Don't Eat Me, Friend!

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! Thank you to all the troops who have bravely served our country.

Tried yummy blueberries and cream Pocky. It apparently has real chunks of fruit. I thought it was quite good. A bit tart but in a nice way.

Creepy new signage in the MTR. The smiley face (supposedly you and me) is thinking of eating his friend the hamburger once he gets out of the turnstiles. (You aren't allowed to eat in the trains and in the paid areas of the subway station.) The food looks really scared (copy: "Don't eat me!").

Groovin' with Ken from Toy Story 3.

A clip of Michael Giacchino and the orchestra working their magic to create the LOST score (this track, There's No Place Like Home, is featured in the finale).
I'm not sure what the show would be without its beautiful music. Giacchino has also worked on Ratatouille, Star Trek, Alias, Fringe, and Up (for which he won an Oscar for Best Original Score).

Alex Ross for the New Yorker does a great breakdown of Giacchino's work and signature flourishes using the Season 6 Sayid episode Sundown. Some classic LOST sounds. Original article here. [Source: Hungry Ghost]

Currently listening to: Second Go - LIGHTS, First Day of My Life - Melanie C, and LOST Character Themes - Michael Giacchino, LOST Soundtrack

Sweet Day

Lucky Charms Cupcakes from Betty Crocker Recipes on Flickr. [Source: mememolly > Anna Szczekutowicz]

Cinnamon rolls. Nom. Seriously Yummy by the joy of on Flickr. [Source: Pretty Foods > Versus Versace]

Happy birthday to someone kick butt!

Currently listening to: Book of Love - Peter Gabriel, Never Going Back to OK - The Afters, and There's No Place Like Home - Michael Giacchino, LOST Soundtrack

Comes with Bacon

Email and bacon dispenser in your car. Win! [Source: Tiresome >> reddit]

Red velvet and vanilla mini cupcakes. I can't say no to Vanilla Wafers. Yummy photo by Foodmess on Flickr. [Source: Pretty Foods & Pretty Drink > Anna Szczekutowicz]

Jerrod Maruyama's great "Kawaii" collection featured a little LOST tribute to Smokey and Hurley. [Source: mememolly > The Daily What]
Also check out Maruyama's other great pieces, including: Alice (in Wonderland), Persimmons, Love - PB&J, Trundle Bundle. I like this Kawaii Ariel and Ursula.

G4's parody on annoying LOST fans. Lost phone chat! (Points for Glee poke.)

Can you tell I'm trying to wean myself off LOST posting? Oh, you couldn't? Never mind then.

Currently listening to: Your Guardian Angel - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Beautiful Day (U2 cover) - Lee DeWyze, and Parting Words - Michael Giacchino, Lost Soundtrack (Season 1)

Moving On

Been nomming on two new Pocky flavors.

Mango Mousse (which I first tried through AC~)

Banana (which I think tastes like bubble gum (not in a good way))

Cute McDonald's Drive Through TVC. By TBWA\Chiat\Day. [Source: Little Beard]


Nice short written by (the very talented) Kurt Schneider and Jake Bruene just in time for graduation. Nothing Left Unsaid

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LOST additions (ha, you knew this was coming) about the end. Obviously, SPOILERS! Skip this last section of the post if you still haven't seen the finale.

As if it weren't apparent, I've been going through show withdrawal recently.

Jimmy Fallon does a great intense lightning round of questions with Matthew Fox (Jack), Jorge Garcia (Hurley), Evangeline Lilly (Kate) before the finale. [Source: Lindsey Cathryn]

EW's Totally Lost parody/interview after the Across the Sea episode with Titus Welliver (MiB) and Mark Pellegrino (Jacob).


Nestor Carbonell (Richard) answers some light hearted question for TV Guide. [Source: Lindsey Cathryn]


Bill Simmons interviews Carlton Cuse on the B.S. Report a week before the finale. Check out the 5/14 podcast, which I found through IL~. Or listen to the 5/24 breakdown of the finale. Click here.

Ben remembers! Very sweet comic (one of many) by nedroid. [Source: Lindsey Cathryn]

The final lines from the LOST script, read by Jorge Garcia (Hurley) from the Geronimo Jack's Beard podcast of the final episode.

The plane clears frame, finally free of the island.
Jack Shephard has done what he came to this place to do.
He has found his purpose.
He has found love.
And been loved.
He has finally found a way to love himself.
The bamboo sways across the blue sky.
And Jack Shephard's eye closes one final time.
He is gone.
(The end.)

Michael Giacchino's beautiful Life and Death from the LOST soundtrack. Classic.

Currently listening to: Relent - G-Day (ft. Josh Yeoh), Dancing on My Own - Robyn, and Book of Love - Peter Gabriel

Whatever Happened Happened

[Apologies in advance for this LOST-only post to those who don't watch the show and have patiently listened to me rave about it for so long; but I thought the end of one of my favorite things deserved a full post on my reaction. That said, I tried to keep the spoilers to a minimum for those who haven't landed or are interested in eventually seeing the finale.]

With everything going on this week, I was finally able to watch the finale of LOST a few days ago and see that familiar title card for the last time.

Even though I've been tired of dodging spoilers like crazy, I was almost afraid to watch it because it signified the end of the end.

I've been in a LOST finale induced haze since I finished "The End" episode. Thankfully there are a bazillion forums, reviews, interviews with the Darlton and cast, and fellow rabid fans to help dissect and give some closure. And perhaps to escape the fact that the show is over.

I feared a Sopranos-like ending with so much riding on this last episode.

My first time watching, I liked the series finale. But the more I ruminated over it and with futher viewings, the more I loved it. It gets to the heart of what the show is about. For me, it goes back to the part of storytelling that it does best - about the characters you've hated and loved and cried with over these six years. Yes, I went in wanting to know some answers, and I was desperately hoping for a Mr. Eko cameo (still one of my favorite characters), but at the close of the 2.5 hours, I was okay with all those things left a mystery. Some people weren't, and I respect that. There were some things that LOST didn't deliver in the way we thought it would. (MovieLine does a great rundown and addresses the "unanswered questions" from the CollegeHumor video if there are some you are still wondering about.) But I leave as a happy fan who just wants to go back and watch all six seasons again now.

It is sad to see it come to an end but that was inevitable. Bittersweet. You can't deny the power of the last scene. I will miss the incredible writing, acting, and imagination of the show.

Here are some great reviews by Crit for Multiversity Comics, JOpinionated, James Hughes on DarkUFO, Jeff Jensen for EW, and Todd VanDerWerff for LA Times.

Cheers, fellow LOSTies. It's been a good six years.

Currently listening to: I'll Never Be LOST Again - InjusticeLeague and The End (Final scene)- Lost Unofficial Soundtrack

Playing Catch Up

I'm back! I've missed Blogger and you guys. I have so much to catch up with, blogging included, so this will be a shorty. Hope to be back to normal soon.

In the meantime, doing a little bit of catch up, so let's get through some old news:

Last Sunday, the 23rd, brought the series finale of LOST. (More on that later.)
It was also World Turtle Day!


Sick, sick, sick new spot for Nike in prep for FIFA World Cup 2010 (15 days and counting) that NW~ sent me. I can't begin to list out how many cool parts there are to this 3 minute commercial. Plus a little shout out to USA with Donovan at 1:08. Write the Future.




WongFu Production's new mv for David Choi's That Girl finally dropped. It makes me happy when they collaborate. You may remember their earlier hit together Won't Even Start.

Currently listening to: the interwebz

Go White Blood Cells, Go!

Still dismally sick but this made me feel better.
Thanks MH~! Final hours of LOST here we come.

Currently listening to: I Dreamed a Dream (Les Miserables cover) - Glee, Beth (Kiss cover) - Glee

Recovery

AllState's The Great Recovery TVC. The visual is okay but the copy is excellent. A new perspective on the recession. Agency: Leo Burnett Chicago.

I keep forgetting to post this, but every time I see it on TV I laugh. A baby formula ad (for Friso) that I actually like. Unfortunately no English subtitles, but I think you'll get it anyways.

Snake's on a plane by Theowninater on Halolz.com . Made me laugh.
If you're a fan of puns, also check out So Much Pun.

Facebook privacy evolution over the years. Chart by Matt McKeon. Click the link to get the interactive timeline. [Found through SH~]

Been pretty sick these last few days. The worst case of illness I've had for awhile. Or I may be getting weak. Either way, bleurgh.

Currently listening to: Beautiful Goodbye - Josh Kelley and Crawling (Carry Me Through) - Superchick

More Kiwis

YT's made some nice recent updates, the first since its full interface switch earlier. Summary blurbs and visible "like" ratings.

This made me laugh. Poor little guy. Lament of the Kiwi by theinfinityloop from the Derby #81:Heartbreak series on shirt.woot! [Source: That Girl > shirt.woot!]

Fun work by designer and artist Jim Gray.
Pineapple Vengeance by Jim Gray on shirt.woot!

Taking it easy. Baby turtle chillin' out. [Source: mememolly >> Buddy4u]

For the sweet tooth. Hot chocolate and cake/brownie pops - pretty desserts at Kellan and Brandon's reception. Taken by Orange County-based Victor C. Sizemore. [Source: Style Me Pretty]

Currently listening to: Carolina in My Mind (James Taylor cover), Fast Car (Tracy Chapman cover), and Crash (Dave Matthews Band cover) - T.J. Brown

Cutely Hacking Up a Lung

It feels like I've blogged about this before but I can't find the post. These are worth another feature anyways. Every time I see the giant plush microbes from Think Geek, it makes me feel slightly better about germs and being sick. Slightly.
Below, a select few (click here for more).
Bad Breath
Ebola (for PY~)
E. coli
Flu
It's a white blood cell vs. sore throat real live battle for me right now. Bleurgh.

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These two job-related news articles from this week were rather depressing:
Health.com's (through CNN) Working overtime may harm the heart, study says [Found through IL~]
Yahoo's Worst-Paying College Degrees

CNN's fun Matters of the Heart logo

A very cool dad makes giraffe pancakes for his daughter. Check out more of his amazing (plus 3D) work at Jim's Pancakes. Mmm...pancakes. [Source: Mememolly]


Jimmy Kimmel is always really quick on the uptake with LOST, especially with his show running so quickly after. Fun clip.
Warning: SPOILERS - do not watch if you haven't seen last night's ep yet.


Got some big decisions to make.

Currently listening to: Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars, I Wanna - Bob Sinclar, Sahara, Shaggy, Paparazzi (Lady Gaga cover) - Greyson97

Dogs in Action

A little late for Mother's Day but still worth reposting.
Sorry, Mom! - Apologies and thank yous to mothers. This got me all teary eyed. Great website graphics.

I can't wait till this finally drops. It feels like I've been blogging about it for months and months! Inception's newest trailer.


Checking in (possibly overweight) luggage is the most stressful part of the trip for me, so I need one of these! Suitcase from The Verdict that weighs itself with a built-in scale (which hopefully isn't heavy itself). Measures in kg and lb! [Source: Like Cool]

Check out DCP's photo collection of Riot Dog (a dog spotted at many of the Athens, Greece, riots over the past two years). The image below is from last Wednesday (5th).

This was submitted for Poorly Dressed, but I actually think it's a pretty sweet dress. A 3D thing I actually approve of.

Random cute of the week: A very excited corgi gets fed. [Source: FYL]

Currently listening to: Best I Ever Had (Vertical Horizon cover) - Gary Allan, You and Me - Wayne Brady, She's So California - Jonathan Kingham

Cardiovascular

Thanks for putting up with the patchy blogging this month! As you know I had a bout of sickness earlier and then some great friends visiting. Now I feel an oncoming sore throat on the horizon. Oh noes! I must be getting weak.

Shakira and FreshlyGround drop Waka Waka (This Time for Africa), the official 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem.


Lovely black and white shot. Photo by famous fashion and celebrity photographer Alexi Lubomirski for Harper's Bazaar UK June 2010. [Source: Dress, Design, & Decor]

Bird shaped sugar cubes from San Francisco tea shop Crown and Crumpet. Photo taken by Mo from Elizabeth Anne Designs during her bridal shower. So fun!

The Evil Dead movie poster by Olly Moss on Flickr. Super sweet graphics. [Source: Little Beard]

Ventricle Vessel glass vase by Eva Milinkovic of Ontario-based (3D) design shop Tsunami Glassworks. Lovely colors. [Source: Like Cool]

Currently listening to: She's Always a Woman (Billy Joel cover) - Fyfe Dangerfield, Finally Falling - Tori Vega and Beck Oliver, and Undisclosed Desires - Muse