seinfeld.

LOST S6: E12- 'Everybody Loves Hugo'

I couldn't tell fact from fiction,
Or if the dream was true
My only sure prediction
In this world was you.
I'd touch your features inchly.
Beard love and dared the cost,
The sented spiel reeled me unreal
And I found my senses LOST.
-Maya Angelou


Wow, so, Ilana got blown right up there. Just wanted to get that out of the way. Provocative musings by Ben, wondering what the island would do when it was done with all of them.

Hurley & Libby: Aaaah, so once again its a loooove connection that brings it all back. Libby and Hurley are then new Demi and Ashton. Nice how their conversation paralleled their island conversation on the cliff just before she was killed. I chuckled a little after she kissed him and he was like, "I think I'm remembering stuff." I was waiting for him to say, "Maybe if you kiss me some more..." Yeah, yeah, nice line buddy ;) (Also, this knocks Libby out of the runnings for potential Mother of Jack's son, so I'm thinking its Juliet).

Hurley & the Spirits: So the whispers are officially souls that are stuck on the island and can't move on. Is it like poltergeists or like purgatory? I should probably stop speculating into too much detail because I am guessing we won't get this answer, and the details probably don't really matter to the plot, but I can't help wondering what is the criteria for a soul getting trapped? Because they didn't get closure about something in life? Because they can't forgive themselves for their actions? Because someone alive is still holding on to them? Again, its probably unimportant and I can't be nit-picky, but it did leave me curious. Interesting to have Michael, the murderer of Libby, playing Hurley's Spirit Guide this week. Nice of him to apologize, I suppose. I do really think it IS Michael, too. Smokey used to be able morph into different people, but Ilana said early in the season that he had made his choice and I really do believe that at this point, other than still being able to be Smokey, he is stuck as Locke. Therefore, I do believe that every time Hurley speaks with a spirit it really is that person. Does that mean he should always listen to them though? Not necessarily. I mean, now all of the original Oceanic 815 people (who are still alive) are with LockeNess. (Except for Jin, of course- can't poor Sun and Jin catch a break?!)

Theories I Am Clinging To: 1- Jack seeming like the obvious choice for Candidate. I have talked about this before, but it came into play again this week with his conversation with Hurley. Jack is learning that he can't be in control all of the time and learning to let others lead sometimes: "this is me trusting you." 2- Last week with Charlie I talked about how it seemed that perhaps those who were no longer living in the island timeline were closer to their memories. I think that held this week with Libby.

The LockeNess Monster: He told Kate, "You were only able to get on this island because you did it together; if we're going to get off it has to happen the same way." I wonder how true that statement is, and if true, what all 'the same way' entails. The return of the phantom child who keeps haunting/taunting LockeNess. It still seems the most likely that it is somehow a young Jacob, but we await an explanation. He seems to really freak ol' Smokey out (he way Sayid keeps freaking me out with his dead, shark eyes). Another thing that seems to freak him out is Desmond's lack of fear. "What is the point of being afraid?" If Smokey IS a stereotypical mythological villain, then fear is probably his greatest weapon because he can control people that way. You can't manipulate someone who has no fear at all. Unless you create something to make them afraid, I suppose. I didn't even flinch when he toppled Desmond into the well. It was all too obviously coming, and I refuse to believe that Desmond is going out that way, so I'm not bothered by it. Ilana was one thing, because we didn't really know her, but Desmond is too important.

The Conversation at the Well: So the well is really old, and its not the only one, and it was dug by people who wanted to find answers (about the island, the meaning of life, the universe...?) According to Smokey, Widmore is not one of these people and only wants power, not answers. From what we know of Widmore's past and the way he has acted thus far on the island (collecting Jin for his knowledge of the Dharma maps and being, for all we can tell, ignorant of the Candidates situation), I think this is probably true. Does it have to be one way or the other though? If he craves power, can't he also crave answers? He DOES seem to know that Smokey is evil and not to be released from the island. I don't trust him any more than I trust Smokey though.

Flash-Sideways Desmond: I enjoy seeing him play the sweet little guardian angel, pushing people in the right direction. He is so confident and I wish I knew what he knows. I'm torn about his reasons for hit-and-running John: 1- He knows that the way to connect John with his island memories is to get him to Jack and give him a walking miracle, 2- he truly did want to kill him in the hopes or knowledge that it would weaken him as the host/vessel of Smokey.

Favorite Hurley Lines: 'Give me a bucket. Family size' ... 'He's one of the people who come back and yell at me after they die' ... 'Clearly she's good enough for like, a fajita field trip.' Also, him teasing Libby about this 'bizarro universe' she is remembering- gotta love it when the characters call it like it is. I can appreciate writers who can make light of themselves.

Anyone notice how in the preview for next week they were playing the eerie, crazy song from tunnel scene in the 1971 Willy Wonka movie? Creepers.

Also, check out this sweet promo I found, haha!

The Amelia Peabody Mysteries

The Amelia Peabody Mysteries, by Elizabeth Peters, is my very favorite book series of all time. I know that is quite a statement to make, particularly when there are such rivals out there like Harry Potter, but I just love them. I, along with the majority of my family, have been reading them and following the series and the author for years. I probably started reading them when I was fourteen or so and at that point there were probably eight books in the series and Ms. Peters was very good for a while at getting a new book out every Spring adding up to a total of eighteen books in the series. Until today. It has been four years and I had been very afraid that the eighteenth book would be the last as Ms. Peters isn't exactly a spring chicken these days, she has other series that she is working on as well, and the last one wasn't any kind of cliff-hanger and very well could have been left as the conclusion.

If you aren't familiar with the series, they are about British Archaeologists working in Egypt around the turn of the century. Might sound boring and historical described like that, but every Season they go out they get caught up in some exciting mystery. These books have a little of everything in them. They are murder and intrigue, romance and adventure, lovingly sculpted characters and they are hilarious to boot. Also, Ms. Peters has a PhD in Egyptology from the University of Chicago, so with all of the historical information about the locations at the time and the dates of certain discoveries, she knows what she is talking about. I was a History major, so maybe that part of it appeals to me particularly, but they really are wonderful all around.

I guess there is one more thing that I should sheepishly mention... they are the product of my biggest book crush ever. And I read a lot of books. Ramses is the name and it has really almost become a joke in my family now, "I wish you would find your Ramses"... "Have you met Ramses yet?"... What's taking Ramses so long?"... "Ramses has ruined you for real men..." Alright, so maybe nobody in my family has actually said that last one to me, but I know they are thinking it. (And it's only somewhat true- Westley from The Princess Bride is partly to blame ;) As Ramses is described in the book at one point:

He pretends to despise the gentleman's code of his class, but he is everything they claim to be and seldom are- gentle and strong and brave and honorable.

I'm not much of a swooner, but if anyone could get me to it's Ramses.

The new book, Amelia Peabody Mystery No. Nineteen, is called- A River in the Sky. It is a prequel- not of the whole series, but it comes sort of in the middle, and it is classic Amelia and I smiled through every moment of it. In my thinking, nineteen is an awfully awkward number and she might as well round out the series into a nice even twenty at this point, right? Here's hoping.

LOST S6: E11- 'Happily Ever After'

Now, little boy LOST, he takes himself so seriously
He brags of his misery, he likes to live dangerously
And when bringing her name up
He speaks of a farewell kiss to me
He's sure got a lotta gall to be so useless and all
Muttering small talk at the wall while I'm in the hall
How can I explain?
Oh, it's so hard to get on
And these visions of Johanna, they kept me up past the dawn.

-Bob Dylan

Desmond loves Penny...

Charlie loves Claire...

Daniel loves Charlotte...

Love makes them remember... love conquers all! Be still my beating heart during the cat scan Penny flashes! Also Penny's giddy laugh and Desmond's joyful strut as they parted ways at the stands. Does this whole show boil down to soul mates?! I can dig it.

I had fun with the opening island scenes of this episode. It felt all Island of Doctor Moreau-ish. At first it seemed like the Jurassic Park compound and I was sure we would hear raptor screeching, then when they turned on the generator too soon and the dude was still touching it, I wanted it to morph him and give him a crab hand or make him like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly or something, but sadly they played it safe with the old 'fried to death' bit.

Des has always been the wild card and could travel back and forth to the different times in his mind. Widmore knows this about him. Is Widmore aware of the alternate timeline and knows that Desmond is the only one who can connect the two realities? Was electromagnetism the only way to connect him to the other world? In the end Des seemed to understand his purpose, or at least felt good about knowing he had a purpose, but Widmore referred to it as a great sacrifice. What does it entail?

The first few Flash-Sideways sequences we saw seemed to be really positive alternatives and giving people closure. Then we had a couple that were sort of ambiguous and made me question that, like Sayid's and Sun/Jin's. This week is the first time I really viewed the Sideways scenario to be sort of trickery or a facade. Is an ominous Someone trying to keep them happy in this fake world and trying to give them what they want to keep them form their higher callings? It made me think of the scene in Labyrinth when Sarah is sort of drugged to forget her purpose so that her time to succeed will run out, but then she sees some familiar things and remembers. Desmond taking Penny's hand was sort of his, "you have no power over me" moment where he knew who he was and what was needed of him. Apparently in both realities. Not sure why he was so cool going with Sayid in the end, but maybe we is just so zen in his purpose and in the euphoria of Penny that he knows he will be able to accomplish his mission no matter what? He wants the flight manifest because he needs to 'show them something.' What is the plan, Des?

The title of this episode was Happily Ever After, which could just be a sweet reference to the love story that is Desmond and Penny, but I think it is meant to be taken a little more, ironically or sarcastically. The Flash-Sideways seems to represent this facade of happily ever after, but it can't last because there is no such thing as that. Not in a cynical way, just in a realistic way. No 'happily ever after' doesn't mean no happy in your life, it just means there are responsibilities and sacrifices to think of. Also, however much you (whoever the you or what is in this situation) try to give people new memories to keep them... distracted, so to speak, you apparently can't actually rid them of their strong emotions. Reality is their true Happily Ever After and they need to get back to it.

The Flash-Sideways is our Losties Matrix Eloise Hawking Widmore, what do you know, woman? "What happened, happened," - nice touch. She was always a bit of a Seer- does she understand the discrepancies in the Flash reality but prefers to stay in it because she gets to keep her son in this version of her life, like the betrayer in the first Matrix who wanted to forget? What is interesting though, is that with this new perspective of the Flashes I am thinking back on what has been taken from these people to make them start seeing the truth. For Des, Charlie and Dan its their ladies, for Sun/Jin it is their child who they may have lost when Sun was shot... but for others they were given something- A son for Jack, a shot at raising Aaron for Claire... they might be harder to convince. Desmond is the new Jack, trying to get everyone 'back to the island' in a way. Though this episode was the most blatant, Des and Charlie and Daniel aren't the only ones remembering, so maybe it won't be hard to convince the others of the truth, it just might be hard to get them to make the right decision in choosing their real life. There were scenes/moments with some of the others, most specifically Jack, where they seemed to have deja vu or were trying to makes sense of a memory.

Charlie was also, of course, the perfect person to help guide Desmond because of their friendship in the other reality which manifested it in the 'Not Penny's Boat' scene. Charlie looked outside of himself- did he remember the island and Desmond when he almost died before and did the hand thing to jog Desmond's memory? Maybe Charlie is just sort of a talisman since he is dead in the other reality. Maybe its because he is dead in the other reality that he is so much closer to his memories than the others. The way Juliet slipped into it just before she died and the way Sun was affected when she passed out.

Nice touches & parallels with the Flash-Sideways: Running into Claire and predicting a boy, Having the scene in Widmore's office where they drink together and Widmore tells him nothing is too good for him when in a previous situation in his office he won't offer him a drink because he isn't good enough, having George be the driver in this episode since he was in the pivotal Constant episode, the nutty guy who died on the freighter, I believe of a brain aneurysm for his lack of a Constant.

Great lines of the night:

Daniel- "What if this wasn't supposed to be our life?" ... "I don't want to set off a nuclear bomb... I think I already did."

Charlie- "Spectacular, consciousness-altering love," nice description, and "then why are you accosting a man in a dressing gown."

Penny- "I shook your hand and then you fainted; I must have quite an affect on you," and the classic, "have we met before...?"