For My Lost Friends

We go to the Louisville Zoo a lot (have you gathered?), and so the rhinoceros, the meerkats, and the giraffes are beginning to seem commonplace. My eye is looking for something more. I've realized recently that if you strip away the Bomassa and Australian Outback themes, the well-manicured gardens, the cotton candy and screaming kids, and, oh yes, the animals, you see something very interesting: the Dharma Initiative.

That's right. The ole "DI" right there in the Louisville Zoological Gardens.

So I present to you the relatively unknown exhibits at the zoo:

The "Orchid" Station ~

The "Hydra" Station ~

The "Tempest" Station ~

The "Temple" Station ~

The "Looking Glass" Station ~

The "Arrow" Station ~

The "Staff" Station ~

The "Swan" Station ~

The "Flame" Station ~

And the "Pearl" Station ~

Is it just me, or are you seeing it too?

New Lost theory

My co-worker, Shawn, has a theory about Lost that I want to share. He thinks that Richard is the captain of the Black Rock pirate ship. Think about it, he never ages, he was already on the island before Dharma showed up, he would have the money to finance Ben (treasure from the pirate days) and he would want to protect the island because he has benefited from its "healing" powers for the last four centuries. Also, he needs someone from Dharma (Ben) on his side so that he can benefit from the Dharma technology, communication and transportation systems. That's also why Widmore is bidding on the Black Rock painting and journal: not because he already knows of a connection with the island, but because he wants to find the shipwrecked Black Rock and its lost treasure. Let me know what you think.

Lost: We've got it all figured out, sort of

I go to Seminary Wives Institute on Thursday nights. I come home at about 9:05 p.m., dump my books and coat in the middle of the living room, and sit on the couch next to Ken. Ken has, without fail, put the kids to bed and is sitting watching Lost. We don't say a word until the commercial break. My sister witnessed this last week and must have thought we were nuts. At least we warned her. We barely turn the TV on all week and then at 9 p.m. Thursday evening we become glued to it.

After the last episode, Ken and I are 100% sure that Mr. Widmore is the key to everything. Ken called it from the very first time we were introduced to Mr. Widmore (season 2, I think). We think Mr. Widmore is the financier of the entire Dharma Initiative! So at the auction in 1996, when he buys the secret journal from the Black Rock, he already knows all about the island, because Dharma started in the 1970's. And he knows that the Black Rock was shipwrecked on the island and is filled with unstable dynamite. Perhaps he even knows how the Black Rock came to be two miles inland. Or maybe the journal will hold that answer.

Anyway, I would venture to guess that Mr. Widmore sent Naomi and her team (Dharma people), that he is thwarting Penny's efforts to make contact with the island, that he somehow orchestrated Desmond's shipwreck on the island (Desmond was sailing in a Widmore-sponsored race), and that he is the mysterious "boss" that Elsi worked for in Berlin. Widmore is the one who is out to get Ben Linus (and the rest of the "hostiles" and hostile-sympathizers), because Ben put an end to all the Dharma people on the island.

Think about it: Dharma is costly. Widmore is the only character with enough money to finance it. Well, except for Hurley.

And if anyone out there was also into Alias, another JJ Abrams creation, you'll understand this one: Ken thinks that Jacob is really Milo Rombaldi. Now that's funny.

A Lost Theory

This is for my Lost friends:

Why doesn't Jack Shepherd want to see Claire/Kate's son, Aaron?

Here's my theory:

Jack and Claire have the same father (This much has already been revealed. Remember when Jack's father goes to visit Claire and her mom in Australia?). While still on the island, Jack and Claire discover that they are half siblings. Jack, already disillusioned and bitter at his father, finds his bitterness resurrected. He can't get past the fact that his father was unfaithful to his mother and secretly had a family with another woman. He doesn't see Aaron as his nephew, but as his father's illegitimate offspring.

How's that for a theory? Any thoughts?

I'm Lost About Lost

Ken and I watch Lost on Thursday nights. It's on the calendar each week; it's our show. And last night for Valentine's Day, we snuggled on the couch and watched Lost. Actually, "snuggled" might not be the right word...I clenched Ken's arm and hid my face against his knee. It was romantic.

A few thoughts about the developments on Lost:

(WARNING: Even those who faithfully watch Lost find it cryptic at best. If you don't watch Lost and you read the rest of this post, you could get, well, lost.)

• Ben is the mastermind, or the steward perhaps, of THE LIST.
• I was not at all surprised to see Ben in Berlin, since we had already learned he is a world traveller with many aliases. Even that, though, was no surprise.
• What is THE LIST??
• THE LIST was mentioned before, last season I think. One of the Others (Cyclops? Quinn? I don't remember who) told one of the Oceanic survivors that they were "not on the list" and that another survivor "was on the list." Hmmm...
• But last night's "LIST" could be a new "LIST" altogether.
• Ben also said something about lists right after the Oceanic flight crashed. Remember? He yelled to Ethan and Quinn, "I want lists!" (Was his name Quinn? Now I'm not sure.)
• Ben's psychologist/counselor lady gave Michael a list of names, survivors of the crash, that Michael was to deliver to Ben in exchange for Walt.
• Sayid is working for Ben, his handler of sorts, to eliminate all those on "THE LIST."
• Ben is really into lists.
• Could THE LIST be all those who are unsympathetic to the Others? People that will be likely to harm the Others and whatever it is that Ben is trying to accomplish on the island? Is it a "kill or be killed" sort of thing?
• Ben asks Sayid, "Do you want to protect your friends or don't you?" Is Ben referring to the 5 other "Oceanic 6" or to those left on the island? Or both?
• Why did Naomi have a picture of Desmond and Penny if Naomi's boat is "not Penny's boat"? Was it a ruse?
• So far, it is clear that the Oceanic 6 includes Jack, Kate, Sayid, and Hurley. I'm sure the 5th person will be Sawyer. Kate will not leave without him. Live together, Die alone.
• Desmond saw a vision of Claire and Aaron leaving on a helicopter. Could be, but will Claire actually return to civilization, or just do a stint on Naomi's boat? Regardless, Claire is a clear contender for opening number six of the Oceanic 6.

Whew. Too many questions. Not enough answers. A fun brain exercise, nonetheless.