TGIF

I can't wait for the weekend to come. No. I am not going on a trip somewhere. Not even a road trip. I'm basically giddy with delight because Friday is closer to Sunday, which is the LOST SERIES FINALE EVENT on tv. ABC 7 is airing Lost from 7 pm I believe up to 11 pm. Now that is a lot of tv. But since it's LOST and it's the series finale, I have made arrangements for this weekend to be my personal Lost weekend as well.

I know I'm being selfish but I already notified my husband that I would not do any housechores on Sunday evening. I will not even be washing dishes. It will be time for LOST. We'll have frozen pizza and some mojito or beer for dinner.

I must say my feelings about Lost ending its run is ambivalent. I am torn apart it seems. I, like the multitude of LOSTies, am excited to see the end, but at the same time not ready to see it end. Not ready to not have LOST on Tuesdays.

This is one show that I can say I have seen since the very first show. I stumbled upon it accidentally. What a serendipitous event I'd say. When the plane exploded, I made a committment that I'd see this show through its very end. And who would have thought that there is an end to this storytelling.

I will definitely miss the WTF moments that this show had served us through the years. All those improbabilities, no-way situtations. They're all what LOST is about. And I'm definitely going to miss it.

TV Talk, Etc.

Let's talk TV. I know I've been terribly remiss with my tv talk/postings. It's not that I stopped watching. Oh no! Not I. That would be horrible. The reason is not quite clear to me. However, I have wanted so much to vent on the upcoming LOST finale. But I can't get my thoughts and opinions squared away for posting. There is too much emotional involvement on my part to take on an impartial reporting.

So let's talk tv and their finales.

DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES: It must be habit that makes me tune in to this aging show, because the stories have really been lackluster this season. In order for it to pull in new watchers or renewed interest in its old faithfuls, it must shake it up a little bit. I kind of see the end of Angie Bolen and her family's stay in Wisteria Lane. I never really liked the addition of them in the show. The season finale did not give the viewers enough incentive to eagerly await for the fall season to arrive.

BROTHERS AND SISTERS: So Robert McAllister died. That's the Rob Lowe character who is married to the Calista Flockhart character. News of his departure on the show circulated a few months back and like everyone else I wondered how his character would be written out. Now we know. I thought this character, which is a late addition, can be done without. I thought that Kitty's character right now does not need a man. Let her do the single mom thing.

Uncle Saul has AIDS, Rebecca took the job, Saul and Scotty are opening a restaurant, Sarah is depressed, Justin wants to go to Haiti - none of these really say "tune in" for next season, does it?

GREY'S ANATOMY: I am guessing that the finale will be this Thursday. This season was prosaic (boring - just using a less boring word than boring). So Katherine Heigl left, so what? I think there's way too many characters in the show. I suggest paring down the cast so the main cast could get meatier roles and also I am hoping the writing to step up to the plate next fall. The musical chairs on sexual partners can be very tiring and old, change the formula, that worked in the past. Doesn't work now. I don't want to see Owen and Teddy and most of the new casts they got when Seattle Grace and another hospital merged.

CASTLE: A newbie, on its first season and I'm totally in love with this show. It's a permanent DVR fixture. I love the interplay of Castle and Beckett's character. Since this is on its first year, I am sure that the writers are still hungry to write fab episodes. What about a new character next season? Some "other" lady for Castle, as there is some other man for Beckett. I can't wait for the season finale, which I am guessing is today - tonight?

THE GOOD WIFE: I love Julianna Marguilles, been a fan from ER. That is why I tuned in to the premier show. This too is another freshman on the tv block. I'm still sorting out my feelings towards this show, but this year, it's a good show to watch after LOST (another channel).

AMERICAN IDOL: So they are down to three. Crystal, Lee and Casey, three of my faves. I would think Crystal should win. She's the most talented of all the contestants this year. She deserves it.

LOST: I know we've been inundated with guesses on how LOST will end. It started its run with a bang (plane explosion, remember fellow Losties?) and I am expecting it's ending in a bang as well. This Tuesday - tomorrow - it airs its last new epi before the series finale on May 23, Sunday. Channel 7 is airing I believe the show from 7 pm to 11 pm. Two and a half of finale and the lead in hours they probably give us an enhanced epi or something, like they always do.

I can't pass up this chance to share how I think the show will end. Here it is.

"An attendant at the sanitarium is seen wheeling Hurley - on a wheelchair - back to his room. Hurley was sitting under that massive tree - the same spot where the dead Charlie showed himself to Hurley in the past season - and too much sun, too little medication, and a very active imagination has all contributed to a Hurley's contrivance of the whole thing. After six seasons, we find out that it's all in Hurley's head, his imagination."

Ha ha ha. I know that's farfetched, but hey it's LOST and anything's possible, right? Wanna share how you think LOST will end?

Three Books I Haven't Read

With all the fall shows busy coming up with a season finale and of course my preoccupation with the slam bam series finale of Lost, I still managed to squeeze in a little of movie/dvd watching :)



After the disappointment of New Moon, the next three movies on my Netflix list are all adapted from books. Just like New Moon, these three I haven't read. I haven't even heard of them before, which disgusts me if I may say so. Once upon a time I used to be very bookish and while I preferred textbooks and history books, I never shied away from fiction.



Here are the next three on my Netflix list for this year in order of arrival.



UP IN THE AIR is a 2001 novel by American author Walter Kirn about a 35-year-old career counselor whose main job is to deliver the bad news (lay off) and assist these people in reentering the job force. In the movie very little is shown about this assisting, it's more on the delivering the bad news. Ryan Bingham (Clooney's character) spends about 300 days traveling and his goal is to reach the milestone of 10,000,000 miles. Along the way he meets fellow frequent flier Alex (Vera Fermiga) and embarks on a casual relationship. [Like there is one. For me when this type of relationship ends there is always someone who gets hurt.]



Bingham was summoned to the main office to train new recruit ambitious Natalie (Anna Kendrick) and show her how things have been done before. Natalie wants to implement a high tech program to cut cost.



MY TAKE: Bingham on paper is 35 y.o. Clooney is not. But that didn't deduct anything from the validity of the movie. The acting by the three major characters [including Jason Bateman as the boss - gosh I hate that guy!] was natural and effortless, which is probably why acting nominations were handed out to the main actors by award-giving bodies.



At some point in the movie, I thought it ran a little slowly. It took its time moving the story along.



Not having read the book, I was surprised to see that Alex was truly just after casual affair. Wasn't that scene where Ryan found out that she's not into anything serious kind of want you to say 'GOTCH' Ryan.



I enjoyed the movie, although I wouldn't pay good money to see it on the big screen.



THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE is a 2003 novel by American novelist Audrey Niffenegger. It's a love story about a man whose genetic disorder causes him to time travel unpredictably and his wife who has to deal with his absences.



MY TAKE: I love Rachel MacAdams. She has this ethereal beauty that gives a classic feel to a movie. Eric Bana is not bad either. He didn't stand out here. And I don't think Rachel did as well, acting wise. However, the story is captivating. It transported me to a place I wanted to be. I love this kind of fairy tale/sci-fi movies.



I got choked up more than once in the movie. It's a nice one to put on the dvd player if you want a little chilling time.



THE LOVELY BONES is a 2002 novel by Alice Sebold about a 14-year-old girl who was raped and murdered and is coping with her death as she watches her family go about their daily life from her perch "heaven".



MY TAKE: I read the synopsis of the book on wikipedia, if I haven't I would be happy with the film adapatation. In the book the mother played by Rachel Weisz had an affair with the detective in charge of disappearance case of Susie Salmon. This was not implicitly or explicitly shown/hinted on the movie version. I don't know if that would have made a difference on how I viewed the movie.

The subject matter is a bit serious for me. It's not the kind of movie I would have wanted to see at midnight. It does give you some things to think about death and grieving and accepting.

The protagonist's character was superbly played by Stanley Tucci. Just one look at him and you can feel bad vibes.

All in all, I think it's a well made movie. I don't know if it made money in the tills, but it's a good rental movie.

A Jumble of Thoughts

My facebook world is getting pretty interesting, mostly because of this page that a popular kid from high school has created/started. Now there is a place in cyberspace where we can say hi to people we went to high school with. While we lived in a small rural town, I would not consider our school small. Each level has 5 sections or classes, each containing an average of 50 students (teacher to student ratio sucked big time) that meant 1000 students attend that school.

And again I found how clueless I was, how isolated, how narrow my world was. I don't know a lot of these people. How could that be? So I spend an enormous amount of time browsing thru their albums, trying to recollect any instances where I have spoken to them. Now I'm a little bit obssessed about this page *grin*.

Another weekend is upon us and I have quite a full schedule. Full to me, it may not be to any of you. But on Saturday I am attending a wedding of someone I don't know, haven't met before. I will go as my hubby's plus one. The bride is his ex co-worker. Why he got an invite and not the other co-workers, I wouldn't know. At least there's another lady that's driving with us to the ceremony and the reception. Why she is going solo to a wedding, I wouldn't know. I'm just glad that I knew one other person in this wedding other than my husband.

And another thing that I wouldn't know is why the wedding is in an Episcopal church when both bride and groom are Chinese? I would have thought if they are Christians, they would I guess be Catholics instead of Episcopalians. At least the probability would be higher in favor of Catholics.

Anyway, I would try to enjoy myself, take photos if I don't get shy. I hate it when my shyness take over and I don't get to shoot.

Oh and major headache about this wedding - I don't have a dress. I am not buying a dress. I am not shopping for any clothing right now. Why? Because I happen to be at my heaviest in my lifetime. I don't want to blame the recent surgery for this development. The surgeons didn't pad my body with hamburgers you know. Nope I wasn't eating burgers. But still I am very heavy, okay call me fat. I call myself fat. And as a punishment I ban myself from shopping until I lose weight. Which means that I have to make do with whatever is in my closet right now. And that means whatever I wear I would look like a pig in a blanket. Oh what a horror!

Sunday as you all know is Mother's Day. No major plans. Nothing fancy. Just like every year, I would take my mom to church then to lunch. My mother is averse to going out when it's dark. So it's mostly luncheon and brunch for her. What is going in my favor is that my mother simply adored this bargain restaurant in Chinatown in Oakland where the food is tasty, the serving is huge and price is a steal. A steal. Too good to be true? Well you have to go to Oakland for it, which means traffic on the way and driving around to find a good street parking. Okay any street parking, good luck. So paid parking is the solution. But it's still worth it. I myself love to eat there.

Another thing that's in my mind lately is the restlessness that had settled in our household. It has been over six months since our last vacation - currently still posting images of it here - no wonder we have been running around daily feeling run down and uninspired. We need to recharge our batteries. I want a weekender or even a day trip somewhere. The weekly visits to San Francisco attending festivals and various activities have helped, but I need a long drive to clear my mind and soothe my nerves, frayed from the fear and uncertainty before, during and after surgery.

There's an island vacation that we are looking to take sometime in the next couple of months, which would be wonderful if that pushes through. I just hope that I can get away from work and that I would be allowed to take a weeklong absence after the month off I just took because of the surgery.

Penny For Your Thoughts

Pick a penny up and all day long you'll have good luck.

Goes the saying.

My mother picks up each and every penny she finds on the streets, in the mall, practically everywhere. She reasons out that it's money, so leaving it there is wasting it. Let's not waste money she says. So she picks it up.

My husband leaves it there. He reasons out that it's money that someone else might need. We don't need it too badly to pick it up. The penny would be wasted on us. So he leaves it there on the pavement, on the street, anywhere he finds it because someone else might need it.

What about you? What are your thoughts on the penny found?

Stories from the Streets

In a hurry. A schedule to keep. A timetable to follow. Hoping against hope that the grey clouds dont open up until later, much later.

Where is the darn bus, she asks. She can handle delay anytime, but not today. Today she needed to be where she is supposed to be early. She needed to keep her schedule.

But she knew that she wouldn't get a break. Never had. So when the bus didn't show up on time and she felt the first drops of rain, she knew she didn't get a break this time also.

What she didn't account for was the metaphorical curve ball that is thrown at her. The curve ball came via HIM. All of a sudden he was standing right in front of her. Poker face. No emotion. Nothing. Blank expression.

Pleasantries exchanged. Then bus sighting, two blocks away. She sighed in relief. He grabbed her arm and ask for a few minutes of her time. She had none to give today.

She chose to go. To keep her schedule. To fulfill her obligation. It was a gamble to leave him hanging there just like that.

Once inside the bus, the rain poured on, so did her tears. She knew. It was the end.