LOST opportunity

Who cares what I think...right? That said, I have to share my opinion on the series finale of LOST. (If you haven't seen the finale and you're planning on watching it, stop reading!)

I was a fan of the show from the beginning. I remember having my mom mail me a VHS copy of one of the first season finale while I was in Glacier. A small group of us was part of the "opening crew" at the hotel and we settled in to the hotel pub (the only TV with a VCR we could find) to watch.

I ended up catching season two online after it had aired and then I stayed caught up with the series from that point on. Like most people, I was always a little confused by the island goings-on. But I liked the fact that the show had a definite end date. I felt confident that if I invested in the show there would be some payoff. Now I feel tricked.

Let me explain though. I actually really liked the finale. What they did with the "sideways" world was brilliant. I thought it was beautiful and moving and a perfect ending to the entire series. But I feel like the finale was a two act play and they forgot to show us the first act. I found the following in a post-finale write up online. It explains perfectly how I feel.

"The finale's premise isn't that hard to grasp, but it confused us because it executes a switcheroo: It substitutes a "big" mystery of relatively slight interest (What is the status of the flash-sideways reality?) for all the littler enigmas that we actually do care about, such as why Aaron and Walt were so important, the reason for the fertility preoccupation in the first couple of seasons and the meaning of the numbers. You don't have to count yourself among that flock of literal-minded viewers who bleated incessantly for "answers" to everything (The glass eye! The Hurley bird! The Dharma food drops!) to find the answers we did get unsatisfying. A series like "Lost" doesn't need to solve all of its riddles, but it does need to address the right ones."

I understand that movies and television shows are best when they're character driven. We definitely got that with LOST. The show's creators did not disappoint in that regard. But they also chose to bring us the story of a mysterious island where strange things happen. "Keep tuning in," was the obvious plea. "You'll find out what's going on eventually." Except...we didn't. I thought it was building up to that point. In the episodes leading up to the finale we definitely got a lot of the island's backstory. All of that was great and I was thirsty for more. As it turns out, I'm still thirsty. What the producers chose to do...they did well. The two act play ended perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing. But I would like to see that first act. Somehow, that got looked over.

Centenarian

According to my iPhoto library, I've taken (or had someone else take with my camera) just over 2,000 photos in and around Glacier National Park. The one above is my all-time favorite. I'm pretty sure it was taken with a disposable black and white camera. I'm sitting on top of Swiftcurrent Peak, looking out over Granite Park Chalet (it's tiny but you can see it), and the McDonald Valley. To me, this picture epitomizes the four summers I spent in Glacier. It's my go-to photo when I want to share my experience with others. Some people are impressed. Some aren't. Either way, this picture always seems like the best way to illustrate my time spent there. When I try to explain how I feel verbally, things get too muddled.

Today is Glacier National Park's 100th birthday. I wish I could be there to celebrate.

There are many things you can wish for others to experience. Most would probably point to true love or true friendship. I concur. But I also hope that everyone out there is able to experience a "sense of place" as strong as I found in northwest Montana.

Happy Birthday Glacier.

Goings-on

It was a busy April. May doesn't look any better. In fact, this summer is already looking crammed full of crap. On some level it's exciting. On another...well, it's annoying because I like my leisure time. One day at a time...right?

Moving - I had planned to move out of my apartment. I wanted to find a roommate, pay no more than $350 in rent, and save some cash over the summer. It didn't work out that way. I gave my "intent to vacate" notice and started the housing hunt. Nothing panned out. There were options, but I'm picky. The last best hope resided in a guy who works for Fox News. He was a field producer, only home about 2 weeks a month, and he said he'd allow me to bring my cat. Unfortunately, his two Golden Retrievers felt differently. We arranged a pet meeting. It didn't go well. Most dogs I've seen are scared and intimidated by a hissing and spitting cat. Now I know there are some who lack that fear...and in fact, would prefer to rip the cat apart. So...no dice. All was not lost though. I got an $80 dollar a month rent reduction and have avoided the hassles of moving.

Incredible - I toyed with the idea of getting a smartphone back in 2008...when I was eligible for an upgrade. I passed and went with the standard flip phone. Fast forward to now. I was up for another upgrade and went with the HTC Droid Incredible. It is...well...incredible. I adore it. It has gotten stellar reviews and is considered the best Android cell phone on the market. I considered waiting until June (when the iPhone is rumored to be coming to Verizon) but decided to just pull the trigger. Many are saying it's just as good, if not better, than the iPhone anyway. It is a little strange to have Facebook and Twitter and the internet at my fingertips. But it's also very addictive and convenient. I'm glad I jumped on the smartphone bandwagon.

Kyle - Ladies and gentleman, the new morning team.

Work has been much better lately thanks to the addition of Kyle. Michelle and I were sad to see Mellisa go back in January. Not only because we liked her but because it meant more work for the both of us. For me, that meant a 2 1/2 month stint doing the weather. I'm glad I can deliver a decent forecast on television. But I don't like doing it all that much. So it was nice get a new morning meteorologist. Not only does Kyle take the load off, but he's good at his job. He's also very easygoing and likable. He's been on the show for about a month and we all think it's a good fit.

That's it for now. Spring is here. Summer's coming. I'm headed to Seattle, Coeur d'Alene, Glacier National Park, and Bozeman at various times over the next four months. Bring it on.