LOST, for the last time

Beth: You can't go anywhere on the Internet this week without stumbling over a blog post about the end of LOST. I guess I don't really need to contribute to the hype, but I'd like to at least share a few of my thoughts about the show's ending.

In 2004, when LOST premiered, it was unlike any other television show I'd ever seen. I didn't start watching right from the beginning; if I remember correctly, it was on at the same time as another show I watched regularly, although for the life of me I can't recall now what it was. But I was hooked as soon as I saw that group of survivors on that beautiful beach, as soon as I saw Sawyer shoot that polar bear, as soon as I saw Locke with that somehow sinister orange slice in his mouth. There are people who say that the magic of LOST is in its mythology, but I disagree. The real magic of LOST, for me, has always been in the complexity of its characters. On LOST, as in life, no one is ever all good or all bad. Rather, there are an infinite number of shades of gray. That's what kept me coming back week after week, and what has kept me hanging on to the very, final end.

It's been a 6-year journey to get to this point. LOST has had its ups and downs, and to my mind it never quite regained its footing after the giddy excitement of the first couple of seasons. I think the show suffered after JJ Abrams left, although it's still likely one of the best shows on television. Even when I've been annoyed with the show this season (for reasons I won't start to list here or I'll never stop), I've stuck around because I have been in this for the long haul. LOST has been more than just a show, it's been the medium through which I've made some wonderful friends, truly some of the most fabulous people I know. It's been the medium through which I learned something new with almost every episode; this show requires more concentration than anything I've ever watched outside of a documentary. It's been the medium through which I became part of a larger entity: the LOST nation. This is a group of fans whose attention to detail would put even the most anal retentive person to shame. And I have been proud to be one of their number since the fall of 2004.

It's been equal parts thrilling, frustrating, exhilarating, and exhausting to be a LOST fan. And by Sunday night, it will all be over. But oh, what a ride it's been.

Edna's Fun Friday: Get LOST

Edna: One of my favorite shows the past few years has been the ABC drama, LOST. It gets a mite confusing at times, but it's still plenty enjoyable to watch! This season is going to be their last season, which is sad, but I suppose all good things must come to an end. To get everyone excited for the season premiere on February 2nd, ABC has been airing promos. Although they don't have any footage from the new season, they're still plenty exciting to watch.

Edna's Fun Friday: Sawyer the Shirtless Redneck

Edna: Folks, I dearly love this time of year. Everyone is so festive and nice, and there are all kinds of holiday treats just lurking around. A good friend of mine, Miss TRoss, made this video a couple years ago in honor of her favorite TV con man. (He just happens to be mine, too.) I hope you all enjoy this little piece of holiday cheer!

Eggnog pie

Edna: Margie, look here at this recipe I got from a friend of mine. Eggnog pie! My lands, have you ever heard of such a thing?

Margie: I've never heard of that, Edna. My personal opinion is that it would be better if we replaced that rum extract with about a pint of good rum.

Edna: I knew you were going to say that. You probably don't remember the last time you tried to cook something that way, considering you drank all the rum and didn't leave any for the recipe. I let you sleep on the kitchen floor that night.

I think I'm going to try and make this for Christmas. We'll have to send Cousin T into town for the ingredients.

Margie: Edna, you're so mean to your elders.

If you're sending Cousin T to the store then you best have him pick up a larger bottle of rum. It'll warm up my old bones.

Edna: Ha! Elder is right.

I'll have Cousin T pick you up some rum, you old lush, but you'd best leave me a little bit for the pie.

Margie: Edna, you can ruin a pie better than anybody I know.

Edna: Then you don't have to eat any, fine by me.

Eggnog Pie

1 pre-made graham cracker crust
1 4-¾ ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups good eggnog
1/3 cup milk
splash rum extract (You can substitute 1/4 cup of rum for the rum extract, if desired)

Mix pudding, eggnog, milk and extract until thick. (Mixture will be very thick.) Then, pour into the shell and let sit in the fridge at least a day before serving.

Sweet Treats

Edna: Margie, I've noticed something interesting about our readers. Would you like me to tell you what it is?

Margie: I would like to know if you're planning to tell the truth.

Edna: Margie, unlike some others I could name, I almost always tell the truth. What I've noticed is that we get a lot of traffic and comments when we post pictures of hunky men, and when we post about sweet treats like donuts. What do you think about that?

Margie: Edna, that makes perfect sense to me. Hunky men are sweet treats! I have a lot of comments I could make about that subject. Would you like to hear them?

Edna: Margie, I only want to hear them if they can be repeated during Bible study. Otherwise, you just keep your smutty comments to yourself.


And now, just for our readers, we present the following...

Lost's Josh Holloway in the August issue of GQ

Jensen Ackles, Supernatural

A succulent Krispy Kreme donut....yum!

Even Mr. Dimples can't resist a donut.

Honey, would you like something sweet?