Absolutely Unbelievable

When something like this occurs, I really have to wonder if a sense of justice really exists anymore...

You can see my initial thoughts about this travesty here, on a previous post that I wrote.

(click on the title of this posting for the article)

Very Sad

This article makes me feel very sad.

And maybe proves the theory that Oprah is the Anti-Christ?

Or at the least shows how Christianity, in the eyes of history and the world, has evolved from a religion that focused on others to one that now focuses on the self, with no absolutes.

Am I being too dramatic? Should I be sad? What do you think?

Learn Something New Every Day...

You have no idea how fun this is for me - just discovered this website and its fun widget tool. This is something that I would probably wear to work - what do you think?

I would wear this during the weekend....

This is a fun, casual "going-out" look...

And I just like this look as a general summer outfit...

Post your thoughts on my style choices! :)

Tongue-Tied

The thing that seems to be the hardest thing about blogging is that I don't have to much to say or write about. I seem to have a problem when it comes to things having to do with words, like talking or writing - I am so much more content to listen to other people or read what other people are thinking and/or doing in their lives. I know conversations are supposed to be two-way streets and I do that well at times. But at other times, I would just rather clam up and listen and think about what other people are saying.

The other thing that makes writing and/or carrying on a conversation difficult is coming up with a good question to ask. I generally just have random thoughts that come and go (and often make me laugh and leave other people thinking, "What a strange person..."). I wish I was one of those people that comes up with a good question to ask at a moment's notice. But unfortunately quick-thinking verbalization does not come easily to me. Even now, as I am typing this, I'm sitting here thinking, what in the world do I have to say and should I say it out on the world-wide web?

What is a remedy to help this? And what are ways to be sparked creatively?

So until the creativity is sparked, some random thoughts:

1. What a week in sports - from Tiger's heroic and dramatic US Open win to the Celtics completely annihilating the Lakers in the NBA Final Championship game, it has definitely been an awesome week for sports. The display of athleticisim, determination, and competitiveness was something I had not seen in a long time. (*Note - With all the controversy surrounding NBA officiating these days, I wouldn't be surprised if the Lakers are accused of throwing the game. On the one hand, it would make sense why they played so poorly. On the other, you would think they would have tried to make the game look more close than it did!)

2. Offshore drilling - Good idea or bad idea? Though I have strong environmental leanings these days, I tend to think that this actually wouldn't be a bad idea, especially after reading George Will's editorial column in the Post a couple of weeks ago which cited a fact that there are more foreign countries and oil companies drilling for oil in our offshore waters than US companies. And who gets those royalties? The foreign companies. Doesn't make much sense to me. On the other hand, I don't understand the reluctance to build nuclear power companies - if Americans really are serious about changing our energy habits, forget the corn and vegetable oil - that's not going to power your laptop, cell phone charger, flat-screen TV, HD-DVD player, lamps, surround-stereos, and hairdryers - we need a real energy solution, and France of all places has demonstrated that nuclear power is indeed a real solution for clean energy needs. I am looking very much forward to the release of Thomas Friedman's new book that talks about the need to change our energy consumption. His article in the New York Times is what convinced me that going green is a responsibility that we all must take, and that now is the time to take that definitive steps towards being environmental conservationists.

3. The platypus is one of the most venomous mammals in the world. Did you know that? I did and thanks to Wikipedia, that little fact let me prove to my family that I am indeed one of the smartest people that they know. Justification never feels so good than when you are proven right in the face of all the doubters and naysayers, especially when it is your family (or maybe, it's just my ultra-competitive family....And no, I don't remember why a platypus came up in our family dinner conversation) :) :)

Hilarious

This is why I love John Stewart and Co.

Nerd at Heart

I'm a techy nerd at heart - which is why all the cool improvements and enhancements that Blogger makes to its blogs are so fun to explore and try out.

You'll see a new page element on my sidebar called a "Blog List". Turns out that Blogger was having the same thoughts as I was about broadcasting to the world some different blogs to hang out at. I like going to all the blogs listed from time to time to see what's new with both my friends and strangers, because some are inspirational, some are challenging, and they all remind me that we are each a unique individual with our own individual thoughts trying to scrape our way through our own individual lives.

I'm going to keep trying out some new things here - experimenting with videos and slideshows courtesy of Picasa and other cool techy, html-y things that I can experiment with. I don't claim to be an expert at any of this - I just love exploring all the cool, fun possibilities of Web 2.0! Also, any recommendations that anyone has for my blog, please, send them on!!

A Sad Realization...

Sometimes I have the unfortunate realization at just how sad my life is at times. Most of the time I just live in blissful ignorance, ignoring the facts that I know about myself. And one of those facts is that I do like watching dating reality shows.

This hit me like a mac truck though last night when I ended up watching the re-run of Trista and Ryan's Wedding, the first Bachelorette to grace our television sets. The thing is, I watched this seminal television event the first time 5 years ago with a bunch of friends at college. I can clearly remember us all gathering together in our little living room on the worst couches in the world watching the blessed event with snacks and snide commentary. It was hilarious then and it was just as hilarious last night (if not more so) to watch it again last night.

But for some reason, in the midst of my laughter, I had the realization of just how many reality dating shows I have partaken in - The Bachelor (many seasons), The Bachelorette, Joe Millionaire, Average Joe. And I do have to admit that from time to time I will also willingly subject myself to an episode of the complete trash realm of reality dating shows - Elimidate, Flavor of Love, Rock of Love, MTV's Next. Then there are the random ones that I sometimes catch an episode or two of - Farmer Wants a Wife, Outback Jack.

It was then that I realized that I have spent more time WATCHING people on dating shows than actually GOING on dates. Is that sad? It seems like that should be a sad fact. And it could be that I should be more depressed about that than I am, but with so much else on my plate at this time, I don't think I have the capacity to be depressed about it right now.

So for now, I'm just going to laugh at my memories and good times of Trista and Ryan, Joe Millionaire (who could forget the closed caption incident??), Andrew Firestone, Bachelor Bobert (ick), Adam from Average Joe, and my new fav, DeAnna and her posse of men chasing after her (and ps, cannot believe that she intentionally staged falling off the bucking cow to see who would come help her first, AND that she eliminated my science nerd teacher, AND that mullet karate kid is still around, AND that she bought a star for the single dad's kid - so ridiculous, but oh so awesome!!).

On Posting...

More to come on my love for dance movies, my sixth summer of baseball, and how God is moving in my life, as soon as I find more hours in the day (the hours that aren't consumed by thinking about Lost :))!! I promise Kat! :)

Lost in Lost

**WARNING - Don't read if you haven't watched the Lost season finale yet!!**

Wow.

Wow.

The season finale of Lost was one for the ages. I can't stop thinking about it. When I get ready in the morning, I'm thinking about the finale. When I'm driving in to work, I'm thinking about Lost. When I'm at work, I'm thinking about Lost. When I'm driving on work errands, I'm thinking about the finale. I can't stop thinking about it!!

There was so much that happened that it has taken me days to process through it all and I still don't really have a clue as to what is going on. But, since this is my blog, I'm going to go ahead and throw some things out there.

Locke:
John Locke being revealed as Jeremy Bentham lying in a coffin at the end of the finale, THE coffin that plagued us with questions from last year's season finale. I totally didn't see that coming. I thought that maybe it would be Ben in the coffin, but honestly I really didn't have a good guess - but I NEVER thought it would be Locke. And NOW, I'm wondering, is Locke really truly dead or is he playing some kind of Juliet (as in Romeo and Juliet) and will wake up once he gets back on the Island? Why did the Island "let" Locke die, because remember Tom said that the Island controls when you die?? Locke has a history of defying death (his premature birth, the kidney surgery, the fall from eight stories that paralyzed him, the plane crash, Ben shooting him point blank!) and so I think Locke is going to end up alive by the end of the series finale.

I also think that Locke was never supposed to the leader of the Others. I think Jacob wanted Locke to move the Island, not Ben, but Ben is so overcome with grief about the death of his daughter that he wants to do anything to get off the island, and away from his responsibilities of leading the Others. He is so hurt by what the Island has taken from him that he takes Locke's destiny from him. And I also think that Locke has been denying who he was always supposed to be - a man of science. But Locke has always wanted to be the hero, not the scientist. And I think he is so scared of being who he was meant to be, that he has always fought against it. I actually think that Jack is supposed to be the leader, if anyone is supposed to be a leader other than Ben, but Jack doesn't want to believe it and is so single-mindedly focused on getting off the island that he doesn't allow for anything else to resonate. But Jack's line of thought has mile-wide cracks running through it and we have seen how those cracks have torn him apart.

There is also the fact John Locke has changed his name to Jeremy Bentham. From one political theorist to another - one who advocates man's right to be an individual and own property(natural rights) to one who advocates utilitarianism (the greatest good for the greatest number, with the ends justifying the means). I always knew that all my education at UVA would serve me one day!

Jin:
Better not be dead. That's all I have to say. And Sun's cries of desperation still haunt me. She deserves an Emmy for that performance.

Michael:
I think he is dead based on other people's recaps and reports of Harold Perrineau's other projects. Which makes me sad. I feel like we got shafted by the non-resolution of Michael and Walt's characters, which were SO alleledgely important in Seasons 1 and 2. And to have at least Michael's part end the way it has, makes me feel so unsatisfied. "You can go now" - and I have a feeling that Michael didn't want to go at that point.

Miles, Charlotte, Faraday, Lapidus:
So, Faraday?? Where art thou? Did he survive the island moving? Was he in the vicinity enough to be sucked into the moving of the island?
Charlotte, so you HAVE been to the island before. How? Were you born here? Some people are throwing out the theory that you are Ben's girl friend from his Dharma days. I don't think that is right, but I might be wrong. But I just don't think she is his childhood friend. And I know there is a connection with CS Lewis, but I'm not getting it yet. I don't even really like your character yet.
Miles - you are weird, snotty, and I can't figure out what your deal is, but I think I like you.
Lapidus - love you, but I wonder what is going to happen to your character now. Should be interesting.

Desmond and Penny:
Desmond and Penny, thank you for that kiss. It was the perfect romantic kiss of long lost loves.

Sawyer and the rest of the people on the Island:
I wonder what is going to happen to you all. I have no real theories, but should be interesting to check in with our old friends, Rose, Bernard, Juliet, and Sawyer next season. I wonder if they somehow will join up with the Others.

The Oceanic Six:
Hurley talking to Mr. Ecko!!!!!!!! (One of my fav moments of the night, though I wish we had actually seen him :)). Walt returning to talk with Hurley. Claire's ghost (?) telling Kate to NOT take Aaron back to the Island. Kate slapping Jack and yelling at him. Sayid taking out a guy staking out Hurley. Sun confronting Widmore. The reveal that Sun blames Jack for Jin's "death". And then the final scene with Ben, Jack, and Jeremy Bentham/John Locke.

These are the thoughts that are running continuously on loop in my brain. Please, post any thoughts and theories in the comments section!!

(I hope you liked this Leah!)