My B'Day Wish: Extra Strength Tylenol!

I had imagined my 26th B'Day to be the same old thing that my B'Days have been. Take last year's for consideration: I woke up and my mom handed me my gift. I had breakfast and went to Metropolis at Metrotown to do a little shopping. After spending $108 on clothes and what-not (it's true, I'm not kidding), I went home and waited for everyone to come home so we could have my B'Day dinner. Boring as it was, it was fine.

Except that I'm sick this year. Actually, I've been ill since Saturday, May 23rd. I've been coughing, running a fever, and sneezing for six days now. And my co-workers are freaking out and blaming me for their little sniffles, little sneezes, and little coughs.

Seriously. Worst B'Day ever.

But all was not lost. People cared enough to greet me on Facebook - and my best friend didn't forget my B'Day this time! (Hehe.) Some are still sending me belated birthday greetings! A few people even sent cards!

I got great gifts too. My mom gave me an emerald-and-diamond ring a few weeks ago, and then she gave me clothes too. My sister gave me my very first Coach purse when they came back from Orlando, FL a couple of months ago; she said that was my early birthday gift. My niece and nephew/godson gave me Lipstick Jungle Season 2 DVD set (because The Big Bang Theory Season 2 DVD and Fringe Season 1 DVD aren't released yet) and a digital photo frame/key chain. Then the C's gave me my very first Guess purse, a Salvatore Ferragamo perfume, and a little poem/note from Miss KC.

We had spaghetti carbonara, baked chicken, two sets of pizza, and Pepsi. Then my niece took the DQ ice-cream cake for dessert.

Yes, they didn't listen to me when I said I don't want an ice-cream cake for my B'Day. No LOST-themed cake for this B'Day girl! (Humour me, it was my B'Day.)

Eh. Whatever. I was already having the worst B'Day ever.

The best B'Day gift ever? Ironically, it came in the form of a non-B'Day gift: a bottle of Extra Strength Tylenol!!!

I took one caplet and I fell asleep at around 9:30pm. When I woke up at midnight, I felt slightly better, although it still took me two hours to get back to sleep. When I woke up at 5:30am, there were less coughing fits, which lasted the whole day!

Anyway... Overall, I had a fine B'Day. It wasn't as great as my 25th or my 21st, but it will do. I'll just think of my Guess purse and Salvatore Ferragamo perfume.

Don't Quit!

I was supposed to memorize the "Don't Quit" poem when I was in CAT (Citizen's Army Training, like ROTC) during Grade 10 (high school senior where I come from). Of course, I never did, but they never found out because I was never required to recite it. 

Anyway, part of this poem was featured on the Pastor's Corner today. I realized I need to keep a copy of this poem somewhere. I need it to remind me that I shall never quit - in looking for my first place, for instance. It might be difficult to find the condo for my specific needs, but I will keep looking. Also, I won't quit when my business does not bring me the profit that I'd hope. I also won't quit when it comes to my pathetic love life and LOST. (Hehehehehehe...)

Here's the full poem, courtesy of TheDon'tQuitPoem.com:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, 

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, 

When the funds are low and the debts are high, 

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, 

When care is pressing you down a bit, 

Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

 

Life is queer with its twists and turns, 

As every one of us sometimes learns, 

And many a failure turns about, 

When he might have won had he stuck it out; 

Don't give up though the pace seems slow-- 

You may succeed with another blow.

 

Often the goal is nearer than, 

It seems to a faint and faltering man, 

Often the struggler has given up, 

When he might have captured the victor's cup, 

And he learned too late when the night slipped down, 

How close he was to the golden crown.

 

Success is failure turned inside out-- 

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, 

And you never can tell how close you are, 

It may be near when it seems so far, 

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-- 

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

The website says that the author is unknown, but there's a name at the bottom of the Pastor's Corner sheet: Mr Harry Knowles, Sr (1904 - 1979). Some websites attribute the poem to him. 

Regardless, thanks to whoever wrote the above poem! Your words help us get through difficulties and failures.

HGTV is Reinforcing My Choice

While waiting for the Robitussin to work in my system, I went on the HGTV Canada website and I decided to do some quizzes for fun.

Check out the result for the What Type of Home Should I Buy quiz...

Choose a Condo

Location, luxe décor, and low maintenance are important to you, which is why a condo is an ideal home base. Don't think that means it'll have to be closet-sized: look to buy in an older building. The building will have a solid reserve fund, meaning maintenance fees will be steady and units will be larger than they're made now.

See? See? It fits where I am right now in my life.

Oh, and one more: What type of a condo buyer am I?

Condo Guru

You want to own your own home, but don't need the stairs, driveway or lawn. A condo is your best bet. Not willing to give up outdoor space? Look for a penthouse unit with a private terrace, or a newer building with a deluxe rooftop patio. Remember, the more amenities (party or movie room, pool, whirlpool or barbeques), the higher the maintenance fees may be.

Thank you, HGTV Canada and whoever created the aforementioned quizzes!

My Favourite Room in the House

You Are the Library

You are very intellectual and well read. You tend to be absorbed in your own interests. You can seem a bit standoffish. To be honest, you're not that interested in other people. You are comforted by the things you own. You tend to be a pack rat. It's likely that you have many old possessions that you treasure. You rarely throw anything away.

What Room of the House Are You?

When I get my own place, I shall have a library, even if it's tiny.

So What Lies in the Shadow of the Statue?

Apparently, it's something that Richard Alpert had to say in Latin. I haven't researched the translation for that one.

LOST's Season 5 finale? Talk about a roller coaster ride.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

But, questions, questions, questions...

Where were Penny, Desmond, Widmore, and older Eloise?

Did Richard just leave 1977 Eloise alone and unconscious?

What happened to Sayid? Will he die? (I hope not.)

Who's the guy with whom Jacob was talking at the beginning of the episode? Why does he want to kill Jacob so badly?

Speaking of which, what is the ship that we saw on the horizon? Is it the Black Rock?

Did Jacob visit all the main Oceanic 815 survivors before they crashed on the Island? What about the ones who have passed on, like Charlie?

Who's Edison?

Why did Jacob make Richard/Ricardus ageless?

For what is Frank a candidate? Will Ilana get him to join the What-Lies-in-the-Shadow-of-the-Statue group and fight with them?

Will Rose and Bernard be Adam and Eve (see LOST 1x06, "House of the Rising Sun")?

What happened to Ilana that she ended up in a Russian (?) hospital? How does she know Jacob?

What is the significance of the Flannery O'Connor short story collection, Everything That Rises Must Converge? Is it a clue?

Did Jack's plan work? (Updated May 15, 2009)

Like I said, it was a wild ride. More thoughts and reactions to come later...

There's More Than One (Mind-Blowing Scene) of Everything

Wow. Fringe ends its first season with two mind-freakin'-blowing scenes. But, before that...

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

First, we learnt that our old friend David Robert Jones, who was dying from the effects of his teleportation from the Frankfurt prison to Little Hill Field, shot Massive Dynamic's Nina Sharp. He also took an energy cell from Ms Sharp's cyborg arm. He used this energy cell to power a device to try and open something like a... window or door in New York and Providence (Rhode Island?). Both were failures and resulted in one death each, as well as the mystery of a truck that came from nowhere.

Also, we learnt that The Observer brought our favourite mad scientist Walter Bishop to a beach house, after letting him visit an unknown grave. Walter was supposed to look for something in the beach house and that he had to hurry. However, he could not remember what he was trying to find. Eventually, Peter found him and got him to focus on what he was looking for: a device to close a door to an alternate reality. Yes, that's right - alternate reality, alternate universe, et cetera.

In the meantime, Olivia Dunham analysed everything that happened in the first season - a picture of Joseph Meegar, the centre of episode 1x05, "Power Hungry" was clearly visible at one point - and concluded that the hole - and David Robert Jones - will be at Reiden Lake. During Olivia's conversation with Ms Sharp and Agent Peter Broyles, by the way, we learnt that technological and scientific advances have accelerated the decay of the law of gravity, speed of light, et cetera, and have created soft spots, like the Bermuda Triangle.

As expected, David Robert Jones & his minions, Olivia & the other FBI agents, and Walter & Peter headed to Reiden Lake. Mr Jones and his minions had almost succeeded in keeping the door open when Olivia and Peter arrived to stop them. Olivia shot Mr Jones' minions and fired at least two bullets into Mr Jones - who told her that the bullets just went through him - while he was about to walk through the door. Thankfully, Peter arrived just in time to use the device to close the door. It did close - and cut David Robert Jones practically in half.

Whoa.

Sounds like a regular Fringe episode? Not quite.

After the excitement was all over, Walter was shown at the cemetery, standing before the same grave as the one earlier in the episode. He looked very sad and I thought, "What the heck?" The name on the grave?

PETER BISHOP
1978 - 1985

Say WHAT????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, oh, Olivia did get a chance to meet the fabled Dr William Bell. How? She was in the elevator of a Manhattan hotel when a flash of white light startled Olivia. The elevator doors opened at the 15th floor, to a white sterile hallway. A woman came out and led her to an office - on the desk of which rested an oxygen tank, a small bell, and a newspaper with a front-page headline saying, "Obamas Move Into New White House" (emphasis is mine). Shortly afterwards, William Bell came in and Olivia immediately asked him two questions: where they were and who he was. The answer to the second question is quite obvious - Dr William Bell, Walter's old lab-mate. The answer to the first question is, as Belly put it, "very complicated". Olivia looked out the office window, and as the camera pulled back, we saw that William Bell's office is in one of the...

WORLD TRADE CENTER TOWERS!

Yeah, the World Trade Center that the terrorists destroyed on September 11th, 2001.

Talk about alternate realities.

Not only that: the brief season 2 promo that I did not see had the following tagline:

"What was before, is only the beginning. What is to come, is beyond imagination. This fall, answers will be questioned. Realities will be shattered. With a new chapter of Fringe."

Say WHAT????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahh... An awesome season is over and another will begin this fall. I cannot wait already.

So, kids, Fringe is to alternate realities, while LOST is to time travel. Awesome.

Evangeline Lilly Is L'Oreal's New Face

Evangeline Lilly, who plays Kate Austen in LOST, is the new face of L'Oreal, according to People.com. Here's what she has to say about it:

(Thanks to Flickr user Evi_Kate for the pic.)

"It is a source of great pride for me to represent a brand whose ambition is to respond to every person's aspirations to beauty and contribute to the fulfillment and well-being of everyone."

Freida Pinto of Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire also announced today she is joining the L'Oreal family.

Thanks, Vancouver Canucks

Sorry, Canuck fans. The Vancouver Canucks lost last night to the Chicago Blackhawks by two goals. The Canucks' season is finally over. So sad.



Actually, I didn't even watch the final game. I had a feeling it'd be all over last night. According to my sister, they lost their focus once they beat St. Louis Blues in four games.

However, they reached Round 2 of the playoffs, so that is commendable in itself. Congratulations, Northwest Division Champs! Better luck next year. Better yet, play better! See you guys in the fall.

Top LOST Bloggers Chat Tomorrow at Zap2It

Excited about tomorrow's Season 5 finale? I'm sure you are. I totally am!

Tomorrow, May 13th at 2pm EDT, our favourite LOST bloggers are chatting about LOST, the finale, and probably more at Zap2It. DocArzt a.k.a. Jon Lachonis, Erika Olson, JOpinionated, and the co-creators of SL-Lost are coming together to chat about LOST for the afternoon preceding the finale, during the finale, and after the finale. Whoa. This chat is going to be so much fun!

With the craziness at work and at home, I doubt if I can watch/listen to the chat. But I will definitely try.

Also, check out the ten burning questions for the finale at the same site. I'm sure you're all asking at least one of the questions yourselves.

By the way, see you tonight at 9/8 central on Fox for the Fringe season finale. Woohoo! Then the LOST Season 5 finale starts at 8pm tomorrow at ABC with a clip show and the two-hour season finale proper - entitled "The Incident" - starts at 9pm.

P.S. - If you're a registered voter in British Columbia, then do not forget to vote today.

Ciao for now.

Darlton and JJ Together Again on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

This is rare: JJ Abrams, Carlton Cuse, and Damon Lindelof appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!'s segment entitled "Secrets of LOST" for its 10th edition.



Hilarious, ain't it?

Thanks to DarkUFO for the code!

Shall I Start a Fringe Blog?

Great cliffhangers last night, eh? The Observer fetches Walter Bishop and says, "It is time to go." Then, Massive Dynamic's Nina Sharp is shot - with tranquilizer? - by two masked men. Whoa. Can't wait for next week's season finale!

Anyway, I was thinking of starting a Fringe blog since it's a relatively new series. It is way too late for me to start a blog for LOST, so why can't I do a Fringe blog? I thought, not counting the official website and wiki, there's not a lot of sites that do recaps and stuff for Fringe, except for DocArzt's Seeing Patterns site and the Wikia site. Then I found this awesome site, Fringe Television, that has everything a Fringe fan can ask for. It's like DarkUFO for Fringe! So, like I do with the popular LOST blogs and fan sites, I am just going to read the stuff on Fringe Television, and the accompanying Fringepedia.

And, oh, in case you haven't heard, Fringe was just picked up for a second season! Apparently, filming will stay in New York and will not move to Vancouver. (Or is it?) But there's a second season! Woot woot!

See y'all next Tuesday, 12 May at 9 PM, and let's hope American Idol does not go overtime - for the nth-freaking time!

(Speaking of which, for British Columbia residents, please vote on 12 May and say no to STV. Thanks.)

What Do I Want for My B'Day?

Considering my birth month didn't start as great as I wanted, I would like something like this for my B'Day...

(Pic totally ripped from Lostpedia.)

If I'm not going to get my own place before my B'Day, then I want a LOST B'Day cake. I mean, that's the next best thing, right? Well, aside from $25,000 or a BlackBerry Storm from Rogers Wireless, it is the next best thing.

For the record, I do not want any other cake unless it's LOST-themed. And I do not want an ice-cream cake - at all.

Or you can give me $25,000 and/or a Rogers BlackBerry Storm, and we're all good.