I'm so sorry about not posting this sooner... I had every intent to post this blog yesterday when I got off work but I ended up working a 10 1/2 hour shift. I didn't even make it back home until almost 1230. So here is my blog... sadly it is going to be the last one and LOST isn't even over yet.
This week's episode was awesome and it even had a few twists. Daniel Faraday came back!!!!!! This is a huge thing because he KNOWS how to fix the problem of the Oceanic Flight 815 crashing on the island. It is also because of an accident that is going to happen that causes electromagnetic energy to be released. Because of the accident, Desmond- the man who lived in the hatch...has to push the button.
Topic of discussion in this blog is going to be about Daniel Faraday. He is a man who taught at Oxford University in London. He is very bright and he knows what he is doing. He time travels. How he time travels?.... that is still a mystery. With him knowing about the accident that is about to happen, there comes a price. If you change the past, what is going to happen in the future. Yes, the plane with land in Los Angeles, but what is to happen to the people of the flight??? Of course, they wouldn't know who each other are, but a question that remains is will the people get to know each other just like when the plane crash. With the season finale a mere two weeks away, many things still need to be answered. And if the show is still suppose to end next season, how are they going to make this work? Is there plan to keep dragging out this accident? My opinion- they can't- the viewers will lose interest in the show fast.
There was a shocking ending to the episode though, Daniel's mom- Eloise- shoots him. Whether Daniel lives or dies.... still remains a mystery. If Daniel dies, then is he going to be able to stop this accident or are the survivors going to have to stop it? Daniel never tells them how he is going to stop this accident. So, the probability of the survivors knowing what to do to stop the accident is slim to none. So what is going to happen? I guess all the viewers will have to wait until Wednesday to see what will happen to Daniel Faraday and the survivors.
Still waiting to see how John Locke will bring Sun and Lapidus to 1977 to be with her husband. Maybe this week there will be something with it.
Signing out for the last time....
Maggie
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Little Johnny is Starting to Really Freak Me Out...
The season finale of Heroes was on this week… *HUGE SPOILERS AHEAD*… and the biggest shock- Nathan Petrelli is dead. Sylar killed him. I couldn’t believe it. However.. he kind of came back. The short version--- Sylar killed Nathan, Peter now has all of Sylar’s powers (YAY) and tricked Sylar, knocking him unconscious. Then Matt Parkman turned Sylar into Nathan by telling his mind that he was Nathan Petrelli and giving him all Nathan’s memories (somehow). But no one knows except Mrs. Petrelli, Matt, and Mr. Bennet.
Creepy and weird, I know. So it’s almost like Sylar died and not Nathan. BUT they started the new season at the end (just a minute or so to keep us wanting more) and “New Nathan” was kind of carrying some of Sylar’s attributes, like his obsession and understanding of clocks. We should probably be scared. I’m at odds with myself because I want both Nathan and Sylar on the show.
Okay, so this brings me to the topic I found from this episode. Mrs. Petrelli had Matt turn Sylar into a weird, mutant like form of Nathan because she said anything, anyway she could preserve her son would be better than nothing. I molded that idea into one about cloning. I’m not a science-buff at all, so I don’t keep up with these things, but I do know that cloning of animals is possible and many think human cloning is next. The question, you’ve heard before, if you lost a loved one, and could make a clone of them, would you?
So here’s the scenario: you’re child/sibling dies before their time, as they say. You have the option (forget any monetary aspect) to bring that person back by making a clone using some of their DNA. Do you? A few components come into play here that I can think of, anyway. 1) Are you playing God? Was that person meant to die at 20? And if so, does that stop you? 2) Would bringing them back start some rift in the ultimate plan or something? And if so, do you just take your chances anyway? 3) This clone-child/sibling would not be the real person and you would always know that. Obviously we can’t currently know, but what if clones eventually became a different person than the one you knew? What if they developed into “their own person”, with different views, attitudes, likes, and such? Again, do you just take your chances?
Are all of these unanswered questions enough to make you pause, stop you in your tracks, or is anything worth having any part of your child/sibling back?
As I’ve said in a previous blog, no one likes to think about death, and here I am asking you to do it once again. I apologize… kind of.
Okay, so I put myself in this situation. I can’t begin to imagine the love and connection and unyielding devotion you have to your own child, although hopefully one day I will. I don’t know what I would do, honestly. I think I would be scared, really scared. It isn’t little Johnny, it’s a body walking around that looks like little Johnny. Really creepy! I think I would freak out and Johnny-2 would startle me and I would think he was out to get me and react accordingly…
My friend “Sydney” said there was no way she would do it and yelled at me for creating such a weird and unnatural alternate universe that defies so many biological processes (she’s a science girl).
So that’s two no’s here, I suppose. What about you? Ask your friends, it’s nice dinner conversation. =)
Sadly, this is my last post, so with parting thoughts,
Pearl
Creepy and weird, I know. So it’s almost like Sylar died and not Nathan. BUT they started the new season at the end (just a minute or so to keep us wanting more) and “New Nathan” was kind of carrying some of Sylar’s attributes, like his obsession and understanding of clocks. We should probably be scared. I’m at odds with myself because I want both Nathan and Sylar on the show.
Okay, so this brings me to the topic I found from this episode. Mrs. Petrelli had Matt turn Sylar into a weird, mutant like form of Nathan because she said anything, anyway she could preserve her son would be better than nothing. I molded that idea into one about cloning. I’m not a science-buff at all, so I don’t keep up with these things, but I do know that cloning of animals is possible and many think human cloning is next. The question, you’ve heard before, if you lost a loved one, and could make a clone of them, would you?
So here’s the scenario: you’re child/sibling dies before their time, as they say. You have the option (forget any monetary aspect) to bring that person back by making a clone using some of their DNA. Do you? A few components come into play here that I can think of, anyway. 1) Are you playing God? Was that person meant to die at 20? And if so, does that stop you? 2) Would bringing them back start some rift in the ultimate plan or something? And if so, do you just take your chances anyway? 3) This clone-child/sibling would not be the real person and you would always know that. Obviously we can’t currently know, but what if clones eventually became a different person than the one you knew? What if they developed into “their own person”, with different views, attitudes, likes, and such? Again, do you just take your chances?
Are all of these unanswered questions enough to make you pause, stop you in your tracks, or is anything worth having any part of your child/sibling back?
As I’ve said in a previous blog, no one likes to think about death, and here I am asking you to do it once again. I apologize… kind of.
Okay, so I put myself in this situation. I can’t begin to imagine the love and connection and unyielding devotion you have to your own child, although hopefully one day I will. I don’t know what I would do, honestly. I think I would be scared, really scared. It isn’t little Johnny, it’s a body walking around that looks like little Johnny. Really creepy! I think I would freak out and Johnny-2 would startle me and I would think he was out to get me and react accordingly…
My friend “Sydney” said there was no way she would do it and yelled at me for creating such a weird and unnatural alternate universe that defies so many biological processes (she’s a science girl).
So that’s two no’s here, I suppose. What about you? Ask your friends, it’s nice dinner conversation. =)
Sadly, this is my last post, so with parting thoughts,
Pearl
Saturday, April 25, 2009
This week there was NO new LOST episode :( , which made me very sad. I've gotten so use to my routine of watching LOST on Wednesdays that I did not even know what to do.
So I've decided to dedicate part of my blog to show breaks. Why do shows have to go on breaks? I'm not talking about the summer breaks, but the little breaks that networks put in between the series that make no sense! When you have a show like LOST and there are only 3 episodes left in the season, why do you do this to the viewers????? It is stupid and it makes the viewers upset. I would understand if it was a new series and the series had not expected to be picked up which forced the network to put it on a small hiatus while they film more episodes.
So I've decided to dedicate part of my blog to show breaks. Why do shows have to go on breaks? I'm not talking about the summer breaks, but the little breaks that networks put in between the series that make no sense! When you have a show like LOST and there are only 3 episodes left in the season, why do you do this to the viewers????? It is stupid and it makes the viewers upset. I would understand if it was a new series and the series had not expected to be picked up which forced the network to put it on a small hiatus while they film more episodes.
I hate how LOST makes these stupid little recap episodes when we have been following what has been going on for the last 13 weeks. Are they for people who just to decide to start watching in the middle of the season? I say that is bull because they are going to be confused. There is so much stuff that happens in this show that it would take forever to put into one tiny little recap.
I don't want this how blog to be ranting about the networks giving shows unneeded breaks. So I'm going to talk about this new show I started watching called Weeds. Weeds is about a suburban housewife, who becomes a widow, and has turned to selling pot to stay living the lifestyle she is living. I like this show because it is about something that could happen in real life. Although, selling pot is considered a felony, the show allows you to see an insight into a pot dealer's life. Nancy goes through many tough obstacles through the show and at the end of season 4 , not only is she pregnant with a mexican drug lord's child, but her oldest son has become her supplier. I promise to have more on the show next week along with an interesting topic to go with LOST.
Until next time
Maggie
Out of sight, out of mind....bad idea
Grey’s Anatomy came back this week! I didn’t realize how much I missed it. They jumped right in with Derrick and Meredith all giggly about the wedding. When did Derrick shave? So I guess operating on Izzie cured him, just like I said it would. But now that I find out I was right, it seems a little forced. Oh and him and Mark made up, so all is well. Except Izzie’s still dying and Hunt thinks he ruined Christina, which he may be right about.
The importance of family during death:
This week on Grey’s Anatomy Izzie is still on her death bed and the most adorable little girl died. This brings me to my next topic- the importance of family and loved ones. The little girl’s father was so frantic trying to find a way to get her to Mexico for some miracle cure, he almost wasn’t there when she died. The doctors were telling him she wouldn’t make it to Mexico, but he wouldn’t listen. Not that I can blame him. I would never be able to sit and watch my daughter die. He felt like trying to get her to Mexico was better than doing nothing at all. How could he just do nothing if there was any chance at all she would benefit from Mexico? It was a real tear-jerker this week. He comes back to her and describes Mexico with white sand, blue skies, and clear ocean, as she takes her last breath and passes away in his arms.
Watching someone die is a horrendous experience on so many levels. I can only imagine how watching your child die would rip your heart out a million times.
Izzie was busy all episode planning Meredith’s wedding, regardless of what Meredith wanted. It was obvious she was blocking out the truth of what was really happening by obsessing over the wedding. If you really thought about it, it was quite sad. Here she is planning her best friend’s wedding when she never got to have hers, and may die before she ever can. She also has a horrible habit throughout the episode of pretending to be sick, pass out, or die, just to get people to do what she wants, but when she is really sick, she hides it from everyone.
She said in the end she was trying to be who she was before she became sick, and she just couldn’t. It’s true. When you get that sick, you have to take on a different role than the one you had before. You can’t always physically do all the things you used to and your priorities change. It is very difficult to adjust to this, not including trying to accept the possibility of your death. This is why there are special support groups for those battling cancer, as well as ones for those who have beaten it, because getting back to your old life has its difficulties, too.
Death is something that we put out of our minds, we purposely try not to think about it. There’s a reason card companies don’t put vases on their cards to hold the flowers- they look similar to urns. Death is painful, but perhaps if we spent a little more time dealing with it before it became a part of our lives, we would be better able to handle it. It is an inevitable part of life for every single person and yet we are still shocked when it happens to us and those we love.
I’m not suggesting we walk around contemplating the meaning of life or spend all of our time focused on death. That’s obviously no way to live, but there is a difference between living your life to the fullest, enjoying the time you have and ignoring death until it punches you in the face and catches you completely off guard.
One problem, however, is that we don’t know how to prepare ourselves for death. There is no one way to do it. No full-proof plan to handling grief. Everyone is different, but if psychologists put time into researching this topic, preparation, death, and grief, perhaps someday we would have some answers as to how to better deal with it in life.
With reflection,
Pearl
Saturday, April 18, 2009
What are you capable of?
This week’s Heroes was really quite drawn out, but there were still a few things I got from it. This episode had a lot of flashbacks to when Mrs. Petrelli was a young girl. The main idea was that the government found out that certain people had these special abilities and they locked them up in a camp in the desert. The doctors there killed kids and adults because they were different and Mrs. Petrelli lost all her family. The guilt she felt, combined with seeing a horrendous future, lead her to form a group with some of the other kids at the camp. Together they formed the “company” that we’ve seen from the very first season. This “company” has come off as evil, but as we find out here, it didn’t start out that way. This is what leads me to my point today.
The company’s goal was always a good one at heart, just gone horribly wrong. So it leaves me thinking about a few things.
Is it okay to do evil things, in order to achieve something good, the ultimate good? The ultimate evil for the ultimate good? You’ve heard the question before. Could you kill one to save twenty?
Well imagine this was a reality. Hundreds will be tortured and murdered. If you could try to change that, if it meant killing, would you be able to? Would you even want to?
It comes back to that whole ‘you can’t change the future’ notion. How can you be sure? Isn’t it worth trying?
I tried to think about what I would really do in this situation and I think it comes down to the fact that we are capable of anything if we put our mind to it. So I asked myself, am I capable of doing something like this? In this world, no. But I’ve had a good life, where I’m not fearing for my life every day.
What do you think? Would you be able to? Even if you were able to, would you take that course?
In life, right and wrong isn’t always clear. You might think the scenario here is outlandish or a waste of time to think about. But it’s not impossible. History’s already shown us that one man is capable of manipulating and brainwashing a country into thinking some people aren’t worthy of life, that it would be okay to imprison thousands, torture and kill them, just because they weren’t the same, because one man said his way was right, that some people were less than him and his followers, and it was their duty to destroy all of them.
So it’s not impossible. History repeats itself. I don’t think that sitting at my desk, thinking about how I would handle a situation like that would prepare me, nor do I think that I need to prepare. But it does help put my life in perspective.
With reflective thoughts,
Pearl
The company’s goal was always a good one at heart, just gone horribly wrong. So it leaves me thinking about a few things.
Is it okay to do evil things, in order to achieve something good, the ultimate good? The ultimate evil for the ultimate good? You’ve heard the question before. Could you kill one to save twenty?
Well imagine this was a reality. Hundreds will be tortured and murdered. If you could try to change that, if it meant killing, would you be able to? Would you even want to?
It comes back to that whole ‘you can’t change the future’ notion. How can you be sure? Isn’t it worth trying?
I tried to think about what I would really do in this situation and I think it comes down to the fact that we are capable of anything if we put our mind to it. So I asked myself, am I capable of doing something like this? In this world, no. But I’ve had a good life, where I’m not fearing for my life every day.
What do you think? Would you be able to? Even if you were able to, would you take that course?
In life, right and wrong isn’t always clear. You might think the scenario here is outlandish or a waste of time to think about. But it’s not impossible. History’s already shown us that one man is capable of manipulating and brainwashing a country into thinking some people aren’t worthy of life, that it would be okay to imprison thousands, torture and kill them, just because they weren’t the same, because one man said his way was right, that some people were less than him and his followers, and it was their duty to destroy all of them.
So it’s not impossible. History repeats itself. I don’t think that sitting at my desk, thinking about how I would handle a situation like that would prepare me, nor do I think that I need to prepare. But it does help put my life in perspective.
With reflective thoughts,
Pearl
Friday, April 17, 2009
DHARMA stands for Department of Heuristics and Research on Material Applications
In this week's episode of LOST, we learn more about Miles, the guy who can listen to dead people. We learned that his father was actually the man who runs the whole entire Dharma Initiative. His father left his mother when he was very young. We find out in the episode that he was born on the island. Little fact: The Dharma people and even the Others had a hard time staying pregnant. Most of the women would die because of their pregnancies and there was no reasons as to why. This is why Juilet was brought to the island long ago. If this is true, then Miles must have been born off the island or the writers forgot about this.
Something else that the viewers learn is that the hatch is being built during 1977. For those who don't know what the hatch is, here is your explanation: It is one of the Dharma station. The person that lived in it was suppose to type in 4 8 15 16 23 42 in a computer and hit enter. If this didn't happen, there would be a back-up of electromagnetic energy. Obviously, you see what I'm getting at. Oceanic Flight 815 was brought down because of this electromagnetic energy.
There was a fair amount of comedic humor during the show courtesy of Hurley. He thinks that if it is 1977 and Star Wars just came out that he could send a script for "The Empire Strikes Back" to George Lucas so he wouldn't have to think to hard. What Hurley doesn't know is that:
Something else that the viewers learn is that the hatch is being built during 1977. For those who don't know what the hatch is, here is your explanation: It is one of the Dharma station. The person that lived in it was suppose to type in 4 8 15 16 23 42 in a computer and hit enter. If this didn't happen, there would be a back-up of electromagnetic energy. Obviously, you see what I'm getting at. Oceanic Flight 815 was brought down because of this electromagnetic energy.
There was a fair amount of comedic humor during the show courtesy of Hurley. He thinks that if it is 1977 and Star Wars just came out that he could send a script for "The Empire Strikes Back" to George Lucas so he wouldn't have to think to hard. What Hurley doesn't know is that:
1. The script was probably written at this point.
2. How he is actually going to send the script to him. It isn't like there is mail on the island or that there is a way to get it to the mainland. I mean hello no one knows that this island even exists. So how would someone go around finding it, when it isn't located on a map.
-I couldn't come up with a third reason so I will leave it at two.
At the end of this episode, there was a HUGE suprise! The return of Daniel Faraday!?!?!?!
I had no idea that this was coming. As to why Daniel is back on the island, I have no reason. I have a feeling that he is going to know how to get everyone off the island. Whether this will happen, I don't know. I'm sure that the writers have something spectacular up their sleeves since the season finale is in about four weeks. Im actually excited to see how the season is going to end.
Hopefully next week something awesome will happen on the show!
Until next time,
Maggie.
Monday, April 13, 2009
What Reality Really Is...
Two weeks have gone by and I have not posted a blog by the deadline. Between school and work I have not had much time to go on the computer.
When trying to think of a topic for today since I have watched little TV as of late, I got to thinking about my job. In the past week I have gone from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. Horse Racing does that to you. It can make you feel on top of the world and then come right back and break your heart. It's hard to explain to non-racetrackers the live we live and our careers. It's a rough business, a tough one, that most people wouldn't understand. It's no wonder I would rather associate with racetrackers than 'normal people'. Racetrackers "get" each other. We understand how we all operate and how we think. We understand others hard work schedules and devotion to being at the barn all hours of the day. No sane person gets up at 3:30 in the morning to go to work unless you really really love something.
Last weeked we had 10 horses run. They all ran pretty decently and we had a few winners. One of the fillies on Sunday was a horse that I had exclusivly worked with all winter. She just couldn't understand being a racehorse. My trainer thought she was slow but she would manage to hit the board. She loved to get second and third, but could never win. As the winter wore on she really came into her own. She looked better, felt better, and in general was just happier. She won her first race a few weeks ago. Lasy Sunday we moved her up in class and she won again, easily. I was so happy to see a filly that I worked so hard on finally get what racing was. Her owners were thrilled. They couldn't be happier. They had bred her, raised her, and broke her. It was that day that I thought "this is why I love this sport so much. Helping the horses reach thier full potential. This is why I want to be a trainer".
Today, about 3 hours ago, horse racing showed our barn once again how unpredictable and hard this sport that can. One of other horses, Forest Grinder, was breezing (running race speed around the track) with another horse when she bobbled, breaking her leg, badly, I might add. She had to be put down. I didn't take care of Forest, but I fed her every single day. Right after I learned it was her that broke down I went into another horse's stall, hugged his neck and cried. These horses are part of a big family at the barn. The horses are not supposed to get hurt. They aren't supposed to die. It's hard to explain it to the anti horse racing people. These things are not supposed to happen, they just do and you have to deal with it. Forest wasn't the first and I know she won't be the last, but everytime one loses thier life, it's like losing a member of your family. You watch these horses learn and grow and help through hardships and through good times. It's terrible to see one get hurt.
As far as people go at the racetrack, good people are hard to come by. Quite a few people have drug and alcohol addiction. People go out and party. people cheat on thier spouses. People steal. Just a few weeks ago a girl almost got raped in one of the bathrooms. there are people that are crooks or have done dirty deeds in the past. The racetrack isn't the safest place. It's hard to find good people and I am thankful I work for a barn full of good people. In the past two weeks I made a friend from another barn who I am very grateful for. She is a good person. Relationships are hard on the racetrack since good people are hard to find and we are always traveling. It always seems when someone perfect seems to walk in the door my age they are always jetted away to the big leagues of the racing world because of thier talent and how bright thier future is. It's heart breaking. I guess half the reason I like watching the millionaire matchmaker is because someday I hope I have a happy ending like these people seem to do, but on the racetrack I don't have much hope.
Reality TV for many is an escape and I geuss it is that for me too. But in the end, you can't escape reality. On a day like today, where our barn hit the lowest of lows, I have hope that we will once again return to the highest of highs. Horse Racing is funny like that. The Tampa meet is coming to an end and the horses will be going to 3 different tracks where new adventures, more new horses, and more new people await. It will definatly be an interesting ride.
When trying to think of a topic for today since I have watched little TV as of late, I got to thinking about my job. In the past week I have gone from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. Horse Racing does that to you. It can make you feel on top of the world and then come right back and break your heart. It's hard to explain to non-racetrackers the live we live and our careers. It's a rough business, a tough one, that most people wouldn't understand. It's no wonder I would rather associate with racetrackers than 'normal people'. Racetrackers "get" each other. We understand how we all operate and how we think. We understand others hard work schedules and devotion to being at the barn all hours of the day. No sane person gets up at 3:30 in the morning to go to work unless you really really love something.
Last weeked we had 10 horses run. They all ran pretty decently and we had a few winners. One of the fillies on Sunday was a horse that I had exclusivly worked with all winter. She just couldn't understand being a racehorse. My trainer thought she was slow but she would manage to hit the board. She loved to get second and third, but could never win. As the winter wore on she really came into her own. She looked better, felt better, and in general was just happier. She won her first race a few weeks ago. Lasy Sunday we moved her up in class and she won again, easily. I was so happy to see a filly that I worked so hard on finally get what racing was. Her owners were thrilled. They couldn't be happier. They had bred her, raised her, and broke her. It was that day that I thought "this is why I love this sport so much. Helping the horses reach thier full potential. This is why I want to be a trainer".
Today, about 3 hours ago, horse racing showed our barn once again how unpredictable and hard this sport that can. One of other horses, Forest Grinder, was breezing (running race speed around the track) with another horse when she bobbled, breaking her leg, badly, I might add. She had to be put down. I didn't take care of Forest, but I fed her every single day. Right after I learned it was her that broke down I went into another horse's stall, hugged his neck and cried. These horses are part of a big family at the barn. The horses are not supposed to get hurt. They aren't supposed to die. It's hard to explain it to the anti horse racing people. These things are not supposed to happen, they just do and you have to deal with it. Forest wasn't the first and I know she won't be the last, but everytime one loses thier life, it's like losing a member of your family. You watch these horses learn and grow and help through hardships and through good times. It's terrible to see one get hurt.
As far as people go at the racetrack, good people are hard to come by. Quite a few people have drug and alcohol addiction. People go out and party. people cheat on thier spouses. People steal. Just a few weeks ago a girl almost got raped in one of the bathrooms. there are people that are crooks or have done dirty deeds in the past. The racetrack isn't the safest place. It's hard to find good people and I am thankful I work for a barn full of good people. In the past two weeks I made a friend from another barn who I am very grateful for. She is a good person. Relationships are hard on the racetrack since good people are hard to find and we are always traveling. It always seems when someone perfect seems to walk in the door my age they are always jetted away to the big leagues of the racing world because of thier talent and how bright thier future is. It's heart breaking. I guess half the reason I like watching the millionaire matchmaker is because someday I hope I have a happy ending like these people seem to do, but on the racetrack I don't have much hope.
Reality TV for many is an escape and I geuss it is that for me too. But in the end, you can't escape reality. On a day like today, where our barn hit the lowest of lows, I have hope that we will once again return to the highest of highs. Horse Racing is funny like that. The Tampa meet is coming to an end and the horses will be going to 3 different tracks where new adventures, more new horses, and more new people await. It will definatly be an interesting ride.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
The Joys of TV online.
I was going to review an episode from Animation Domination (Fox's Cartoon-Based Sunday nigh line up)
But this week they were re-run minded (with promises of new content next week). So I've decided to change it up a bit and discuss watching tv online.
I've personaly become an avid watcher of Hulu.com. They're the people who had the bright advertising campaign of "We're aleins and we're out to destroy the world." This still hasn't stopped their website from gaining a lot of favor with many American veiwers. Some of their content recieving upwards of 30,000 veiwers a day. Granted they're not the first company to offer such a great product but for the most part their content is given to the site straight from the content owners. This guarentees clearer content and a better selection.
On the the other hand what is it doing to network tv. If network television loses all of it favor, then why would networks continue to produce content. A single episode of show (a new show for example) costs millions of dollars to produce. But if no one is watching, how do you justify spending that money to have the content produced. If the content were to cease to exist because their's not use for it in it's current medium, what happens to the medium that caused it to stop existing.
Just a thought.
Sorry this is a short one.
~Dwayne
Thoughts like these are available in my mind 365 days a year.
But this week they were re-run minded (with promises of new content next week). So I've decided to change it up a bit and discuss watching tv online.
I've personaly become an avid watcher of Hulu.com. They're the people who had the bright advertising campaign of "We're aleins and we're out to destroy the world." This still hasn't stopped their website from gaining a lot of favor with many American veiwers. Some of their content recieving upwards of 30,000 veiwers a day. Granted they're not the first company to offer such a great product but for the most part their content is given to the site straight from the content owners. This guarentees clearer content and a better selection.
On the the other hand what is it doing to network tv. If network television loses all of it favor, then why would networks continue to produce content. A single episode of show (a new show for example) costs millions of dollars to produce. But if no one is watching, how do you justify spending that money to have the content produced. If the content were to cease to exist because their's not use for it in it's current medium, what happens to the medium that caused it to stop existing.
Just a thought.
Sorry this is a short one.
~Dwayne
Thoughts like these are available in my mind 365 days a year.
Forgiving is a human thing
In this episode of Lost, Ben has to confront the beast a.k.a. the smoke monster and ultimately ask for forgiveness. One of the things that he has to be forgive for is letting his daughter, Alex, die. Alex was taken from her mother about 20 years prior to the present time. Ben raised her as his own and when it came time for him to leave the island. He let the army guys, Charles Widmore sent, kill his daughter in front of him.
The flashbacks throughout the episode all center around Ben and his daughter. I thought that it was really neat how they incorporated the flashbacks into his asking for forgiveness. Even though, Ben is an awful man, the viewer can see in his eyes that he feels bad for what he did. Ben really loved his daughter.
I feel that the writers did a good thing, letting Ben ask for forgiveness. Now, Ben is forced to stay and help Locke. If he doesn't, the consequences will be deadly.
I don't really have any predictions for the next episode, but I have a feeling that Sun will be reunited with her husband, Jin, soon.
Since there isn't a lot happening in LOST... next week I'm thinking of talking about the show WEEDS.
If you are still LOST- here's the recap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDDq9tVEkKc
Signing Out
Maggie
The flashbacks throughout the episode all center around Ben and his daughter. I thought that it was really neat how they incorporated the flashbacks into his asking for forgiveness. Even though, Ben is an awful man, the viewer can see in his eyes that he feels bad for what he did. Ben really loved his daughter.
I feel that the writers did a good thing, letting Ben ask for forgiveness. Now, Ben is forced to stay and help Locke. If he doesn't, the consequences will be deadly.
I don't really have any predictions for the next episode, but I have a feeling that Sun will be reunited with her husband, Jin, soon.
Since there isn't a lot happening in LOST... next week I'm thinking of talking about the show WEEDS.
If you are still LOST- here's the recap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDDq9tVEkKc
Signing Out
Maggie
Keep your friends close...
No Grey’s Anatomy this week.
But I did watch an old episode with Fin, the vet. I forgot how gorgeous he was.
After last week’s weird AA edition of Heroes, this week followed up with a nice story about reconnecting with your family. A coincidence that recovery from drug and alcohol addiction are strongly influenced by the presence of a stable support system? Yes, probably, but it makes for a good point, I believe. In this episode of Heroes, Claire’s family is reunited. By the end of the episode Claire, her biological grandmother, father and uncle (who there’s weird sexual chemistry with because they’re dating in real life, were all there together. Even her adoptive dad was there, despite the “am I evil or not?” thing he’s been going through. But then again, he really had no where else to go after he assaulted his own wife and almost killed her and then killed an innocent man in front of everyone he worked with, both because he thought it was Sylar. Oh but in the last case it really was and Sylar just ‘played dead’ for a while. Okay, back to what I was saying about family. It really was a nice way to end the episode, except for the fact that apparently they all got together to dig up hundreds of dead bodies which Claire’s grandmother had something to do with. Other than that, the family reconnection theme was really nice and I think it’s a good point.
My uncle is in town this weekend and I’m excited because I only see him about twice a year. I think keeping in touch with family is really important and it’s often forgotten in today’s society. We have become so detached from one another and so ingrained with this because we have become so detached and so ingrained in this capitalistic, individualistic attitude that we isolate ourselves. Family and friends are important and I wish we could remember that more often. Other societies realize this and if we weren’t so ethnocentric, we would learn from others.
This is a bit of a shorter post because I have to get ready to see my uncle!
And one last note- If there's something you have wanted to say to someone, to let someone know how important they are to you, tell them how much they mean to you- stop putting it off before it's too late. It can be quite liberating. Appreciate those around you.
With sincere thoughts,
Pearl
But I did watch an old episode with Fin, the vet. I forgot how gorgeous he was.
After last week’s weird AA edition of Heroes, this week followed up with a nice story about reconnecting with your family. A coincidence that recovery from drug and alcohol addiction are strongly influenced by the presence of a stable support system? Yes, probably, but it makes for a good point, I believe. In this episode of Heroes, Claire’s family is reunited. By the end of the episode Claire, her biological grandmother, father and uncle (who there’s weird sexual chemistry with because they’re dating in real life, were all there together. Even her adoptive dad was there, despite the “am I evil or not?” thing he’s been going through. But then again, he really had no where else to go after he assaulted his own wife and almost killed her and then killed an innocent man in front of everyone he worked with, both because he thought it was Sylar. Oh but in the last case it really was and Sylar just ‘played dead’ for a while. Okay, back to what I was saying about family. It really was a nice way to end the episode, except for the fact that apparently they all got together to dig up hundreds of dead bodies which Claire’s grandmother had something to do with. Other than that, the family reconnection theme was really nice and I think it’s a good point.
My uncle is in town this weekend and I’m excited because I only see him about twice a year. I think keeping in touch with family is really important and it’s often forgotten in today’s society. We have become so detached from one another and so ingrained with this because we have become so detached and so ingrained in this capitalistic, individualistic attitude that we isolate ourselves. Family and friends are important and I wish we could remember that more often. Other societies realize this and if we weren’t so ethnocentric, we would learn from others.
This is a bit of a shorter post because I have to get ready to see my uncle!
And one last note- If there's something you have wanted to say to someone, to let someone know how important they are to you, tell them how much they mean to you- stop putting it off before it's too late. It can be quite liberating. Appreciate those around you.
With sincere thoughts,
Pearl
Saturday, April 4, 2009
This Show's Making Me Thirsty
So this week Grey's Anatomy wasn't on but I did hear that someone's getting married, but it's not Derrick and Meredith. I think it's Izzie and Alex. I see it going something like this:
A:Oh Izzie I love you!
I: I love you too Alex!
A: Marry Me!
I: But I could die!
A: That doesn't matter!
I: You're right! But I've already been engaged once. We have to get married right away so I don't die first!
A: Anything for you!
Heroes was on this week, however. It was pretty good. Claire got angry and cried again. Noah continued to make us question whether he was good or evil. Sylar was cool. He wants to work with Danko to kill off all the other people with abilities. And we have no idea what happened to Matt Parkman, baby Matt Parkman, Hiro, or Sylar's little friend.
Now, I noticed something kind of going on underneath the surface. Angela Petrelli is going through this emotional crisis- she can't sleep, she's regretful for being evil, she has alienated herself from friends and family, she's pulled away from active work with the church (aparently she used to do that), she's seeking guidance from a higher power, and she's trying to make things better with her son Peter, as well as accept responsibility for Nathan's corruptness.
So when I thought of all these things I realized something. Angela Petrelli is portraying an alcoholic. These are exactly the things that an alcoholic deals with when they realize they have a problem and begin a sober life. It's almost like the writers are taking notes straight from Alcoholics Anonymous (they also have a religious undertone which covers her sudden pious persona).
Then, to top it off, Claire is off in Mexico with her biological Dad getting drunk. First- she's not 21 in the show. Second-They make drinking the hero- she drinks to win money. I'm not too thrilled with this. I suppose most of their audience are adults, but college kids already have a problem with drinking. The fact that we think if someone binge drinks every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, it's normal and not even that bad- is a problem. It has become normal to binge drink every weekend so that when someone gets so drunk they black out- it's chalked up to just "oh well that's what college is for!" It's like an entire city decides they're going to become canibals and start with the youngest and healthiest. Would everyone else in the world just say "oh that's what the city's known for!"
Colleges already have a problem with students drinking, we don't need tv shows to highlight it. The point I brought up earlier about Angela Petrelli seemingly going through the AA stages-- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual's criteria to be diagnosed with substance dependence, "alcoholism" in this case, are to be affected by the following within the same year:
1-tolerance for the substance (either need for increased amounts to get the same 'high' or reduction in the effects when using the same amount)
2-withdrawal symptoms (either taking the same/similar substance to stop withdrawal symptoms, or experiencing the withdrawal symptoms typical for that drug)
3-taking larger amounts or using for longer than intended
4-desire to cut down or lack of success trying to cut back
5-spending a good deal of time in activities surrounding the use of the substance such as obtaining it or recovering from its use
6-person has given up important social, occupational, or recreational activities due to the use of the substance
7-substance use is continued despite repeated psychological or physiological problems caused or exacerbated by its use
College students may not meet all the criteria, but the fact that more than half (1, 2, 3, 6) of the criteria ARE met, should be of some concern. A lot of college students think that they're only drinking in college and they'll stop when it's over, but in actuality, for most alcoholics the problems start early in life, not at 40 years old sitting at a bar.
The problem is that it easily becomes a routine for these students and society just watches as they graduate (or drop out) and continue drinking. They learn to cope with stresses in life by drinking. Isn't this the time in our lives when we are supposed to be getting ready to face the real world? If they don't learn how to cope with the stresses of college, how will they handle the stresses of the 'real world'?
With concern,
Pearl
A:Oh Izzie I love you!
I: I love you too Alex!
A: Marry Me!
I: But I could die!
A: That doesn't matter!
I: You're right! But I've already been engaged once. We have to get married right away so I don't die first!
A: Anything for you!
Heroes was on this week, however. It was pretty good. Claire got angry and cried again. Noah continued to make us question whether he was good or evil. Sylar was cool. He wants to work with Danko to kill off all the other people with abilities. And we have no idea what happened to Matt Parkman, baby Matt Parkman, Hiro, or Sylar's little friend.
Now, I noticed something kind of going on underneath the surface. Angela Petrelli is going through this emotional crisis- she can't sleep, she's regretful for being evil, she has alienated herself from friends and family, she's pulled away from active work with the church (aparently she used to do that), she's seeking guidance from a higher power, and she's trying to make things better with her son Peter, as well as accept responsibility for Nathan's corruptness.
So when I thought of all these things I realized something. Angela Petrelli is portraying an alcoholic. These are exactly the things that an alcoholic deals with when they realize they have a problem and begin a sober life. It's almost like the writers are taking notes straight from Alcoholics Anonymous (they also have a religious undertone which covers her sudden pious persona).
Then, to top it off, Claire is off in Mexico with her biological Dad getting drunk. First- she's not 21 in the show. Second-They make drinking the hero- she drinks to win money. I'm not too thrilled with this. I suppose most of their audience are adults, but college kids already have a problem with drinking. The fact that we think if someone binge drinks every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, it's normal and not even that bad- is a problem. It has become normal to binge drink every weekend so that when someone gets so drunk they black out- it's chalked up to just "oh well that's what college is for!" It's like an entire city decides they're going to become canibals and start with the youngest and healthiest. Would everyone else in the world just say "oh that's what the city's known for!"
Colleges already have a problem with students drinking, we don't need tv shows to highlight it. The point I brought up earlier about Angela Petrelli seemingly going through the AA stages-- The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual's criteria to be diagnosed with substance dependence, "alcoholism" in this case, are to be affected by the following within the same year:
1-tolerance for the substance (either need for increased amounts to get the same 'high' or reduction in the effects when using the same amount)
2-withdrawal symptoms (either taking the same/similar substance to stop withdrawal symptoms, or experiencing the withdrawal symptoms typical for that drug)
3-taking larger amounts or using for longer than intended
4-desire to cut down or lack of success trying to cut back
5-spending a good deal of time in activities surrounding the use of the substance such as obtaining it or recovering from its use
6-person has given up important social, occupational, or recreational activities due to the use of the substance
7-substance use is continued despite repeated psychological or physiological problems caused or exacerbated by its use
College students may not meet all the criteria, but the fact that more than half (1, 2, 3, 6) of the criteria ARE met, should be of some concern. A lot of college students think that they're only drinking in college and they'll stop when it's over, but in actuality, for most alcoholics the problems start early in life, not at 40 years old sitting at a bar.
The problem is that it easily becomes a routine for these students and society just watches as they graduate (or drop out) and continue drinking. They learn to cope with stresses in life by drinking. Isn't this the time in our lives when we are supposed to be getting ready to face the real world? If they don't learn how to cope with the stresses of college, how will they handle the stresses of the 'real world'?
With concern,
Pearl
So.... We Are Going To Save Him?
In this episode of LOST, we learn about what really is going to happened to little Ben Linus and also how the survivors friendships are tested. If you want to know more of what happened... just watch the brief recap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_IIlhn6lSI
With the chance of Ben dying, many people were anxious to see what the outcome would be. Even though, many viewers knew the consequences and effects of Ben dying; many were ready to see him die and to see him pay for the other deaths that happened. After all, Ben is the reason why all of them were on Oceanic Flight 815, 3 years prior. I think it would have been okay for them to kill Ben, but I think that the show would be at a stand still for the rest of the season. My mom said that they should have prolonged taking him to the others for help-- or at least prolonged his death until the end of the season. Needless to say, I'm sure that the writers have something awesome in the works for this storyline.
Whose to say that Ben didn't get shot in the 1970s previously. When Kate and LaFleur take Ben to the others. Richard, the leader, gives them the strict warning that Ben will not be the same. He went on to say that he will lose his innocence as well. This explains how Ben became an evil man. Whether or not a similar situation like this happened in the 1970s, we will never know, but they are living there now.
So... what about the survivors from the latest plane crash????? And what about Sun and Lapidus????? Guess we will have to wait a few more episodes to get more information on them... since this "Ben" story is a lot more fascinating.
My prediction for the next episode: I think that the others are going to fix Ben and everything that Richard warns will happen. I think that within the next few episodes that the others will take over the Dharma Initiative compound and kill one of the main characters.
Until Next time
Maggie out.
With the chance of Ben dying, many people were anxious to see what the outcome would be. Even though, many viewers knew the consequences and effects of Ben dying; many were ready to see him die and to see him pay for the other deaths that happened. After all, Ben is the reason why all of them were on Oceanic Flight 815, 3 years prior. I think it would have been okay for them to kill Ben, but I think that the show would be at a stand still for the rest of the season. My mom said that they should have prolonged taking him to the others for help-- or at least prolonged his death until the end of the season. Needless to say, I'm sure that the writers have something awesome in the works for this storyline.
Whose to say that Ben didn't get shot in the 1970s previously. When Kate and LaFleur take Ben to the others. Richard, the leader, gives them the strict warning that Ben will not be the same. He went on to say that he will lose his innocence as well. This explains how Ben became an evil man. Whether or not a similar situation like this happened in the 1970s, we will never know, but they are living there now.
So... what about the survivors from the latest plane crash????? And what about Sun and Lapidus????? Guess we will have to wait a few more episodes to get more information on them... since this "Ben" story is a lot more fascinating.
My prediction for the next episode: I think that the others are going to fix Ben and everything that Richard warns will happen. I think that within the next few episodes that the others will take over the Dharma Initiative compound and kill one of the main characters.
Until Next time
Maggie out.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
He Did What?????
This week's episode was far from boring. It was full of interesting twists including the killing of a main character--more on that later.
Once again if you want to see a recap of the episode go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egBsXMTfxkQ
I've decided to dedicate part of my blog to a topic that Pearl brought up early in the week with the show Heroes. Sometimes shows need to end. When LOST first came on, I never wanted it to end. Overtime, however, my view on this has changed. You can only do so much on an island in the middle of the ocean. If they wouldn't have gotten rescued, then I don't know what I would have done... I was tired of watching the smoke monster and the polar bears. (Yes...there were really polar bears in this tropical climate.) After having a rough patch in the first 4 episodes of Season 3-- the writers realized that they had to think about the show's future/ending. They decided that they were going to end the show after the 2009-2010 season. Ever since coming public with this decision, the show has continue to have high points. There are always the moments if they are ever going to stop throwing out questions and little answers, but this has changed. More questions are being answered then being asked. I have high hopes for the rest of season 5 and season 6.
And in case you want to know, there is a cast member that knows how the show is going to end--Matthew Fox who plays Jack Shepard. Why Jack Shepard???? I don't know either-- guess we will all have to wait until the end of the series.
Now to the second part to my blog--- The killing of a main character. In this week's episode- we see Sayid kill a main character. Who is the main character??? It is none other than the young Ben Linus!!!!! Nobody saw this coming-- even one of my mom's friends was shocked at what happened. What impact does this have on the show? A major one!!! If Ben is killed then everything that has happened-- and I do mean -- EVERYTHING-- never happened. Ben is responsible for bring the survivors originally to the island. Of course, it is too early for show to end-- so there will be some twist. I'm so excited for next week's episode to see what twist they have put into the show.
Till next time
This is Maggie-- signing out!
Once again if you want to see a recap of the episode go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egBsXMTfxkQ
I've decided to dedicate part of my blog to a topic that Pearl brought up early in the week with the show Heroes. Sometimes shows need to end. When LOST first came on, I never wanted it to end. Overtime, however, my view on this has changed. You can only do so much on an island in the middle of the ocean. If they wouldn't have gotten rescued, then I don't know what I would have done... I was tired of watching the smoke monster and the polar bears. (Yes...there were really polar bears in this tropical climate.) After having a rough patch in the first 4 episodes of Season 3-- the writers realized that they had to think about the show's future/ending. They decided that they were going to end the show after the 2009-2010 season. Ever since coming public with this decision, the show has continue to have high points. There are always the moments if they are ever going to stop throwing out questions and little answers, but this has changed. More questions are being answered then being asked. I have high hopes for the rest of season 5 and season 6.
And in case you want to know, there is a cast member that knows how the show is going to end--Matthew Fox who plays Jack Shepard. Why Jack Shepard???? I don't know either-- guess we will all have to wait until the end of the series.
Now to the second part to my blog--- The killing of a main character. In this week's episode- we see Sayid kill a main character. Who is the main character??? It is none other than the young Ben Linus!!!!! Nobody saw this coming-- even one of my mom's friends was shocked at what happened. What impact does this have on the show? A major one!!! If Ben is killed then everything that has happened-- and I do mean -- EVERYTHING-- never happened. Ben is responsible for bring the survivors originally to the island. Of course, it is too early for show to end-- so there will be some twist. I'm so excited for next week's episode to see what twist they have put into the show.
Till next time
This is Maggie-- signing out!
Top Model Drama
While thinking of which TV show to discuss for this week's blog, I realized I only had one option, America's Next Top Model. I only kind of paid attention to this week and with my verizon service having some issues the past two days, it's kind of my only option.
With that being said, I did however pay attention to the end. The end of it was intense. But first, let's recap what happened. The girls were instructed on posing by a famous posing man. He then had them do a challenge in front of an audience to see who could do different poses to music. He picked a winner and she got a reward. (Sorry again for the vagueness). The girls then had to do a photo shoot where they portrayed immigrants coming over to America on Ellis Island. They had to pose with kids and the posing man who acted as thier husband.
While at thier house, one of the girls talked about how she didn't feel like being there because at the time she was doing so poorly. Other girls in the house didn't like hearing about this because why should someone be there competing that has no desire too?
The girls then went to the judges panel to be judged. Tyra and I believe 3 other people were the judges. They went through each picture and talked with the girls about what was good and what was bad about thier photographs. After consulting with the other judges, Tyra revealed which of the girls were safe. Before she announced the final two, one of the girls decided to tell Tyra about the girl who didn't feel like being there. Tyra was not happy and didn't feel as if this girl should have told her. The girl in question got positive reviews this week.
I do agree with Tyra that the girl should not have told her about it to an extent. I feel the girl who doesn't feel like being there should tell Tyra herself or the other girl should have taken Tyra aside in private to explain the situation. I do however admire the girl who told Tyra because it was brave of her to do and if you want to get a head in life I believe you have to take risks and she did just that. Afterward the girl was crying and felt terrible, but she does have a point that someone who doesn't want to be there, shouldn't be competeing when other girls who do really want to be models are competing. It's not fair to the other girls.
That's it for now....Tune in next week for another reality recap!
With that being said, I did however pay attention to the end. The end of it was intense. But first, let's recap what happened. The girls were instructed on posing by a famous posing man. He then had them do a challenge in front of an audience to see who could do different poses to music. He picked a winner and she got a reward. (Sorry again for the vagueness). The girls then had to do a photo shoot where they portrayed immigrants coming over to America on Ellis Island. They had to pose with kids and the posing man who acted as thier husband.
While at thier house, one of the girls talked about how she didn't feel like being there because at the time she was doing so poorly. Other girls in the house didn't like hearing about this because why should someone be there competing that has no desire too?
The girls then went to the judges panel to be judged. Tyra and I believe 3 other people were the judges. They went through each picture and talked with the girls about what was good and what was bad about thier photographs. After consulting with the other judges, Tyra revealed which of the girls were safe. Before she announced the final two, one of the girls decided to tell Tyra about the girl who didn't feel like being there. Tyra was not happy and didn't feel as if this girl should have told her. The girl in question got positive reviews this week.
I do agree with Tyra that the girl should not have told her about it to an extent. I feel the girl who doesn't feel like being there should tell Tyra herself or the other girl should have taken Tyra aside in private to explain the situation. I do however admire the girl who told Tyra because it was brave of her to do and if you want to get a head in life I believe you have to take risks and she did just that. Afterward the girl was crying and felt terrible, but she does have a point that someone who doesn't want to be there, shouldn't be competeing when other girls who do really want to be models are competing. It's not fair to the other girls.
That's it for now....Tune in next week for another reality recap!
Friday, March 27, 2009
Some Thoughts to Mull Over
Grey’s Anatomy has surprised me. Someone told me my last few posts have seemed all negative. In truth, I love TV (probably watch way too much of it) and I really like Grey’s and Heroes. With Heroes, I just think if they can’t make it new and good, they should end it and give us all some closure. Grey’s, on the other hand, seems to be thriving. They have come out of any slump you may have thought they were on.
I say this because these past episodes and especially this weeks, have brought up a couple really thoughtful and important things. To start, Izzie has decided to get treatment even though the odds say she will go through it all for nothing. So it made me think. Would I go through with the chemo, the surgeries, the loss of dignity for the mere shadow of hope, or live the rest of my time as I please. It’s easy to sit back on your sofa and answer, but if you REALLY think about it- what would you do? As humans, we have an innate instinct for survival. We are naturally inclined to do whatever we can even for the slim chance that it may give us another month or however long. But is that what’s best for you? For your family? Does it hurt them more to see your suffering prolonged? People say “oh but you can beat the odds.” If there’s a 1 in 2 million chance chemotherapy will give you another year, would you take it? Chemotherapy takes a lot out of life, so it leaves you with a lot to consider.
I realize this is morbid and maybe a bit depressing, but it just made me think, “Wow. That is an incredibly hard decision. And I thought deciding my classes for next semester was impossible.” So thinking about this may help you put things in a new light. A more appreciative light, perhaps?
The other point that Grey’s brought up in this episode was with Dr. Hunt and his suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It had been in earlier episodes, but this time it became a much bigger problem. *For those who did not see- His girlfriend Christina woke up to him choking her. He was not doing it consciously and she was able to scramble away after a while to the bathroom. It was hard enough to leave marks she had to cover.
So I applaud Grey’s Anatomy for bringing such an important topic to our TV screens. They used it to increase the drama on their show, but I think it’s informative too. PTSD is a real problem that many people suffer from, not just soldiers. However, since there is a war going on, PTSD has been in the news more recently in reference to those soldiers returning home. Unfortunately seeking help for it when you return is still seen as a weakness to some of these men and women. PTSD is probably more of a normal response than coming home and jumping right back into your husband/father or wife/aunt role. Think about it: many of those over seas are in combat and fearing for their lives every second. There is never a moment at ease for some and often, you must take another person’s life to save your own. It’s a daunting thought for me, to imagine having to kill another person. What if it were a kid? PTSD is nothing to be ashamed of. Here is a link for more information if you’re interested. It also offers information for the family and friends of those suffering from it. Even if you don’t know anyone with PTSD, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look. Awareness kills ignorance.
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/information/
With caring thoughts,
Pearl
I say this because these past episodes and especially this weeks, have brought up a couple really thoughtful and important things. To start, Izzie has decided to get treatment even though the odds say she will go through it all for nothing. So it made me think. Would I go through with the chemo, the surgeries, the loss of dignity for the mere shadow of hope, or live the rest of my time as I please. It’s easy to sit back on your sofa and answer, but if you REALLY think about it- what would you do? As humans, we have an innate instinct for survival. We are naturally inclined to do whatever we can even for the slim chance that it may give us another month or however long. But is that what’s best for you? For your family? Does it hurt them more to see your suffering prolonged? People say “oh but you can beat the odds.” If there’s a 1 in 2 million chance chemotherapy will give you another year, would you take it? Chemotherapy takes a lot out of life, so it leaves you with a lot to consider.
I realize this is morbid and maybe a bit depressing, but it just made me think, “Wow. That is an incredibly hard decision. And I thought deciding my classes for next semester was impossible.” So thinking about this may help you put things in a new light. A more appreciative light, perhaps?
The other point that Grey’s brought up in this episode was with Dr. Hunt and his suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It had been in earlier episodes, but this time it became a much bigger problem. *For those who did not see- His girlfriend Christina woke up to him choking her. He was not doing it consciously and she was able to scramble away after a while to the bathroom. It was hard enough to leave marks she had to cover.
So I applaud Grey’s Anatomy for bringing such an important topic to our TV screens. They used it to increase the drama on their show, but I think it’s informative too. PTSD is a real problem that many people suffer from, not just soldiers. However, since there is a war going on, PTSD has been in the news more recently in reference to those soldiers returning home. Unfortunately seeking help for it when you return is still seen as a weakness to some of these men and women. PTSD is probably more of a normal response than coming home and jumping right back into your husband/father or wife/aunt role. Think about it: many of those over seas are in combat and fearing for their lives every second. There is never a moment at ease for some and often, you must take another person’s life to save your own. It’s a daunting thought for me, to imagine having to kill another person. What if it were a kid? PTSD is nothing to be ashamed of. Here is a link for more information if you’re interested. It also offers information for the family and friends of those suffering from it. Even if you don’t know anyone with PTSD, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look. Awareness kills ignorance.
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/information/
With caring thoughts,
Pearl
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
When to Pull the Plug
When I started to think of how to explain this episode of Heroes, I realized two things 1) my favorite characters had little if any air time and 2) the reason for that is simple: WAY too many characters. There’s too many personal story lines going to keep up and of course it keeps getting more ridiculous when you try to weave more and more of them to connect in some way. Before you know it Ando will be Hiro’s brother as well as Claire’s real dad and Nikki/Tracy will be her real mom, oh and Claire’s pregnant with Sylar’s baby that he telepathically implanted in her. It seems outrageous, but I wouldn’t put much past the writers in their desperate attempt to save the show.
Okay, so now to get to the summary- Heroes are still being hunted, some escaped, bla bla bla, new characters are introduced (are they serious?), Tracy’s dead, Rebel is Micah (that was cute I have to admit, but really weird to hear him with a deep voice), oh and the puppet-master man was delivered to Danko by someone (that was never explained, but will probably wind up being Danko’s other personality- ‘Cinnamon’).
Confused? Yea, I don’t blame you. I watched it and I’M still dazed. So here’s the point- When has a TV show outlived itself? Where do you draw the line and just say “okay, this is just too much stretching for new ideas and things to push us along, I just pulled a muscle.” I really liked the first season of Heroes but the second (aka- I’m going to see how BADLY I can write this) was just a joke. The third was like a roller coaster when you’re going up the big incline, click-clack, click-clack, click-clack. But now with the fourth it’s as if you started to make the drop and it was a bit exhilarating, but now there’s just no more track. Yes, you have plummeted to your death and your loved ones can sue to the theme park. Yay for a money-hungry society! See how off base I’ve gotten? JUST LIKE THE SHOW.
Obviously if nothing happened, it would be boring and not a show at all….(wait wasn’t Seinfeld a show about nothing?).. anyway you get it. No conflict = no show = nothing = bad. There needs to be a third party (Yes, if you insist I will take on this responsibility) to come out and say “Enough is enough. Put the pencils and other writing implements down and back away from the drawing table. Time of Death: 10:55 pm.”
You have to know it’s gone too far when you start recycling conflicts (i.e. Heroes season one =Peter sees a drawing of his future self blowing up New York City… Heroes current season = Parkman draws his future self blowing up Washington D.C. AND IT GETS BETTER- NATHAN SAVES THE DAY IN BOTH CASES!!) Are you serious?
Much love,
Pearl
***But remember, these writers have a knack for bringing the dead back to life (even if you see one blown up into millions of pieces and those pieces eaten by a wild dog and then that wild dog blasted to Jupiter) (Ex: MR.PETRELLI!, Nikki, Sylar, Claire, Nathan, Sylar again…) so I wouldn't be suprised if they continue to revive themselves forever and the show never ends. Scary, isn't it?
Okay, so now to get to the summary- Heroes are still being hunted, some escaped, bla bla bla, new characters are introduced (are they serious?), Tracy’s dead, Rebel is Micah (that was cute I have to admit, but really weird to hear him with a deep voice), oh and the puppet-master man was delivered to Danko by someone (that was never explained, but will probably wind up being Danko’s other personality- ‘Cinnamon’).
Confused? Yea, I don’t blame you. I watched it and I’M still dazed. So here’s the point- When has a TV show outlived itself? Where do you draw the line and just say “okay, this is just too much stretching for new ideas and things to push us along, I just pulled a muscle.” I really liked the first season of Heroes but the second (aka- I’m going to see how BADLY I can write this) was just a joke. The third was like a roller coaster when you’re going up the big incline, click-clack, click-clack, click-clack. But now with the fourth it’s as if you started to make the drop and it was a bit exhilarating, but now there’s just no more track. Yes, you have plummeted to your death and your loved ones can sue to the theme park. Yay for a money-hungry society! See how off base I’ve gotten? JUST LIKE THE SHOW.
Obviously if nothing happened, it would be boring and not a show at all….(wait wasn’t Seinfeld a show about nothing?).. anyway you get it. No conflict = no show = nothing = bad. There needs to be a third party (Yes, if you insist I will take on this responsibility) to come out and say “Enough is enough. Put the pencils and other writing implements down and back away from the drawing table. Time of Death: 10:55 pm.”
You have to know it’s gone too far when you start recycling conflicts (i.e. Heroes season one =Peter sees a drawing of his future self blowing up New York City… Heroes current season = Parkman draws his future self blowing up Washington D.C. AND IT GETS BETTER- NATHAN SAVES THE DAY IN BOTH CASES!!) Are you serious?
Much love,
Pearl
***But remember, these writers have a knack for bringing the dead back to life (even if you see one blown up into millions of pieces and those pieces eaten by a wild dog and then that wild dog blasted to Jupiter) (Ex: MR.PETRELLI!, Nikki, Sylar, Claire, Nathan, Sylar again…) so I wouldn't be suprised if they continue to revive themselves forever and the show never ends. Scary, isn't it?
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Welcome from The Reality Queen!
I, The Reality Queen, am mad.
Why? Because I just wrote a beautiful long blog about this column, Bravo's The Millionaire Matchmaker, and my thoughts and I was told it could not post b/c of an error. So I hit the back button and my entire post I was typing...deleted.... yuck
So as I think back to what I was going to post, I know I was talking about the Millionaire Matchmaker, a show on Bravo (one of my favorite channels). Patty, a matchmaker, takes Millionaires who have been highly successful in thier careers, but not in love, and tries to find thier perfect match. She takes two millionaires (usually men, but sometimes women) and selects a group of women (or men) to have a mixer with them. The two millionaires pick two of the matches each for a small date. They then pick on of two those for a master date. It is amazing what a good job Patty goes at pairing people together and teaching people how to approach the dating world.
On this past week's episode. There was a lady (and because I can't remember her name we'll just call her Lady), from the great and wonderful state of Minnesota (my home state!). Sadly, for MN, this lady was a terrible representation. She was only concerned with being youthful and was very superficial. She wanted a younger man with an extreme fashion sense. Patty confronted her on her faults and Lady stormed out of her office. A few days later, Lady agreed to meet with Patty again and Patty was able to find two younger men for Lady to go out with. Due to the fact Lady made me so mad, I turned off the show before it was over.
It seems there are many Lady's out there. People only concerend with looks, appearance, and youth. I think it is rather unforunate. All to often people judge other people just by how they look and they don't take a chance to get to know that person. There are too many people obsessed with trying to "fit in" with the Hollister clothes and fancy purses. I have never in my life bought anything from Hollister or have ever owned a designer bag. I have no desire to buy these things b/c I'm happy with my $10 dollar purse from Kohls or my clothes from JC Penny. People need to be comfortable with themselves and not focus on looks, b/c after all it really doesn't matter. Life's too short for those things.
Next week we will look at another Reality show and each week I'll keep you updated on previous shows!
Why? Because I just wrote a beautiful long blog about this column, Bravo's The Millionaire Matchmaker, and my thoughts and I was told it could not post b/c of an error. So I hit the back button and my entire post I was typing...deleted.... yuck
So as I think back to what I was going to post, I know I was talking about the Millionaire Matchmaker, a show on Bravo (one of my favorite channels). Patty, a matchmaker, takes Millionaires who have been highly successful in thier careers, but not in love, and tries to find thier perfect match. She takes two millionaires (usually men, but sometimes women) and selects a group of women (or men) to have a mixer with them. The two millionaires pick two of the matches each for a small date. They then pick on of two those for a master date. It is amazing what a good job Patty goes at pairing people together and teaching people how to approach the dating world.
On this past week's episode. There was a lady (and because I can't remember her name we'll just call her Lady), from the great and wonderful state of Minnesota (my home state!). Sadly, for MN, this lady was a terrible representation. She was only concerned with being youthful and was very superficial. She wanted a younger man with an extreme fashion sense. Patty confronted her on her faults and Lady stormed out of her office. A few days later, Lady agreed to meet with Patty again and Patty was able to find two younger men for Lady to go out with. Due to the fact Lady made me so mad, I turned off the show before it was over.
It seems there are many Lady's out there. People only concerend with looks, appearance, and youth. I think it is rather unforunate. All to often people judge other people just by how they look and they don't take a chance to get to know that person. There are too many people obsessed with trying to "fit in" with the Hollister clothes and fancy purses. I have never in my life bought anything from Hollister or have ever owned a designer bag. I have no desire to buy these things b/c I'm happy with my $10 dollar purse from Kohls or my clothes from JC Penny. People need to be comfortable with themselves and not focus on looks, b/c after all it really doesn't matter. Life's too short for those things.
Next week we will look at another Reality show and each week I'll keep you updated on previous shows!
Why are you dressed in Dharma gear?
Note to persons that have not seen the show, here is a very quick recap: Oceanic Flight 815 crashed on this mysterious island. There were only 42 survivors. Of those survivors, 6 were rescued. Now, three years later those 6 survivors have to come back to save the other survivors' lives... and now you are caught up.
In this episode entitled "Namaste", the viewer gets to see what happens to the plane that the 6 survivors were on. We already know that Jack-the doctor, Kate- the con artist, and Hurley- the guy who won a million dollars, are taken from the plane mid-air and put on the island. As far Sayid and Sun go, the viewers have yet to see them on the island. We later find out that Sun was still on the plane and did not get taken off the plane. Now this episode is in two different time periods. Sun is in the present time period as well as the other people who were on the plane, but Jack, Hurley, and Kate are all in a different time period. It is 1977 where they are.
The episode makes a jump to 1977 and there you see Jack, Hurley, and Kate. They are staring at a man. The man in question, is LaFleur. LaFleur is actually Sawyer, who was one of the original survivors on the Oceanic Flight 815 crash. This reunion is bittersweet because none of them have seen each other in three years. LaFleur tells them that he is a part of the Dharma Initiative- a organization that was using the island as part of scientific experiments back in this time. LaFleur asks them to stay put so he could figure out how to smuggle them into the grounds. While talking Jin, Sun's husband, overhears them say that Sun was on the plane too. He quickly leaves the three alone to go see someone who knows when a plane flies over the island.
Meanwhile in the present, Sun sees Ben- a creepy guy who has lived on the island on his life and used to be leader of a group called "the others" (more on them in a later blog- I have a feeling that they will be coming back into the picture). Ben starts to walk through the forest towards a boat that leads to the island and Sun follows and soon follows Lapidus- the pilot from the plane and man who helped rescue the Oceanic Six. Sun confronts Ben and says that she wants to go with him to find Jin, her husband. Lapidus tells her not to trust Ben and before you know it-- WHACK! She knocks Ben upside his head. Sun and Lapidus then proceed to the island.
Back in LaFleur's time, he gets a hold of Juliet- an "other" turned good guy- and tells her to put Jack, Hurley, and Kate on the list so they can get into the compound where they live. She tells him not a problem and he leaves to go get them. In the meantime, Jin rushes to one of the Dharma stations- The Flame- to ask its occupant Radzinsky if he heard a plane go by overhead. Just as Radzinsky is about to check, an alarm goes off. The two jump up and both yell "Hostile." Technically a hostile is what they call an other or a person who is native to the island or a threat in general. (Some time after 1977, the others do eventually overthrow the Dharma Initiative.) Jin is the first to reach the hostile... but indeed it is no hostile- it is Sayid. Although, Jin wants to be happy to see him, he is forced to tell him to get down on the ground and bring him back into the station. Radzinsky makes Jin call LaFleur- who is head of security as well- and tells him to come to the Flame. Secretly, he also tells him that it is Sayid. LaFleur finishes getting Jack, Hurley, and Kate situated and tells them to wait until the name is called. LaFleur goes to the Flame and picks up Sayid and Jin. Once back at the compound, he takes Sayid to a holding cell in security and winks at him to tell him it will be okay. A few hours later, a young boy named Benjamin Linus aka creepy man- comes to see Sayid and gives him food. While this is going on, Jack goes to visit LaFleur and finds out that he is living with his one time love- Juliet. He tells Jack that he just has to be patient and everything will work out.
Back in the present, Sun and Lapidus are at the compound where it once existed. They see a light in a window and proceed to appoach the building. As they are reaching it, the door opens and a man is standing in the doorway. It is Christian Shepard- Jack's father. Sun asks him if he knows where her husband is and he shows her a picture from the 1977 at Dharma Initiative compound. Christian then tells Lapidus and Sun that it is going to be a long journey back for them.
This is where the episode ends- here are my predictions:
- The "others" are going to come and take over the Dharma compound.
- Someone is going to find out about Jack, Hurley, Kate, and Sayid.
- Sun will be reunited with Jin at some point.
Confused???? Watch this. Maybe it will clear it up. If not, start the show from the first season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IJDdNsz7Pc
Until next time- peace
Ps- Previews look awesome for next week's episode.
In this episode entitled "Namaste", the viewer gets to see what happens to the plane that the 6 survivors were on. We already know that Jack-the doctor, Kate- the con artist, and Hurley- the guy who won a million dollars, are taken from the plane mid-air and put on the island. As far Sayid and Sun go, the viewers have yet to see them on the island. We later find out that Sun was still on the plane and did not get taken off the plane. Now this episode is in two different time periods. Sun is in the present time period as well as the other people who were on the plane, but Jack, Hurley, and Kate are all in a different time period. It is 1977 where they are.
The episode makes a jump to 1977 and there you see Jack, Hurley, and Kate. They are staring at a man. The man in question, is LaFleur. LaFleur is actually Sawyer, who was one of the original survivors on the Oceanic Flight 815 crash. This reunion is bittersweet because none of them have seen each other in three years. LaFleur tells them that he is a part of the Dharma Initiative- a organization that was using the island as part of scientific experiments back in this time. LaFleur asks them to stay put so he could figure out how to smuggle them into the grounds. While talking Jin, Sun's husband, overhears them say that Sun was on the plane too. He quickly leaves the three alone to go see someone who knows when a plane flies over the island.
Meanwhile in the present, Sun sees Ben- a creepy guy who has lived on the island on his life and used to be leader of a group called "the others" (more on them in a later blog- I have a feeling that they will be coming back into the picture). Ben starts to walk through the forest towards a boat that leads to the island and Sun follows and soon follows Lapidus- the pilot from the plane and man who helped rescue the Oceanic Six. Sun confronts Ben and says that she wants to go with him to find Jin, her husband. Lapidus tells her not to trust Ben and before you know it-- WHACK! She knocks Ben upside his head. Sun and Lapidus then proceed to the island.
Back in LaFleur's time, he gets a hold of Juliet- an "other" turned good guy- and tells her to put Jack, Hurley, and Kate on the list so they can get into the compound where they live. She tells him not a problem and he leaves to go get them. In the meantime, Jin rushes to one of the Dharma stations- The Flame- to ask its occupant Radzinsky if he heard a plane go by overhead. Just as Radzinsky is about to check, an alarm goes off. The two jump up and both yell "Hostile." Technically a hostile is what they call an other or a person who is native to the island or a threat in general. (Some time after 1977, the others do eventually overthrow the Dharma Initiative.) Jin is the first to reach the hostile... but indeed it is no hostile- it is Sayid. Although, Jin wants to be happy to see him, he is forced to tell him to get down on the ground and bring him back into the station. Radzinsky makes Jin call LaFleur- who is head of security as well- and tells him to come to the Flame. Secretly, he also tells him that it is Sayid. LaFleur finishes getting Jack, Hurley, and Kate situated and tells them to wait until the name is called. LaFleur goes to the Flame and picks up Sayid and Jin. Once back at the compound, he takes Sayid to a holding cell in security and winks at him to tell him it will be okay. A few hours later, a young boy named Benjamin Linus aka creepy man- comes to see Sayid and gives him food. While this is going on, Jack goes to visit LaFleur and finds out that he is living with his one time love- Juliet. He tells Jack that he just has to be patient and everything will work out.
Back in the present, Sun and Lapidus are at the compound where it once existed. They see a light in a window and proceed to appoach the building. As they are reaching it, the door opens and a man is standing in the doorway. It is Christian Shepard- Jack's father. Sun asks him if he knows where her husband is and he shows her a picture from the 1977 at Dharma Initiative compound. Christian then tells Lapidus and Sun that it is going to be a long journey back for them.
This is where the episode ends- here are my predictions:
- The "others" are going to come and take over the Dharma compound.
- Someone is going to find out about Jack, Hurley, Kate, and Sayid.
- Sun will be reunited with Jin at some point.
Confused???? Watch this. Maybe it will clear it up. If not, start the show from the first season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IJDdNsz7Pc
Until next time- peace
Ps- Previews look awesome for next week's episode.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Scruffy Derrick and Emotional Izzie
This week’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy was probably one of the better ones. Quick recap of the main story lines: Izzie has cancer that’s metastasized to her brain and some other internal organs. I was getting really bored of her story line and then, Denny is back, but not, because he’s dead, or is he? Yea, he definitely is, but she had sex with him, but he wasn’t really there. Hmmm…. Yea. It was good to see him again though! He’s gone again now and Izzie’s dying. There’s only has a 5% chance she’ll make it through. She told Christina but then didn’t want anyone else to know. In the end Christina just blurted it out in the operating room. Alex’s face was so sad. Aww. Then Izzie thanked her for doing exactly what she asked her not to do.
Derrick has become all gloom and doom, going for that whole “I’m too moody to shave” look, so at the end of this episode, Meredith came to Derrick telling him she won’t love him if he doesn’t get his lazy ass out of the woods and operate on her friend’s brain. She doesn’t bring up the elephant in the woods- ‘you hit my engagement ring that you never actually told me about, with a baseball bat, and yelled at me and called me broken!’ PREDICTION: Derrick will operate on Izzie and saving her life will re-inflate his ego and he can go back to being a wonderful, sexy doctor. Who shaves.
George is just creepy and usually stalking around in the background somewhere. His character is pointless- possible spoiler- he and Izzie might not be coming back next season. Good riddance. He doesn’t bring anything to the show.
Callie is going to go on a date with the Pediatrics doctor. The Chief is still grumpy (because Derrick was getting drunk in the woods). Bailey sent Callie to the woods to save Derrick, but while sharing her own sob story about accidently killing her own patient, she tears up and starts drinking. Bailey sends out Hunt (the new doctor from the Army), who talks about how he’s killed people and then he starts drinking too. Finally the Chief goes out there, Derrick yells at him for telling Meredith about the ring (yea, that was really kind of stupid and none of his business) and then the chief goes into this spiel about how he better not screw it up with Meredith (I agree) and how he’s going to be there for him(Derrick) when he(Derrick) gets out of this hole he’s digging himself into.
Oh and of course there was the obligatory intense, ‘out-there’ medical case- a man missing half his face receives a donor face from a dead guy. Creepy, but really cool special effects/makeup. Next week’s preview looked good. But it’s probably just going to drag on the Izzie/Derrick drama and it’ll end right before he cuts into her.
Derrick has become all gloom and doom, going for that whole “I’m too moody to shave” look, so at the end of this episode, Meredith came to Derrick telling him she won’t love him if he doesn’t get his lazy ass out of the woods and operate on her friend’s brain. She doesn’t bring up the elephant in the woods- ‘you hit my engagement ring that you never actually told me about, with a baseball bat, and yelled at me and called me broken!’ PREDICTION: Derrick will operate on Izzie and saving her life will re-inflate his ego and he can go back to being a wonderful, sexy doctor. Who shaves.
George is just creepy and usually stalking around in the background somewhere. His character is pointless- possible spoiler- he and Izzie might not be coming back next season. Good riddance. He doesn’t bring anything to the show.
Callie is going to go on a date with the Pediatrics doctor. The Chief is still grumpy (because Derrick was getting drunk in the woods). Bailey sent Callie to the woods to save Derrick, but while sharing her own sob story about accidently killing her own patient, she tears up and starts drinking. Bailey sends out Hunt (the new doctor from the Army), who talks about how he’s killed people and then he starts drinking too. Finally the Chief goes out there, Derrick yells at him for telling Meredith about the ring (yea, that was really kind of stupid and none of his business) and then the chief goes into this spiel about how he better not screw it up with Meredith (I agree) and how he’s going to be there for him(Derrick) when he(Derrick) gets out of this hole he’s digging himself into.
Oh and of course there was the obligatory intense, ‘out-there’ medical case- a man missing half his face receives a donor face from a dead guy. Creepy, but really cool special effects/makeup. Next week’s preview looked good. But it’s probably just going to drag on the Izzie/Derrick drama and it’ll end right before he cuts into her.
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