Any Takers?

Trying to see if it's useful/possible to seduce women with showtunes. Studies show that it normally doesn't usually work (outside the confines of the BYZ*), but damn it, I want to have to prove them wrong!

And I also wanted y'all to watch this. Because I can't stop watching it myself. My hetero-man-crush on Raúl Esparza's intoxicating baritone voice knows no end.

*BYZ - Brigham Young Zone

The Bear

I went to Disneyland recently. The trip was a celebration of my sister's 30th birthday, and I was invited to go by my brother-in-law to be a third, so that two folks could enjoy the rides, while the third watched the child.

I was a bit weary about this, but Disney parks have this great thing called the Ride Swap, where you pick up a pass at the entrance of the ride that allows you to have a few people in your party ride the ride, while the rest of the party waits (with the little ones). After the first group rides, you swap children, and then the second group gets to go, usually through the Fast Pass line, thus making it quicker. It's kinda genius, and very helpful. Combine that with the already amazing Fast Pass system they have set up there, and you have quite a lot of power.

Anyway, we spent two days there, one at Disneyland proper, and the other at California Adventure. None of us had gone, so it was new to us all. Long day shortened: it was very cool. I was impressed with how much there is to do there, and they're currently expanding it further, so... And World of Color is totally worth the wait.

Okay, now to my point. My sister's birthday is the 7th of October, so that's when we went to Disneyland. The 8th was spent at CA. The 8th also happens to be the birthday of my friend, Carrie. Carrie, for as long as I've known her, has been called Bear, something stemming from family from what I gather. Anyway, CA has a TON of bears, all over the place. They even have a giant mountain in the shape of a bear, right in the center of the park.

So, during the several times I was stuck waiting for my sister and bro-in-law to ride rides, I took to the park, taking pictures of any bears I could find.

I had intended to simply post them on Facebook, but in a fit of creative desperation, I decided to open up Final Cut Pro, and give that a spin.

And this is what came of it:



So, Carrie, this one's for you. And for no real reason other than you're awesome, and I miss you, and I was thinking about you on your birthday. I hope this tribute honors you well.

A Mickey Poop

Getting my nephew to say Pizza Hut is one of the most amazing things I get to do as an uncle.

The scary thing is, he will literally repeat anything you tell him to, which can easily be abused. I choose not to abuse that privilege, thanks in part to how adorable he is when he pronounces benign things like "monkey" and "salsa."

And for the record, no one taught him Mickey Poop; he invented that one on his own. It's what he calls his diapers, since they always have a picture of Mickey on them, and usually have poop inside of them.

Toddlers....

Until Next Time...

HAPPY HARLOW-WEEN!

Scary.

Yeah, it's a sticker

I was really proud of myself a few weeks ago for doing almost one post everyday for a week. But, as great  a victory as it was, I still couldn't bring myself to blog after that week. Why? Well, I realized that this blog had digressed into some media saturated love-fest, where I'd predictably bring some random bit of media to your attention, and then beg you to care. I wanted to change that.

But, not before I did this. 

WHAT I AM (and am not) WATCHING

I did it last year, thanks to the urging of some friends, and I'll do it again. 

I'll try and keep it short. 140 characters was the norm last year, but I'm pretty sure I didn't stick to it. I probably won't here.
___________________________________________________________________________

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER - Back on its game, but still not quite what it once was. I love the characters, so that helps. 

CHUCK - Becoming increasingly bored. The show keeps rebooting itself, rehashing prior conflicts. Getting old fast.

HOUSE - Pure, enjoyable noise. House's dynamic with his girlfriend and best friend make the show worthwhile. The medical mysteries, however, are predictable and the show's weakest part.

THE EVENT - Fence-riding. It has potential, but it squanders it with predictable twists. Also, its characters aren't engaging. 

LIE TO ME - This show is always on in my house. Can't. Stand. It.

MIKE AND MOLLY - Watched the pilot, but did not like it. I hope it gets better, because Melissa McCarthy resides in a special place of my heart (Sookie!)

HAWAII  FIVE-O - I wanted to love it, but so far, I don't. And since when did Hawaii become a hot spot for criminal activity? Sheesh.

CASTLE - A delight. Nathan Fillion is so underused in the cinematic world, it's criminal. #nathanfillion4uncharted

GLEE - Groan. I look forward to it only for the music. Other than that, I couldn't care less.

NO ORDINARY FAMILY - Another wasted show. I can't quite pinpoint what bugs me about it, but I think its the constant "Our family is in trouble" line. Stop whining! For serious.

RAISING HOPE - Best new show (that didn't get prematurely canceled), period. Funny, heartwarming, and completely adorable. 

RUNNING WILDE - Where's the fun? This show feels so labored and forced, it's painful. Peter Serafinowicz steals the show, though. #serafinowicz4uncharted

PARENTHOOD - Almost gave up on it, simply because I watch too much TV. But, I'm glad I didn't. The best family drama on TV. And the best part? It's funny too.

THE GOOD WIFE - Phenomenal. Everything about this show is astoundingly good. It's a legal drama with a nice serialized center. Probably the best writing on television.

UNDERCOVERS - I've only seen two episodes, and I already know two things: 1) It's not for me and 2) It won't see a second season. 

THE MIDDLE - I'm SOOO glad ABC ran reruns of this show during the summer. A nice, easy to digest family comedy. Gotta love it.

MODERN FAMILY - Still on top, but not on fire. A few of the episodes have been duds, but only duds due to the show's incredibly high standard. I hope it gets better.

COUGAR TOWN - LOVE. Just pure, unadulterated love for this show. Best ensemble since Friends. Busy Phillips is a genius comedienne. 

BIG BANG THEORY - Same ole, same ole. 

COMMUNITY - Still in love. The Space Race episode was near perfect. Last weeks was bizarre, but on second viewing, it was better, and rather insightful. 

30 ROCK - It's back! They brought the funny back! Fun live episode, great guest spots with Matt Damon, Queen Latifah and Paul Giamatti.... Just add Michael Sheen, and it'd be perfect.

FRINGE - Deliciously good. The mythology is alive and well, and the show makes no apologies for its new direction. Firing on all cylinders. 

THE OFFICE - Can take it or leave it. Don't like that they're rehashing Jim/Pam with Andy/Erin. I do want to see how they write off Steve Carell...

OUTSOURCED - Blech.

MAD MEN - Another nearly flawless season. Not one episode was a dud, and even one of them was by far the best this show has seen (The Suitcase). The finale was quite a whopper as well, if only on an emotional level.

RUBICON - Critics be damned! This show is amazing. The finale was a bit soft, but I think the second season (if there is one) will be phenomenal.

CAPRICA - I don't know if I'm up for more of this show. We'll see.

LUTHER - Love a good miniseries. Just started on BBC America. So far, so good. Idris Elba is great, but Ruth Wilson steals it as a psychopathic ex-child prodigy. #ruthwilson4...nevermind

SHERLOCK - The first episode of this Holmes update aired on Sunday on PBS. Brilliant. Steven Moffat again hits it out of the park. And it's got a future Hobbit in it, so...

TERRIERS - I'm saving this one up on the DVR. The first two episodes were fun. Trivia Bonus: this one's filmed in San Diego.

FILMS

TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE - Not bad. Not great. Very well made, just not all that well-written.

FOOD INC. - Changed how I look at food. A must-see for any and all American consumers.

SECRET OF KELLS - Beautiful animation with a nice simple story. Fine holiday fun.

THE RIGHT STUFF - I secretly love films about the space program. This one was stellar.

WHEN IN ROME - Um, yeah.

DEAR ZACHARY - Wanna get your heart ripped out AND punched in the gut? Watch this film.

KLUTE - Interesting film from the 70s. Another Oscar win for an actress playing a hooker. Oscar loves a prosty.

Most of these films are available on Netflix Instant Watch. One of them isn't. Try and guess!


I've also been playing me some Super Mario Galaxy 2. So much fun, and perfect for small dose gaming, which I love.

I think that's all. Thirty shows. Seven movies. A failed hashtag joke (or two). And even a bad pun.

All in all, a red-letter day here at the Habdashery...

Now to go make a cake.

Winklevi

Full disclosure: I fully admit to clapping when I laugh. Sometimes. Not all the time. But every once in a while, it's a good way to express just how hilarious something truly is. It is not, however, a device that should be utilized EVERY TIME YOU LAUGH. Especially not in a half-filled movie theatre.

I get that The Social Network is a pretty funny film (yes, it is), but really Dude Who Sat Behind Me? Was it sooooo funny that you just had to clap at every single remotely funny line? And not even a "round of applause" sort of clap, but the much-maligned "slow clap" made infamous in John Hughes knock-offs and football movies that take place in the 60s? And feature racially diverse teams who have to learn to play together, despite being the wrong color? 

Really?

And to add insult to injury, the first 10 minutes of the film were out of focus! 

The things I have to put up with! 

I mean, really. 

But, besides all of that, the film was fantastic. It was on par with some of the best films Hollywood has ever produced; a sort of millennial version of All The President's Men mixed with the destructive genius imbedded in Citizen Kane. If this film soars at the box office, it will win the Oscars. It will trounce them, and steal its first-born child while it's at it. It's just that good.

"But," as one Mr. Levar Burton once told me, "you don't have to take my word for it." 

Ba-dum-bum!

slap the death out of it

Generally speaking, we haven't seen much of this lately.

We're entering into the final weekend of regular season play in baseball, and I'm starting to question why I like the sport to begin with. It's a fickle beast, comprised of over 150 games each season, where the beginning and middle of the season matter very little. It's almost as if they don't matter at all, which is just annoying, especially with a team like the Padres. They defied expectations this season to become the number one team in their division for almost the entire year... That is until a spell of bad games in late August cost them their comfortable lead. Ever since then, they've struggled to remain on top.

Now, they're not on top. They're in second place, with a very tiny (if any) chance of moving into the post-season. It just breaks my heart. I had to stop watching games because I just couldn't take either the crushing disappointment of a team's downfall, or the intense end-of-the-game victories the Pads are so well-known for.

Don't get me wrong, I love the team, and I wish them all the best, but this season has been a roller-coaster ride that I would have much rather not taken. I'm too obsessive and I tend to put too much stock in the success of others (to compensate for my own and more tragic failures). It's sad. I'm sad. And pathetic.

Other odds and ends:

Which

To

See?

- Three movies are opening in my area this week that are begging to be seen: The Social Network, Let Me In and Catfish. I've read the script for the first one (it's excellent, by the way), seen the original of the second one (also excellent), and am super curious about the last one (even though I know more than I probably should). I'm torn. I can't afford all three. And, I'm just impatient enough to not want to have to spread them out over three weeks, not to mention other films being released that interest me. I hate being poor. Decide for me. The Social Network is currently on top, seeing as how it's getting crazy good reviews. I think I can wait on Catfish on DVD. And Let Me In would be a hoot in theatres (and even better with a lady friend...).

- It's been blustery all day here. Can't say I hate it, because it's so wonderful to see San Diego suffer meteorological mood swings. Sunny and temperate does indeed get very old. Another plus? We had a double rainbow. Pictures to come.

- I stopped posting on Twitter. It was the right thing to do, honestly. I often felt like I was tweeting to a brick wall, where only occasionally people would respond to what I had to say. It was making me feel narcissistic and self-important, and I couldn't take it anymore. Going off Twitter has helped me focus my thoughts on other things, which is good. If I have an idea for a tweet, I'll write it down, or blog about it. I still use Facebook, but only to keep in touch, and share cool videos. That's the only thing Facebook should be for, honestly: looking at pictures of friends and keeping up with each other's lives. Not FarmVille or Betty White campaigns or anything else that bugs the crap out of me.

- Speaking of things I dislike, I'm officially avoiding the words "Epic" "Fail" and "Win", in all of their many Internet inspired usages. Hate 'em. I hate how they've made the English language lazier, and I wish they would be phased out of society. It's okay to hate words, right?

- Are you all watching Raising Hope? It's adorable. Tuesdays on Fox.

- Also, Cougar Town.... When did it get so awesome? I think I just found my new spec script.

The L-Word *UPDATE*

UPDATE, y'all...

The Powers That Be dug the poster, so it's a go. Too bad they also saddled me with photocopying it and handing it out. Psh. Responsibility.

And finally, shout-outs to Jessica Kendrick, Eric Anderson and Spencer Holt for the correct answer to the easiest trivia question imaginable for well-read people. The Scottish Play is my favorite Shakespeare play, so much so that I can only refer to it as The Scottish Play. You know, for obvious reasons.

And yes, I get that I just gave shout-outs to the only three people who have probably read this blog recently. Whatever.

See what loyalty gets you, kids?

Your name on the Internet, that's what.

Marsilea quadrifolia

Ten episodes in, and I have to ask: Am I the only one watching this show? It's on just before Mad Men, and I must say, I'm hooked. 

It's The Office, if Dunder-Mifflin were an intelligence think-tank, and if Jim Halpert were caught up in his own personal Three Days of the Condor. 

A lot of folks jumped into the show expecting something more along the lines of The Event (a conspiracy-laden thrill-ride with cliffhangers and the like), but like I inferred just moments ago, this show, at its core, is a workplace drama, one that deals with the everyday lives of people who traffic in top-secret information; the people privy to information most Americans would much rather not know about. Sure, there's a conspiracy to pull you in, week in and week out, but the heart of the show is the team of four analysts (all ably acted by some very fine people), who must decipher cryptic texts, translate chatter, and make heart-wrenching choices that involve words like "collateral damage" and "shock and awe."

I mention this show mostly because I watched the most recent episode and was completely riveted, but also as a suitable substitute for the loss of Lone Star. See, as much as I (often) mourn the loss of great television, it's important to not dwell on it too much, and look elsewhere for other well-crafted and original forms of entertainment. So, Lone Star fans, consider Rubicon your "elsewhere." 

Give it whirl the next time its in a marathon (starting from episode one is a must). It's worth the DVR space, I promise. It has the slow-burn pace that has made Mad Men both incredibly frustrating, and impossible not to watch, so basically, it's can't miss television.  

The L-Word

Today I learned that "canceled" has only one L. I don't quite know why I've been spelling it "cancelled" for so long, and no one, not even Chrome's nifty spell checker seems to think its wrong.

Well, today I also learned that I'm far more British than I realized, since "cancelled" is the preferred spelling of my neighbors over the country and across the pond (here is another example of how living in California makes my life difficult... I'd use less descriptives if I was an east coaster.)

The reason "cancelled" (how defiant!) is on the brain is cause Lone Star bit the dust. Inevitable, but whatever. It still sucks. The show was great, and it had loads of potential. What really sucked was while watching it last night, I realized half-way through the episode that no one besides myself and 3.2 million other individuals were enjoying this show, and that its fate was already a foregone conclusion.... So I tuned out, and played on my laptop for the rest of the hour. I kinda got the gist, but by no means was I fully invested. Sad.

My heart breaks for Kyle Killen, the creator of the show. Dude can't catch a break. His first feature film, The Beaver, has been shelved indefinitely thanks to its star, Mr. Mel Gibson's off-screen brouhaha, and now this... his critically-lauded show is the first one to get the axe.

I imagine he'll rise above, because he's clearly very talented. And quite fertile, it seems...

But, if Lone Star taught me anything, it's that I should never try to go against the grain. If the world demands NCIS, well then by golly, I better deliver a derivative knock-off of NCIS!

It also introduced me to Mumford & Sons, an alt-folk band from the UK. I highly recommend.



And yeah, I'm slow to hear new music. I guess once I finally get a hold of a song, the hipsters can then officially stop listening to it. ("Buzz-kill!" they cried, ironically...)

In other news, I made this for the upcoming Ward Halloween Party:

For a treat, enlarge it, and read the border. The person who tells me where it comes from
gets my respect, and maybe a shout-out on an obscure blog.

It's pretty amateur work, but I dig it. The inspiration stems from a number of places, including The Daily Prophet as seen in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the back cover of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, and a random wedding invite I saw months ago. I also had the old ads of the 1920s on the brain. 

But, I have to ask, is this inappropriate? Is it too busy? Too graphic? Too interesting for a church activity? Can any of you picture this on the hand-out table at the back of the chapel? Your input is important. I haven't turned it in to TPTB yet, so let me know soon. Seriously. 

Profit

Netflix sent this to me recently, mostly because I'd forgotten to update my queue with my preferred choice (which I'm usually pretty good at doing). I'd put this one on there years ago, and it had slowly made its way to the top, but I've been casting it aside for months now with new releases and other things that have caught my eye.

But after all that, there's a happy ending to this story: the show is actually pretty darn good. Like, it's Dexter good. Much like Dexter, the show's lead (Adrian Pasdar, seen most recently flying around like a doofus on one of TV's biggest disappointments of the last five years, Heroes) is an anti-hero; a corporate shark, ready and willing to manipulate any and all who stand in the way of his rise to success. He's unmatched in his abilities to make any negative situation work in his favor. Granted, most of that success is based on all-too-perfect (read: written) circumstances, and a series of fortunate coincidences, but when the main character is so compelling and sooooo bloody disturbing, it's hard to fret over those faults. You just can't help but watch with shock and awe.

But before we get down on Jim Profit, there is a layer of sympathy underneath the mask of deceit. I won't get into details, but let's just say the pilot's final image gave me chills.

The most tragic thing about Profit, however, was the fact that it never connected with audiences. Too dark and too disturbing were the war cries. Because of that, only nine episodes exist.



It's also important to note that this show was unbelievably ahead of its time. Nothing of this nature had ever been on television, let alone network television. It is often cited as the predecessor to shows like The Sopranos, Nip/Tuck, Mad Men, and the aforementioned Dexter. As of late, it's even been mentioned frequently in the same breath as Lone Star, another Fox show that's heading for the chopping block soon (if y'all don't start watching it, Mondays at 9).

It's worth a trip, if you're willing to put up with 1996 again. That's my only gripe. Network TV has come so far since 24, Alias and LOST made production values as breathtaking as the story, so it can be a bit grating to the senses (the music is 100% synth orchestra, and the fact that the show was filmed in Vancouver is all too obvious). But, give it a shot.

Last bit: Buffy and Angel fans should be aware that this was the show that put David Greenwalt on the map.

Furry

My nephew, already adorned in fuzzy fabric...

My nephew, as of late has been completely and utterly obsessed with two things: Finding Nemo and The Lion King.

Nemo, or Meemo as it's known around these parts, has faded into the background (thankfully). But it's only given rise to the latter film.

Without fail, he begs and begs and begs to watch the Guyguy Show (his words, guyguy meaning "cat"), each and every time he comes over, and we tend to oblige, if only to give us maybe a half-hour or so of peace*.

So, I find little coincidence in the fact that my friend, Tati, posted this gem on Facebook just last night. A cautionary film, no doubt, further evidence of the possible future consequences of my bad babysitting.



Who knew there was a Lion King Meetup each year at Anthrocon? I sure didn't. I was too busy picking my jaw up off the floor over the fact that Furries have a convention of their own. (!)(?)(*shrug*)

*Peace: a break from constant toddlerian badgering, quietly accompanied by the musical stylings of Sir Elton. 

LOST and gone forever

I know you're all probably sick of this, and considering I haven't blogged in almost two months, I guarantee an eye-roll or two will result from this post, but whatever. There's a reason it's my blog.

But, on the day of the final DVD release of LOST, both the sixth season set and the complete series set, I just want to say this, once and for all:

The way I see it, there are two ways you can look at LOST, now that it's all said and done:

1. There will never be another show like LOST, so cherish the experience, because you'll probably never see anything like it again.

OR

2. There will never be another show like LOST, so breathe easy, because you'll probably never see anything like it again.

Whichever camp you fall in, congratulations! You have an opinion!

So now please, PLEASE, stop constantly sharing it with the violent vigor of a suicide bomber. We. Get. It.

In conclusion, check out the DVDs. The Epilogue is worth the price alone, as it gives closure to quite a few mysteries, including one very big one. A definite must-watch for any and all fans (even those who "wasted six years of their lives").

Check it.

Gory Details

I finally saw The Monster Squad, a nice little gem from the 80s. I must say, considering it's 23 years old, it holds up quite nicely, thanks in part to some nice cinematography and some great make-up effects.

Also, I love a film that's not afraid to kill people to raise the stakes, especially a film that's geared towards 10 year old boys. What a rarity. Thank you for that, Shane Black.

My biggest gripe with the film had to be that I just couldn't get past the fact that Frankenstein (portrayed by theatre actor Tom Noonan) looks like the deformed twin brother of Michael Shannon.

I guess, in a sense, it helped me buy into Frankenstein's creepiness, since I find Michael Shannon to be quite unsettling to look at. Revolutionary Road, anyone? 

No? Didn't see it? Count your blessings, my friends. Why? Because it's long and tedious. And because no one should ever have to witness anyone self-abort their unborn child and then proceed to bleed to death. 

Oops. Spoiler alert. 

Ritalin

Charlie Bartlett (2007)...

It's as if the writer saw Rushmore and Harold & Maude back-to-back and thought:

"I'll just do that"

A thematic mess.

Do-over

The time has come for me to face the music, and live up to my promises. June, my previously stated goal month, just didn't work out. Too much happened.

So, July is my new June, the battleground for my fight against unfinished screenplays.

Wish me luck, if you want.

And for those playing at home, the subject of this month's Script Frenzy: Do-Over is: Science-fiction.

Gif'd

"Heeeeey..."

This is what I look like when you Skype me.

And I'm recreating that thing I do when I blink for a long period of time, in case you folks were a wonderin'.

N-joi.

Make Some F#*kin Pitches

No one reads this blog anymore.

So for those who do (and who can read lips)....

I Tumble For You

I got me a tumblr.

Wilder & Wilder

That'll be my short-form blog, with more random--and hopefully more frequent--posts.

struck sure quest eons

This little writing epiphany came to me not too long ago, and I thought it was cool enough to share. It deals with structure:

ACT I - You are unlearned and ignorant. In order to become a better being, you must become learned and wise.

ACT II - So, you go to school. At school, you learn many things. It is a new environment. You make new friends. The ignorance begins to fade. You are becoming learned. But, you're not quite there yet, for school is not a place of application. You must enter into...

ACT III - The Final Exam. Here you are tested to the max on EVERYTHING you learned at school. You must apply it, so that you can become not just learned, but wise, for wisdom stems from experience, not from books. 

The End.

Yeah, I know. I said I was a Four Act Man, and I still am. It's just easier to illustrate in three. 

I dunno. This may not be news to you, but I found it rather enlightening. To think of the third act as being an exam of sorts for all the things learned in the second act makes the second act's often ambiguous purpose all the more clear. We often say the second act is where we try the protagonist, and that's true, but I think most importantly, it's where he/she is taught. It's almost as if you can come up with three or four "questions" that need to be asked in Act III, and then come up with ways for them to all be taught, or addressed, in the second act. 

Okay, an example (From a real script I'm concocting):

Protagonist - A new mother, estranged from her husband, desperately seeking approval from an adopted mother she never got along with, as well as from her mysterious birth mother. She believes that in knowing who her real mother is, she'll be able to raise her children right. In the end (SPOILER ALERT, sorta), she learns the most important relationship to foster is the one she chose to be in, the one with her husband.

So, what could the questions be for her Act II?

1. What kind of man is her husband?

2. What kind of mother is her birth mother?

3. What kind of mother is her adopted mother?

4. What does it take to be a good mother?

etc. etc. 

All of these questions could be a sequence, a scene, a conversation or even just a moment. When you look at it that way, it practically writes itself, no? 

And the best part is, you can write as many questions as you want. I mean, don't get carried away or nothin', cause then it'll get long, and possibly not as interesting, but always be asking questions. And maybe you don't address them all in the script. Maybe all they do help you with better understanding the characters; doesn't that still make them valuable? What's important is to just know the questions that need to be asked, and then shuffle in the answers during your second act. Teach your protagonist well*. 

So, basically, what I'm saying is this: Be your protagonist's meanest high school English teacher. Teach 'em everything you think they need to know to do awesome in their final act. Don't surprise them with new questions about information they never learned (I'd say that's a bit "deus ex machina", which by the way is such a cool sounding phrase, that it's a bummer that it's practically a swear word in Screenwriting Land), because that's not fair. Give them just enough (or more than enough) to pass the test. 

And don't make it easy. While they may do wonders for your GPA, there's nothing entertaining about an easy A. 

So, what are y'all's thoughts? Expound! Contend! Detest! Whatever works. I wanna hear what you think...

*Their father's hell did slowly go by

I sent this message to a friend of mine on Facebook, and I put a lot of thought into it, so I'm sharing it here.  Why? I dunno. I figure it's good to express one's opinions on something so divisive, and since LOST is over forever, why not do one last hurrah.

And, please, in no way am I saying I "get it" better than you did, if you don't agree with my analysis. If anything, LOST is a personal experience, and while its fantastic to discuss in groups, the only thing that matters is how you feel.

Spoilers Ahead. Natch.

[My friend asked about the character's mortality]

Yes, they all died, but not necessarily within the timeframe of what we saw on the show. Ben and Hurley even had the exchange outside the church talking about their tenure as Island protectors, so they must have done more after Jack died. I think Kate, Sawyer, Richard, Miles, Lapidus, and maybe even Desmond all got home, safely, and lived out their lives, and then died.

The Sideways world was, as Christian said, a place where there was no "now", so its a place where time isn't an issue (think about the continuity of Sun getting shot, meeting up with car accident Locke. The timeline doesn't match. Sun was shot the day after the plane landed. Locke was hit a week after...). All of those folks died, but at different times. It's messy to think about, because our brains have a hard time processing the idea, but it makes sense, sorta.

All in all, I see the show as an allegory for life, and how life is simply a confusing, mysterious place that never quite makes a lot of sense. And then you die. And in death, a lot of things get unanswered, and there's a lot of unfinished business. So, in a sense, when the show died, so did the burning questions. Since this was Jack's story, as we learned, it was necessary to leave the show with the same understanding that Jack had when he died. He didn't know what he was saving, or why it was important, but he just knew he had to do it. And we as an audience need to accept that. (I'm still struggling with it, to be honest. I get it, but I still want more.)

Jacob brought them all to the Island to not only save it from the Man in Black, but to set in motion a world where they could find peace (the Sideways world). He knew, after centuries of discovery, that human beings can't let go. We cling to life desperately, so much so that we often bring about our own demise. Our selfish need to survive, so to speak. Why? Because we don't want to lose loved ones. We congregate in groups, forming civilizations, and for us, death means the end of that. So, he pushed the castaways to the moment in 1977, where they set off Jughead, to create that new ending. But, they had to all be there. Together. They had to do it together. Everything they ever did had to be together, or else they'd be lost. Think about Michael, chasing after Walt. He ran away from the group, and then became "lost". The Oceanic Six. They weren't living fulfilled lives, because they weren't together. They were still "lost." Going back to the Island meant being together again. It meant being found. I think that's what Jack was craving when he said they need to go back; not necessarily his "destiny," but more like the chance to be with these people that have meant so much to him. He's survived with them, and that's a special bond.

The best thing we can take away from our lives are the relationships we cultivate. The people we love. Even the enemies we fight against.

I think what's most fascinating about the show is that in the end, they made their own ending. The Sideways world was their creation, created from a single act of incredible faith and trust. As a group, as friends, they changed their destiny, and gave themselves a happily ever after. That wouldn't have been possible without the experiences they had, living together. The show, for me, was about working out one's salvation, and most importantly, not working it out alone. The castaways were alone, miserable, and destined for failure. The plane crash changed that, and gave them new hope, in the form of friends and lovers. From there, they fought to protect one another, to survive as a group, and yes, there were casualties, but it made them stronger. Each season, the castaways would split up, chaos would ensue, and by the end, they'd be back together. Jacob knew that they HAD to be together.

Live together, die alone, right?

There's my ramblings. I didn't sleep much last night, because I kept thinking about the show. Insane stuff. I think I get what they were saying. I think they could have been more careful about filling the show with too much mystery, but that could have been by design. They knew folks would hate it, because it doesn't at all answer much of anything. But again, I think that's the point. We as the audience experienced the passing of LOST, and with it, all of the answers it supposedly held. As Damon wrote on his Twitter "Remember. Let go. Move on." It's a bold creative statement to say, but I like that they went there. They knew it would get people mad, but isn't that what LOST has been doing for six seasons?

So in that respect, it was perfect. Absolutely perfect.