Miles & Ben: "Dr. Linus"

So, here’s another “Lost” post for you which will probably include spoilers. If you’re not caught up with all the new episodes and don’t want anything ruined for you, go away now.

I’ve been watching “Lost” since it first aired way back in 2004. I even liked the ’slow’ part of Season 3, especially the second time I watched it. In addition to watching the show and coming up with my own theories (most of which have been shot down mercilessly as more information is revealed) I’ve really enjoyed the online community of “Lost” fans. We’ve all shared theories, quandaries, our desire to know the truth and in general how much fun we’re having with the show.

But I have to say, I’m not enjoying “Lost” fans anymore. I try to go to the same places and read what people are saying but all the whining and bitching is really getting on my nerves. All these years I’ve continuously read “I trust the writers to know what they’re doing.”

Now, all I read is, “I want to know what everything means RIGHT NOW – and I mean everything. If they leave anything out, I’ll hate this show forever.”

For example, in this past week’s episode “Dr. Linus” (my favorite of the season so far, but that’s no surprise since I have a very unhealthy fascination with Benjamin Linus), there was a great bit where Miles mentions Nikki and Paulo and the fact that they have $8 million dollars worth of diamonds right there in their graves. I thought that was funny, totally in character for Miles and a nifty little shout-out to everyone’s least favorite Losties.

So, when I visit one of my favorite “Lost” chats/discussions, what do I read about this? “This is exactly the kind of “answers”/closure/filler that I don’t care about and wish they wouldn’t waste my time on.”

I guess fanboys/fangirls are the same no matter what they’re a fan of. So many of them just can’t stand it when something they care about goes in a direction they don’t want, or that it’s not moving fast enough – or slow enough – or it just isn’t right, dammit! “I want Green Lantern to have black hair, not brown hair. Now it’s all just ruined!”

And no, that’s not an exaggeration. I’ve read about these ‘fans’ who will totally abandon something they profess to love more than anything for something as simple as a bad costume.

This also brings to mind all those Hermione/Harry Potter shippers who had a hissy fit when Hermione and Ron got together instead and started demanding J.K. Rowling change her plot lines and APOLOGIZE to them for being wrong.

So, the point of my rant? Relax, people. Yeah, it’s important to you and that’s great but when you start laying claim to something you had no hand in creating, you really need to get over yourself.

Me, I do still have faith in the “Lost” writers and producers. We’re going to get the answers to the questions they want to answer. All the other stuff that they’re going to leave out? I’ll just decide for myself. That’s one of the advantages of unanswered questions in fiction – for those willing to fill in some of the blanks themselves, they get a wholly original story that no one else has. “Lost” is not my property, but I have my own, personal version of the story that no one else can have.

I’ve been in a rather pissy mood lately so if this post sounds overly negative, I apologize from the start.

The little things have been really getting to me lately. I find that I can’t stand it when people shorten ‘vegetables’ to ‘veggies.’ It’s part of what I call ‘cute speech’ and it drives me bonkers. I have to admit that I have used the term myself now and then, but I cringe even when I do it.

I also hate it when people say ‘Ummmm’ before they’re about to disagree with you or try to make you feel stupid. I don’t know how this started but I see it in writing and hear it in speech all the time. It feels passive aggressive to me, like they’re trying to soften the blow by feigning confusion over your viewpoint before skewering you with their own.

And yes, I have also been guilty of using the ‘ummm’ ploy.

It’s Pet Peeves Day here at Brandi’s Blog. Anyone else want to join in?

The following is an article regarding the controversial Tim Tebow Superbowl ad:

But Pam was against abortion, and she had faith in God. She refused. Today, her reward is a healthy, athletic, stellar son. “I’ve always been very [pro-life] because that’s the reason I’m here, because my mom was a very courageous woman,” Tim told reporters last week. That’s the prescribed moral of the story: Choose life. Dave Andrusko, the editor of National Right to Life News, puts it eloquently: “This amazing young man is able to share his many gifts because, and only because, Pam Tebow said no to abortion and yes to life.”

Pam’s story certainly is moving. But as a guide to making abortion decisions, it’s misleading. Doctors are right to worry about continuing pregnancies like hers. Placental abruption has killed thousands of women and fetuses. No doubt some of these women trusted in God and said no to abortion, as she did. But they didn’t end up with Heisman-winning sons. They ended up dead.

Being dead is just the first problem with dying in pregnancy. Another problem is that the fetus you were trying to save dies with you. A third problem is that your existing kids lose their mother. A fourth problem is that if you had aborted the pregnancy, you might have gotten pregnant again and brought a new baby into the world, but now you can’t. And now the Tebows have exposed a fifth problem: You can’t make a TV ad.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

I’m exhausted. I woke up feeling okay but then I checked the election results. I had to go to bed at 11:00 last night and the final result on issue 1 hadn’t been figured. When I went to bed No was winning by a few percentage points.

After finding out that my newly adopted home state joined the ranks of those denying fellow citizens basic rights all I wanted to do was go back to bed. But no, I had to go to work and be around people that I know voted Yes on 1. There are two things I refuse to discuss at work – Politics and Religion. Not everyone feels the same and I know several of my co-workers’ stance on both. It’s interesting that those who have no problems spouting off their politics are those with which I disagree.

I’m just so tired of people trying to control other people’s lives. I’ve been fighting against this tyrannical behavior since I was in college and it only seems to have gotten worse. Having a complete moron in the White House for eight years (Bush Jr. in case you don’t know to whom I’m referring) has emboldened the ignorant and fearful and they have no problem using that fear as a tool in their ongoing war with anything that doesn’t fit into their own personal world view.

I’m just so tired of it all.

Land of the free? – bullshit.

Home of the Brave? – double-bullshit.

This is from Andy Borowitz’s satire column and pretty much sums up how I feel about extensive cell phone usage:

Douchebags Consider Switching to Land Lines

“We’ll be kissing these goodbye,” assholes said.

A new medical report showing that excessive cell phone use may increase the risk of cancer has sparked widespread fear among the nation’s assholes, prominent assholes confirmed today.

For years, America’s assholes have talked relentlessly on their cell phones – while waiting on supermarket lines, sitting on the bus, or even crossing the street – regardless of the effect their annoying chatter has had on those around them.

But with a new doctor’s warning that cell phone use could pose a serious health risk, many jerks and douchebags are considering changing their ways.

Tracy Klugian, 32, an asshole who works as a realtor in Tallahassee, Florida, said that he and his Bluetooth have been “inseparable” for the past three years, but the new health scare may change that.

“I didn’t think twice about using my cell when it was only annoying other people, but now that it may be harming me, I’m going to have to kiss it goodbye,” he said.  “This totally sucks.”

When asked what he will miss most about his cell phone, Mr. Klugian said, “I loved when it would go off in the middle of a movie and wreck the experience for everyone seated around me – that was awesome.”

Davis Logsdon, an anthropologist who studies the behavior of egregious assholes at the University of Minnesota, said that the cell phone scare is only the latest in a series of setbacks for the nation’s douchebags.

“Thanks to rising gas prices, many of them have already had to give up their SUVs — and now this,” Dr. Logsdon said.  “All in all, this has been a tough summer for assholes.”

I’m a big Stephen King fan. It was kind of unavoidable growing up in my house. My mother was a fan before most of the world knew King’s name.

This past week I finally got a copy of two of his newer releases, Duma Key and Blaze. Duma Key was written by Stephen King. Blaze was written back in 1973 by his alter-ego, Richard Bachman.

I haven’t read every Bachman book, but every one I have read I really, really like. Even though ‘Stephen King’ seeps through sometimes, they really do feel like they’re written by someone else. As much as I love Stephen King, I think I like Richard Bachman better. of course, his output wasn’t nearly as prolific as King’s, so there was less chance of hitting sour notes (*cough* Tommyknockers *cough*). So, I chose to read Blaze first.

I read the introduction this morning and a couple of things really disturbed me. First, the front page that lists other books by Richard Bachman. There was one glaring omission. And then, in the introduction by Stephen King, that omission is mentioned but dismissed as a mistake!

I know why he feels the way he does about Rage. I suppose if something I wrote influenced someone to commit violent acts, I wouldn’t look so kindly on that work either. However, I personally think Rage is one of the best things he ever wrote. It just so happens that I’m not a disturbed, anti-social human who reads it and thinks, “Hey, I sympathize with this character (which I do) therefore, I should try to emulate him and do exactly what he does.”

The book is no longer in print.

I don’t like censorship. I don’t like limiting freedoms because of the stupidity of others. I choose to wear my seatbelt – but I don’t think it should be required for anyone over 18. I personally don’t like guns, but I also don’t have a problem if an adult who can prove they’re responsible with firearms has one. This list could go on and on, but I think I’ve made my point.

It all reminds me of when I was a kid. I loved bottle rockets, but when I was around 8 or so I leaned over the bottle – right after my dad told me not to. I was therefore banned from bottle rockets for a very long time. When I was finally allowed to shoot them again, I never – ever- leaned over the bottle again. My parents made my safety their responsibility, and no one else’s. Most of my friend’s parents seemed to parent in this same manner as well.

So, why is it, that my generation is raising a mess of spoiled, pampered, ‘nothing is your fault, dear – it’s society’s’ assholes? I’ve met some exceptions, certainly, but for the most part, the next generation is a bunch of passing-the-buck jerks!

I have yet to figure out when and why this mental shift happened. Was it a ‘I want to be friends with my kids because I personally thought my parents were tyrants’ attitude? Or were we raised by parents who were too lenient as well and we just continued this trend?

Ugh. I could continue to bitch about today’s kids, but I suppose I should stop. I mean, I’m only 35. What am I going to be like when I’m 60? Hee hee.

Since the publication of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, there have been a lot of HP fans who are outraged that Hermione and Ron are the couple as opposed to Hermione and Harry. Some of these people have gone so far as to start petitions for J.K. Rowling to not only apologize for some perceived slight, but to also change her story to fit their desires.

I even read one comment on a petition that said Rowling obviously has lost it and doesn’t know how the story is supposed to go.

These are the people that give fans a bad name. The ones who hate something before it is even released because it isn’t exactly like they would have done it.

So, I thought this comic strip dated July 16, 2007 (which is obviously satire) was hilarious. CLICK HERE

We have a dog so every day, after work, the pooch gets a long walk so she can…ahem, ‘use the facilities.’ Today’s walk was such an exemplary example of why I want to leave Florida.

I wasn’t even halfway down the block when I saw a young couple, in their mid-teens, arguing in the street. Yes, in the street, not on the sidewalk. I try not to eavesdrop, but I was soon about to turn back to call the police because the boy was obviously harassing the poor girl. Fortunately, he finally gave up and went home.

Fine, good. We get to the corner and this young man on a bike says excuse me and cycles past. Half a minute later, I hear a screech and I turn around fast, thinking the punk came back to harass the girl and she’s screaming. Nope, it’s another biker, this one a real idiot, going too fast, riding on a walking trail and almost plowing me and my dog over.

I keep walking to find that the two bikers (obviously together) had stopped to listen to two people, who were also walking their dogs, argue. The bikers didn’t know either of the people (you could tell by the way the two were looking at the bikers) they were just there for the show. Then the two bikers got back onto the walking path, in front of me, and stopped dead to talk. I cursed rather loudly, which is something I rarely do in public, did an about-face and went the other way.

I take China over to the large field that is part of the apartment complex and she’s finally able to relieve herself. I turned to walk her back home when I see some woman letting her large dog loose onto the field. There are leash laws, it’s against the apartment complex rules to have unleashed dogs and I didn’t know that dog from Adam. If it attacked my dog, there wasn’t much I could do to stop it. So, I hike all the way around just to avoid the bimbo and her dog. (The dog was probably perfectly fine, but I won’t risk it. I needed the extra exercise anyway.)

So, there it is in a nutshell, why I hate South Florida. The simplest things can turn into a nightmare and 9 times out of 10 it’s because of morons who have no regard for anyone but themselves. Yes, I am perfectly aware that there are morons everywhere, probably even in Maine, but I can certainly guarantee you that there are less and maybe even less in proportion.

As for the good news: Hot Lead and Cold Feet is on DVD and I didn’t even know it was going to be released! Woo hoo!

One of my favorite Disney movies, it stars Jim Dale in a triple role as twin brothers and their cranky father. The film also stars Don Knotts and Jack Elam, but Jim Dale shines in his roles, playing each one so convincingly different that it is easy to forget that one man played all three parts. I have been a fan of Mr. Dale’s ever since I saw this film when I was a child and he’s equally as good in his other Disney films, Pete’s Dragon and The Unidentified Flying Oddball (aka A Spaceman in King Arthur’s Court). He is most famous currently, however, for performing the American audio books of all the Harry Potter novels.

So, if you enjoy comedy westerns made for the family with a 70’s Disney flavor, I highly recomend Hot Lead and Cold Feet. It’s a lot of fun full of great performances!